An addition six entertainment, sports, and media partners are to join Los Angeles-based law firm Latham & Watkins with Constellation Place Century City to house the group’s new offices.
The firm said it chose Century City as it is the business epicenter of Los Angeles’ entertainment industry and will be closely integrated with the firm’s long-standing California practice and its global platform.
Latham & Watkins’ Los Angeles office managing partner Jim Beaubien said the firm is a L.A. institution that was established here 80 years ago.
“Opening in Century City is another major milestone in our history, rooted in the city of our founding and also representing a significant development for our local and global practice,” Beaubien said.
The firm hopes to expand its capabilities by being located in the heart of the entertainment industry.
Latham & Watkins’ chair and managing partner Robert M. Dell said the firm is a close-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,” Dell said. “Our firm was established in Los Angeles 80 years ago and has grown into a truly global enterprise. It also represents a significant development for our London practice.”
The new six partners will add their market-leading expertise to the firm’s local strengths and global platform, according to the firm.
Joining from O’Melveny & Myers LLP are 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 will be based in the firm’s London office.
Newly joined partner Joseph Calabrese, Chair of Latham’s Entertainment, Sports and Media Practice Group, said he was excited for the firm’s future.
“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,” Calabrese said. “Evolving technologies, new investors and financial models, and an ever-expanding demand for content have driven remarkable changes in entertainment, sports and media.”
The new team will focus on complex distribution and licensing agreements, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and a wide variety of financing transactions in which they will 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.
Beaubien said the firm was committed to further developing its capabilities in entertainment, sports, and media – adding it is 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,” Beaubien said.
The new additions aim to capitalize on the opportunity to integrate the team’s industry knowledge and relationships with Latham’s mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, finance, emerging company, project siting and controversy practices, according to Beaubien.
Christopher Brearton, Deputy office Managing Partner at the Century City office, said Latham & Watkins has an unwavering commitment to growth, creativity, and teamwork that will undoubtedly support its 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,” Brearton said.
Latham & Watkins is a global law firm with approximately 2,100 lawyers in its offices located across the globe. For more information on Latham & Watkins visit lw.com.
