Kathy A. Jorrie

Business litigation

When Michael Jackson died suddenly in June 2009, the unexpected tragedy threw into question the fate of a massive tour the legendary entertainer had been planning and rehearsing for up until his death. Promoter AEG Live already invested $30 million in the tour, and Jorrie, the company's outside counsel, was tasked with making the best of a terrible situation. The day after Jackson's death, Jorrie was in meetings to discuss what would happen next. Within eight weeks, AEG reached movie, merchandise and memorabilia exhibition agreements with several parties - all under the close scrutiny of a probate judge overseeing the late singer's estate. Those deals not only helped AEG recoup its investment - the film alone earned more than $238 million - but also pushed Jackson's debt-burdened estate back toward solvency. The company has Jorrie's emergency response timing to thank. "It kept a horrible, tragic situation from having a huge financial impact," Jorrie says.