Adriana Levandowski
Adriana Levandowski
Adriana is a second-year law student at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, graduating in December. Before law school, Adriana received a Bachelor’s Degree focused in International/Global Studies with a concentration in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of San Francisco. She obtained minor degrees in African Studies, Legal Studies, and Peace and Justice Studies. During her undergraduate degree, Adriana spent a semester in London working on a landmark LIBOR rigging case at Bark & Co. solicitors. Adriana then studied in Paris, gaining proficiency in French. In 2017, Adriana completed a U.K. law degree (equivalent to an L.L.B.) at BPP University London.
Adriana is an active member of both the law school's and Greater Denver's legal community. She spends her time volunteering with a number of projects and initiatives, including the Tribal Wills Project, Our Courts Program, and as a peer mentor and student ambassador. In addition to her work with The Race to the Bottom, Adriana is on the board of the Business Law Society, co-founder of Law Students Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, and is a member of the Colorado IP Inn of Court.
She is interested in business litigation and consumer protection work. Outside of law school, Adriana works at SoulCycle on the weekends and enjoys karaoke, trivia, and traveling.
The rapid growth of the gig economy has prompted U.S. cities to consider how existing labor protections apply to app-based workers who can be removed from a platform, or “deactivated,” without notice or explanation. (Helen McFarland, Seyfarth Shaw LLP). Seattle moved to address that gap directly. Id. In August 2023, the Seattle City Council passed Ordinance 126878, the App-Based Worker Deactivation Rights Ordinance (the “Ordinance”), which took effect on January 1, 2025. (Seattle City Council, Ordinance 126878). Uber Technologies, Inc. (“Uber”) and Maplebear, Inc. d/b/a Instacart (“Instacart”), sued to block the Ordinance on First Amendment grounds, but on March 4, 2026, a divided Ninth Circuit panel rejected the companies’ appeal of a denied preliminary injunction. (Rachel Riley, Law360). This post examines what the Ordinance requires, the companies’ constitutional arguments, and the implications of this decision for Seattle and gig economy regulation nationwide.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX acquired his artificial intelligence (“AI”) startup xAI on February 2, 2026. (Samantha Subin, CNBC). The merger deal was structured as a share exchange, which converted one share of xAI into 0.1433 shares of SpaceX stock. Id. xAI started out as a segment of X, after Musk acquired X. (Kali Hays & Lily Jamali, BBC). xAI’s main product is Grok, the generative AI chatbot primarily used on X. Id. Musk explained the main reason for the merger was to “better build orbital data centers,” while also aimed at providing more capital to xAI and its cash-intensive Grok chatbot. (Samantha Subin, CNBC). This post will discuss the strategic business motivations underlying the merger, the corporate governance issues it raises, and the implications for future mergers across sectors.
Since the rise of artificial intelligence (“AI”), legislatures have grappled with its rapid advancement and potential risks it poses to consumers. In May 2024, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 24-205, the Colorado Artificial Intelligence Act (“CAIA”), making it “the first United States law to comprehensively regulate the development and use of high-risk AI systems.” (Tatiana Rice, Keir Lamont & Jordan Francis, FPF Legislation Policy Brief - The Colorado AI Act). CAIA is set to go into effect on June 30, 2026. (Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP). This post examines the impetus driving CAIA, the rebuttable presumption of reasonable care for developers and deployers adhering to recognized AI risk-management frameworks like NIST or ISO/IEC 42001, available exemptions, and the act’s broader implications on the tech industry and state-level legislation.
A California jury recently delivered a landmark verdict in K.G.M. v. Meta Platforms, Inc., finding Meta Platforms, Inc. (“Meta”) and Alphabet Inc.’s Google LLC (“Google”) negligent for designing products that harmed a young user’s mental health. (Cecilia Kang, Ryan Mac, & Eli Tan, N.Y. Times). The case is especially significant because it was selected as one of three scheduled bellwether trials, a representative test case used in large-scale litigation to help courts and parties evaluate how juries may respond to the core legal and factual issues that appear across thousands of similar lawsuits. (Bobby Allyn, NPR; Simmons & Fletcher). K.G.M. was chosen from a pool of more than 1,600 plaintiffs, including over 350 families and 250 school districts, all alleging harm from social media platforms. (Quynh Hoang, The Conversation). As a representative case, the verdict may shape settlement strategy, litigation posture, and the trajectory of similar lawsuits nationwide. This post examines the arguments raised at trial that led to the verdict, considers the issues Meta and Google will likely raise on appeal, and explores how the verdict could reshape liability for social media companies going forward.
