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Radio Personality Must Pay for Lawyer's Services

By Stan Soocher
September 29, 2009

The Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, affirmed a quantum meruit award based on contract-negotiation representation that attorney Todd Musburger provided to talk show personality Gary Meier. Musburger v. Meier, 1-07-3080.

Musburger described his practice as “an entertainment law firm that focuses on negotiating and drafting personal services contracts for broadcasters, writers, performers and directors, as well as negotiating and drafting contracts for entertainment projects in development.” Meier co-hosted the Roe and Garry radio show on WLS-AM in Chicago from 1996 to 2004.

In 1998, Meier had hired Musburger to represent him under a written agreement that promised Musburger 5% of the gross amount of contracts he negotiated for Meier, plus attorney expenses. Musburger then re-negotiated Meier's contract with WLS for a term through 2004. In 2002, Meier retained Musburger again ' this time under an oral agreement, under the same terms as the 1998 written retainer agreement ' to once more re-negotiate Meier's radio contract as well as “to explore and investigate potential alternative deals with competing broadcast outlets interested in [defendant's] services” as “an alternative to WLS and to generate competitive interest.” Then in 2003, Meier notified Musburger that he no longer wanted his services.

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