Lil Wayne has emerged victorious in a long-running $20 million legal battle against his former attorney, Ron Sweeney—a dispute that spanned nearly seven years across courts in New York and California.
The case, which revolved around a verbal contingency fee agreement, has finally come to a close, with a ruling that decisively favors the rapper, allowing him to retain millions that he once risked losing, per Black Enterprise.
On October 13, Judge James D’Auguste ruled that a 10% fee deal that was in effect between the two parties is no longer valid, ending years of contentious litigation.
In his decision, Judge D’Auguste noted, “Counterclaim plaintiffs may not, under [the law], receive a contingency fee, as contemplated by the voided oral contingency fee arrangement or otherwise.”
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The ruling also barred Sweeney from investigating the rapper’s post-termination finances. However, Sweeney may still pursue what the judge described as “reasonable fees” for prior legal services. These fees are yet to be determined through evidence discovery.
Despite this, the decision represents a significant win for Wayne, who had consistently maintained that his former lawyer was not entitled to any additional payments.
The dispute dates back to 2018, when Wayne, whose legal name is Dwayne Carter, terminated his professional relationship with Sweeney.
The rapper subsequently claimed that the 10 percent contingency fee was “exorbitant” and more than “double the customary rate for attorneys in the music industry.” Carter argued that since the deal was never formalized in writing and only existed verbally, it was not binding once he fired Sweeney.
In 2019, Wayne filed a lawsuit asserting that the verbal agreement should be declared void, while Sweeney countersued in both California and New York, alleging that he was owed up to $20 million in unpaid fees.
The attorney’s claims included money from post-termination deals such as Wayne’s settlement with Cash Money Records and a reported rights sale involving Universal Music Group. Sweeney contended that even after being terminated, he was still entitled to a share of Wayne’s earnings from these lucrative agreements, according to Digital Music News.
However, Judge D’Auguste’s ruling dismissed those claims. “Accordingly, they are not entitled to discovery regarding the monies received by [Lil Wayne] in connection with the master recordings sale and Cash Money/Universal settlements,” the judge wrote. The decision makes clear that the verbal contingency fee arrangement cannot be enforced under New York law, effectively blocking Sweeney’s attempts to collect a portion of the rapper’s later earnings.
Wayne’s attorney, Jonathan Davis, applauded the outcome, telling Billboard: “After an almost seven-year battle in multiple courts in New York and California, lawyers can rest a little easier in knowing that the rule of law still matters and will be applied faithfully by court.”
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Both the legal and entertainment industries had closely followed the case due to its potential to set precedent for how attorney compensation disputes are handled in the music business. Contingency fee arrangements—where lawyers receive a percentage of their client’s earnings or settlements—are not uncommon in the entertainment field, but they must typically be formalized in writing to be enforceable.
Wayne’s team had asserted that Wayne had already overpaid Sweeney during their 13-year working relationship, making any additional claims unjustified.
Beyond his legal victory, the artist is still making a mark in the world of music. In November 2024, Wayne was inducted into the inaugural class of the newly established NOLA Walk of Fame, honoring his two-decade-long impact on New Orleans culture and the global music scene. The rapper received a custom fleur-de-lis plaque on Canal Street in recognition of his achievements. The honor was presented by New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who also awarded him the key to the city and declared “Lil Wayne Day” during his annual LilWeezyAna Fest earlier that month.
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