Smokey Robinson has won a protracted legal battle with a former manager who claimed he was owed nearly $1 million in touring profits from the legendary Motown singer.
Following a three-day trial that saw extended testimony from the star himself, an eight-person federal jury found Monday that Robinson had not breached a contract he signed with Eric Podwall, capping off more than six years of litigation over the soured partnership.
Ahead of the verdict, Podwell had argued that Robinson agreed to pay 10 percent of all compensation, which included revenue from more than 100 concerts between 2013 and 2016. But Robinson argued back that the deal had only been intended to cover a small set of income, like film and television fees.
In a statement, Robinson’s lawyer Sasha Frid of Miller Barondess LLP called the verdict “a great result and victory for Smokey.”
“The jury did its job and got it right,” Frid said. “Smokey is not only a great artist, but he is also a man of integrity who honors his contracts. Here, he didn’t owe millions, as Podwall claimed; and refused to be taken advantage of by his former manager. We are honored to represent him.”
The jury did award Podwell $2,000 – a sum he claimed he was owed on a record advance.
Podwall first sued Robinson in 2016, claiming the music icon had signed a “binding written agreement” with him in 2012 for management services. He claimed Robinson had agreed to pay 10 percent of all compensation Robinson received for Robinson’s services rendered or created during the term of the agreement. Podwall argued that he then guided Robinson through key business deals and more than 100 concerts, but that the star had later reneged on the deal.
But during the three-day trial last week, Robinson told jurors that the agreement had not been intended to cover revenue from touring, with which Podwall had little involvement.
An attorney for Podwell did not return a request for comment on Wednesday.
