Tuohy Family Lawyer Slams Michael Oher’s Lawsuit as “Shakedown Effort”

“The Blind Side” Legal Drama: Michael Oher Speaks Out

Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy‘s lawyer is calling a foul on Michael Oher‘s lawsuit.

Marty Singer, who is representing the couple in the case, fired back at the former NFL star’s allegations that the family had lied about adopting him and subsequently made millions from his story, which was the basis of the 2009 movie The Blind Side. Singer argued that his client had “given Mr. Oher an equal cut of every penny received from The Blind Side” and accused the 37-year-old of using the lawsuit as a “shakedown effort” for more cash.

“Anyone with a modicum of common sense can see that the outlandish claims made by Michael Oher about the Tuohy family are hurtful and absurd,” Singer said in a statement to E! News on Aug. 15. “The idea that the Tuohys have ever sought to profit off Mr. Oher is not only offensive, it is transparently ridiculous.”

Saying that the Tuohy’s wealth came from their “hard work and good fortune” in the restaurant business, Singer continued, “The notion that a couple worth hundreds of millions of dollars would connive to withhold a few thousand dollars in profit participation payments from anyone—let alone from someone they loved as a son—defies belief.”

“In reality, the Tuohys opened their home to Mr. Oher, offered him structure, support and, most of all, unconditional love,” he said. “They have consistently treated him like a son and one of their three children.”

The lawyer added, “The Tuohys will always care deeply for Mr. Oher. They are heartbroken over these events. They desperately hope that he comes to regret his recent decisions, makes different choices in the future and that they someday can be reconciled with him. In the meantime, however, they will not hesitate to defend their good names, stand up to this shakedown and defeat this offensive lawsuit.”

In a 14-page petition obtained by E! News Aug. 14, Oher alleged the Tuohys “falsely advised” him when he was younger to sign a document that made them his conservators, asserting that it would make him a member of the family. The retired football player accused the Tuohys in his filing of wielding their legal power as conservators to make business deals and “gain financial advantages for themselves,” while he did not receive compensation for a story “that would not have existed without him.”

“The lie of Michael’s adoption is one upon which Co-Conservators Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy have enriched themselves at the expense of their Ward, the undersigned Michael Oher,” the petition read. “Michael Oher discovered this lie to his chagrin and embarrassment in February of 2023, when he learned that the Conservatorship to which he consented on the basis that doing so would make him a member of the Tuohy family, in fact provided him no familial relationship with the Tuohys.”

However, in his statement to E! News, Singer said the Tuohys “have always been upfront about how a conservatorship (from which not one penny was received) was established to assist with Mr. Oher’s needs, ranging from getting him health insurance and obtaining a driver’s license to helping with college admissions.”

Singer continued, “Should Mr. Oher wish to terminate the conservatorship, either now or at anytime in the future, the Tuohys will never oppose it in any way.”

E! News has reached out to Oher’s attorneys for comment on Singer’s remarks. However, earlier on Aug. 15, he told E! News in a statement through his legal team, “I am disheartened by the revelation shared in the lawsuit today. This is a difficult situation for my family and me. I want to ask everyone to please respect our privacy at this time. For now, I will let the lawsuit speak for itself and will offer no further comment.”

Keep reading to see the Tuohy family through the years.