The legal battle between Britney Spears’ parents over her conservatorship rages on.
In recently filed court documents obtained by ET, the law firm Holland & Knight, which represents Britney’s father, Jamie Spears, is asking the court to overrule an objection filed by the singer’s mother, Lynne Spears, on her daughter’s behalf.
Lynne recently filed an objection contesting the legal attorney fees Jamie Spears has requested amid Britney’s ongoing conservatorship battle. Lynne objected to Jamie’s petition for approval and payment of over $890,000 to him and his attorneys, as well as related fees and expenses charged to the estate.
According to the documents filed by Holland & Knight on Tuesday, the law firm asserts Lynne’s objections are without merit and claims she is “not acting in the best interests of her daughter.” ET has reached out to Lynne’s lawyers for comment.
They further allege in their petition that Lynne’s objection has caused undue media attention and allege that Lynne “exploited her daughter’s pain and trauma for personal profit by publishing a book” about the singer, referring to her 2008 memoir Through the Storm: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World.
Holland & Knight argue that Lynne’s objection indicates her “ignorance regarding the complex nature of the Conservatorship Estate,” and say that the fees and costs are necessary for the law firm to “properly defend Mr. Spears from specious allegations that have threatened to tarnish his reputation as a loving, caring father who has nothing to hide, has been loyal and fiercely loving toward his daughter, sought to protect her, and manage her finances so that she can live her life the way she wants.”
In her previous objection, Lynne alleged that the fees and costs are improper, utterly excessive, and not in good faith. Additionally, Lynne claimed that the fees for the “media tour” were to combat media coverage that cast Jamie in a negative light, with no benefit to Britney.
The law firm rejected those claims in their latest filing, arguing, “Media matters are inextricably tied to all aspects of the Conservatorship. The media-related work performed by H&K was not only related to the litigation but an essential part of H&K representing and defending the Conservator and protecting the Conservatorship Estate.”
As ET reported last month, if the court approves, Britney will have to pay nearly $2 million to her father’s lawyers. Jamie is also requesting the approval of his compensation as conservator — including $16,000 a month, plus $2,000 monthly for the cost of office expenses — from the Nov. 1, 2019 to Feb. 28, 2021 timeframe mentioned in the document.
