Is Tony Buzbee barred from practicing law in New York? Texas attorney shuts down "click bait or dramatic headlines"

Recently, a rumor has been circulating that lawyer Tony Buzbee no longer has permission to practice law in the Southern District of New York. Buzbee is the same lawyer who previously alleged that Jay-Z s*xually assaulted his client when she was a minor but later withdrew the lawsuit.

This rumor gained traction after journalist Meghann Cuniff uploaded a tweet on February 23. In the tweet, Cuniff claimed that the Southern District of New York's Committee on Grievances, which looks into allegations of lawyer misconduct, made the decision.

However, shortly after the tweet surfaced, Tony Buzbee took to Instagram to refute the claims. In a post on the same day, he clarified that he is not barred from practicing law in New York.

Addressing the situation, he wrote:

“Let me be clear. I'm licensed to practice law in New York. I'm in good standing with the bar and have always been. Although I prefer Texas, I'm proud of the work we are doing in New York. Don't believe the click bait or dramatic headlines. Most of what's reported nowadays is pure bunk…”

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Lawyer Tony Buzbee refuted claims of being barred from practicing law

Tony Buzbee addressed the rumors surrounding him (Image via Getty)

Tony Buzbee further refuted the rumors that he had been barred from practicing law in New York. In the Instagram post, he wrote:

“I receive many press inquiries and make no effort to respond to most. I prefer to just make a general statement one time and let the various entities use that statement as they see fit…”

He continued:

“Over the past week, I've gotten multiple inquiries from friends and colleagues with concern asking why I was "barred" from practicing law in New York State and offering their assistance. I myself have seen several press agencies, some borderline legitimate, reporting that same trash…”

Buzbee also uploaded a scanned document from the clerk of the Appellate Division of the US Supreme Court, dated January 29, 2025. The document stated:

“I, Robert D. Mayberger, of the State of New York, Third Judicial Department, do hereby certify that Anthony Glenn Buzbee was duly licensed and admitted to practice as an Attorney and Counselor at Law in all the courts of this State on January 17, 2019... has been enrolled in the Roll of Attorneys and Counselors at Law on file in this office..."

It continued:

"According to the records of this Court is currently in good standing as an Attorney and Counselor-at-Law. In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the City of Albany on January….”

The rumor gained momentum after journalist Meghann Cuniff posted on X, alleging the same claim. Cuniff further alleged that before applying for admittance on January 29, 2025, Tony Buzbee had not requested authorization to practice in the district.

According to her post, he took this action because his "carelessness" was brought to light in a lawsuit that alleged that Diddy and Jay-Z s*xually assaulted a minor. After that, Tony Buzbee was reportedly prohibited from practicing.

This controversy arose after Buzbee voluntarily dropped the lawsuit he had filed against the rappers on February 14. The lawsuit alleged that a 13-year-old girl was reportedly r*ped by the two music moguls in 2000.

Following the lawsuit's dismissal, Roc Nation and Jay-Z issued a statement on February 15, which read:

“Today is a victory. The frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed. This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere. The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims. I would not wish this experience on anyone. The trauma that my wife, my children, my loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed."

On February 19, Jay-Z admitted in court that he felt like he had a "gun to his head" because of the case. He also stated that due to the lawsuit, he lost a lot of money. A few days earlier, he had submitted a declaration alleging that Roc Nation had missed out on deals that would have paid him "$20 million per year."