Nicki Minaj’s 2nd lawyer withdraws as amid rapper's $10m defamation lawsuit

Nicki Minaj is seeking new legal representation after her lawyer moved to withdraw from a $10 million defamation lawsuit filed by an ex-fan, TMZ reports.

According to reports, attorney Matthew Abbott has requested to step away from the case, which was refiled in late 2025 by Tameer Peak.

Abbott had replaced Minaj’s long-time lawyer, Judd Burstein, shortly after the lawsuit was brought forward again.

Burstein previously dismissed the claims as an “entirely frivolous” suit and said his departure was “unrelated to any concern about the merits of Peak's claims”. However, he declined to elaborate further, stating, “I believe that it would be inappropriate for me to discuss the reasons why I chose to decline the representation.”

Abbott’s withdrawal reportedly follows several unsuccessful attempts to contact Minaj and her accountants in recent months.

He is said to have reached out via text and email without response. Court documents indicate that he has asked for an extension to allow the artist time to secure new, permanent representation.

The legal developments come during a period of heightened public attention surrounding Minaj’s political commentary. In recent months, she has voiced support for Donald Trump and appeared at related events.