Steven Tyler's entertainment attorney Dina LaPolt had reason to sing on Friday.
LaPolt, who was sued by Tyler's former management group, Kovac Media Group, over fee negotiations for Tyler's "America Idol" judging stint, had the majority of Kovac's claims thrown out on Friday, a spokesperson for LaPolt told TheWrap.
Judge Joseph R. Kalin of Los Angeles Superior Court ruled in LaPolt's favor and threw out three of Kovac's claims after LaPort filed a motion to have the claims dismissed on anti-SLAPP grounds.
(SLAPP is an acronym for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, referring to a lawsuit filed for the purpose of censoring and intimidating someone.)
Judge Kalin also threw out two claims leveled at LaPort by Kovac relating to the rock band Motley Crue.
LaPolt's attorney, Christine Lepera of Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, LLP, says she is “very pleased with the ruling. The claims against Dina LaPolt are baseless and this decision at this early of stage of litigation vindicates LaPolt’s reputation. As a next step, we look forward to recovering legal fees for this ill-advised lawsuit.”
Kovac sued LaPolt in October, claiming that she undermined negotiations for Tyler's renegotiation with "Idol," costing the company millions. The suit, which sought damages "believed to be more than $8 million," claimed that LaPolt used privileged and sensitive information to sabotage the 2011 renegotiation of Tyler's "Idol" contract, and badmouthed Kovac to the "Idol" producers.
Kovac (doing business as Tenth Street Entertainment) claimed that LaPolt undermined the talks to court favor with the "Idol" producers, so that they would refer other artists and talents to her. (According to the suit, LaPolt ended up representing "numerous other "American Idol" performers.)
According to the suit, rather than the raise that Kovac was trying to broker, Tyler was ultimately offered the same amount that he had previously earned on the show.
