After Prince died unexpectedly in April, Joshua Rubenstein, the leader of Katten Muchin Rosenman’s trusts and estates practice, wasn’t surprised to learn that the 57-year-old artist apparently didn’t have a will.
“It’s actually reasonably common for a singer, or composer, or other creative person to pay no attention to their personal affairs. Their brains work differently,” says the lawyer, who is not involved in Prince’s legal matters. “Andy Warhol’s estate was a mess, and Bob Marley didn’t have a will. His estate was in court for decades.” In Prince’s case, the absence of a will could likewise mean a long fight over the artist’s recordings and other property, estimated to be worth more than $300 million.
