Executor helped Jackson become rich man

Who was to benefit from the King of Pop's estate?

"It was very difficult," Branca recalled. "There were a lot of family members there, his sisters and most of the brothers and his mother, Katherine."

He told them three things. Katherine would be guardian of Michael's three children and receive 40 per cent of the estate in trust. The children would also receive 40 per cent. The remaining 20 per cent would go to unspecified charities to benefit children.

Their reaction would seem to bode well for the days to come.

"Actually, they applauded three times when they were told who got the property," Branca said. "They were thrilled."

It is one reason why Branca, one of two special administrators named in that same will, says he's surprised by the opposition that followed from lawyers representing Mrs. Jackson.

Her legal team has asserted that she should be given "a seat at the table" in executing deals for the estate. They've also been considering a formal challenge to the status of the special administrators, suggesting that conflict of interests and other factors may compromise the qualifications of Branca and co-executor John McClain.

Neither man is unknown to the Jackson family. During more than 20 years as the pop superstar's lawyer, Branca, 58, was a principal architect of Jackson's financial empire, having brokered the deal for the Beatles catalogue of records; obtained the rights to master recordings of Jackson's own songs; and negotiated the purchase of Jackson's Neverland estate.

McClain, a childhood friend of Jackson's, crafted a major recording career for Michael's sister Janet, and is a successful record company executive.

Branca plays down any conflict with the Jackson family.

"Everything is going to be fine," he said calmly during a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press.

Branca and McClain have already won court approval for a deal that will bring the estate $60 million from a movie made of footage shot during rehearsals for the concerts Jackson was to have performed in London. A coffee-table book also was approved. But two multimillion-dollar projects, including a deal to market Jackson merchandise, have been stalled because of objections from Mrs. Jackson's camp.

"We're approaching the $100-million mark if those two deals in front of the court are approved," said Branca. "That's pretty remarkable -- in six weeks as executors, to have brought $100 million into the estate."

A wunderkind of entertainment law when he met a young Michael Jackson in 1980, Branca is now regarded as one of the three top entertainment lawyers in the country, a man who's made millions for the Beach Boys, The Doors, Aerosmith, the Rolling Stones and countless other top rock acts. He represents 28 members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Branca spent his early years in Mount Vernon, N.Y., but later moved to Los Angeles with his mother, actress Barbara Werle who, coincidentally, had a role in the Presley movie Charo. At Los Angeles City College he first majored in music, but quickly realized he wasn't good enough.

He pursued law instead, seeking a music-related vein after graduating from UCLA School of Law. He started by setting up tours for Bob Dylan, George Harrison and Neil Diamond.

He represented the Presley estate for a time, but in 1980 his world changed when an intermediary asked him to meet with Michael Jackson.

"Michael was either 21 or about to turn 21 when I met him and he had never had his own (legal) team," he said. "Off The Wall had come out and it was a big hit."

They bonded immediately.

He met Jackson's parents briefly, and remembers Mrs. Jackson saying, "Michael, I don't know if he's old enough to be a lawyer."

They were both in their 20s and about to make rock 'n' roll history.

Branca shepherded Jackson through the phenomenal success of the Thriller album in 1982 and negotiated the groundbreaking Thriller video. And contrary to other versions of the story, he said it was Michael's idea to buy the Beatles catalogue after Paul McCartney told Jackson he was investing in buying copyrights to famous songs.

"Michael called me up and he said, 'Branca, I want to buy copyrights.' I said, 'Great."' He bought copyrights to such songs as Runaround Sue and The Wanderer, and the work of Sly and the Family Stone.

"And then came the mother lode," said Branca. "I found out ATV was for sale and I told Michael. He asked what that was. I said, 'You're not going to believe it: 250 Beatles songs, the Little Richard catalogue.' He started screaming on the phone. I actually have a great note he wrote me. It said: 'Branca, the catalogue is mine. Don't lose it by over-negotiating.' I framed that note."

Before bidding, he said he checked with Lennon's widow Yoko Ono and McCartney's lawyer and brother-in-law John Eastman to see if they were interested. They were not. It took a year of bidding against others -- including British industrialist Richard Branson -- before he closed the deal. In 1995, he merged it with Sony to create one of the largest such collections in the world.

In earlier years, Branca also helped Jackson obtain the rights to his recording masters and brokered the purchase of Neverland Ranch, originally offered for $60 million, for a final price of $17.5 million, including all furnishings.

Those deals helped transform Jackson from a rich pop star into a man of extraordinary wealth, and turned Branca's career in the direction of buying and selling music assets. (He recently negotiated the sale of the Rodgers and Hammerstein catalogue for $200 million.)

But life with Michael was not all about money, Branca says. At first they were friends, travelling to Disney World together, socializing at Branca's home. Jackson was the best man at Branca's first wedding, bringing with him his pet chimp Bubbles. Little Richard was the minister.

In 1990, Jackson tearfully told Branca he wanted to try different representation. They remained apart for three years.

Branca returned in 1993, when Jackson was being sued in a child molestation case he ultimately settled. But the relationship was different.

"Later on in his career he really had a line between his business and personal life," said Branca.

Branca's connections to Elvis would extend to Jackson when he introduced Michael to the King's daughter, Lisa Marie Presley. Branca treasures a portrait of the two after their marriage, which is inscribed in Michael's hand signed by the couple. It reads: "John: To the greatest lawyer of our time."

In 1997 a will was drafted for Jackson -- but not, Branca says, by him. It was redone in 2002 because one of Jackson's children had not been born at the time of the first.

Branca said he played no role in advising Jackson on it, but knew the singer did not want a family member in control of his estate.

By 2006, Branca says, his relationship with Jackson was troubled once again. The star was listening to an increasingly odd set of advisers.

"He was surrounded and I had to resign," he said. "He did not ask me to stay. I resigned amicably."

And then, a little more than a month before Jackson died, the call came from Jackson's former manager, Frank Delio.

"Michael wants you to come back," Delio told him. "He wants you to give some thought to what you can do for him, what kind of deals."

Branca drafted an agenda and met with Jackson on June 17 at the Forum in Los Angeles, where the King of Pop was rehearsing for his big comeback.

"I hadn't seen him in several years," Branca said. "We hugged each other. He said, 'John, you're back.' It was very emotional. I showed him the agenda."

It was what Jackson wanted, Branca said -- including a concert movie, books and merchandising deals.

"That agenda is exactly what John McClain and I are doing now," Branca said, "for the estate."

-- The Associated Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 16, 2009 B6