Sean “Diddy” Combs’ defense team is taking a firm stance against the lawyer representing several of the music mogul’s alleged victims, Houston attorney Tony Buzbee. In a legal filing, Combs’ lawyers are challenging Buzbee’s attempt to represent a client in New York despite not being licensed to practice there.
The defense team’s motion opposes Buzbee’s request for “pro hac vice admission,” a legal provision allowing an attorney to represent a client in a jurisdiction where they aren’t typically licensed. The filing argues that Buzbee’s actions, described as “egregious misconduct,” should disqualify him from practicing in the Southern District of New York.
Buzbee, who is based in Texas, has become a high-profile figure in the civil lawsuits against Combs, representing multiple alleged victims who accuse the mogul of sexual abuse. His aggressive public approach, which includes offering a 1-800 hotline for potential clients and holding press conferences to highlight a supposed decades-long pattern of abuse, has made him a prominent face of the case.
In a motion filed Tuesday, Combs’ legal team expressed their disapproval of Buzbee’s actions, stating, “In our collective decades of practice, undersigned counsel have never opposed a pro hac vice application, and we do not do so lightly here. But Buzbee’s egregious misconduct warrants denial of the privilege of appearing in this district.”
Combs, who is currently in jail awaiting trial on multiple serious charges, including sex trafficking, prostitution, and racketeering, faces intense legal battles, with Buzbee leading the charge for the civil side of the case.