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Bryan Sullivan Quoted in Newsweek Article on Likelihood of Third Trump Defamation Suit
Category: News, Press | Thursday, January 25th, 2024 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Quoted in Newsweek Article on Likelihood of Third Trump Defamation Suit
Bryan Sullivan spoke with Sean O’Driscoll at Newsweek about degrading comments towards E. Jean Carroll made by former president Donald Trump in a January 17, 2024 press conference, and how they could cost Trump even more than Carrolls’ two previous defamation suits against him.
The article, entitled “Donald Trump May Have Another E. Jean Carroll Problem,” describes how Carroll’s lawyer Roberta Kaplan could be preparing for a third defamation case after submitting transcripts and videos from Trump’s latest criticism, including 30 social media posts from Truth Social, to the court.
“She can sue him a third time, and precedence has been established from the first two cases,” Bryan explains. “The damages would likely be increased the third time.”
With Trump currently in ongoing legal proceedings with Carroll as the court decides how much to award her in the second defamation case, Bryan contends that Trump’s latest conduct could “give the court potential grounds to issue an injunction precluding Trump from speaking about the claims that can be subsequently enforced in contempt proceedings.”
Donald Trump May Have Another E. Jean Carroll Problem – Newsweek
CBS News Covers Early Sullivan Client Kevin Morris’ Friendship with Hunter Biden, Includes Statements from Bryan Sullivan
Category: News, Press | Thursday, January 11th, 2024 | Comments Off on CBS News Covers Early Sullivan Client Kevin Morris’ Friendship with Hunter Biden, Includes Statements from Bryan Sullivan
Bryan Sullivan recently shared statements with CBS News relating to Early Sullivan client, Kevin Morris’, financial backing of Hunter Biden. Morris’ and Biden’s relationship was thrust into the spotlight after Morris joined Biden at his congressional contempt hearing on Capitol Hill. Some have raised questions about Morris’ financial backing and friendship with President Biden’s son.
In regards to Morris’ relationship with Hunter Biden, Bryan Sullivan told CBS News in a statement that, “Hunter is not only a client of Kevin’s, he is his friend and there is no prohibition against helping a friend in need, despite the inability of these Republican Chairmen and their allies to imagine such a thing.”
In response to the question of whether Kevin Morris’ financial backing of Hunter Biden will lead President Joe Biden to take official favorable actions for Kevin Morris, Byran said it ‘has not, and will not happen.’
“Kevin Morris has not asked for or expected anything from President Biden or his administration in return for his support of Hunter,” Bryan said in a statement to CBS News.
Seven Early Sullivan Attorneys Named 2024 Southern California “Super Lawyers”
Category: Awards, News | Wednesday, January 10th, 2024 | Comments Off on Seven Early Sullivan Attorneys Named 2024 Southern California “Super Lawyers”
The firm is pleased to announce that eight of its attorneys have been selected for inclusion in Thomson Reuters’ 2024 Southern California “Super Lawyers” list. The annual “Super Lawyers” distinction is granted to the nation’s most outstanding attorneys, based on peer recognition, professional achievement, and independent research. Only the top 5% of lawyers in each state are selected to receive this honor.
The following attorneys have been recognized as “Super Lawyers” for their expertise in these practice areas:
- Eric Early – Business Litigation
- Bryan Sullivan – Entertainment & Sports, Business Litigation, Business & Corporate
- Scott Gizer – Business Litigation, Real Estate, Employment Litigation
- Devin McRae – Entertainment & Sports, Intellectual Property Litigation, Business Litigation
- Diane Myint Luczon – Business Litigation
- Stephen Ma – Business Litigation, Entertainment & Sports, Real Estate
- Christopher Ritter – Business Litigation
Eric Early Named Among the “Top 100: 2024 Southern California Super Lawyers”
Category: Awards, News | Wednesday, January 10th, 2024 | Comments Off on Eric Early Named Among the “Top 100: 2024 Southern California Super Lawyers”
The firm is pleased to share that Eric Early has been named to Super Lawyers’ annual “Top 100” list for Southern California. Each year Super Lawyers recognizes the top lawyers in the region through a patented selection process involving peer nomination, independent research, and peer evaluation. Those who receive the highest total point scores are additionally recognized in Southern California “Super Lawyers” Top Lists.
