Critics brand Jay-Z’s accuser’s attorney Tony Buzbee as ‘unethical’ following his suspension from practicing law in Southern NY

Tony Buzbee, the lawyer who represented Jay-Z’s rape accuser, has faced heavy criticism from fans after being prohibited from practicing law in the Southern District of New York.

Buzbee reportedly didn’t ask for permission to practice in the district and was denied the request after doing so.

The decision is significant as Buzbee has initiated more than twelve lawsuits against music icon Sean “Diddy” Combs in the same district, leading to uncertainties about the future of these legal actions.

Buzbee suffered another setback when his request for permission to practice in the Southern New York district was denied.

Legal journalist Meghann Cuniff reported Buzbee’s inability to practice in the district in a series of posts she shared on X.

She shared a ruling from the Committee on Grievances dated February 13, 2025. The ruling read, “The Committee on Grievances has considered Anthony G. Buzbee’s petition for admission to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (the “Petition”), which was filed on January 29, 2025.

It continued, “Per the Committee’s review of the dockets, Mr. Buzbee has appeared in cases in this court without seeking admission. Therefore, the Petition is denied.”

It concluded, “In the event Mr. Buzbee moves for pro hac vice or regular admission in this Court in the future, he must attach a copy of this Order to his motion or petition.”

In the post’s caption, Cuniff wrote, “His lawsuit against Jay-Z is dismissed and not coming back, and now Tony Buzbee is trying to ensure he can keep litigating his other lawsuits against Diddy because his admission application in the Southern District of New York was denied.”

The ruling means Buzbee must include the letter of denial whenever he requests permission to litigate in Southern New York.

In another post, Cuniff revealed the lawyer was trying to do so for his other cases against Diddy in the district.

She shared a snapshot of a motion he filed to litigate pro hac vice as the ruling stipulated and captioned it, “As the order says, Buzbee can seek “pro hac vice” admission, and that’s what he’s doing now in the Diddy lawsuits. Or trying to at least.”

Cuniff also shared documents from Candice McCrary’s lawsuit against Diddy, in which the judge figured out that Buzbee, the plaintiff’s attorney, couldn’t practice in Southern New York and asked him to file a motion to appear pro hac vice.

Several netizens reacted to Cuniff’s posts about Buzbee and took turns slamming the lawyer, who generated much buzz after representing the woman who accused Jay-Z and Diddy of raping her when she was 13.

One person wrote, “Lol this lawyer really underestimated Jay-Z.”

Another person added, “Tony Buzbee is irresponsible & shady. He filed a case against Jay-Z without seeking admission in the Southern District of New York because he knows he cannot be sanctioned by the court without one & was completely hoping Jay-Z would settle before it gets far.”

A third X user commented, “A true 1-800 lawyer. He put his other cases in jeopardy to go after a “big fish” because of greed and Internet disinformation.”

Another person added, “here it goesssss.. that lawyer is 100% dirty and looking for payouts.”

Another commenter urged those being represented by Buzbee to seek other attorneys. They wrote, “Real victims better go look for another lawyer now, any person still retaining him is a liar and a fraud just like he is.”

News of Buzbee’s inability to practice in Southern NY comes a week after he voluntarily dismissed the sexual assault lawsuit he brought against Diddy and Jay-Z.

In the lawsuit, which was filed in December, an unidentified woman claimed the rappers took turns raping her at an MTV Awards after-party in 2000.

After several back-and-forths between Buzbee and Jay-Z’s legal team, led by Alex Spiro, the woman voluntarily dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning it can’t be refiled in its current form.

He wrote, “Today is a victory. The frivolous, fictitious, and appalling allegations have been dismissed. This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere. The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims.”

The “99 Problems” rapper said he wouldn’t wish his experience on anyone and added, “The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed. This 1-800 lawyer gets to file a suit hiding behind Jane Doe, and when they quickly realize that the money grab is going to fail, they get to walk away with no repercussions.”

Jay-Z stated, “The court must protect victims, OF COURSE, while with the same ethical responsibility, the courts must protect the innocent from being accused without a shred of evidence. May the truth prevail for all victims and those falsely accused equally.”