Lisa Kudrow Loses $1.6 Million in Ex-Manager Lawsuit

“Friends” star’s attorney says they will appeal

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Former “Friends” star Lisa Kudrow lost a lawsuit brought against her by former manager Scott Howard, with a jury awarding Howard $1.6 million.

By a 10-2 verdict, the jury found on Tuesday that Kudrow had violated her oral agreement with Howard, awarding him the exact amount that he claimed he was owed from Kudrow’s “Friends” earnings.

See video: Lisa Kudrow Even Was Fooled by ‘Friends’ Reunion Hoax

Kudrow was on hand for the reading of the verdict and her attorney told TheWrap in a statement that he will appeal the verdict.

“The jury’s verdict is merely one step in the legal process,” Gerald Sauer of Sauer & Wagner LLP said in a statement. “This case ultimately will be resolved at the appellate level.  Ms. Kudrow has faith in the judicial system, and she believes that the eventual outcome of this contractual dispute will be in her favor.”

Howard’s attorney, Mark Baute, is unimpressed by talk of an appeal, telling TheWrap on Wednesday that Kudrow has “no legal basis” for an appeal, and that stalling on paying the judgment would only result in thousands of dollars in interest that the actress would have to pay.

Lisa Kudrow needs to pay her debts just like any other citizen, and she has no genuine factual or legal basis for filing an appeal. If she continues to refuse to pay her debts and appeal, she will lose her appeal, and Mr. Howard will collect $17,000 a month in post-judgment,” Baute told TheWrap in a statement. “The courts of appeal treat celebrities no differently than regular citizens, and they know the difference between a frivolous appeal and a genuine appeal. The smart business move now for any defendant in Lisa Kudrow‘s position would be to pay off the judgment in full, to stop the $17,000 a month in interest from accruing.”

Howard, who managed Kudrow from 1991 to 2007, claimed in court that the pair had agreed that he would receive 10 percent of income earned while Howard was managing Kudrow, according to ABC News. Howard said that Kudrow stopped paying him after they parted ways, but he’s still owed a share of earnings from “Friends” reruns and other projects.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

 

 

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