LACHTMAN COHEN P.C. REPRESENTS PAUL NEWMAN’S DAUGHTERS IN LAWSUIT AGAINST NEWMAN’S OWN FOUNDATION

Lachtman Cohen P.C. is representing Susan Newman and Nell Newman, daughters of the late actor Paul Newman, in a lawsuit against Newman’s Own Foundation. The lawsuit alleges that Mr. Newman granted the rights to his name, image and likeness and other publicity and intellectual property rights to his charitable foundation, which is funded primarily by profits generated by the Newman’s Own brand’s line of products, on the condition that the foundation allocate $400,000 per year to each of his “Daughters’ Foundations” for his daughters to donate to charities identified by them pursuant to specific rules.

Further, the lawsuit alleges that, in the years since Mr. Newman’s death, the foundation has disregarded his specific intentions and direction in numerous respects including, among other things, improperly cutting in half the amounts that should be donated at Mr. Newman’s children’s direction.

In the lawsuit, Paul Newman’s daughters do not seek personal compensation. Rather, they assert claims individually, as beneficiaries of their father’s estate, and as trustees of certain trusts established by his estate plan, for breach of fiduciary duty seeking damages to be donated to charities in keeping with Mr. Newman’s wishes. They also seek the imposition of a constructive trust and a declaratory judgment to require Newman’s Own Foundation to comply with their father’s instructions immediately and prospectively. 

The Newmans are represented by Brian S. Cohen of Lachtman Cohen P.C. and Andrew L. Lee of Foley & Lardner LLP.

The case, Susan Kendall Newman, et al. v. Newman’s Own Foundation, was filed in Connecticut Superior Court in the Judicial District of Stamford-Norwalk, Docket No. FST-CV22-6057996-S.

Statement from Brian Cohen:

“We are proud to represent Paul Newman’s daughters, Susan Newman and Nell Newman, in this important case that seeks to protect their legendary father’s philanthropic legacy and his plan to ensure that it live on through his family. We believe that justice will prevail and the foundation’s ongoing obligation to fund charitable giving by the Daughters’ Foundations will be fully enforced.”  

CONTACT:
Brian S. Cohen: (914) 505-6093
bcohen@lcpclaw.com                       
www.lcpclaw.com