Luxury counterfeit production has soared due to rising prices in the authentic luxury market. Now, luxury brands are fighting back and using the legal system to combat counterfeiters. An average 33% price increase occurred in the luxury market between 2019 and 2023, as consumer demand rose in the wake of the pandemic. (Reuters, Business of Fashion). The classic Chanel “quilted flap bag more than tripled [in price] between 2015 and 2024,” while the popular Louis Vuitton “Keepall travel bag more than doubled.” Id. Consequently, consumers struggled to keep up with rapid price increases, and the counterfeit industry worked to solidify its place in the market by mimicking luxury products. Id.; (Malique Morris, Business of Fashion). Luxury brands, in an effort to protect themselves and their customers, are targeting online retailers and luxury resale stores. Id. This post explores recent and ongoing trademark lawsuits directed at a variety of counterfeit and “dupe” markets, with luxury brands defending their reputations from purposeful copying and disguised counterfeit reselling.
Google has become so popular that it is now a verb, holding a place in colloquial conversation no other search engine has. In 2017, Google controlled about eighty percent of the search engine market, and by 2020, it controlled ninety percent. (Forbes Agency Council, Forbes); (Daisuke Wakabayashi, The New York Times). Bing is second, controlling only six percent of the market. United States v. Google, LLC, 747 F. Supp. 3d 1, 38 (D.D.C. 2024). This colossal market control invoked questions of monopolistic behavior and antitrust law violations, ultimately leading to a lawsuit filed in 2020 by the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and several states, including Colorado. (DOJ, Office of Public Affairs). In analyzing whether Google violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act by monopolizing key digital advertising technologies, a district court concluded in the affirmative on August 5, 2024, in a 188-page opinion, stating that Google was monopolistic and violated the Sherman Act. (DOJ, Office of Public Affairs); Google, 747 F. Supp. 3d at 32. While the court held that Google violated the Act, it failed to impose harsh remedies, such as isolating Google’s search engine from its advertising business. (Reuters); (Edward Longe, The James Madison Institute). The DOJ is currently appealing the court’s decision. (Reuters). This post explores how Google’s competitive strategy led to the case prior to appeal and further, focuses on how the emergence of new technology impacts Google’s future.
One of the most closely watched battles in the entertainment industry began on December 5, 2025, when Netflix announced a $72 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s (“WBD”) film and television studios, including HBO, HBO Max, and the Warner Bros. content libraries. (Michelle Chapman, AP News). The announcement immediately drew regulatory scrutiny, with the chairman of the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee raising concerns about possible market dominance and the integrity of the merger review process. (Joe Flint, Wall Street Journal). The swift and widespread pushback highlights the increasingly restrictive regulatory environment surrounding major media mergers, setting the stage for aggressive strategic countermoves by competitors. Just three days later, on December 8th, Paramount responded by launching an all-cash competing bid for WBD and vowing to initiate a proxy fight, threatening to elect its own slate of directors and leverage shareholder influence to derail Netflix’s proposed acquisition. (Fintool; Una Hajdari, Euro News). This post examines the corporate governance and fiduciary implications of the proposed deal, as well as its broader consequences for shareholder value and media industry consolidation.
On March 18, 2025, the Professional Tennis Players Association (“PTPA”) served a message to not only the world of tennis but also to the broader sports industry: antitrust behavior does not belong in professional sports. The PTPA, founded by former and current tennis players, advocates for players’ rights and interests and aims to maximize the power of a united player organization. (PTPA) The PTPA, accompanied by 14 named professional tennis players (and collectively with the PTPA, the “Complainants”), filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York against four tennis organizations, including the Association of Tennis Professionals (“ATP”) and Women’s Tennis Association (“WTA”). Compl. ¶ 3, Pospisil v. ATP Tour, Inc., 1:25-cv-02207, (S.D.N.Y. Mar 18, 2025). These two organizations dominate and control the sport by being the two main governing bodies and controlling the rankings for both men’s and women’s players. (Wilson). These organizations require that their players compete in 8-12 specific tournaments to earn points, and playing in non-sanctioned tournaments will not earn players any points. Id. Points and rankings play a vital role in players’ overall reputation and earnings throughout their careers. (Edara).
The robo-advisory market has become a globally popular tool for financial institutions, growing in prominence within the financial advice industry in particular. (KPMG). Advances in artificial intelligence (“AI”) enable robo-advice platforms to deliver personalized investment advice tailored to individuals’ diverse needs and investment preferences. Id. Robo-advisors use algorithms to automatically construct investment portfolios tailored to an individual's goals, replacing the traditional need for a human advisor to select ideal investment options. (Molly Grace, WSJ). The growth of the robo-advisory market is driven by the increasing adoption of digital wealth management platforms and the rise in financial literacy, particularly as investors turn “towards mobile-first advisory services” that support continued market momentum. (Yahoo Finance). This article will discuss the recent growth of the robo-advisory market while focusing on the increased regulatory and legal risks that may impact financial institutions.
