Dillon Danis has officially become his own lawyer.
According to MMA journalist Damon Martin, court records show that Danis is now representing himself in the ongoing lawsuit filed against him by Nina Agdal. Martin’s tweet was also shared by Danis on his Instagram story. The update comes after his attorney, Mark Berman, was granted permission by the court to withdraw from the case back in June. At that time, Judge Michael Hammer gave Danis 30 days to find new legal representation. That deadline has now passed, and Danis did not retain a new attorney.
This marks the second time Berman has tried to step away from representing Danis. The first attempt was resolved after Danis paid off outstanding invoices, allowing Berman to stay on the case. This time, court filings say the same problems resurfaced. Berman claimed Danis fell behind on monthly payments again and failed to keep the retainer balance at the agreed level.
Payment wasn’t the only issue. Berman also told the court that Danis became difficult to reach, with messages sent throughout February and March going unanswered. Berman said he warned Danis he would move to withdraw if payment issues weren’t resolved, and that warning also went without a response.
In his motion, Berman made it clear the decision wasn’t personal. He wrote that he liked Danis and found the case interesting, but that the lack of payment and communication made it impossible to keep representing him effectively.
With no new attorney stepping in during the 30-day window, Danis now has to handle his own defense going forward, at least for the time being. Handling a federal case without a lawyer is a serious undertaking, and it puts Danis in a difficult spot heading into the next stages of litigation.
For context, the lawsuit dates back to September 2023, when Agdal accused Danis of posting about her more than 250 times on social media in the buildup to his boxing match with Logan Paul. Her complaint alleges the posts caused emotional distress and reputational harm, and also claims Danis shared an intimate image of her without her consent, which she says violates both federal and state law. Agdal is seeking damages, including statutory damages tied to the alleged distribution of that image.
The case has already dragged on for nearly three years and has seen several delays along the way, including a stretch where Danis said he couldn’t sit for a deposition due to a concussion. None of the allegations against him have been proven in court, and the case remains active.
As of now, there’s still no sign of new counsel appearing on Danis’ behalf, which means he could be the one arguing his own case as this lawsuit moves forward.
A freelance journalist with more than seven years of experience covering a wide range of topics, with a focus on delivering accurate, engaging, and well-researched reporting. He studied at the University of Birmingham, where he developed a strong foundation in journalism and communications. Martin is a 10th Planet BJJ brown belt and has been training for approximately 10 years and a keen follower of submission grappling.
