Kelly Clarkson legally hits back at former management company, demands money made off her be returned

Singer Kelly Clarkson has filed a petition after her management company of 13 years, Starstruck Management Group, owned by her estranged husband Brandon Blackstock's father, Narvel Blackstock, filed a lawsuit against her in September claiming she owes more than $1.4 million in unpaid commissions this year, in addition to the $1.9 million she already paid.

In a labour petition obtained by the website People, the singer claimed that Starstruck Management Group violated the California Labor Code for "procuring, offering, promising, or attempting to procure employment or engagements" for her without first obtaining a talent agency license. So, she argued, any and all agreements — including their reported verbal contract in which she agreed to pay them 15% commission on her gross earnings — be "declared void and unenforceable."

In response to Clarkson's petition, Starstruck's attorney Bryan Freedman said in a statement that it "conveniently ignores the fact that Kelly had her own licensed talent agency [Creative Artists Agency] at all times."

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"While Starstruck Management Group provided talent management services on her behalf, it did so at all times that CAA was her agency of record," he continued. "It is unfortunate that Kelly is again attempting to avoid paying commissions that are due and owing to Starstruck to try and achieve some perceived advantage in her ongoing custody and divorce proceedings."

In the petition, Clarkson noted that Starstruck evaded "the licensing requirements" set forth by the Talent Agencies Act by listing their alleged violations, including that they failed to submit a written application for a license, failed to write a formal talent agency agreement with her, demanded "unconscionable fees and compensation" from her for "illegal services," gave her false information in regards to their engagements, failed to deposit a $50,000 surety bond with the Labor Commissioner, failed to post a schedule of fees in their offices, failed to maintain proper records and failed to post a copy of the Talent Agencies Act in their offices.

She further claimed that both Brandon, 43, and Narvel, 64, acted as unlicensed talent agents.

Clarkson further argued that she doesn't have to pay Starstruck the commission they're seeking and that any money she previously paid to them should be returned. She also stated that she is "entitled to a full and complete accounting" from them of all money they received "directly or indirectly" from all contracts, employment or engagements pertaining to her in any way.
In their original lawsuit, Starstruck claimed that despite their "hard work and dedication" to Clarkson's career over the past 13 years, she decided "to stop paying Starstruck for what is contractually owed."

In separate court documents, Clarkson asked that Starstruck's case against her be suspended until after her Labor Commission proceedings happen because if she wins, all of the claims made against her in the case will be "moot."

The ongoing legal battle comes amid the singer’s split from Brandon, with whom she shares two children: daughter River and son Remington.