City litigation veteran Ian Rosenblatt taps Quinn in legal battle with Simon Cowell

One of the City's best-known commercial litigators, Ian Rosenblatt, has launched High Court proceedings against music executive and television personality Simon Cowell.

The court listing does not disclose the nature of the claim, though it was reported that the proceedings concern alleged withheld fees related to Cowell’s production company Syco Entertainment, which produced The X factor and Got Talent.

Court records show the claim was filed this week with Quinn Emanuel representing Rosenblatt, while Cowell is represented by specialist litigation firm Joseph Hage Aaronson & Bremen according to City AM.

Cowell was previously a client of Rosenblatt. In 2020, the lawyer advised the music executive on the buyout of Sony Music Entertainment's stake in Syco and later secured a $125 million securitisation of the intellectual property rights to the Got Talent franchise.

Rosenblatt resigned as a director of Syco in August last year.

Rosenblatt returns

The claim marks another high-profile chapter for Rosenblatt, who founded his original City firm in 1989 before it was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2018. The business was later rebranded to RBG Holdings and acquired the now defunct Memery Crystal.

Following the firm’s collapse in early 2025 amid boardroom disputes and Rosenblatt’s public split from the business, he launched a new firm under the Rosenblatt Law name alongside former colleagues.