MWM’s chair of West Coast litigation, Brent Lehman, was featured in a recent Billboard article. Lehman’s client Chad Hugo filed a lawsuit against his longtime partner Pharrell Williams, alleging unpaid royalties and financial misconduct tied to their work together. Hugo and Williams were among the most successful songwriters as The Neptunes, producing hits like Nelly’s “Hot in Herre,” Snoop Dogg’s “Drop it Like It’s Hot,” Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” and Justin Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body.”
The Billboard article is one of many covering the lawsuit filed Jan. 23, 2026, accusing Williams of committing a wide range of legal wrongdoings against his former partner. According to the complaint, “Williams engaged in self-dealing, concealed material information, and … diverted revenues owed to plaintiff. Such willful, fraudulent, and malicious conduct warrants the imposition of punitive damages.”
Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gzM-R442. This case was also covered by Complex, Digital Music News, Yahoo, and Law360 (subscription may be required).
