Smokey Robinson Switches to Third Lawyer in 3 Months for Sexual Assault Lawsuit

Smokey Robinson’s legal team has seen several recent shakeups as he continues to fight bombshell sexual abuse claims from former household employees.

Court records obtained by Billboard show that in the past three months, Robinson has cycled through three different lawyers in the $50 million civil lawsuit that accuses him of sexually assaulting six workers at his Los Angeles-area home. The 86-year-old Motown icon has vehemently denied all wrongdoing since the case began last May.

Related

Robinson was originally represented by Christopher Frost, an elite litigator whose clients have included Berry Gordy and Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro. But Frost bowed out of the case in June for unspecified reasons and was replaced by David Kenner, another well-known attorney who previously represented Suge Knight and Fugees rapper Pras Michel.

Kenner lasted just two months on the case. He filed a motion in August to drop Robinson, citing a vague “breakdown in the attorney-client relationship.” A third lawyer, Anahita Sedaghatfar, took over with a court appearance on Tuesday (Sept. 15).

Robinson’s latest lawyer has in the past handled litigation for actress Arianne Zucker, MLB player Royce Clayton, TV judge Greg Mathis and R&B group New Edition. Sedaghatfar told Billboard on Wednesday (Sept. 16) that she’s “honored to represent” both Robinson and his wife, Frances, who is accused in the lawsuit of enabling her husband’s alleged conduct.

“Changing attorneys during the course of litigation is not unusual and is in fact common,” says Sedaghatfar. “My clients unequivocally deny the allegations, and I look forward to presenting the facts, addressing the evidence and vigorously advocating on their behalf.”

Kenner and Frost’s reps did not return requests for comment on the matter.

In May 2025, four unnamed women filed their lawsuit claiming Robinson had raped them all while working as his housekeepers between 2007 and 2024. Later on, another female housekeeper and a male car mechanic joined the lawsuit anonymously with additional assault claims.

Robinson said the “vile, false allegations” were merely “an ugly method of trying to extract money,” and he countersued the accusers within weeks. The singer’s defamation counterclaims were later dismissed due to insufficient evidence, though he’s appealing that ruling and still has pending allegations that accuse his former housekeepers of deleting evidence and stealing from his family. The case is scheduled to go to trial in October 2027.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is conducting its own criminal investigation of Robinson due to police reports filed by the women. No charges have been filed to date.