Lynne Spears still wants her check.
Britney Spears’ mother doubled down on her demand that the pop star pay her attorneys’ fees, arguing Tuesday that she helped expedite Britney’s freedom from her conservatorship.
In court documents obtained by Page Six, Lynne’s legal team laid out a litany of reasons she believes Britney should have to foot their $660,000-plus bill.
The lawyers, Yasha Bronshteyn and Gladstone N. Jones III, claimed Lynne, 66, only got involved in the legal battle as an “interested party” in May 2019 because Britney, 40, had “pleaded with her mother” to save her from the “incredibly abusive acts of her father,” Jamie Spears.
Jamie, 69, served as the Grammy winner’s conservator from February 2008 until his suspension in September 2021, giving him control of her financial, medical and personal decisions. He has denied wrongdoing.
“Within one month of Lynne Spears becoming formally involved … the personal restrictions on [Britney] began to be removed,” Lynne’s counsel said in their filing, noting that Britney was able to go on a “somewhat publicized vacation in Miami” shortly after leaving the mental health facility that she testified Jamie had put her in against her will.
“Within three months of Lynne Spears’ formal involvement, [Britney’s] medical treatment was dramatically modified,” the court documents continued. “Within five months of Lynne Spears’ involvement … Jamie Spears resigned as [Britney’s] conservator of the person and [Britney] was given the right to choose her own doctor.
“Within a year and a half of [Britney’s] mother’s participation, and during the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic, [Britney’s] court-appointed counsel finally moved to bring in litigation counsel for the purpose of removing Jamie Spears. … Within two years and six months … [Britney] was finally afforded the right to choose her own legal counsel. Subsequently, she was freed from the conservatorship [in November 2021].”
Lynne’s attorneys went on to boast about their “relentless advocacy” and even speculated that “the status quo would have continued” had they not gotten involved.
“Because [Britney] asked her mother to make those efforts, and because the efforts made were very successful, [Lynne] believes that equities run in favor of [Britney’s] estate or trust compensating for those efforts,” they concluded. “While acknowledging that the requested fee is in the six figures, [Lynne] respectfully suggests that the request pales in comparison to the millions and millions of dollars that were spent by Jamie Spears to keep [Britney] in her untenable conservatorship, and to perform activities that [Britney] did not request, and that were not in her best interest.”
Lynne’s lawyers filed the papers on the same day that Britney’s powerhouse attorney, Mathew Rosengart, said the “Toxic” singer objected to giving any money to Lynne.
“Britney Spears has for decades been her family’s sole breadwinner, supporting her entire family,” Rosengart said in court documents obtained by Page Six exclusively, asserting that there was “no legal basis” for Lynne to ask for hundreds of thousands of dollars as a “third party” in the case.
The former federal prosecutor also noted that Lynne has “for at least a decade resided in a large, expansive house owned by Britney Spears in Kentwood, Louisiana, for which her daughter has also continuously — and generously — paid Lynne Spears’ utilities, telephone services, insurance, property taxes, landscaping, pool work, pest control, repairs and maintenance, totaling approximately $1.7 million.”
A brief hearing regarding Lynne’s request took place Wednesday, with Rosengart saying in Los Angeles court, “This is exploitative of Britney Spears. She was not under the impression that she would have to pay these legal fees.”
The judge declined to rule, however, and put another hearing on the calendar for July 20 to give herself more time to read over the latest filings.
