Texas attorney Tony Buzbee, who has represented more than 100 individuals in sexual assault lawsuits against Sean "Diddy" Combs, has encountered a legal setback after being denied admission to practice in the Southern District of New York (SDNY). The ruling, issued by the SDNY's Committee on Grievances, noted that Buzbee had allegedly appeared in cases within the district without seeking proper admission.
Despite this, Buzbee remains licensed to practice in New York state and can still seek "pro hac vice" admission, which would allow him to represent clients on a case-by-case basis-provided he attaches the court's denial to each request.
In response to reports about his legal standing, Buzbee took to social media to refute claims that he had been barred from practicing in the state. "Let me be clear. I'm licensed to practice law in New York," he wrote on Instagram, adding, "I'm in good standing with the state bar and have always been. Although I prefer Texas, I'm proud of the legal work we are doing in New York."
The controversy surrounding Buzbee's role in the high-profile lawsuits against Combs and Jay-Z has intensified following his recent decision to drop a lawsuit that accused both music moguls of assaulting a 13-year-old girl in 2000. The lawsuit, which was initially filed against Combs in October 2024 and later amended to include Jay-Z, alleged that the incident occurred after the MTV Video Music Awards that year.
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, vehemently denied the claims, calling them a "heinous ... blackmail attempt." His legal team filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, asserting that Buzbee had "encouraged" false allegations against him. After the case was dropped, Jay-Z declared "victory" and stated, "The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed."
In a separate legal move, Jay-Z has filed a defamation lawsuit against Buzbee, accusing the attorney of leveraging the case for publicity rather than legal merit. A leaked excerpt from Jay-Z's legal declaration, which circulated on social media, stated, "I felt that Mr. Buzbee was placing a gun to my head that I either bow to his demands or endure personal and financial ruin."
Combs, who is currently incarcerated in Brooklyn on sex trafficking, prostitution, and racketeering charges, also responded to the lawsuit's dismissal, stating, "This is yet another confirmation that these lawsuits are built on falsehoods, not facts. Accusers have been hiding behind anonymity, represented by an attorney more focused on headlines than legal merit."
The legal disputes involving Combs have expanded beyond individual lawsuits. On Thursday, Combs filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against NBCUniversal, Peacock, and Ample Entertainment over the documentary Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy, which features allegations against him.
Buzbee, who announced last year that he was representing 120 individuals, including 25 minors, in cases against Combs, has yet to publicly respond to Jay-Z's defamation lawsuit. The legal fight continues to draw national attention, with high-profile figures on both sides engaging in a battle over credibility, media influence, and the future of their reputations.
