Birkhead claims that lawyer-to-the-stars Debra Opri agreed to waive her fees because she was a �firm believer in father�s rights� and knew that the publicity surrounding the case would greatly benefit her legal career.

He says that he gave Opri $20,000 for costs associated with the paternal lawsuit, and was told he would not have to pay any more.

According to Birkhead, Opri started a �Save Danielynn Fund� without his endorsement, for which she solicited donations from the public to pay Birkhead�s legal bills.

Birkhead also says that Opri deposited $865,000 out of the $1,050,000 he received from NBC for exclusive reports on the case into her own bank account without his consent.

Birkhead�s suit comes just days after Opri�s complaint against him, in which the lawyer alleges that he didn�t pay legal fees owed to her.