Bryan Freedman

Bryan Freedman is an American entertainment lawyer and litigator. He is co-founder of the Los Angeles–based law firm Freedman & Taitelman LLP. Freedman is known for representing many high-profile defendants in the entertainment industry, including actors, sportspeople as well as motion pictures and television companies, among others.[5][6][7][8]

Bryan Freedman
Born
Bryan Joel Freedman[1]
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of California, Berkeley
McGeorge School of Law
Occupation(s)Trial attorney, litigator
Years active1991–present
ChildrenSpencer Freedman[2][3][4]
WebsiteOfficial website

Bryan Freedman also represented several parties represented by the Sony Pictures hack[9] and was instrumental in the US$500 million litigation related to the Michael Jackson Estate's debt.[10]

Education and personal life

Bryan Freedman attended University of California, Berkeley. Continuing his studies at the McGeorge School of Law, he attained his Juris Doctor.[11] Freedman lives with his family in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. His son Spencer Freedman is a college basketball player for the Harvard Crimson of the Ivy League.[2][12]

Career

After graduating from law school, Freedman was admitted to the California State Bar in 1991.[1] Bryan Freedman met his business partner Michael Taitelman while in law school at the University of California at Berkeley. In 1997 they founded Freedman & Taitelman LLP, a law firm mostly representing clients from the entertainment industry.[13] Since 1997, Freedman has gradually established his reputation as a celebrity lawyer through a series of high-profile cases.[14][15][16][17][18]

As of 2022, he has been listed in the Hollywood's Top 100 Attorneys by The Hollywood Reporter 14 times in a row.[19][20]

Lawsuits

Chris Harrison

Bryan Freedman represented Chris Harrison, an American television and game show host after Harrison faced criticism for defending a contestant on The Bachelor accused of racism.[21] During a controversial interview with former Bachelorette star Rachel Lindsay, Harrison defended former contestant Rachael Kirkconnell for attending an "Old South" ball in 2018 with her sorority at Georgia College & State University.[22] The ball was hosted by Kappa Alpha Order (KA), a collegiate fraternity with historical ties to the Ku Klux Klan that claims Robert E. Lee as its "spiritual founder".[23]

Following public criticism, Harrison had to depart the franchise. According to a number of sources, Freedman was hired to negotiate an eight figure payout from the network.[5][24] It was subsequently reported that the payout was a $10m payout.[25]

Gabrielle Union

Gabrielle Union was a judge for America's Got Talent for its fourteenth season, but the show failed to renew her contract for another season in November 2019, allegedly after she spoke out against racism. Union's fellow America's Got Talent judge Julianne Hough's contract was also declined to be renewed.[26] In May 2020 Union filed a discrimination suit against the producers of America's Got Talent, citing racism and prejudice.[27][28] Freedman managed a settlement with an "amicable resolution", although the terms of the agreement were not disclosed publicly.[25]

Megyn Kelly

In 2018, Freedman defended TV host Megyn Kelly after she was fired from NBC for questioning why blackface is racist in the Halloween segment on her talk show.[25] She asked contestants "What is racist?" and said that in her youth, blackface was "OK, as long as you were dressing up as, like, a character". Kelly was then accused of defending Halloween costumes that incorporate blackface. She issued a public apology but her talk show was cancelled within day and she was fired.[29][30]

Freedman accused the network of allowing "completely false and irresponsible" rumors to circulate[31] and claimed she should have received the remainder of her contract, and NBC ultimately agreed to pay the full remainder of her contract.[32]

Michael Jackson Estate

Bryan Freedman was instrumental (along with Howard Weitzman and executors John Branca and John McClain) in handling the estate's disputed debt left after Michael Jackson's death. In particular, Freedman successfully handled the $100 million Leaving Neverland lawsuit against HBO[10][33] and $500 million worth of the estate's debt.[34]