To view the full list, click below.
Top 100: 2024 Southern California Super Lawyers
Forbes Covers Early Sullivan Client Oliva Munn’s Removal of Deepfake Porn on Etsy and Speaks to Bryan Sullivan
Category: News, Press | Wednesday, January 3rd, 2024 | Comments Off on Forbes Covers Early Sullivan Client Oliva Munn’s Removal of Deepfake Porn on Etsy and Speaks to Bryan Sullivan
Bryan Sullivan recently spoke to Forbes about the plethora of pornographic deepfaked content depicting actress and client, Olivia Munn, being sold on various Etsy stores. The prevalence of pornographic deepfaked content did not only depict Munn, but many other actresses who have not consented to the deepfakes.
Bryan told Forbes that Munn felt “violated and offended” by these images. “This is outrageous and a violation of my client’s rights, and more importantly, her dignity,” Bryan said. “We will be taking action to remove this and prevent this from happening again. And I’ve already started that process with Etsy.”
Etsy’s head of trust safety, Alice Wu, told Forbes, “We are deeply committed to the safety of our marketplace and community, and we removed the violating listings in question immediately when they were brought to our attention… Nude celebrity deepfakes are prohibited. Given this is an emerging issue across the Internet, we are actively working to scale our enforcement efforts in this area.”
Etsy also distinguished that while it prohibits the sale of pornography, it does allow for nude imagery. Forbes noted however that multiple search entries on Etsy still present deepfake pornographic content.
While Etsy has been the main focus of the article, Google also plays a role in the deepfake porn issue. The article notes that Google’s search engine and image search engine make deepfake porn that is featured on sites like Etsy “easy to find.”
Etsy Has Been Hosting Deepfake Porn Of Celebrities – Forbes
Bryan Sullivan Quoted in Newsweek Article Examining Trump’s Second Defamation Case
Category: News, Press | Tuesday, January 2nd, 2024 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Quoted in Newsweek Article Examining Trump’s Second Defamation Case
Bryan Sullivan was recently featured in Newsweek’s article “Donald Trump Can Expect Huge Payout in E. Jean Carroll Defamation Case,” which investigates potential resolutions to the ongoing defamation lawsuit against the former president. Retired journalist E. Jean Carroll recently won her initial lawsuit against Trump for sexual abuse and harassment, which the article notes could be indicative of the verdict to come in this separate case.
As Bryan explains, “E. Jean Carroll has a very strong case against Trump since it comes on the heels of a jury finding him liable, and will likely lead to large punitive damages.” He continues to tell Newsweek that Trump will likely be unable to use presidential immunity as a defense. Bryan predicts, “There is only so much delaying Trump’s lawyers can attempt, and it is highly unlikely that the Supreme Court will do anything to help Trump in this civil case.”
Donald Trump Can Expect Huge Payout in E. Jean Carroll Defamation Case – Newsweek
Bryan Sullivan Speaks to AdAge on the Rumored Merger of Warner Brothers Discovery and Paramount
Category: News, Press | Friday, December 22nd, 2023 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Speaks to AdAge on the Rumored Merger of Warner Brothers Discovery and Paramount
Bryan Sullivan spoke to AdAge on the recent rumors of a merger between Warner Brothers Discovery and Paramount and what regulatory hurdles the deal may face. The merger rumors mark a new turn in what has been a regular story of whether Paramount will be acquired by another company. This potential merger has also raised questions about any potential regulatory blockades. Bryan told AdAge that the “overall likelihood of regulatory interferences in this potential merger is low.”
“Federal regulators have shown a consistent pattern in recent years of not challenging mergers and acquisitions with the same interest they once did,” Bryan said. “Neither of these two companies is the largest in the sector and this potential merger wouldn’t make them …The presence of studios likely won’t present an issue like broadcast would as the two companies are not the largest studio players in town and broadcast has fewer players involved than studio productions. If both had broadcast operations, a merger would eliminate one player from the landscape.”
