Anna NIcole's Ex-Lover, Larry Birkhead, Sues Former Attorney

Larry Birkhead, the father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby, is countersuing his former attorney, Debra Opri, for malpractice claiming she defrauded him out of hundreds and thousands of dollars.

Opri had agreed to represent Birkhead free during the paternity suit against Anna Nicole Smith, hoping to benefit from the high-profile case. She recently filed a lawsuit against him for failing to pay $665,000 in legal fees. Birkhead accused the attorney of depositing $865,000 for a project in a trust account against Birkhead's wishes. She was fired after refusing to give back the money.

According to CNN.com, the lawsuit read, "She placed her own career desires and needs as a priority over the needs, interests, and desires of her own client."

She had also revealed confidential information to a reporter and made legal donations without Birkhead's consent, according to the suit. The solicited funds were supposed to go toward her client's legal fees, but Birkhead never saw the money, he says.

Opri said Birkhead is just trying to avoid his legal fees. She said she worked hundreds of hours on the case, which involved travel expenses and expenses for Birkhead and his friends. She found out that Birkhead admitted he could pay his legal fees after receiving a deal with NBC universal and selling pictures of Dannilynn.

As reported by TMZ.com, Birkhead had been presented with a deal by NBC to do TV appearances on various shows for which he would receive compensation of no less than $1 million. Birkhead claims he only received $200,000 and the rest was deposited in Opri's account. She was not given any control over the money by her former client.

Birkhead also says the attorney is falsely representing herself by claiming to be a specialist in family law. Birkhead is suing for a minimum of $885,000 in damages and other punitive damages.

Larry Birkhead, a former photographer, is the former lover of Anna Nicole Smith. Birkhead and several others claimed to be the father of Anna Nicole's baby, Dannilynn, including Howard K. Stern, who was listed as the father on the birth certificate. Birkhead filed a paternity suit against Smith in October of 2006 pushing for a DNA test. The judge granted the DNA test after the death of Anna Nicole Smith in 2007. The famous paternity suit gained international attention and proved Birkhead was the baby's daddy.

Sources:
"Birkhead Sues Attorney in Anna Nicole Smith Baby Fight"
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/LAW/06/03/birkhead.opri.ap/

"Birkhead Sues Opri In An Anna Nicole Smith Opus Third Act"
http://people.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1313269.php/Birkhead_takes_on_Opri_in_Anna_Nicole_opus_third_act

"Birkhead Sues Opri For Malpractice"
http://de.tmz.com/2007/06/01/birkhead-sues-opri-for-fraud-malpractice/