Britney Spears Paid $2.12 Million in Dad's Conservatorship Legal Bills: Breaking Down the Settlement 1 Year Later (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Britney Spears' father Jamie Spears on March 10, 2008. Britney Spears in April 2017.Photo:VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images; Image Group LA/Disney Channel via Getty Images

VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images; Image Group LA/Disney Channel via Getty Images

New details are emerging from the settlementBritney Spearsreached with her father,Jamie Spears, last year over a legal dispute regarding herconservatorship.

In November 2021, an L.A. County judgeterminatedBritney’s 13-year-long conservatorship, which had given her estranged father Jamie control of his pop star daughter’s personal and financial affairs.

Britney Spears and father Jamie at the launch party at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.Chris Farina/Corbis via Getty Images

Chris Farina/Corbis via Getty Images

PEOPLE has learned that Britney agreed to pay Jamie’s outstanding legal bills totaling $2.12 million: First, to the Saul Ewing firm for $500,000, deposited into the company’s U.S. Bank account (Hal Morris, the general counsel at the firm, signed the contract); then, to Willkie Farr & Gallagher for $1.62 million, transferred into their Citibank account (partner Alex M. Weingarten signed). She had 60 days to pay both fees in full, or she’d accrue further costs of court and attorney fees, even post-judgement interest. Jamie’s previous attorneys, Vivian L. Thoreen, a partner at Holland & Knight, received no further payments.

The parties who entered into the contract — including Britney and her father — agreed that the payments resolved all disputes in connection with the conservatorship proceedings. The agreement states that no parties concede any admission of fact, claim, liability or wrongdoing. All parties, through their counsel, mutually participated in the preparation and drafting of the agreement. They waived the rights to an appeal.

“It was a great result for Britney because it also avoided the possibility of ever having her testify in court, which she did not want to do, and avoided a media circus,” a source tells PEOPLE of the settlement.

A rep for Britney did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. Rosengart, Britney’s former attorney, could not be reached for comment.

“Jamie is thrilled that the case was settled,” Weingarten, Jamie’s attorney, told PEOPLE in a statement to PEOPLE on Thursday, Feb. 20. “He has only ever wanted what is best for Britney, whom he loves very much. Jamie’s work as conservator has ultimately been vindicated and the world knows how hard he worked to protect her.”

Britney Spears with dad Jamie, brother Bryan, sister Jamie Lynn and mom Lynne in 2003.KMazur/WireImage

KMazur/WireImage

After the settlement was finalized last year, Rosengart told PEOPLEin a statement: “Although the conservatorship was terminated in November 2021, her wish for freedom is now truly complete. As she desired, her freedom now includes that she will no longer need to attend or be involved with court or entangled with legal proceedings in this matter. Britney Spears won when the court suspended her father, and Britney Spears won when her fundamental rights and civil liberties were restored.”

Recently, Britney reunited with Rosengart andshared an Instagram videoof their meeting at his office on Feb. 17.

“It’s been way too long since I’ve seen him !!! OMG OMG OMG !!! It was such an incredible day !!! I am blessed and got a book. He showed me up with his suit!!! I will be in heels next time,” Spears captioned the post. “PS - I thought they were taking pictures but it was on Video. Such a winner.”

Last June, Rosengart reflected on his time working with Britney, telling PEOPLE in a statement: “I was honored to work with and protect Britney, who is and will always be an icon, and most specifically, to have helped restore the fundamental rights and civil liberties that were stripped from her, which was always our focus."

Britney Spears at the GLAAD Awards in L.A. in 2018.Hahn Lionel/ABACA/Shutterstock

Hahn Lionel/ABACA/Shutterstock

Spears — who shares sons Sean Preston, 19, and Jayden James, 18, with ex-husbandKevin Federline— looked back on her life under the conservatorship in her New York Times-bestselling 2023 memoirThe Woman in Me,which hassold more than two million copies.

Ahead of the bombshell book’s release, Britneyopened up to PEOPLE in an exclusive cover story.

“Learning this new freedom, I’ll admit, is challenging at times,” she told PEOPLE at the time. “It is finally time for me to raise my voice and speak out, and my fans deserve to hear it directly from me. … No more conspiracy, no more lies — just me owning my past, present and future.”

The “Hold Me Closer” singer added: “Over the past 15 years or even at the start of my career, I sat back while people spoke about me and told my story for me. … After getting out of my conservatorship, I was finally free to tell my story without consequences from the people in charge of my life.”

source: people.com