Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing another legal development after attorneys from New York law firm Sher Tremonte LLP asked the court for permission to withdraw from representing him in his $100 million defamation lawsuit, citing more than six months of unpaid legal fees and a breakdown in communication.
The firm filed a motion on September 14 seeking to withdraw from Combs’ case against Nexstar Media, Ariel Mitchell and Courtney Burgess. According to the filing, Combs is in “substantial arrears” and his last payment covered fees and expenses incurred in late 2025.
The attorneys also alleged that representing Combs had become increasingly difficult because of what they described as a lack of cooperation. They said he had not made himself available for direct and substantive discussions about his cases for more than four months, resulting in what the filing described as a “total breakdown in cooperation and communication.”
Combs disputes the characterization of the split.
Through his spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, Combs said he made the decision to switch lawyers because he believed the firm was overcharging him and accumulating bills that he had not approved. He described the dispute as a business matter and rejected the suggestion that the issue was simply unpaid fees.
Sher Tremonte partner Michael Tremonte pushed back on that account, saying the firm was withdrawing because Combs had failed to pay long-overdue invoices and had become uncooperative. He also rejected the allegation that the firm had overcharged him.
The dispute centers on Combs’ defamation lawsuit, in which he is seeking $100 million from Nexstar Media, attorney Ariel Mitchell and Courtney Burgess. The case relates to allegations aired on NewsNation’s Banfield program, including claims involving drug-laced baby oil that Combs has denied. A judge has allowed parts of the lawsuit to continue, while other claims against Nexstar have been dismissed.
It remains unclear whether Sher Tremonte will also withdraw from several other civil cases in which the firm represents Combs. His spokesperson said attorney Jonathan Davis continues to represent Combs and his companies in other civil matters.
The latest development comes as Combs continues serving a 50-month federal prison sentence following his 2025 conviction on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was acquitted of the more serious federal charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking.
For now, the withdrawal request still requires court approval. The legal dispute over the unpaid fees also does not itself resolve Combs’ $100 million defamation case, which remains ongoing.
