Ryan Morrison
{{short description|American lawyer}}
Ryan Morrison, also known as the Video Game Attorney,{{cite web|last=Espinosa|first=Michael|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/how-streamer-gaming-influencer-can-protect-business-according-to-lawyer-2021-8|title=How streamers and gaming influencers can protect their businesses, from filing trademarks to watching out for certain contract clauses|work=Business Insider|date=August 9, 2021|accessdate=June 12, 2025}} is an American attorney and e-sports agent focusing in law related to video games and internet culture. He is the CEO and founder of Evolved Talent Agency and a founding partner of Morrison Rothman LLP. {{Cite news |last=smith |first=noag |title=Inside 'contract hell': Esports players say predatory contracts run 'rampant' |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/esports/2022/03/04/esports-player-contracts/ }}
Biography
Morrison was born in Huntington Station, New York, to Laurie and Patrick Morrison. Morrison worked full-time during high school, saving up money to attend college. Once there, his father committed identity theft against both Morrison and his grandmother, resulting in Morrison having to drop out of college.{{Cite web |title=FindLaw's New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division case and opinions. |url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ny-supreme-court-appellate-division/1544876.html |access-date=2022-10-07 |website=Findlaw |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2022-09-07 |title=Home {{!}} Mortgage Daily |url=https://www.mortgagedaily.com/ |access-date=2022-10-07 |language=en-US}}
Morrison worked at Bomber’s Burrito Bar in Albany, New York while saving up enough money to reenroll back in school, once there graduating and eventually applying to and being accepted to New York Law School.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gMUmgcxK5k |title=Sweet Anita's Lawyer Reveals All! {{!}} Ryan Morrison - Video Game Attorney |date=2021-02-20 |last=Sweet Anita's Best Clips |access-date=2025-04-29 |via=YouTube}}
In law school, Morrison worked with Professors Michelle Zierler and Jethro Leiberman to bring attention to the injustice surrounding the West Memphis Three, by writing various articles and organizing the first live interview with Damien Echols once he was released from death row. {{Citation |last=Sherwin |first=Richard |title=Devil's Advocate: The Fight to Free Damien Echols |date=2012-12-24 |url=https://vimeo.com/56250352 |access-date=2022-10-07}}
Additionally, Morrison worked with Large Animal Games as a legal intern, gaining experience he would later use in his digital entertainment law career. {{Cite web |title=I Am The Law Episode 21: Video Game Law: Starting a Solo Practice with Niche Clients w/ Derek Tokaz and Ryan Morrison |url=https://www.lawhub.org/podcasts/i-am-the-law/21/video-game-law-starting-a-solo-practice-with-niche-clients |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=LawHub |language=en}}
=Career and views=
Once an attorney, Morrison opened his own law firm and committing hundreds of pro bono hours of legal work.{{Cite web |title=Ryan Morrison |url=https://legaltalknetwork.com/guests/ryan-morrison/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Legal Talk Network |language=en-US}}
Morrison's habit of participating in Reddit has been analyzed as a business marketing strategy.{{cite web|author1=GroupSRC|title=How a Video Game Attorney Used AMAs to Win Big on Reddit|url=http://marketersguidetoreddit.com/video-game-attorney-reddit-amas/|website=marketersguidetoreddit.com|access-date=27 May 2016|date=2016}} He advocates for independent developers of popular Internet media and video games.{{cite web|last1=Messner|first1=Steve|title=Meet the Video Game Attorney Who Fights for Independent Developers|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/meet-the-video-game-attorney-who-fights-for-independent-developers/|website=Motherboard|publisher=Vice|access-date=27 May 2016|date=16 March 2016}}
Morrison became a center of attention in the React World controversy when the Reddit community and others began to call on him for his legal insights on copyright and his engagement in copyright activism.{{cite news|last1=Ohlheiser|first1=Abby|title=The Fine Brothers thought they had found the future of YouTube. They were wrong.|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2016/02/02/after-youtube-outrage-the-fine-bros-decide-not-to-trademark-react/|access-date=27 May 2016|newspaper=Washington Post|date=2 February 2016}} His participation in the issue was an important factor in the resolution of the issue in favor of the activists.{{cite web|last1=Woo|first1=Michelle|title=How an Attorney On Reddit Helped Fight the Fine Bros Trademark Quest—And Won|url=https://upvotebro.