Howard Stern Wins Court Victory as Judge Dismisses Former Assistant's Lawsuit

Radio personality Howard Stern has secured a significant legal victory after a judge dismissed a $2.5 million lawsuitfiled by his former executive assistant, Leslie Kuhn, who had accused Stern and his wife, Beth Stern, of fostering a hostile work environment.

The ruling also upheld the validity of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that was central to the dispute, rejecting Kuhn's claims that the document had been improperly executed.

Kuhn alleged that Stern's company had accessed her work email without authorization and electronically signed a May 2025 confidentiality agreement on her behalf. However, the court found no evidence supporting that allegation.

According to court records, an email sent from Kuhn's own account included the message, "Signed NDA attached,"along with the agreement bearing her electronic signature. The judge described the hacking allegation as unsupported and dismissed the claim.

Judge Rejects Key Allegations

In her lawsuit, Kuhn sought at least $2.5 million in damages, arguing that she was mistreated during her employment and asking the court to invalidate confidentiality agreements signed in 2022 and 2025. She maintained that she received no meaningful benefit in exchange for signing the agreements.

The court disagreed, noting that Kuhn remained employed for approximately nine months after signing the most recent NDA, earned more than $192,000 during that period and received an $80,000 bonus.

The judge ultimately dismissed the lawsuit in its entirety. Although no sanctions were imposed, Kuhn was cautioned against presenting unsupported legal arguments in future proceedings.

Stern Denied the Allegations

Throughout the case, Stern denied any wrongdoing and maintained that Kuhn knowingly signed the confidentiality agreements.

In court filings, the broadcaster characterized the lawsuit as an attempt to pressure him into a financial settlement, describing it as a "shakedown" and a "transparent sham." Stern also argued that he had no interest in turning the dispute into a public controversy.

His attorney, Ilene Farkas, said the legal action was simply intended to enforce confidentiality agreements routinely signed by employees who have access to the Stern family's private home and personal affairs.

Court documents further noted that details of Kuhn's dismissal became public only after she and her legal team chose to publicize the dispute.

Previous Claims From Former Employees

The lawsuit also renewed attention on past criticism from former employees of "The Howard Stern Show."

Kuhn claimed she had been informed in late 2025 that her salary would increase to $265,000, along with an additional $80,000 bonus for 2026, before being dismissed approximately two months later.

Separately, former show staff members have previously alleged they were underpaid during their time working for Stern.

Writer and longtime cast member Jackie Martling, who worked on the program from 1983 to 2001, has publicly claimed that compensation did not keep pace with the show's success and said he left after seeking a salary increase.

Other former employees, including John Melendez and Steve Grillo, have also previously expressed dissatisfaction with their compensation while working on the program.

Stern Continues SiriusXM Partnership

Despite the legal dispute and staffing changes surrounding his radio program, Stern remains one of the highest-paid personalities in broadcasting.

The veteran host recently extended his partnership with SiriusXM, following a previous five-year contract reportedly valued at $500 million. The renewed agreement provides greater scheduling flexibility while allowing Stern to continue producing his long-running radio show.