Arthur H. Bryant

Arthur H. Bryant, Partner at Bailey Glasser, is the former Chairman and Executive Director of Public Justice, a national public interest law firm created by trial lawyers and currently supported by – and able to call on – over 2,700 of the top plaintiffs’ lawyers in the country. Arthur is based in the firm’s new Oakland, CA office. He has won major victories and established precedents in constitutional law, consumer protection, toxic torts, civil rights, class actions, and mass torts. The National Law Journal has twice named him one of the 100 Most Influential Attorneys in America.

Arthur joined Public Justice (then Trial Lawyers for Public Justice) in 1984 as its sole staff attorney. He became Executive Director in 1987 and was named Chairman in 2014, his 30th anniversary with the organization. When Arthur became Executive Director, the organization had two staff (Arthur and the receptionist), a small office in Washington DC, fewer than 25 annual members, a $275,000 budget, and few cases on its docket. When he became Chairman, it had 30 staff (including 15 attorneys), offices on both coasts, over 2,500 members, a $5.3 million budget, and a broader range of high-impact, precedent-setting cases than any public interest organization in the country. He became Chairman Emeritus and joined the firm in 2019, his 35^th anniversary with Public Justice.

Early in his career, Arthur worked as an associate for a top-notch Philadelphia law firm handling First Amendment, civil rights, class action, and complex civil litigation. During this time, he brought and tried the case that forced the admission of women to Philadelphia’s previously all-male Central High School.

After joining Public Justice, Arthur was lead trial counsel in the first Title IX case tried against a university for discriminating against its women athletes and potential athletes. He then successfully represented more women athletes and potential athletes in Title IX litigation against schools and universities than any lawyer in the country – work he continues to this day.

Awards & Accolades

Best Lawyers in America, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs, Oakland, CA (2023-2024)

The Public Justice Legacy Award for work and success building Public Justice into a powerful national public interest law firm over 35 years, July 2022

Southern Trial Lawyers Association War Horse Award for “extraordinary contributions to the cause of justice,” being “a leader in the trial bar,” and “considered one of the true characters of his or her time,” February 2022

Named Sports Law Trailblazer by The National Law Journal, November 2021

Elected to the American Law Institute, July 2020

Special Recognition Award from the Iowa Association for Justice for “more than 30 years of advocacy in federal and state courts across this great land, for the good of all,” November 2019

Portrait painted and added to the Trial Lawyer National Portrait Gallery, July 2018

Consumer Advocate of the Year Award for “Tireless Efforts and Endless Dedication to Protect California Consumers,” Consumer Attorneys Association of San Diego, February 2017

Dale Haralson Fallout Award for “Extraordinary Dedication, Diligence and Commitment to the Pursuit of Justice,” Western Trial Lawyers Association, June 2016

Clarence Darrow Award, Mass Torts Made Perfect, April 2016

President’s Award for “Lifelong Devotion to Public Service” and “Bringing Justice to those Least Able to Fight for Themselves,” Pennsylvania Association for Justice, June 2015

Gold Medal for Distinguished Service (organization’s highest honor), New Jersey Association for Justice, April 2015

Joe Tonahill Award for “Outstanding Service to Consumers and the Trial Bar,” American Association for Justice, New Lawyers Division, July 2013

“Sport At Its Best Award” for Success Advancing Equal Opportunity in Sports, League of Fans, May 2012

Presidential Award in recognition of “Boundless Energy to Help and Protect Consumers,” New Jersey Association for Justice, May 2011

Named One of the 3000 Leading Plaintiffs’ Lawyers in America, Lawdragon, January 2007

Named One of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America, “Profiles in Power,” The National Law Journal, June 2006 and June 2000

Named One of the 500 Leading Lawyers in America, Lawdragon, November 2006

Justice Michael A. Musmanno Award from the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, October 2005

Leonard Weinglass Award for Excellence In Defense Of Civil Liberties from the Association of Trial Lawyers of America’s Civil Rights Section, July 2005

Oregon Trial Lawyers’ Public Service Award Renamed the “Arthur H. Bryant Public Justice Award,” Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, July 2003

George Moscone Memorial Award for Outstanding Public Service from Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, October 2002

Finalist for Billie Jean King Contribution Award for “Significant Contribution to the Overall Development of Girls’ and Women’s Sports,” Women’s Sports Foundation, 1997-99

Awarded Honorary Degree by Ripon College for Playing a “Significant Role in the Rise of Women’s Athletics in the United States,” May 1998

Honored as One of Forty-Five Young Lawyers “Whose Vision and Commitment are Changing Lives,” The American Lawyer, January/February 1997

Wasserstein Public Interest Fellowship for “Outstanding Contributions and Dedication to Public Interest Law,” Harvard Law School, September 1996

Named One of 50 Most Influential People in College Sports Because of Title IX Litigation, College Sports magazine, June 1994

Honored by the American Bar Association as One of Twenty Young Lawyers Making a Difference in the World, Barrister magazine, Summer 1991

Enhanced Opportunity Award for Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics, Council of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators, April 1989

Listed in Who’s Who in American Law, Who’s Who in America, and Who’s Who in the World

Super Lawyers, California, Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, Class Action/Mass Torts: Plaintiff, Consumer Law, Civil Rights,  Appellate, and Constitutional Law (2007 - 2022)

Clerkships

• Law Clerk, Hon. Gabrielle Anne Kirk McDonald (ret.), U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas (1979 - 1980)

Case Studies

Representative Matters

• Tried and won the landmark, precedent-setting case that got girls admitted to the second oldest public high school in America, Philadelphia’s previously all-male Central High School.
• Co-counsel for consumers in national class action that won the then-largest property damage settlement in U.S. history, over $1.15 billion.
• Counsel for injury victims in the U.S. Supreme Court, federal and state appeals’ courts nationwide, opposing federal preemption of claims for damages caused by trucks and cars without adequate safety protection. 
• Lead trial counsel for the plaintiffs in the first Title IX case tried against a university for discriminating against its women athletes and potential athletes. Has successfully represented more women athletes and potential athletes in Title IX sex discrimination litigation against schools and universities than any lawyer in the country.
• Won public access to and helped expose over 100,000 previously-sealed documents showing that the Remington Model 700 and a dozen other Remington rifles can fire – and maim and kill people – when no one pulls the trigger. See the link here.
• Won major, ground-breaking settlements enforcing Title IX protections for female student-athletes at four major universities that announced they were eliminating women’s varsity intercollegiate athletic teams. 

