L.A. Reid Loses Attorney Representation in Sexual Assault…

Music executive Antonio “L.A.” Reid is now set to face a high-stakes courtroom battle without legal counsel after his attorneys officially withdrew from his civil case.

According to Rolling Stone, Judge Jeannette A. Vargas signed off on the attorney withdrawal this week, citing unpaid fees that had piled up over several months. Reid has not retained a new legal team, and as of this writing, he is representing himself in the proceedings.

The lawsuit was filed in late 2023 by Drew Dixon, a former Arista Records executive, under New York’s Adult Survivors Act (ASA). In her claim, Dixon claims Reid sexually assaulted her on two occasions in 2001, first aboard a private jet and later in a car, while he was CEO of Arista.

In addition to the assault allegations, she accuses him of derailing her career, alleging he blocked her from signing future stars such as Kanye West and John Legend.

Reid has consistently denied the accusations. Before stepping away, his lawyers argued that while the ASA allows older sexual misconduct claims to be revived, it should not extend to financial damages related to lost commissions or retaliation. They maintained that Dixon’s claims about her career fell outside the law’s intended scope.

That argument failed to persuade the court. On August 7, Judge Vargas rejected Reid’s bid for partial summary judgment, ruling that both the sexual assault claims and the career-related claims qualify for consideration under the ASA. With that decision, the case is cleared to proceed toward trial.

The timeline is now set: a pre-trial conference on August 25, followed by a full trial beginning September 8, 2025. Without attorneys on record, Reid is expected to handle his own defense, which includes cross-examining witnesses and presenting arguments. Legal experts have noted the risks of self-representation in such a complex and emotionally charged case.