Notable clients

References
  1. "Bryan Freedman: License Status, Disciplinary and Administrative History". The State Bar of California.
  2. "President Spencer Freedman? Harvard-bound, Mater Dei guard aspires to highest office". Press News.
  3. "Hoops prospect leaves Samohi for Mater Dei". Santa Monica Daily Press.
  4. "Bad blood, betrayal turns L.A. coach into Nike whistleblower". Oregon Live.
  5. "Who Is Bryan J. Freedman? What to Know About the Lawyer Who Negotiated Chris Harrison's Payout". US Magazine.
  6. "Megyn Kelly's lawyer rips NBC News boss Andy Lack over 'false and irresponsible reports'". Fox News.
  7. "Variety's Legal Impact Report 2021". Variety's Legal Impact Report 2021.
  8. "NBC News, Megyn Kelly's Lawyer Trade Barbs in Public as Exit Talks Drag On". The Wrap.
  9. "Five Years Later, Who Really Hacked Sony?". The Hollywood Reporter.
  10. "Michael Jackson Estate Arbitration Win Over HBO In $100M 'Leaving Neverland' Suit Reaffirmed By Appeal Court – Update". Deadline.
  11. "Bryan J. Freedman". Super Lawyers Profiles.
  12. Gershon, Josh (June 9, 2017). "Top 100 PG Spencer Freedman chooses Harvard". Scout.com.
  13. "Bryan Freedman". Variety 500.
  14. "Power Lawyers 2021: Hollywood's Top 100 Attorneys". The Hollywood Reporter.
  15. "About Bryan J. Freedman". Freedman and Taitelman.
  16. "Shia LaBeouf Denies All FKA Twigs Allegations". Paper Magazine.
  17. "Tfue's California Suit Against FaZe Clan Dismissed as New York Trial Approaches". The Hollywood Reporter.
  18. "Migos Sue Talent Lawyer Over 'Excessive' Fees, Conflicts of Interest". Billboard.
  19. Robertson, Katie (April 25, 2023). "Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon Hire a Top Hollywood Lawyer". The New York Times. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  20. Cullins, Ashley (March 30, 2022). "Power Lawyers 2022: Hollywood's Top 100 Attorneys". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  21. Lewis, Sophie. ""Bachelor" host Chris Harrison is temporarily "stepping aside" after "excusing historical racism"". CBS News.
  22. "Opinion | "The Bachelor" and protecting white women from consequences". MSNBC.com. Archived from the original on February 16, 2021.
  23. "Bachelor: Photos Show Rachael Kirkconnell Allegedly At 'Old South' Themed Ball". ScreenRant. February 5, 2021. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021.
  24. "Chris Harrison hires top L.A. lawyer following 'Bachelor' hiatus". MSN.
  25. Debusmann Jr, Bernd (April 27, 2023). "Who is Bryan Freedman, the lawyer said to represent Don Lemon and Tucker Carlson?". BBC News. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  26. Donnelly, Matt (November 22, 2019). "Gabrielle Union, Julianne Hough Out at 'America's Got Talent' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
  27. "Gabrielle Union files discrimination complaint against 'America's Got Talent' producers". TODAY.com.
  28. "Gabrielle Union Files a Discrimination Complaint Against the Producers of America's Got Talent". Harpers Bazaar.
  29. Kludt, Tom; Stelter, Brian (January 12, 2019). "Megyn Kelly leaves NBC with all of her $69 million contract intact | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  30. Benitz, Samantha (March 16, 2022). "Who Is Chris Cuomo's Giant Slayer Of A Lawyer? Meet The Man Who Made Millions For Megyn Kelly, Chris Harrison & Gabrielle Union". RadarOnline. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  31. Flood, Brian (January 11, 2019). "Megyn Kelly, NBC officially split". Fox News. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  32. Chamlee, Virginia. "Don Lemon, Tucker Carlson Hire Same Lawyer Who Represented Chris Cuomo and Megyn Kelly After Their Firings". People. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  33. "Michael Jackson Estate Sues HBO Over 'Leaving Neverland' Documentary". The Hollywood Reporter.
  34. "Even in death, Michael Jackson's estate made S$2.3 billion". CNA Lifestyle.
  35. Malkin, Marc (July 28, 2023). "Bethenny Frankel Enlists Power Attorneys Bryan Freedman and Mark Geragos in Fight for Reality Star Protections: 'This Is Going to Be a War' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  36. "Batman Director Chris Nolan Sues His Agencies To Determine Their Commission". THR.
  37. Siegel, Tatiana (January 18, 2020). "Ousted Recording Academy Chief Given Security Detail After "Disturbing" Threat, Says Lawyer". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  38. "Diplo Sued by Ex-Girlfriend for Sexual Battery, Assault, Defamation and Fraud". Complex.
  39. "FKA Twigs and Shia LaBeouf Are in 'Productive' Talks to Settle Abuse Lawsuit". Vulture.
  40. "Kevin Spacey scandal: A complete list of the 15 accusers". 10News.
  41. "Mariah Carey Sues Over Canceled Concerts in South America". The Hollywood Reporter.
  42. "Octavia Spencer wins case against weight loss firm over wrongful termination". Independent.
  43. Dalton, Andrew (November 17, 2021). "Lawyer says Tarantino has right to sell 'Pulp Fiction' NFTs". AP NEWS. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  44. "Judge Judy Has A Bruising Day In Court Over $22M Profits Battle, But It Ain't Over". Deadline.
  45. "Vin Diesel Scores Knockdown in Former Partner's Lawsuit Over 'xXx' Sequel". THR.
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