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Bryan Sullivan Discusses Nike’s Recent $7.5 Million Discrimination Case Verdict in Women’s Wear Daily
Category: News, Press | Friday, July 24th, 2026 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Discusses Nike’s Recent $7.5 Million Discrimination Case Verdict in Women’s Wear Daily
Bryan Sullivan recently spoke with Women’s Wear Daily about Nike Inc.’s $7.5 million gender discrimination case verdict on July 22, 2026. The article, titled “There’s No Easy Answer for How Nike and More Firms Should Shape DEI Policies,” outlines that jurors found Nike violated both federal and state laws by discriminating against a former engineer because of her gender.
Bryan explains that this case illustrates how high-profile companies are experiencing a learning curve in balancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies with federal and state laws.
“This is a no-win situation for companies,” Bryan tells WWD. “The Trump administration may retaliate against a company for having strong DEI initiatives, but the Trump administration’s position on DEI doesn’t dictate what a jury will decide under separate state laws like Oregon, and companies will have to decide which risk they want to bear going forward.”
Bryan adds that while the “Trump administration only has two and a half years left, state laws will be around a lot longer.”
In February, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed an action for enforcement of an administrative subpoena against Nike, seeking documents in connection to a discrimination probe involving intentional race discrimination against White employees and job applicants. Nike signed a settlement agreement with the EEOC during the final weeks of Biden’s presidency, but it was withdrawn when Trump took office.
The article goes on to note that Bryan spoke with WWD’s Footwear News when this story initially broke in February, highlighting how high-profile brands can become an easy target.
“High-visibility companies with well-publicized DEI commitments are more likely to become test cases, regardless of whether their practices are meaningfully different from peers,” Bryan tells Footwear News. “In that sense, Nike may be less of an outlier and more of a bellwether for how these issues are being examined right now.”
Read the full article in Women’s Wear Daily.
Bryan Sullivan Discusses the Potential Delay in the Paramount-Warner Bros. $110 Billion Merger Due to State Antitrust Suit in TheWrap
Category: News, Press | Tuesday, July 14th, 2026 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Discusses the Potential Delay in the Paramount-Warner Bros. $110 Billion Merger Due to State Antitrust Suit in TheWrap
Bryan Sullivan recently spoke with TheWrap about the long-awaited Paramount deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, which could potentially be delayed due to 12 state attorneys general filing a lawsuit challenging the $110 billion merger.
The article, titled “Paramount-Warner Bros. May Face Devastating Delay With State Antitrust Suit | Analysis,” outlines the lawsuit’s allegation that the deal would reduce competition, giving the combined company ultimate power.
A federal judge temporarily halted the transaction, and if a restraining order is granted, could alter Paramount’s self-imposed September 30, 2026 deadline, leaving them responsible to pay a daily “ticketing fee” to shareholders. This would amount to roughly $650 million each quarter. Paramount argues that the lawsuit fundamentally exposes flawed application of antitrust laws. However, the states may have a high probability of obtaining the restraining order.
Bryan tells TheWrap that he can see the merits of the arguments on both sides, but agrees the states likely have enough to warrant an injunction.
“The court typically looks at the potential harms on both sides, and the ticketing fee would be a factor,” Bryan explains.
He goes on to validate Paramount’s argument regarding the threat of big tech, while maintaining that the case will come down to a statistical analysis of the harms in each of the states that are suing.
“Given the whole nature of the entertainment industry being upended in the last several years, this is a case where both sides have good arguments to make,” he concludes.
Read the full article in TheWrap (Subscription required).
Bryan Sullivan Speaks to The Guardian on the Ordered Release of $5.8 Million in Trump Judgment
Category: News, Press | Thursday, July 9th, 2026 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Speaks to The Guardian on the Ordered Release of $5.8 Million in Trump Judgment
Bryan Sullivan recently spoke with The Guardian about a U.S. judge’s ruling ordering Donald Trump to release 5.8 million dollars to E. Jean Carroll following his loss of Carroll’s sexual abuse and defamation trial against him in 2023. The article, titled “US judge orders release of $5.8m Trump owes E. Jean Carroll after court loss,” delves into Trump’s ordered distribution of the jury award and how he seeks to combat the release.
