By Matt Naham
August 23rd, 2022
Daughters of late Hollywood legend Paul Newman filed a lawsuit against the Newman’s Own Foundation (NOF), claiming their father’s legacy is “under assault” by the “very organization he founded in an effort to preserve and expand that legacy.”
Elinor “Nell” Newman and Susan Newman filed suit “as beneficiaries of Mr. Newman’s estate, and as trustees of certain trusts established by his estate plan” to claim a breach of fiduciary duty.
“A cornerstone of Mr. Newman’s convictions was his philanthropic legacy living on through his family,” the lawsuit said. The plaintiffs are “seeking $1.6 million of damages to be donated to charities in keeping with Paul Newman’s wishes, imposition of a constructive trust, and a declaratory judgment to require Newman’s Own Foundation to comply with Paul Newman’s instructions now and in the future,” the lawsuit said.
Mr. Newman granted to Newman’s Own Foundation the rights to his name, image and likeness and other publicity and intellectual property rights, but not unconditionally. Instead, Mr. Newman made that grant on the condition that Newman’s Own Foundation allocate $400,000 each year to each of his ‘Daughters’ Foundations,’ for them to donate to charities identified by his daughters pursuant to specific rules that he established.
excerpt from lawsuit
Those instructions regarding the annual allocation of charitable funds, the actor’s daughters claimed, were clear before Newman’s death in 2008 but have been disregarded since.
No one should have to feel that the legacy of a departed loved one is being dishonored in the way that Newman’s Own Foundation has disregarded the daughters of Paul Newman, who are the plaintiffs in this case. This lawsuit does not seek personal compensation for Mr. Newman’s daughters, but simply seeks to hold NOF accountable to the charities they have shortchanged in recent years and would ensure they receive an increased level of support in the future, in line with Mr. Newman’s wishes.
Andy Lee, Attorney, Statement on Plaintiffs’ Behalf
