Kanye West‘s legal troubles may become significantly more expensive.
A former employee who prevailed in a California labor case against the rapper is now asking a judge to order West to pay more than $1.2 million in attorney’s fees, according to newly filed court documents.
The request comes months after a jury found Kanye West liable under portions of California’s Labor Code and awarded former employee Anthony Saxon Netelkos $140,000 in damages.
Now, the court must decide whether that judgment should be followed by a substantially larger award covering the plaintiff’s legal costs.
Former Employee Seeks More Than $1.2 Million
According to court filings obtained by TMZ, Anthony Saxon Netelkos argues that his legal team is entitled to recover attorney’s fees after successfully litigating the case over nearly three years.
His attorneys say they devoted more than 740 hours to the matter, along with additional time from litigation support staff.
The filing asks the court to apply a 1.75 multiplier to the requested fees, arguing that the case involved unusual complexity, significant financial risk, and years of intensive litigation.
The request would increase the attorney-fee award to approximately $1.2 million, pending the judge’s decision.
Jury Previously Awarded $140,000 in Damages
The fee request follows a jury verdict delivered in March.
According to the earlier judgment, the jury found that West failed to provide workers’ compensation insurance as required under California law and awarded Netelkos $140,000 in damages.
The current filing does not seek to revisit that verdict.
Instead, it focuses on the legal expenses incurred while pursuing the lawsuit.
California law allows prevailing parties in certain employment-related cases to seek recovery of reasonable attorney’s fees, though the amount is ultimately determined by the court.
Attorneys Detail Nearly Three Years of Litigation
In the filing, Netelkos’ legal team describes what it says was a 35-month legal battle involving extensive preparation.
According to the attorneys, the case included:
- Multiple rounds of discovery.
- Several depositions.
- Five different defense attorneys representing West during the proceedings.
- A two-week jury trial.
The lawyers also state that their firm spent more than $300,000 out of pocket while handling the matter.
They further note the case was taken on a contingency basis, meaning they would not have been paid attorney’s fees if they had not prevailed.
Filing Criticizes Kanye West’s Litigation Strategy
The new court filing also raises allegations about West’s handling of the litigation.
According to Netelkos’ attorneys, West’s legal team offered a $100,000 settlement shortly before trial.
The filing further alleges that, after trial proceedings had begun, West’s side demanded that Netelkos pay $200,000 and issue a public apology.
The attorneys say both proposals were rejected, and the case proceeded to a jury verdict.
The filing also alleges that West’s camp initiated a separate lawsuit against the attorneys before trial and attempted to use that dispute during settlement negotiations.
Those assertions reflect the plaintiff’s position as presented in the court filing. West’s response to the new attorney-fee request was not included in the information provided.
Why the Attorney Fee Request Matters
Although the jury awarded $140,000 in damages, attorney-fee awards in employment cases can sometimes exceed the damages themselves when courts determine the legal work was reasonable and authorized under the applicable statutes.
The judge is not required to approve the requested amount and could award the full request, reduce it, or deny portions of it.
The decision will determine whether West’s financial exposure in the case increases substantially beyond the original verdict.
For Netelkos and his legal team, the fee request represents an effort to recover the cost of years spent pursuing the case.
For West, the latest filing adds another legal issue to an already lengthy list of courtroom disputes that have continued to generate headlines.
Regardless of the outcome, the judge’s upcoming decision will play a significant role in determining the final financial impact of the lawsuit.
With the jury verdict already in place, attention now shifts to the court’s decision on attorney’s fees.
If the request is granted in full, Kanye West’s $140,000 labor case judgment could grow into a legal bill exceeding $1.3 million.
