Despite 'diligent efforts,' Greenberg Traurig can’t find rapper Ye to inform him it's dropping him
Rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, exits a hotel Sept. 3, 2016, in New York City. Image from Shutterstock.
Greenberg Traurig wants to drop the rapper Ye as a client but has been unable to serve him with a notice of withdrawal from a copyright lawsuit, the law firm informed a federal judge Friday.
Greenberg Traurig decided to drop the rapper formerly known as Kanye West after he made antisemitic comments, including a tweet that he wants to go “death con 3 on Jewish people.”
Greenberg Traurig told U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres of the Southern District of New York in a Jan. 13 letter that it has made “diligent efforts” to personally serve Ye with the court’s Nov. 30 order permitting its withdrawal from the case, but it has not been able to find him.
The firm is seeking a third extension of time to continue its effort. It also wants permission to serve Ye through publication in two Los Angeles newspapers and by mailing the withdrawal order to two California addresses likely to be Ye’s residences.
The letter said since Dec. 23, Greenberg Traurig tried to serve Ye:
• Through one of Ye’s representatives, but the attempts “were not fruitful.” The representative no longer works for Ye.
• By calling Ye at his last known cellphone number to arrange for service, but the number has apparently been deactivated.
A previous Greenberg Traurig letter dated Dec. 21 said a process server has been unable to locate Ye or to serve him at addresses that Greenberg Traurig understood him to frequent.
Hat tip to the Hill, TMZ and Above the Law, which had coverage of Greenberg Traurig’s letter.
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “These law firms are shunning Kanye West; one says end to representation wasn’t a firing”
