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Devin McRae Inducted into Prestigious Marquis Who’s Who Biographical Registry
Category: Awards, News | Thursday, June 16th, 2022 | Comments Off on Devin McRae Inducted into Prestigious Marquis Who’s Who Biographical Registry
The firm is pleased to announce that Devin McRae has received the honor of being inducted into Marquis Who’s Who, which has published directories of the top professionals in the world since 1899. Profiled individuals are selected for inclusion based on factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field.
Devin, who was recently named to Variety’s 2022 “Legal Impact Report,” was recognized by Marquis Who’s Who for his reputation as a respected and sought-after trial lawyer known for his representation of prominent artists, actors, writers and producers; production companies; law firms; talent agents and agencies; talent managers and management firms; television networks; accounting firms; and insurance companies.
For more information, click below.
Devin A. McRae has been inducted into the prestigious Marquis Who’s Who Biographical Registry
Court Dismisses Trademark Infringement Allegations Against Early Sullivan Clients
Category: News, Results | Wednesday, June 15th, 2022 | Comments Off on Court Dismisses Trademark Infringement Allegations Against Early Sullivan Clients
Early Sullivan clients Sayam Sotelo and J. Frank Sotelo, represented by Bryan Sullivan and Zachary Hansen, were granted a motion to dismiss in a case brought by church organization Abundant Living Family Church (ALFC) for allegations involving trademark infringement on behalf of their company, Live Design, Inc. (Live Design).
The claims surrounded Live Design’s refusal to give up rights to the website domain name “www.alfc.church” to ALFC. ALFC had previously contacted Live Design to inquire about purchasing the domain name, and the entities entered into two contracts (signed by J. Frank Sotelo) whereby ALFC would pay a monthly fee to Live Design in exchange for the domain name. Live Design did not perform under these contracts.
Early Sullivan argued in defense of the Sotelos on the ground that their actions were on behalf of Live Design and therefore were protected by the fiduciary shield document. ALFC could not prove their burden that the defendants were the primary participants in the wrongdoing or the direct force of the infringement.
The Court ultimately granted the motion to dismiss the Sotelos and deny ALFC’s request for limited jurisdictional discovery. With the Sotelos being dismissed, the case will now continue with ALFC’s claim against Live Design Inc.
Bryan Sullivan Pens Forbes Article on Defamation Lawsuits In Light of Johnny Depp/Amber Heard Trial
Category: Press | Monday, June 13th, 2022 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Pens Forbes Article on Defamation Lawsuits In Light of Johnny Depp/Amber Heard Trial
Bryan Sullivan recently wrote an article for Forbes on the nature of defamation lawsuits in light of the highly publicized defamation trial involving Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.
In the article, Bryan shares that defamation lawsuits are generally very difficult to win, as the necessary amount of proof required may be difficult to obtain. He also calls attention to significant repercussions that defamation lawsuits can lead to, noting that plaintiffs waive their rights to privacy, as court documents and potentially sensitive information become public knowledge during a suit. Furthermore, Bryan explains that, due to various rules and procedures, some defendants are able to avoid payment even after a guilty verdict.
“Most defamation lawsuits are not worth bringing,” Bryan writes. “However, when the statements are so defamatory that they could bring down a company or ruin a career, and for someone who can afford the cost of such a claim, the risk is worth the reward, whether monetary or not.”
The full article can be found below.
Johnny Depp And Amber Heard Case Shows That Defamation Claims Are Risky. So Why Bring Them?
Early Sullivan Obtains Complete Defense For Sun West in Wrongful Termination, Disability Discrimination Case
Category: Results | Tuesday, May 31st, 2022 | Comments Off on Early Sullivan Obtains Complete Defense For Sun West in Wrongful Termination, Disability Discrimination Case
An Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae trial team, comprised of Scott Gizer, Diane Myint Luczon, Padideh Zargari, Cameron Aronson, D’Metria Bolden, and Jackie Hosey obtained a complete defense for its client Sun West Mortgage Company, Inc. (“Sun West”) against claims asserted by a former employee for wrong termination, disability discrimination, retaliation and wage and hour violations allegedly in response to the employee’s cancer diagnosis. Specifically, the employee claimed that after he revealed his cancer diagnosis to his supervisor, he was denied leave, forced to work from the hospital, had support staff taken away and his compensation structure changed all in an effort to force him to quit. After a week-long arbitration, involving numerous fact witnesses and hundreds of exhibits, the Early Sullivan team convinced the arbitrator that the former employee was provided with all accommodations requested, that the employee elected not to go on leave so that he could maintain his full salary, that the changes in support staff were based on performance issues within his department, and that his change in compensation, and his ultimate termination, were due solely to financial issues Sun West was experiencing in 2018 and 2019. As a result, the arbitrator held that the former employee was to take nothing on his arbitration complaint, and that Sun West prevailed on all claims, entitling it to its costs.
Devin McRae Speaks with New York Times About Lawsuits in the Aftermath of Popular Home Makeover Shows
Category: Press | Friday, May 27th, 2022 | Comments Off on Devin McRae Speaks with New York Times About Lawsuits in the Aftermath of Popular Home Makeover Shows
In a recently published New York Times article exploring what goes on behind the scenes of popular home makeover television shows, Devin McRae weighs in on the construction lawsuits that have become increasingly common in their wake. The article describes how homeowners who participate in such shows are promised the home of their dreams, only to find in some cases that once the cameras are done filming, they are left with a “construction nightmare.” Homeowners who participated in many of the most popular home renovation shows revealed to the Times that after their episodes were complete, they were left with homes that were unfinished or poorly constructed, and rife with health and safety hazards due in part to workmanship that was not up to code.
