Rapper Struggles to Secure Legal Representation Amid Lawsuit
Kanye West has requested a Los Angeles judge to postpone his upcoming trial against former employee Tony Saxon, citing difficulties in securing legal representation due to negative media coverage.
According to court documents obtained by In Touch, West’s attorney, Manoja Shah, explained that the lawsuit, filed by Saxon in September 2023, has been complicated by the rapper’s struggles in retaining trial counsel.
West’s former lawyer, Brian Brumfield, stepped down from the case in July 2024, stating that the rapper had terminated their collaboration and refused both communication and payment. Since then, West has faced “extreme hardship” in finding new legal representation, with Shah attributing this to the intense media scrutiny surrounding him.
Despite these challenges, West has now hired attorney Eduardo Martorell as his lead counsel. However, Shah argued that Martorell requires more time to prepare, stressing that the rapper’s “extreme difficulties with retention of trial counsel” were raised in a recent hearing.
West’s legal team has formally requested the court to push back the trial date from February 24 to August or “the next available date.” The court has yet to decide on the request.