The payment stems from the 2023 defamation and sexual abuse lawsuit, which E. Jean Carroll won against Trump. The court then ordered a five-million-dollar jury award, but due to Trump’s decision to appeal the ruling, he deposited the award at an 11% interest rate, ultimately accumulating to 5.8 million dollars. The Supreme Court denied Trump’s appeal on June 29, allowing the Manhattan judge to order the release of the jury award. On June 30, Carroll’s legal team, led by Roberta Kaplan, stressed that it’s time for the case to end, and on July 1, requested that the disbursement of money be expedited. The Judge granted the request, causing Trump’s team to quickly compile a thorough argument against the release of the funds, and asked the Supreme Court to rehear his request for review.
Bryan weighs in on the Supreme Court’s decision to potentially rehear Trump’s request, sharing with The Guardian, “I think that would be a really tough argument.” He goes on to agree with Carroll’s lead attorney, emphasizing that the case has reached its end and states, “I think Roberta Kaplan said it best: he’s at the end of the line here.”
He continues on to share why he doubts the Supreme Court would reconsider its denial, noting that the Supreme Court rarely ever considers cases to begin with. He continues to highlight to The Guardian that the success on initial requests is “slim to none, on average,” and that the case would not have a severe impact on U.S. law in ways others might.
Read the full article in The Guardian.
Bryan Sullivan Speaks to Law360 on Patagonia’s Ongoing Trademark Infringement Lawsuit Against Drag Queen Pattie Gonia
Category: News, Press | Friday, June 5th, 2026 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Speaks to Law360 on Patagonia’s Ongoing Trademark Infringement Lawsuit Against Drag Queen Pattie Gonia
Bryan Sullivan recently spoke with Law360 about American retailer Patagonia suing drag queen and activist Pattie Gonia, who filed a trademark application to use their full drag name for the purposes of selling merchandise. The article, titled “Is Pattie Gonna Get Out Of This? Patagonia’s IP And PR Pickle,” outlines that while Patagonia supports Pattie Gonia’s advocacy for issues like environmentalism and LGBTQ+ rights, the brand maintains that the drag name could confuse consumers and interfere with the Patagonia brand.
The trademark infringement suit has gained public interest from both intellectual property and popular culture standpoints. While this may cause PR headaches, trademark attorneys agree that IP enforcement and public relations management will not always be in perfect alignment.
Bryan sheds light on why the enforcement pressure in trademark law may not be obvious to the general public.
“Nonlawyers and nontrademark people would probably jump in and accuse Patagonia of being a bully, but [the company is] obligated to enforce their trademark,” Bryan tells Law360.
He goes on to explain that if Patagonia decides not to enforce its trademark, it could raise the risk of arguments of selective enforcement.
“If there are too many instances of them not enforcing the trademark, there are arguments against them if they try to enforce it. It can’t be selective enforcement,” he concludes.
Read the full article in Law360 (Subscription required).
Bryan Sullivan Speaks to Bisnow About Tenant Unions in New York City
Category: News, Press | Tuesday, May 12th, 2026 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Speaks to Bisnow About Tenant Unions in New York City
Bryan Sullivan recently spoke to Bisnow about the recent uptick of tenant unions in New York City following the bankruptcy proceedings of Pinnacle Group, which led to the sale of more than 5,200 rent-stabilized apartments. Notably, the Union of Pinnacle Tenants has earned an ally in Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who recently participated in a virtual town hall meeting in order to listen to the union’s concerns and has made addressing the rising cost of living in the city a core focal point of his agenda while in office.
The Tenant Power Act, introduced last month, would require landlords to negotiate with unions and create a statewide tenant association to assist in organizing if passed. Bryan tells Bisnow that tenants can exercise their rights more powerfully by organizing in large groups to submit complaints to the city.
“If it’s a 60-unit apartment and 58 units are filing complaints, [government agencies will] take that a lot more seriously than a 60-unit apartment and two units are filing complaints,” Bryan explains.
Read the full article in Bisnow.
Bryan Sullivan Analyzes the Economic Impact of Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s Legal Battle in Page Six
Category: News, Press | Monday, May 11th, 2026 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Analyzes the Economic Impact of Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s Legal Battle in Page Six
Bryan Sullivan recently weighed in on the cost of Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s drawn-out legal battle in Page Six. Lively and Baldoni, who sued and countersued each other for hundreds of millions of dollars over disputes relating to their film It Ends With Us, recently reached a settlement – but neither party earned any money. While their legal fees are not known to the public, Bryan tells Page Six that the pair’s combined fees could stretch into the multi-million dollar range.
“Over the course of a few years of prolonged litigation, those costs accumulate quickly,” he explains.
