“It's a very strange sensation,” LiCalsi
said. “It’s kind-of like living in a time loop
in a way.”
The one Beatle who LiCalsi did not
represent was John Lennon, who was
tragically killed in 1980. However, LiCalsi
later represented Lennon’s wife, Yoko
Ono, and their family in a 2002 case
against Frederick Seaman, a former
employee of the family who attempted to
publish 374 photographs of Lennon, Ono,
and their son, Sean.
As an assistant to the family, Seaman
was paid to take photographs, but he
argued the 374 photos in dispute belonged
to him. Seaman also sold some of
Lennon’s letters and diaries.
LiCalsi recalled his opening statement:
“This is a case about a family who trusted
the wrong person.”
“Yoko was an amazing witness,” LiCalsi
said. “She spoke to the jury from the
heart, told them what she had gone
through with this fellow.
“These were intimate family photographs
that were being infringed and exploited
without permission, and the last private
things she had from John.”
Ono and Seaman settled in court in
2002, with Seaman handing over the
photographs and paying damages of
$75,000, the amount he received for
Lennon’s letters and diaries.
LiCalsi also represented The Beatles in a
2005 case against EMI/Capitol Records,
this time regarding unpaid royalties to
Apple Corps Limited. The lawsuit was
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
continues to represent Apple Corps
Limited today.
More recently, LiCalsi has represented
rap superstar Cardi B in a litigation battle
with a former manager who sued her
for $10 million in April 2018. The rapper
countersued three months later for $15
million.
��������������������������������������������������������������������������������
duties to her by having her signed to his
own company after he was her manager,”
LiCalsi said. “That's one of the things I like
about what I do – there's always something
novel. It’s endlessly interesting.”
After many years at the top of his
profession, LiCalsi still draws a connection
between serving clients and the values
that were instilled in him at Jesuit.
His father died when he was 14, during
his freshman year. He leaned on the
support of mentors like Fr. Wayne Rocha,
S.J., who worked with the Jesuit Masque,
and Fr. Joseph Doyle, S.J., his sophomore
English teacher.
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JESUIT PERSPECTIVES • SPRING 2020 29