News & Insights

Selected Publications

• “Will the Supreme Court Further Limit Access to Justice?,” The National Law Journal, October 1, 2018

• “Will the Supreme Court Sacrifice Workers’ Rights to Arbitration,” The National Law Journal, October 2, 2017

• “Can Employers Ban Workers’ Class Actions?,” The National Law Journal, October 31, 2016

• Columnist, Class Actions – The Practice, The National Law Journal, 2015-16

• “No New Law in Spokeo – And That’s Big News, The National Law Journal, July 25, 2016

• “Iqbal Brings Seven Years of Bad Luck for Plaintiffs,” The National Law Journal, May 23, 2016

• “Post-Scalia, Class Actions Hang in the Balance,” The National Law Journal, April 11, 2016

• “Remington Case Shows Court Secrecy is Dangerous,” CNBC, December 15, 2015

• “VW Creates the Perfect ‘No-Injury’ Class Action,” The National Law Journal, November 9, 2015

•  “Consumers Need Help in the Fight Against Lenders,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 6, 2015

• “Cy Pres Awards Don’t Have to be Complicated,” The National Law Journal, February 9, 2015

• “What ‘Greedy’ Trial Lawyers and ‘Frivolous’ Litigation Do,” Co-Author, Forum, Consumer Attorneys of California, November/December 2014

• “Alarming Changes to Federal Rules Proposed,” The National Law Journal, July 14, 2014

•  “Lawrence Tribe: SCOTUS Denying Access to Justice Because It Is An ‘Anti-Court Court,’” Supreme Court Brief, June 26, 2014

• “Supreme Court Gives Corporations a License to Steal,” The National Law Journal, June 20, 2013

• “Title IX at 40:  Most Schools Still Aren’t in Compliance,” The Christian Science Monitor, June 27, 2012

Selected Speaking Engagements

• "Lawyers, Guns and Money: The Ethics of Court Secrecy," Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association 50th Anniversary, Jackson, June 2019

• "Update on the Supreme Court and Access to Justice," Western Trial Lawyers Association Hawaii Seminar, Maui, June 2019

• "Countering the Attacks on Trial Lawyers and Access to Justice," North Dakota Association for Justice Spring Seminar, Fargo, May 2019

• "Preemption, Arbitration & Secrecy," Northeastern Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, Scranton, April 2019

• “Fighting Court Secrecy: Recent Developments and ‘Secret’ Weapons,” National Trial Lawyers Summit, Miami, January 2019

• “Update on the Supreme Court and Access to Justice,” Consumer Attorneys of California, Hawaii Travel Seminar, Maui, November 2018

• “Countering the Attacks on Trial Lawyers and Access to Justice,” Utah Association for Justice Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, October 2018

• “Preemption Woes? Nah, We Got This,” Harris Martin’s Women’s Issues in Litigation Conference, Santa Monica, October 2018

• “Preemption, Arbitration & Secrecy,” The Inner Circle of Advocates, Chicago, July 2018

• “Avoiding Mandatory Arbitration: Keeping Your Case in Court,” Belli Society Seminar, Denver, July 2018

• “Lawyers, Guns, and Money: The Ethics of Court Secrecy,” Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, Lake Ozark, June 2018

• “Access to Justice Under Attack,” North Carolina Advocates for Justice Annual Convention, Wilmington, June 2018

• “A Survivor’s Story,” North American Brain Injury Society Conference, Houston, March 2017

•  “Cases That Have Made a Difference,” American Association for Justice Weekend with the Stars, New York, December 2016

• “The Supreme Court and the 2016 Election:  Access to Justice at Stake,” Annual Robert D. and Leslie-Kay Raven Lecture on Access to Justice, Berkeley Law, November 2016

• “After Fifty Years, What is Class Actions’ Future?,” ABA National Institute on Class Actions, Las Vegas, October 2016

•  “Court Secrecy Kills: Time to Stop It,” American Association for Justice, Los Angeles, July 2016

• “Make Your Story and Case about the Public Interest,” Southern Trial Lawyers Association Annual Conference, New Orleans, February 2015

• “Ethics:  Preserving Access to Justice,” Louisiana Association for Justice Last Chance CLE Conference, New Orleans, December 2014

• “For the Greater Good:  Serving the Public through Law and Lawmaking,” Panelist, Harvard Law School Fall Reunion, Cambridge, October 2014
• “Using the Law to Fight for Justice,” Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, October 2014

Community and Professional Activities

Alameda Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association

American Association for Justice

American Bar Association

American Constitution Society for Law and Policy

American Law Institute

Attorneys Information Exchange Group

Belli Society

Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles

Consumer Attorneys of California

National Association of Consumer Advocates

National Employment Lawyers Association

National Trial Lawyers

Southern Trial Lawyers Association

San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association

Western Trial Lawyers Association

Webinars

Title IX 50th Anniversary Primer: Time to Sue?