Lawyer Specializing in Title IX Cases Establishes Athletic Client Representation Firm at College Level
Breaking the Mold: Arthur Bryant Steps into the Spotlight as Trailblazing Title IX Attorney
Arthur H. Bryant, the famed legal crusader for college athletes' rights, is set to unleash his own Bay Area-based law firm in the coming days-a move he deems as timely, given the burgeoning wave of Title IX litigation.
Most recently, Bryant held the esteemed position of partner at Clarkson Law Firm, a public interest practice, heading up its Title IX team. Prior to that, he graced the San Francisco office of Bailey & Glasser and served as chairman and executive director of Public Justice, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit legal advocacy organization.
In an exclusive phone conversation, Bryant expressed his ardent belief in the imminent surge of Title IX enforcement across America. "The law is crystal clear: women athletes at colleges and universities are entitled to equal opportunities, financial aid, and treatment in comparison to their male counterparts. Yet, some institutions blatantly disregard this, providing only lip service," he stated.
Bryant, who made history as lead counsel in the groundbreaking Title IX case against Temple University in 1986 (Haffer v. Temple University), currently safeguards a troupe of ex-Oregon club rowers and varsity beach volleyball players in their lawsuit against the university. This class-action litigation has thus far withstood the university's motion to dismiss, accusations of gender-based discrimination including superior Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) resources and advantages for male athletes. If the House v. NCAA settlement is approved, and considering how Oregon allocates its revenue-sharing funds, this suit stands primed to become the first legal test for the settlement's injunctive relief on Title IX grounds.
In addition, Bryant has also commenced lawsuits against Fresno State and San Diego State on behalf of their female athletes, while also representing eight athlete objectors from the House v. NCAA case, collaborating with MoloLamken law firm.
"The House v. NCAA settlement has paved the way for a sea change," Bryant explained. "Some institutions may eliminate women's teams or even men's teams in violation of Title IX, or disproportionately offer NIL payments to men. Any school that engages in such practices invites a sweeping Title IX damages lawsuit. My forthcoming law firm's scope will not be limited to Title IX cases; this seems like a perfect moment to make the move."
Things to Keep an Eye On:
- The forthcoming Title IX rules slated to take effect on August 1, 2024, are currently embroiled in ongoing court challenges.
- The NCAA is entangled in legal disputes, such as the Fontenot v. NCAA case, which alleges a price-fixing wage conspiracy in denying athletes a cut of TV revenues.
- The University of Central Oklahoma is facing a separate lawsuit from its women's track and field athletes for alleged Title IX violations, but these are not directly associated with Arthur H. Bryant or the House v. NCAA settlement.
- Arthur Bryant, as he establishes his new law firm, plans to broaden his focus beyond Title IX cases, acknowledging the increasing importance of education-and-self-development, sports, and their related legal issues, such as the ongoing Fontenot v. NCAA case involving price-fixing wages for athletes.
- Within the realm of sports, Arthur Bryant, as preeminent Title IX attorney, will vigilantly monitor the future of Title IX enforcement in the education system, particularly the forthcoming Title IX rules facing court challenges set to take effect in 2024, and will continue to engage in lawsuits against institutions that violate these regulations, as demonstrated in his current cases against Fresno State and San Diego State universities.