On October 14, 2025, Stellantis, the Dutch-headquartered automaker whose brands include Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, and Ram, announced that it would invest $13 billion into the United States, focusing on four states with existing facilities: Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. (Stellantis). Stellantis plans to expand the facilities’ capabilities to produce new products for the company by growing U.S. production by 50%, launching five new vehicles along with 19 product actions, and adding more than 5,000 jobs across the four states. Id. Stellantis calls the investment the largest in its 100-year history. Id. This post will examine the logistics of the plan, its controversy within Canada, and its signaling of wider macroeconomic shifts.
With the 2020 Presidential Election just around the corner, voting paraphernalia, media campaigns, and the like are hard to avoid. Now, Corporate America is jumping on the voting bandwagon. Some companies, like designer fashion brand Tory Burch, are donating proceeds from limited-edition “VOTE” branded merchandise to get-out-the-vote programs. (Kate Kelly and Sapna Maheshwari, New York Times). Restaurant chain Shake Shack is giving away free French fries to all customers that vote early.
It is impossible to ignore the protests and social justice initiatives surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement spanning the country, recently surpassing 100 consecutive days of protests. (Patience Womack & Tosca Ruotolo, The Daily Barometer). In light of national demands for racial justice, the California state legislature introduced Assembly Bill 979 (“Diversity Bill”) aimed at increasing corporate diversity. In short, the Diversity Bill requires corporations that have nine or more Board of Directors to include at least three minority members by the end of 2022. (Saijel Kishan, Bloomberg). Additionally, California’s Secretary of State will be required to publish annual board diversity reports evaluating corporate progress and compliance. Id. In 2018, California enacted a similar gender equity law, S.B. 826, 2017-18 Gen. Assemb., Reg. Sess. (Ca. 2018), requiring publicly held companies with a board of four or less to have at least one female director. (Women on Boards, California Secretary of State). Though the 2018 bill is widely criticized, its results are undeniable, increasing representation and corporate accountability. (See generally California Secretary of State, March 2020 Women on Boards Report).
As the COVID-19 pandemic reached the U.S. in early March, millions of American workers were furloughed or laid off, leaving many without a reliable income. (Kathryn Vasel, CNN Business). Unemployment in the U.S. rose to 17.8 million in June 2020, an almost 8% increase since February. (The Employment Situation, U.S. Dept. of Labor). Economists estimate unemployment could reach 32.1% in the second quarter of 2020, surpassing the Great Depression’s 24.9% peak. (Chris Morris, Fortune). Despite thousands of American workers struggling to pay their bills, Chief Executive Officers (“CEOs”) remain largely untouched. (Anders Melin, Bloomberg Law).
Following years of negotiations and various roadblocks, the Sprint and T-Mobile merger cleared its last big hurdle in federal court last month. (Laurel Wamsley, NPR) The “mega-merger” was announced in April 2018 but faced immediate backlash. The attorney generals of New York, California, the District of Columbia, and ten other states protested the potential merger as an anti-competitive practice. (Laurel Wamsley, NPR) The states argued the reduction of carriers in the telecom market creates less market competition, limits fair and free choice for consumers, and harms workers in this industry. (Id.)
In the booming era of blockchain, Facebook’s Libra Association markets itself as an “independent, not-for-profit, membership organization, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland” aiming to increase access to the global financial system and services. (Libra.org). In a world where 1.7 billion adults don’t have adequate access to the global financial system, Libra’s cryptocurrency claims it has the answer. (Id.) Through distributed network governance, open internet access, and cryptography security, cryptocurrencies aim to increase accessibility to financial services. (Id.) Yet, the volatility and value fluctuation of existing cryptocurrencies has hindered their adoption by the mainstream market. (Id.)
Phone carrier giants Sprint and T-Mobile announced an unprecedented merger in the spring of 2018. The merger would create a $146 billion powerhouse company under the T-Mobile name. (Taylor Soper, GeekWire). As of now, T-Mobile and Sprint are the third and fourth-largest carriers in the U.S., just behind AT&T and Verizon. Id. However, the Department of Justice (DOJ) initially wasn’t sold and filed suit to block the merger. (U.S. D.O.J. Compl. 3. July 26, 2019). A deal of this size raises fair market and antitrust concerns for both the D.O.J. and Federal Communications Commission (F.C.C.) and is dependent on the regulators’ approval. (Taylor Soper, GeekWire).