With his trial date approaching, music executive Antonio “L.A.” Reid is now without legal counsel in the civil sexual assault case brought by former Arista Records executive Drew Dixon. During a status conference on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas confirmed that Reid is currently proceeding “pro se,” the legal term for representing oneself.

The development comes less than two weeks before jury selection is scheduled to begin in the New York-based case. Reid’s attorneys, from the Los Angeles firm Kinsella Holley Iser Kump Steinsapir LLP, formally withdrew after citing months of unpaid legal fees. In filings, they told the court Reid had not paid them since February.

Although Reid is widely known for his high-profile career: leading Arista, Island Def Jam, and Epic Records and working with artists such as Usher, Pink, and Justin Bieber, his lawyers pointed to ongoing financial constraints. They noted that while he still owns a Bel-Air mansion, attempts to sell the property have stalled despite major price cuts.

Judge Vargas granted the attorneys’ request to withdraw “unconditionally” after initially asking them to remain on the case to assist with discovery issues. The outgoing team assured the court they would cooperate with any new lawyers Reid might hire, saying they would help get replacements “up to speed” and continue facilitating communications between Reid’s business managers and Dixon’s legal team.

Still, the judge emphasized that time is running out. She reminded Reid that he is required to appear in court, even if he fails to retain new representation. “If he does not obtain counsel, what is his current intention, with respect to the final pre-trial conference?” she asked, referring to the upcoming August 25 hearing. Vargas warned that failure to appear could result in default.

The judge also ordered that Reid’s personal contact information be supplied to court staff and reiterated in a minute order that the September 8 trial date remains “firm.”

Dixon, who filed her lawsuit in 2023, alleges that Reid began harassing her shortly after he became CEO of Arista in 2000. According to her complaint, the harassment escalated in 2001 when Reid allegedly assaulted her aboard a private plane, forcibly kissing her and digitally penetrating her without consent. She claims he assaulted her again later that year in a car, kissing and groping her in the presence of his driver.

Beyond the assault claims, Dixon says Reid retaliated professionally after she rejected him. She alleges that he dismissed artists she championed, including a young Kanye West and future Grammy winner John Legend, effectively costing her significant commissions.

Reid has denied the allegations outright. In a filing last year, his attorneys argued that while the Adult Survivors Act allowed Dixon to revive decades-old claims of assault, her claims of lost income tied to West and Legend fall outside the statute of limitations.

Earlier this month, Judge Vargas ruled that Dixon would not be barred from seeking those commissions if she frames them under a cause of action revived by the Adult Survivors Act. However, she cautioned that whether Dixon could prove causation remained uncertain. “Whether the loss of commissions can be fairly traced to any of the asserted causes of actions under traditional principles of causation has not been adequately addressed by the parties,” Vargas wrote.

The civil trial, now set for September 8, is expected to revisit both the alleged assaults and the broader professional fallout described by Dixon. Reid’s lack of representation raises questions about how he will defend himself in court. Unless he secures new counsel in the coming days, the once-powerful record executive could be forced to handle the case on his own, with the risk of default looming if he fails to appear.