Britney Spears’ court-appointed lawyer has offered his resignation as the fallout from the pop superstar’s dramatic testimony continues.
Samuel Ingham, who had represented the singer since she was placed under a conservatorship in 2008, announced his desire to step down on July 6.
A court filing in Los Angeles obtained by the PA news agency states: “Samuel D Ingham III hereby resigns as court-appointed counsel for Britney Jean Spears, conservatee, effective upon the appointment of new court-appointed counsel.”
Loeb & Loeb, a law firm brought in to help Mr Ingham, also offered its resignation in the filing.
Mr Ingham did not state why he wished to step down but the decision comes after Spears savaged the conservatorship as “abusive”, asked for it to end and criticised his work with her.
On June 23 she told Judge Brenda Penny she was unaware of how to terminate the conservatorship and suggested she wanted to hire her own lawyer.
The court appointed Mr Ingham after Spears, 39, was deemed incapable of finding her own legal representation following a series of mental breakdowns.
According to the most recent accounting available, in 2019 Mr Ingham was paid about 373,000 dollars (£270,000) for working with the singer.
Spears pays the legal costs of those on both sides of the case.
Mr Ingham’s resignation will take effect as soon as Spears has new representation, the filing states.
The conservatorship – an arrangement usually reserved for the very old and infirm – is overseen by Spears’ father, Jamie, and her care-giver, Jodi Montgomery.
Jamie is in control of his daughter’s estate, estimated to be worth more than 50 million dollars (£36 million), while Ms Montgomery oversees Spears’ personal affairs on what remains a temporary basis.
The financial management firm appointed by the court as co-conservator of the estate – Bessemer Trust – asked to be withdrawn from the role last week, citing the singer’s demand for the conservatorship to be terminated.
Spears’ long-time manager, Larry Rudolph, reportedly stepped down this week and said he had been told the chart-topping star planned to “officially retire”.
In a statement obtained by PA, Lauriann Wright said: “Ms Montgomery has no plans to step down as Ms Spears’ Temporary Conservator of the Person.
“She remains committed to steadfastly supporting Ms Spears in every way she can within the scope of her duties as a conservator of the person.
“Ms Spears as recently as yesterday has asked Ms Montgomery to continue to serve. Ms Montgomery will continue to serve as a conservator for as long as Ms Spears and the Court desire her to do so.”
Spears has not performed since 2018 and previously told the court she has no plans to do so while her father maintains control over her career.
Lawyers for Jamie, who has been widely criticised for his role in the conservatorship by those in the #FreeBritney movement, say his canny management of the estate saved his daughter from financial ruin.
