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Law Firm Sues Vivendi over Messier Fees

By Nate Raymond
January 26, 2011

The law firm King & Spalding has sued Vivendi S.A. over the alleged failure to pay legal fees billed for the defense of Vivendi's ex-CEO in a securities class-action trial that resulted in a jury verdict against the Paris-based telecommunication and entertainment company. In a lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, King & Spalding claims that Vivendi didn't pay nearly $866,000 in fees billed for the defense of Jean-Marie Messier, the former Vivendi CEO, who was cleared of liability at the 2010 securities trial. King & Spalding, which continues to represent Messier post-trial and in other lawsuits, seeks damages for those fees and an order directing Vivendi to pay all of Messier's fees going forward. King & Spalding LLP v. Vivendi S.A., 10116232.

A spokesperson for Vivendi declined comment. Michael J. Malone, Messier's lawyer at King & Spalding and the one who filed the suit, didn't return a call seeking comment.

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