John Sullivan, who left a career in major corporate defense work to open his own firm, is now leading high-profile lawsuits against United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and several other employers across the country. At the heart of these cases are thousands of workers who say they were placed on unpaid leave, denied accommodations, or pushed out of their careers after refusing the COVID-19 vaccine on religious or medical grounds.
During the interview, Sullivan explains how his involvement began: a handful of United Airlines employees sought him out in 2021 as mandates rolled out. That small group soon grew into a massive coalition. Today, Sullivan represents roughly 2,000 employees in the United Airlines case and about 150 in the Hawaiian Airlines action, along with additional plaintiffs from other airlines, municipalities, and corporations.
A major topic of the conversation is class-action status — why United’s case received partial class certification, why Hawaiian’s did not, and how those procedural decisions affect efficiency, strategy, timelines, and the ability of individual workers to seek relief. Sullivan also describes the intense delays the cases have faced, including trial dates repeatedly pushed back in Hawaii’s federal court.
The hosts explore the personal toll on employees who lost income, benefits, pensions, or entire careers, with Sullivan noting that many workers faced severe hardship, isolation, or despair during the mandate era. He describes how difficult it was for many to find legal representation at all, given the political climate surrounding COVID-19 policies and the hesitancy of many law firms to take on large corporate defendants.
Throughout the episode, the discussion ranges from courtroom developments to cultural memory, public perception, and how evolving scientific and political narratives surrounding COVID-19 may influence future juries. Davidson and Kennedy highlight how censorship, social pressure, and conflicting information shaped the broader environment in which these disputes unfolded.
This in-depth, candid conversation offers a rare inside look at the legal battles still moving through the courts years after the mandates first took effect — and at the human stories of the employees behind them.
Watch the full interview now on BrokenTruth.TV.
