Lisa Wilkinson’s court battle with Channel 10 over Bruce Lehrmann legal fees escalates

Lisa Wilkinson is fighting to have Network Ten pay her six-figure legal bill up front as she battles a defamation case brought against her by ex-Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann.

But lawyers for the broadcaster have argued there is no evidence the TV star is unable to pay the more than $700,000 in costs she would have to pay in the case.

Lehrmann’s claim against Wilkinson relates to a February 2021 interview the former Project presenter conducted with Brittany Higgins, which included allegations she was raped in Parliament House when she was a junior staffer.

Wilkinson opted to hire separate legal representation for the defamation proceedings, including retaining high-profile lawyer Sue Chrysanthou SC and Gillis Delaney Lawyers partner Anthony Jefferies.

Both parties agree that Network Ten, as her employer, is liable to pay Ms Wilkinson’s legal costs in the case, a brief hearing at the NSW Supreme Court was told on Friday.

Lehrmann (above) sued Wilkinson after the former Project host aired an interview with Brittany Higgins, which included allegations that she was raped in Parliament House while a staffer

However, Ten’s lawyer Zoe Graus told the court that her client only wanted to do this after the procedure had been completed, which she described as the ‘normal course of business’.

Wilkinson launched proceedings against Ten earlier this year to force it to pay her legal costs immediately.

The bill is over $723,000.

Ms Graus told the court that ‘issues have arisen’ because Wilkinson has chosen to hire separate representation, one of which could be the ‘reasonableness of the costs incurred to date’.

A spokesperson for Ten said in a statement last month that Wilkinson’s legal team had asked for a lot of money.

“The lawyers engaged by Lisa Wilkinson have issued invoices for a very substantial amount, in excess of $700,000, and in good governance these should be justified through due process,” they said at the time.

Ms Graus said there is no evidence that Wilkinson cannot pay her own legal fees or that the costs have yet to be paid, only that she has been charged for the legal services.

But Wilkinson’s attorney, Daniel Klineberg, noted that it could take months or years for the case to be finalized, during which time his client would essentially be left without any money.

Wilkinson (above) opted to hire separate legal representation for the defamation suit, with the bill coming to more than $723,000

Mr Klineberg has applied to the court for Ten to determine what problem, if any, they had with the legal costs incurred by Ms Wilkinson to date.

“(Ten) has not paid a single penny for the costs incurred by (Wilkinson) to date, but has also not established that the costs were not properly incurred,” he said.

Wilkinson says her legal costs amounted to around $353,000 up to May 30 this year and she has racked up a further $370,000 in costs from that date until September 20.

The case will go to trial on November 17.