The Pros and Cons of a Paramount-Warner Bros. Discover Merger, According to Media Buyers – AdAge
Early Sullivan Obtains Defense Verdict On $10 Million Bad Faith Claim
Category: News, Results | Wednesday, December 13th, 2023 | Comments Off on Early Sullivan Obtains Defense Verdict On $10 Million Bad Faith Claim
An Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae trial team, comprised of Scott Gizer and Rebecca Claudat obtained a defense verdict on behalf of their client First American Title Insurance Company following a two-week jury trial in Everett, Washington. Early Sullivan was brought in to serve as lead trial counsel by First American just two months prior to trial The insured Saratoga 18, LLC, owned and controlled by private equity firm, the Resmark Companies, had asserted claims against First American for breach of their title insurance policy, violation of the Washington Consumer Protection Act, and Washington’s Insurance Fair Conduct Act. The insured had submitted two claims to First American regarding a piece of vacant property it had acquired in Mulkiteo, Washington for condo development. The Insured came to learn that the property was not properly subdivided and there was an issue as to whether the selling entity had the right to sell. First American accepted the subdivision claim and elected to cure that issue, and denied the second claim as premature as no third party had challenged the conveyance. The insured ultimately sued First American alleging that First American had failed to diligently proceed with curative efforts for the subdivision and improperly denied the other claim. The insured claimed it was entitled to $3 million for the value of the property plus $6 million in treble damages, and over a $1 million in attorney’s fees and costs. First American contended that the insured had failed to cooperative with the curative efforts and that the denial of the other claim was not a true denial, but was First American’s invocation of an industry practice referred to as “watchful waiting”, whereby First American agrees to reconsider the claim if it ever becomes an actual adverse issue. The jury agreed with First American that the claim was handled properly in all respects and denied all relief requested by the insured.
Devin McRae Featured in Fox News Digital Article On Alleged Plaintiff Harassment in Lawsuit Against Robert De Niro
Category: News, Press | Wednesday, November 8th, 2023 | Comments Off on Devin McRae Featured in Fox News Digital Article On Alleged Plaintiff Harassment in Lawsuit Against Robert De Niro
Devin McRae recently spoke to Fox News Digital about an alleged instance of plaintiff harassment in a civil trial where Robert De Niro’s former assistant, Graham Chase Robinson, is suing him for gender discrimination. The harassment came in the form of a text message that Robinson’s legal team alleged came from one of De Niro’s daughters.
The text message called Robinson a “disgusting little beast” and claimed she was only suing the 80-year-old actor for his money. The message ended with, “Hopefully you and your family will suffer, like you have made so many suffer.”
“Doesn’t look good for DeNiro but that only matters if the jury gets to see it,” Devin explains to Fox. “It doesn’t rise to witness intimidation and isn’t really probative of the gender discrimination claims, so it will probably not make its way into evidence. The plaintiff’s lawyers will argue that it corroborates her testimony of an abusive environment.”
It has not yet been determined if the text will be shown to the jury.
Bryan Sullivan Speaks to Los Angeles Business Journal on the Future of Live Nation and Ticketmaster Merger
Category: News, Press | Monday, November 6th, 2023 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Speaks to Los Angeles Business Journal on the Future of Live Nation and Ticketmaster Merger
Bryan Sullivan recently shared his insight on the future of the Live Nation and Ticketmaster merger amidst the continued push for antitrust action. In the Los Angeles Business Journal article entitled, “Will Swifties Cut Live Nation’s Size?,” Bryan explains the recent class-action suits filed by Taylor Swift fans following the disastrous ticket sales rollout for her “Eras Tour” and whether this may prod federal agencies to take further action.
Bryan tells LABJ, “The plaintiffs are saying, ‘I’ve been damaged because I bought tickets that were priced way too high because of the combination of Ticketmaster and Live Nation controlling way too much of the market.’” He continues to explain, “whereas the government would be arguing, ‘This is a combination that restricts trade to the extent that it violates the Sherman Act and Clayton Act and we’ve got to break this up.’” While the resolution is unlikely for the near future, Bryan speculates the worst outcome would be the rescinding of the merger; though it is possible smaller arms of the operation would be broken off instead.
“Will Swifties Cut Live Nation’s Size?” – Los Angeles Business Journal