Sara Landry Lawsuit Explained: Why She Is Suing Her Former Managers Over HEKATE Records
Sara Landry's company has sued her former managers, The Night Department, in New York over her name and HEKATE Records. Here is what the lawsuit claims, the parallel UK case and what happens next.
Sara Landry is suing her former management. On 6 October 2026, Landry IP LLC, the company that holds the trademarks tied to her name and her label HEKATE Records, filed a trademark lawsuit in Manhattan federal court against Night Night Ltd, which trades as The Night Department, and an affiliated company, Prepare to Flash. The suit says the firm kept using her name and the HEKATE brand after she ended the relationship. It runs alongside a separate claim The Night Department brought against her in the UK in July.
Why is Sara Landry suing her former managers?
The short answer is control of her name. According to the complaint, as reported by Billboard and RA, The Night Department and Prepare to Flash carried on using trademarks linked to Landry and HEKATE in music distribution and in promoting their own management business after the split. Landry’s side argues that this created the false impression that the firm still represented her and her label.
The complaint makes two further allegations. First, when Landry’s team asked for control of HEKATE’s distribution account with Believe, Prepare to Flash allegedly refused to authorise the transfer. Second, the former managers allegedly sought 50% ownership of her music and 50% of HEKATE Records without appropriate payment, against her stated intention to keep both.
What does the lawsuit ask for?
Landry IP wants the court to stop the alleged unauthorised use of the trademarks and to recover profits linked to it. No damages figure has been made public. The case was filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, and her lawyer is Nicholas Saady of Pryor Cashman, who said Landry had spent years building her name, record label and career and intends to protect those assets. At the time of writing the defendants had not filed a response to the trademark claims.
What is the UK case about?
It came first. In July 2026 The Night Department sued Landry in the UK, alleging that she breached her management agreement by ending it in August 2025 without proper grounds. Landry has filed counterclaims, arguing that the firm’s own breaches justified the split. Her side points to touring problems, poor communication and the way HEKATE was run, which it says led to complaints from other artists on the label. The Night Department denies those allegations and says the ownership terms in dispute were set out clearly in the management contract.
The two cases ask different questions. The UK claim is about whether Landry had the right to walk away. The New York claim is about what her former managers could do with her name once she had. Neither court has ruled on the merits.
Who owns HEKATE Records?
Landry founded HEKATE and runs it as her own label; Wikipedia lists her as its founder and owner, and the trademarks sit with Landry IP LLC. The label is named after the Greek goddess of witchcraft and releases other hard techno artists as well as her own music. That is why the dispute matters beyond one DJ: if the 50% claim had stood, a former management firm would have held half of an artist-run label.
Business has carried on regardless. Her second album, Divine Intervention, came out on HEKATE on 16 October 2026, ten days after the lawsuit was filed. It is a 14-track follow-up to 2024’s Spiritual Driveby, previewed by “Angel Dust”, “Shake That”, “Awakening”, “Interesting” and “Energy” with Ali James.
What has Sara Landry said?
Only a short statement, sent to Billboard: “Ownership and artists’ rights are deeply important to me. And I look forward to continuing to advocate for artists to have control over their work and their careers.” The Night Department has not commented publicly beyond its position in the UK proceedings.
The TA view
Landry’s rise is one of the fastest in techno: from the first hard techno set on Tomorrowland’s main stage in 2024 to DJ Mag’s No. 1 Hard DJ in 2026, with her own label underneath it all. That speed is exactly when management deals get signed in a hurry and ownership terms get read later. Whoever the courts side with, the case is a useful reminder for younger artists: keep the label, the masters and the trademark in a company you control, and read the ownership clauses before the bookings take off. We will update this page when either court rules. For more on the business side of the scene, see our list of the highest-paid female techno DJs and everything we have written about Sara Landry.
Sara Landry lawsuit FAQ
Who is Sara Landry suing?
Her company, Landry IP LLC, is suing Night Night Ltd, which operates as The Night Department, and its affiliate Prepare to Flash, her former management.
When and where was the lawsuit filed?
On 6 October 2026 in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, in Manhattan.
Why did Sara Landry leave The Night Department?
She ended the agreement in August 2025 after a dispute over ownership and control of her music and HEKATE Records. Her side also cites touring and communication problems. The Night Department denies her allegations.
Is The Night Department suing Sara Landry too?
Yes. It filed a claim in the UK in July 2026 alleging she ended the management agreement without proper grounds. Landry has counterclaimed and the case is ongoing.
Who owns HEKATE Records?
Sara Landry founded the label and owns it; the related trademarks are held by Landry IP LLC.
How much money is Sara Landry asking for?
No figure has been disclosed. The suit seeks to stop the trademark use and recover profits linked to it.
Sources: Billboard via Resident Advisor (9 October 2026), Law Commentary, EDM House Network, DJ Mag, DJ Mag Top 100 DJs 2026. The allegations are claims made in court filings and have not been tested at trial.