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001204125/https://upvotebro.com/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 1, 2021|website=upvotebro.com|access-date=27 May 2016|date=2 February 2016}}{{cite web |last1=Chen |first1=Patrik |title=Esports Bar Association removes Ryan Morrison after allegations of misconduct - News |url=https://www.esports.com/en/esports-bar-association-removes-ryan-morrison-after-allegations-of-misconduct-102356 |website=eSports.com |language=en |date=25 June 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Education |first1=Communication |title="He is a horrible attorney:" H3H3 Productions criticizes xQc's lawyer VideoGameAttorney |url=https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/14720/he-is-a-horrible-attorney-h3-productions-criticizes-xqcs-lawyer-video-game-attorney |website=InvenGlobal |language=en |date=2 August 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220419142644/https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/14720/he-is-a-horrible-attorney-h3-productions-criticizes-xqcs-lawyer-video-game-attorney |archive-date= April 19, 2022}}{{cite web |url= https://www.ginx.tv/en/twitch/h3h3-slams-xqc-attorney-in-dmca-case-he-royally-screwed-us |title= H3H3 slams xQc attorney in DMCA case: "He royally screwed us." |first1= Chadley |last1= Kemp |date= August 3, 2021 |work= Ginx TV |access-date= October 6, 2023}}
In June 2023, he acted as the agent for Félix Lengyel, known as XQc, in a contract with the streaming platform Kick.{{cite web |title=Largest e-sports streaming deal for an individual ever |url=https://guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/763346-largest-e-sports-streaming-deal-for-an-individual-ever |website=guinnessworldrecords}} The agreement was reported to be worth approximately $70 million over two years, with incentives that could raise the total to $100 million.{{cite web |last1=Browning |first1=Kellen |title=Twitch Star xQc Signs $100 Million Deal With Kick, a Rival Platform |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/16/business/twitch-kick-xqc.html |website=The New York Times |date=16 June 2023}}
Morrison has been described by Kotaku as a "hero" to video game developers, "particularly if they’re fighting against the bullies of the games industry and feel overwhelmed".{{Cite web |date=2014-06-24 |title=Meet Ryan Morrison, The Video Game Lawyer We Need Right Now |url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2014/06/meet-ryan-morrison-the-video-game-lawyer-we-need-right-now/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140630004632/http://www.kotaku.com.au/2014/06/meet-ryan-morrison-the-video-game-lawyer-we-need-right-now/ |archive-date=June 30, 2014 |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=Kotaku Australia |language=en-AU}} Morrison has also helped esports players and their teams revamp deals with major gaming organizations.{{Cite web |last=Morrison |first=Ryan |date=2019-05-30 |title=Why Tfue's Lawsuit Is Esports' Wake-Up Call to Revamp Deals (Guest Column) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/tfues-lawsuit-faze-clan-is-esports-wake-up-call-revamp-deals-guest-column-1213702/ |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}
Morrison has been involved in advocating for player rights within the esports industry, including offering public commentary on contract disputes, such as the case between Turner "Tfue" Tenney and FaZe Clan.{{cite web |last1=Kwangseok |first1=Robiin |last2=Ji-Eun |first2=Park |last3=Meii |first3=Paek |title=Ryan Morrison: The Video Game Attorney That Shows You the Shortcut to Success |url=https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/4719/ryan-morrison-the-video-game-attorney-that-shows-you-the-shortcut-to-success |website=InvenGlobal |language=en |date=30 March 2018}}{{cite web |last1=Morrison |first1=Ryan |title=Why Tfue’s Lawsuit Is Esports’ Wake-Up Call to Revamp Deals (Guest Column) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/tfues-lawsuit-faze-clan-is-esports-wake-up-call-revamp-deals-guest-column-1213702/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter |date=30 May 2019}} He has also participated in discussions related to mental health in competitive gaming, appearing on industry panels addressing the subject.{{cite web |last1=Levy |first1=Nat |title=PAX Panel: eSports has a mental health problem, and the entire industry needs to team up to fix it |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2017/esports-mental-health-pax-panel/ |website=GeekWire |date=3 September 2017}} Working with agent Chris Lloyd, Morrison has represented esports players, with their efforts contributing to broader industry discussions about standardizing contract terms across various leagues.{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Alexander |title=Tracing Chris Lloyd's path to the top of esports talent representation |url=https://digiday.com/marketing/the-ultimate-good-guy-tracing-chris-lloyds-path-to-the-top-of-esports-talent-representation/ |website=Digiday |date=7 February 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Noah |title=Inside ‘contract hell’: Esports players say predatory contracts run ‘rampant’ |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/esports/2022/03/04/esports-player-contracts/ |website=The Washington Post |date=4 March 2022}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://morrisonrothman.com/}}
{{Reddit}}
{{Authority control}}
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Category:21st-century American lawyers
Category:American chief executives
Category:American civil rights lawyers
Category:American Internet celebrities
Category:Computer law activists