Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing another change in his legal lineup as attorneys representing him in a major civil defamation case seek permission to withdraw.
Lawyers with the New York firm Sher Tremonte LLP have asked a federal court to allow them to step away from Combs’ $100 million lawsuit against Nexstar Media, attorney Ariel Mitchell and Courtney Burgess. The firm says the split follows months of unpaid legal bills as well as a breakdown in communication with the music mogul.
According to court filings, the attorneys allege Combs is more than six months behind on payments and owes a substantial balance for legal fees, costs and other expenses. The firm says his most recent payment covered work dating back to late 2025.
Money is not the only issue cited by the attorneys. Michael Tremonte, a partner at the firm, also alleged that communication with Combs had deteriorated and that the incarcerated music executive had not made himself available for meaningful discussions about his cases for more than four months.
Combs has pushed back on that account.
Through his spokesperson, Combs said he chose to change attorneys after objecting to charges he considered excessive or unauthorized. He characterized the disagreement as a business dispute involving legal bills rather than simply a failure to pay his attorneys.
Tremonte disputed that characterization, maintaining that the firm’s invoices are overdue and rejecting Combs’ allegation that he had been overcharged.
The disagreement comes as Combs continues pursuing a defamation lawsuit connected to allegations made during a 2024 NewsNation broadcast. Combs has denied the allegations and is seeking damages from Nexstar Media, Mitchell and Burgess.
The potential departure of Sher Tremonte could have implications beyond that lawsuit. Attorneys from the firm have also represented Combs in other civil litigation, although it remains unclear whether they will seek to withdraw from those cases.
Combs remains in federal custody following his high-profile criminal trial in 2025. A jury convicted him on two counts involving transportation to engage in prostitution while acquitting him of the more serious racketeering conspiracy and sex-trafficking charges. He was subsequently sentenced to 50 months in federal prison.
For Combs, the latest court filing adds another legal complication to an already crowded docket, this time centered not on the underlying allegations against him, but on a dispute with members of his own legal team.
