George Clinton Sues Cochran for Malpractice
Johnnie Cochran Jr.’s law firm faces a suit by musician George Clinton, who claims the firm’s malpractice caused him to lose the copyright to his music.
Clinton, leader of the Funkadelic/Parliament ensemble, hired the Cochran firm in 1997 to represent him in a dispute with Bridgeport Music Inc. The Detroit-based publishing company says it owns Clinton’s catalog of music.
Clinton’s suit contends that one of Cochran’s employees, Donald Wilson Jr., didn’t competently represent him by failing to effectively cross-examine witnesses and file an appeal on time, among other things. The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, seeks unspecified damages.
A call to Cochran’s firm wasn’t immediately returned.
Clinton’s songs, including “One Nation Under a Groove” and “Freak of the Week,” are popular sampling sources for rap artists.
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