Latham Adds Six Entertainment, Sports & Media Partners

November 20, 2014- Century City, Los Angeles and London … Latham & Watkins LLP¹ is pleased to announce the addition of six entertainment, sports and media partners with unparalleled experience advising top US and international clients. The firm also is opening an office in Century City, the business epicenter of Los Angeles’ entertainment industry, that will be closely integrated with the firm’s long-standing California practice and its global platform. 

The team of lawyers is prominent and highly respected within the entertainment, sports and media industry. Their sophisticated range of knowledge and unmatched experience advising major clients covers the full scope of transactional matters in the sector — particularly in the areas of complex distribution and licensing agreements, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and a wide variety of financing transactions in which they advise major and independent studios, sport franchises and owners, entertainment and media companies, and financial institutions including private equity firms, investment banks and hedge funds.

The team joining from O’Melveny & Myers LLP includes five partners in Los Angeles and one partner in London, as well as several counsel and associates. Partners Joseph Calabrese, Christopher Brearton, Robert Haymer, Nancy Bruington and Kenneth Deutsch will be based in Century City, and Lisbeth (Libby) Savill in the firm’s London office.

“This is a closely knit group of collegial partners who are at the very top of their field. Their experience, combined with Latham’s global reach and resources, makes for a very compelling offer to clients,” said Robert M. Dell, Latham & Watkins’ Chair and Managing Partner. “Our firm was established in Los Angeles 80 years ago and has grown into a truly global enterprise. This is another major milestone in our history, rooted in the city of our founding and also representing a significant development for our London practice.”

Jim Beaubien, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins in Los Angeles who will oversee operations in both the firm’s downtown LA and Century City offices, added: “Latham & Watkins is a Los Angeles institution, and we are committed to further developing our capabilities in entertainment, sports and media – one of the region’s largest and most high-profile industries, with true global reach. We have always been active in these areas but the team joining Latham instantly takes our practice to the highest levels. There is substantial opportunity to integrate the team’s industry knowledge and relationships with Latham’s strong M&A, capital markets, finance, emerging company, project siting and controversy practices.”

Joseph Calabrese, who will chair Latham’s Entertainment, Sports and Media Practice Group, said: “Evolving technologies, new investors and financial models, and an ever-expanding demand for content have driven remarkable changes in entertainment, sports and media – many of which involve sophisticated transactions and legal issues with cross-border reach and impact. Combining our expertise and industry connections with the vast resources of Latham & Watkins creates a powerful combination to meet growing demands in the market for high-level advice on a local, national and global scale.”

Christopher Brearton, who will serve as a Deputy Office Managing Partner in Century City, alongside current Los Angeles Deputy Office Managing Partner Wayne Flick, commented: “Latham & Watkins has an unwavering commitment to growth, creativity and teamwork that will undoubtedly support our smooth transition into the firm. We’re excited about the future and look forward to leveraging Latham’s global platform across the scope of business opportunities and legal challenges faced by our clients.”

Commenting on the transatlantic dynamic of the team, Nick Cline, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins in London, added: “Libby Savill is one of the most highly regarded media lawyers in the UK and is well placed to lead Latham’s practice in London. The UK’s entertainment, sports and media sector is fast-evolving and boasts strong connections to Los Angeles and other important entertainment hubs around the world. Her arrival will greatly enhance our local and global capability.”

About Latham & Watkins

Latham & Watkins is a global law firm with approximately 2,100 lawyers in its offices located in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States, including: Abu Dhabi, Barcelona, Beijing, Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Doha, Dubai, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Munich, New Jersey, New York, Orange County, Paris, Riyadh, Rome, San Diego, San Francisco, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. For more information on Latham & Watkins, please visit the website at www.lw.com.