The article details how the contracts that participants enter into to appear on such shows often include a strict waiver precluding participants from speaking to the media or press about their experience, and that legal recourse is discouraged. Still, the Times was able to take a closer look at numerous lawsuits, both settled and ongoing, that have been filed after homeowners appeared on shows including HGTV’s “Love It or List It,” Fox’s “Renovate My Family,” and others such as “Property Brothers” and “Flip or Flop Las Vegas.”
While some homeowners have sought significant reparations, Devin shares that the damages awarded in most construction lawsuits are likely to be for the cost to make the necessary repairs, and not much higher. “You’re probably not talking about seven figures,” he notes. “The fight is probably in the low hundreds.”
Read the full article below (subscription required).
What Goes On Behind the Cameras at Home Makeover Shows?
Devin McRae Attends Variety’s “Power of Law Breakfast”
Category: Events | Friday, May 27th, 2022 | Comments Off on Devin McRae Attends Variety’s “Power of Law Breakfast”
On April 20, 2022, Devin McRae attended Variety’s “Power of Law Breakfast,” an invitation-only event honoring attorneys selected to Variety’s annual “Legal Impact Report.” Attendees of the event and honorees of the “Legal Impact Report” are considered top attorneys in the entertainment business, and they are celebrated for their contributions to the entertainment industry and their handling of high-profile, influential matters for agencies, studios and networks. In his “Legal Impact Report” profile, Devin is recognized for his work this last year including a notable multi-million dollar jury verdict for actress Shannen Doherty.
Eric Early Named to Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Top 100 Lawyers” List
Category: Awards, News | Monday, May 16th, 2022 | Comments Off on Eric Early Named to Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Top 100 Lawyers” List
The firm is pleased to announce that Eric Early was recently selected to the Los Angeles Business Journal‘s inaugural “Top 100 Lawyers” list. The coveted list recognizes the region’s outstanding legal community by profiling Los Angeles’ top 100 lawyers for their legal achievements, community involvement, and impacts on the profession. Eric’s profile in the special issue discussed his status as one of the go-to attorneys for all of the major national title insurance companies including Fidelity National Financial, First American Title Insurance Company, and Stewart Title.
To view the full Los Angeles Business Journal “Top 100 Lawyers” issue, click here.
Bryan Sullivan Comments on High-Level Executive Departures Following Amazon’s Acquisition of MGM
Category: Press | Thursday, April 28th, 2022 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Comments on High-Level Executive Departures Following Amazon’s Acquisition of MGM
Bryan Sullivan recently spoke to TheWrap regarding the news that MGM Studios’ motion picture group chairman, Michael De Luca, and president, Pam Abdy, are departing their roles. The announcement comes approximately one month after Amazon closed an $8.5 billion acquisition of MGM.
The article details reactions surrounding the departures of De Luca and Abdy, noting that MGM executives were surprised by the news, but Bryan notes that their decisions to leave could have been foreseen due to Amazon’s large number of high-level professionals and the reality that “there’s only so much room at the top.” According to the article, it is rumored that De Luca and Abdy may not have felt comfortable reporting to Jennifer Salke, who is currently Head of Amazon Studios.
The article also examines the uncertainty around what may happen to MGM’s current film projects, including new films from Guy Ritchie and Luca Guadagnino, and a number of Channing Tatum projects. Bryan explains that it’s unlikely that these projects will be pushed aside, even after the news of De Luca and Abdy’s departures.
After leaving a studio, “most C-level executives remain with the project in some capacity,” shares Bryan. “The executives could also form a production company with financing from Amazon rather than bolt to another studio or streamer.”
Read the full article below (subscription required).
What’s Next for Amazon Studios After Top MGM Movie Execs’ Surprise Exit | Analysis
Bryan Sullivan and Devin McRae Recognized in Variety’s 2022 “Legal Impact Report”
Category: Awards, News | Wednesday, April 20th, 2022 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan and Devin McRae Recognized in Variety’s 2022 “Legal Impact Report”
The firm is pleased to announce that Bryan Sullivan and Devin McRae were recently selected to Variety‘s annual “Legal Impact Report,” which honors the top in-house attorneys, litigators, and transactional lawyers in Hollywood. In this year’s exclusive list, Variety spotlights Bryan’s representation of Enderby Entertainment, Miley Cyrus, celebrity hairstylist/entrepreneur Chaz Dean, Roadside Attractions, and producer Haroon Saleem. Devin was recognized for his representation of Shannen Doherty in a lawsuit against State Farm, which refused to pay for repairs under an insurance policy on her Malibu home following the 2018 Woolsey fire, as well as screenwriter Nick May in a lawsuit over writing credits on his film “Blacklight.”
Read the full list below.
Variety’s Legal Impact Report 2022: Top Attorneys Winning Cases and Making Deals in Hollywood
Bryan Sullivan Speaks to TheWrap on Bob Chapek’s Second Year as Disney CEO
Category: News, Uncategorized | Wednesday, March 30th, 2022 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Speaks to TheWrap on Bob Chapek’s Second Year as Disney CEO
Bryan Sullivan was recently quoted in Diane Haithman’s TheWrap article “Why Disney CEO Bob Chapek Gets Both an A and an F on His 2nd-Year Report Card.” The article focuses on the past year at Disney and evaluates Chapek’s leadership during his second year as CEO. According to Bryan, while Chapek’s initial waffling on Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill may have been a PR misstep, the CEO is still doing well financially.
“There’s bad PR, and there’s bad business,” Bryan told TheWrap. “Chapek has a PR problem, not a business problem… Investors are not dumping Disney.”
Read the article below (subscription below).
Why Disney CEO Bob Chapek Gets Both an A and an F on His 2nd-Year Report Card