Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

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.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough Image

There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.

Law Firms are Reducing Redundant Real Estate by Bringing Support Services Back to the Office Image

A trend analysis of the benefits and challenges of bringing back administrative, word processing and billing services to law offices.

Bit Parts Image

Summary Judgment Denied Defendant in Declaratory Action by Producer of To Kill a Mockingbird Broadway Play Seeking Amateur Theatrical Rights

Risks of “Baseball Arbitration” in Resolving Real Estate Disputes Image

“Baseball arbitration” refers to the process used in Major League Baseball in which if an eligible player's representative and the club ownership cannot reach a compensation agreement through negotiation, each party enters a final submission and during a formal hearing each side — player and management — presents its case and then the designated panel of arbitrators chooses one of the salary bids with no other result being allowed. This method has become increasingly popular even beyond the sport of baseball.

One Overlooked Element of Executive Safety: Data Privacy Image

Executives have access to some of the company's most sensitive information, and they're increasingly being targeted by hackers looking to steal company secrets or to perpetrate cybercrimes.