He rescued the Michael Jackson estate. Can he save the star’s legacy?

[Special thanks to Joel C. Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.]

John Branca, 74, is one of the most powerful lawyers in music history, having brokered deals for the Rolling Stones, the Bee Gees, Aerosmith, Bob Dylan, Dr Dre, the Eagles and Motown Records founder Berry Gordy. Today, his firm represents Beyoncé. But he’s still best known for being Michael Jackson’s guy — the man who has spent the better part of 50 years defending the reputation of a deeply complicated cultural icon.

Since Jackson’s death in 2009, Branca has been coexecutor of Jackson’s estate alongside John McClain, a longtime friend of the family. When they took over it was a troubled asset under the shadow of allegations of child sex abuse and the star’s increasingly erratic lifestyle. Jackson died more than half a billion dollars in debt. But Branca helped turn the estate around, making a documentary and a hit Broadway show, among other lucrative deals that have generated over $3bn in earnings — more than any music estate, including Elvis Presley’s and The Beatles’.

Michael, a biopic Branca dealt with that is the culmination of a multi-decade project to restore Jackson’s public image and is probably the highest-stakes film release of 2026. Audiences will get to see the first teaser for the film in theatres this November during the previews before the Wicked sequel.

For more information see Anna Nicolaou “He rescued the Michael Jackson estate. Can he save the star’s legacy?” The Financial Times, November 1, 2025.