Renee Brinkerhoff, a 70-year-old socialite known for her Porsche racing endeavors, is facing legal challenges months after finalizing a bitter divorce that awarded her $29.5 million and half of her ex-husband's restaurants. The lawsuits include claims from her former law firm, Womble Bond Dickinson, and two contractors.
Womble Bond Dickinson is suing Brinkerhoff for approximately $2.4 million in legal fees. The firm represented her during her divorce proceedings against William Brinkerhoff. According to the lawsuit filed by the firm, Brinkerhoff has refused to pay the outstanding fees, which totaled $3.3 million. Her ex-husband contributed $850,000 toward the bill. The legal team claims Brinkerhoff requested a deferral of payment, agreeing to pay once she accessed her share of the marital estate, but has since refused to settle the debt.
Brinkerhoff has also been sued by contractors Gene and Clark Atkinson, who allege she owes them $4.5 million for work on her La Loma Mexican restaurant chain. The brothers claim they were fired from multiple projects after the divorce was finalized, leaving Clark Atkinson's company, ISE LLC, with a $3.5 million shortfall.
Clark Atkinson is also suing Brinkerhoff for an additional $1 million. This claim stems from a loan his company provided to William Brinkerhoff and the couple's firm, Water Street Holdings (WSH), for restaurant renovations. Clark Atkinson asserts that Renee Brinkerhoff assumed WSH's liabilities when she acquired the company during the divorce settlement.
These disputes have led to counter-accusations. Renee Brinkerhoff has accused her ex-husband, William Brinkerhoff, of fraud and conspiracy, alleging he moved $1.1 million out of Brinkerhoff Exploration, an oil and gas company she acquired in the divorce. She stated that her ex-husband has a pattern of deceiving associates for self-interested business practices.
She also filed a countersuit against Gene Atkinson, claiming his work on the restaurants was intentionally delayed and of poor quality, with fabricated invoices. Brinkerhoff stated that she had already paid Gene Atkinson $2.9 million, suggesting the maximum amount owed was approximately $732,000.
The divorce settlement dictated that Renee Brinkerhoff would receive half of the couple's assets and liabilities. She was awarded the Parker, DTC, and McGregor La Loma locations, along with property associated with the disputed loan. The court ruling implies she is responsible for the debts associated with these assets.
Renee Brinkerhoff has denied avoiding her debts, stating in a June filing that the loan agreement was solely between William Brinkerhoff and ISE LLC, and not related to her. She also pointed out that the restaurants she acquired through the divorce carried significant debt. She has characterized the accusations against her as false and a misrepresentation of her character and life.