FKA Twigs sues over trademark rights and an NDA with Shia LaBeouf

 

FKA Twigs - Tahliah Barnett

In a complaint filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, the 38-year-old — whose legal name is Tahliah Barnett — is seeking a court order blocking LaBeouf, 39, from enforcing portions of an agreement she says violate California law.

“This is a case about justice and law, not money,” her attorney Mathew Rosengart wrote in the filing.

The British singer-songwriter filed the lawsuit “to right a wrong,” Rosengart added, saying she is also acting on behalf of other women “who do not have the resources to speak out and defend themselves from predators.”

“In so doing, she seeks to ensure that survivors of sexual misconduct are not bullied or silenced like she was,” he continued in the complaint.

The suit states that in 2025, LaBeouf filed a “secret arbitration complaint” in an attempt to collect an “exorbitant” amount of money for a supposed breach of the 2020 settlement. LeBeouf’s arbitration claim allegedly targeted Barnett’s quotes from an October 2025 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, during which she was asked if she felt “a sense of safety” after moving on with her relationship with LeBeouf. 

Barnett responded, “No, I wouldn’t say I feel safe. I feel really passionate about being involved with organizations such as Sistah Space and No More, to help survivors in any way that I can. I think it’s less about me at this point and more about looking forward. Just, you know, moving on with my life.”

This suit is based on California's STAND Act (SB 820), officially known as the Stand Together Against Non-Disclosure Act, a law designed to enhance transparency in workplace settlements related to unlawful acts such as sexual harassment and discrimination. An act to add Section 1001 to the Code of Civil Procedure, relating to civil procedure.

There is also the Silenced No More Act (SB 331), effective January 1, 2022, which fundamentally restricts the use of confidentiality and non-disparagement agreements in the context of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation claims. The act amends Section 1001 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and to amend Section 12964.5 of the Government Code, relating to civil actions. 

There is also the federal Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 which allows individuals to bring claims related to sexual assault or harassment in court instead of being forced into arbitration. This law, effective from March 3, 2022, aims to improve access to justice for survivors by invalidating predispute arbitration agreements in these cases.

“LaBeouf’s campaign of intimidation and abuse of the legal system denigrates not just Mr. Barnett but every survivor of sexual abuse in this State,” the suit reads. “As the California Legislature has made clear, survivors should have the right to tell their stories without fear or coercion, and California law does not and must not allow abusers and bullies to silence them through secret agreements containing unconscionable, unlawful gag orders.”

Barnett’s lawyers claim that she was “forced” to file this motion as a way to combat LeBeouf’s “erroneous, perposterous legal postion: that he is somehow not covered by the STAND Act because he was supposedly sued by Ms. Barnett in 2020 only for sexual ‘battery,’ not sexual ‘assault’ and the STAND Act does not cover him as a sexual batterer even though, as matter of both common sense and law, the STAND Act covers both.”

In December 2020, Barnett sued LaBeouf in the Superior Court of California for injuries sustained “over months of ‘physical, sexual and mental abuse’ during their relationship.”

Trademark Suit

FKA Twigs has taken legal action against indie outfit The Twigs, claiming the band attempted to pressure her over trademark rights to her stage name and demanded a substantial financial settlement.

The singer, born Tahliah Barnett, alleges that twin sisters Laura and Linda Good have repeatedly challenged her use of the "FKA Twigs" moniker despite knowing about her career for more than a decade.

According to the lawsuit, the band first contacted Barnett in 2013 to raise concerns about potential confusion between their names.

Court documents cited by Rolling Stone state that Barnett offered the pair $15,000 at the time in hopes of allowing both acts to continue using their respective names without conflict.

The offer was rejected, with the duo reportedly refusing to agree to any form of co‑existence.

The filing claims the dispute escalated in 2024, when The Twigs allegedly issued cease‑and‑desist letters in what Barnett describes as an effort to "weaponize" trademark claims that should no longer be enforceable.

The lawsuit accuses the band of threatening litigation and attempting to block her from using the FKA Twigs name, while also demanding a "significant seven‑figure payout" to drop their objections.

Barnett's legal team argues that confusion between the two acts is implausible, pointing to her global profile — including 3.2 million monthly Spotify listeners and hundreds of millions of YouTube views — compared with the band's far smaller online presence.

The suit states that The Twigs have "simply disappeared" from the music landscape, noting their modest follower count and minimal streaming activity.

FKA Twigs is now seeking a jury trial to settle the trademark dispute and secure clarity over her continued use of the name she has performed under for more than a decade.