Activision top dog Bobby Kotick was a handed a rather stiff bill on Monday after being taken to court by his former lawyer over legal fees. The trouble began with a 2007 sexual harassment suit, where the flight attendant on Kotick's joint own private jet accused him for wrongful termination, and failure to prevent sexual harassment among other things. During the trial Kotick switched law firms, hiring Patricia Glaser of Christensen, Glaser, Fink, Jacobs, Weil & Shapiro.
He was advised that the case could be settled for around $200,000 and $400,000, but chose to fight it on principle, no matter what the legal fees may amount to. Afterwards Kotick sent a cheque of $200,000 claiming it was full payment, however, Glaser was of the opinion that the costs amounted to $1,000,000 and in the recent ruling the court sided with the lawyer and Kotick is now forced to pay a total of $1,500,000. An expensive principle, and there is a lesson here. Don't try to stiff your lawyer, because if there is one thing they now it's how to make sure they get paid in full.
The most hated man in the games industry just got a little poorer, but we're pretty sure he won't have to eat beans every day this month.