When Justin Bieber appeared in court for his bail hearing on Thursday, he was represented by a familiar face for those who’ve followed legal disputes of the rich and famous: attorney Roy Black.
Black has represented Rush Limbaugh, for whom he was able to get charges of doctor shopping dropped following the radio host’s well-publicized battle with prescription drugs; Kelsey Grammer, after the actor was accused of statutory rape; and race car driver (and “Dancing With the Stars” champion) Helio Castroneves, getting him acquitted of income-tax evasion charges.
Black also has represented “Girls Gone Wild” creator Joe Francis and sportscaster Marv Albert.
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He famously defended Kennedy family member William Kennedy Smith against rape charges in Palm Beach, Fla., in 1991.
Black also successfully defended artist Peter Max against income-tax evasion charges and Eller Media, now known as Clear Channel Outdoor, against manslaughter charges stemming from the bus-bench electrocution of a 12-year-old boy in Miami.
Black, the senior partner of Black Srebnick Kornspan & Stumpf, has more than 40 years’ experience as a criminal defense attorney and has defended clients on charges ranging from murder to securities fraud, money laundering, Internet sex crimes and tax evasion.
He has appeared as a legal analyst on NBC’s “Today” and ABC’s “Good Morning America” and he has taught advanced criminal evidence at the University of Miami School of Law for more than 30 years.
Black also appeared on the short-lived NBC reality series “The Law Firm,” which pitted attorneys against each other in a legal version of “The Apprentice.”
The attorney is married to “Real Housewives of Miami” star Lea Black, who previously served as a juror in the William Kennedy Smith case. The two began dating after the trial and were married in 1994. They have a son, RJ, and Black has a daughter from a previous marriage.
Black received his law degree from the University of Miami School of Law in 1970. He also attended the University of Miami for his undergraduate studies, earning his diploma in 1967. Prior to entering private practice, Black spent five years as a public defender in Miami-Dade County.
This article originally appeared on THR.com.