Lively is reportedly pursuing legal action against Baldoni in the hopes of having her legal fees reimbursed, further highlighting the financial impact of the suit.
“As a result, even without a financial settlement, the legal fees themselves represent the primary economic impact of the case,” Bryan concludes.
Read the full article in Page Six.
The Mirror Interviews Bryan Sullivan on the NCAA Probe into Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby
Category: News, Press | Tuesday, May 5th, 2026 | Comments Off on The Mirror Interviews Bryan Sullivan on the NCAA Probe into Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby
Bryan Sullivan recently spoke to The Mirror about the antitrust implications of the recent NCAA probe into Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who announced that he would be taking an “immediate indefinite leave of absence” and entering a residential treatment program for gambling after he was exposed for placing “thousands of online bets” across various sports.
The NCAA is currently investigating to determine whether he violated their regulations, which bar student athletes from betting on collegiate or professional sports. Bryan tells The Mirror that this rule is “relatively strong,” though “not immune from challenge.”
Bryan explains that Sorsby could make an antitrust claim, using Section 1 of the Sherman Act to argue against a permanent ban.
“[Sorsby] could argue that a permanent ban functions as an unreasonable restraint on his ability to participate in the Division I football labor market, particularly in a world where NIL compensation and revenue sharing reflect true market dynamics,” Bryan adds.
Bryan continues that should Sorsby be found guilty, his future earnings at Texas Tech could be in jeopardy, despite any promises in his contract.
“Already‑earned compensation is significantly harder to recover unless the agreement contains express clawback provisions or evidence of fraud, but unpaid future amounts are usually not protected once eligibility is lost,” he concludes.
Read the full article in The Mirror.
Bryan Sullivan Speaks to IndieWire on the WGA’s New Tentative Deal with Studios
Category: News, Press | Friday, April 10th, 2026 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Speaks to IndieWire on the WGA’s New Tentative Deal with Studios
Bryan Sullivan recently weighed in on the Writers Guild of America’s new tentative minimum bargaining agreement with studios in IndieWire. As of April 8, the WGA agreed to extend its contract term with the studios to four years rather than three, an increase from their 2023 deal.
The WGA’s terms also include a 10.5 percent minimum wage raise, improved residuals, and an increased bonus for writers of the top performing streaming shows, which Bryan notes as a major affirmation of the WGA’s wins three years ago.
“It reinforced the wins from 2023. The studios didn’t try to backtrack on any of the gains before,” Bryan explains. “It preserved the minimum staffing requirements and prohibitions on mini rooms and will further discourage free work from free rewrites and polishes that producers ask for and that writers should be paid for.”
Read the full article in IndieWire.
Bryan Sullivan Speaks to Axios About College Athletes Gaining Access to Luxury Housing Through NIL Income
Category: News, Press | Friday, March 27th, 2026 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Speaks to Axios About College Athletes Gaining Access to Luxury Housing Through NIL Income
Bryan Sullivan recently weighed in on a new generation of college athletes affording luxury apartment buildings through NIL income in Axios. Several of Duke University’s Division I basketball players recently made headlines for living in Durham’s most high-end apartment building, which is possible through new NCAA guidelines that enable players to get paid for their name, image and likeness.
Bryan explains to Axios that NIL agreements are “no different than any other influencer agreement or endorsement agreement that I’ve done.”
The article adds that despite recent changes, there are still certain rules that student athletes must comply with, and any NIL deals that exceed $600 are subject to independent review.
“You can’t just use it to funnel money to an athlete in violation of the NCAA rules,” he concludes.
Read the full article in Axios.
Bryan Sullivan Analyzes the Potential Fallout from Alan Ritchson’s Altercation with Neighbor in Page Six
Category: News, Press | Wednesday, March 25th, 2026 | Comments Off on Bryan Sullivan Analyzes the Potential Fallout from Alan Ritchson’s Altercation with Neighbor in Page Six
Bryan Sullivan recently spoke to Page Six about “Reacher” star Alan Ritchson’s recent altercation with his neighbor, weighing in on whether or not the actor could still face a lawsuit after the investigation was closed by authorities.
Bryan tells Page Six that he believes Ritchson and his neighbor may agree to mutual protective orders, but that a lawsuit from either party is not out of the question.
“In America, anyone can sue anyone for anything,” Bryan explains. “The neighbor can sue him for assault and battery, but, based on what I’ve read, Alan has a strong affirmative defense of self-defense and defending his children, and Alan could also sue the neighbor for assault and battery.”