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The lawyer for Britney Spears‘ father has claimed that fans “have it wrong” about the pop star’s conservatorship.
Vivian Thoreen, who represents Jamie Spears, said he stopped his daughter from being exploited by others and is a “fiercely loving, dedicated and loyal father”.
Thoreen told ABC News’ Good Morning America yesterday (February 25) that unnamed people had been “harming and exploiting” Britney and that Jamie had “rescued” his daughter from “a life-threatening situation”.
“Britney’s assets were clearly being mismanaged and she was being taken advantage of financially by some of those around her,” the lawyer claimed on the programme.
“I understand that every story needs a villain but people have it so wrong here,” she said, adding that Jamie has instead enabled Britney to “live her life the way she wants, like a normal person”.
Britney entered the conservatorship in 2008. Under the current arrangement, Spears’ father Jamie and the Bessemer Trust financial company are legally empowered to make important decisions around her finances, business projects and personal circumstances.
A conservatorship is usually granted for people who are unable to make their own decisions, such as those with a mental illness.
According to Britney’s lawyer, she and her father have no “viable working relationship” and have not spoken in a “long while” [via BBC News]. However, Thoreen has claimed otherwise, saying they had spent time together last year and she had asked to have him removed from the conservatorship.
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Britney has been in the headlines recently owing to the Framing Britney Spears documentary that premiered in the UK earlier this month. The film, which does not include a dedicated appearance by Britney, explores her rise to prominence, her legal conservatorship and the related #FreeBritney movement.
A judge ruled earlier this month (February 11) that he will not have the right to delegate investment powers for the multi-million-dollar estate, after he was criticised as part of the #FreeBritney movement.
The latest ruling comes after the pop singer filed a petition with Los Angeles Superior Court to remove Jamie as the sole conservator of her estate. Instead, Britney proposed that a financial institution should take her father’s place and handle her significant net worth.
While Britney’s proposal was ultimately turned down, financial institution the Bessemer Trust was appointed as co-conservator and corporate fiduciary in November 2020.
Jamie has now lost his bid to retain the power to control investment powers for the estate as part of the co-conservatorship.
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