Latham & Watkins LLP

The interests of today’s corporations and funds in the entertainment, sports and media industries are truly global. This brings along with it legal issues that require the attention and advice of experts of impeccable integrity, experience and competence. Experts who can plan and manage the legal affairs of market leaders, innovators and investors in this global and dynamic sector.

Latham & Watkins’ Entertainment, Sports & Media Practice provides sophisticated counsel on cutting-edge and high-stakes transactions and disputes around the world. Our award-winning Practice combines decades of experience representing major industry players, market insights about legal and financial drivers, and a seamless global platform to provide our clients with a tremendous strategic advantage.

Our focus is advising on commercial transactions in the media, sports and entertainment sectors. We advise on the buying and selling of media and entertainment assets, investments in sports teams and leagues, sponsorship arrangements, joint ventures and licensing agreements. Our experience of the sectors allows us to provide effective commercial insight to our clients, along with our legal expertise.

Our expertise in these sectors includes :

• Bidding & Hosting Major Events
• Blockchain & Digital Assets
• Broadcast & Media Rights
• Content Development, Production, Licensing & Distribution
• Co-Production & Co-Financing
• Company Formation & Capitalization
• Secured Loans, Debt & Credit Facilities
• Digital & Technology Agreements
• EU State Aid & Regulatory Compliance
• Intellectual Property, Copyright & Trademark Licensing
• Joint Ventures, Strategic Alliances & Investments
• Motion Picture & TV Financing
• Mergers, Acquisitions & Asset Purchases
• Personal Services, Brand & Publicity Agreements
• Sponsorship, Naming & Commercial Rights
• Strategic Business Advice & Counselling

Our lawyers advise public and private companies through all stages of development, from start-up and emerging growth to mature, public companies, in virtually every sector and subsector of the industry.

Our clients include:

• Talent Content Creators
• Broadcast & TV Networks
• Corporate Sponsors
• Diversified Media Companies
• Financial Institutions & Lenders
• Game Developers, Publishers, Operators, & Distributors
• Independent Production & Distribution Companies
• Management Companies & Agencies
• Motion Picture Studios
• Music Labels, Publishers & Investors
• Professional Sport Leagues & Governing Bodies
• Social, Digital & New Media Companies
• Sports Team Owners & Investors
• Sports Teams & Franchises
• Streaming & OTT Platforms
• PE Funds & Strategic Investors

Our clients and peers alike praise us for our legal advice and the care and skill with which it is delivered. Year after year, prestigious law directories such as Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500, which gather information from clients, place us in the top tier of UK and global experts in the sectors in which we operate. Indeed, in 2021, the firm received the highest number of practice and law rankings than any other firm in the world in Chambers.

The Co-Chair of our Entertainment, Sports and Media Industry Group, Lisbeth (Libby) Savill, is based in London and has been recognised as a leading lawyer in the film and television industries for many years. She is actively involved in issues of importance to the sector. She was an invited member of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs experts’ panel regarding the creation and implementation of UK creative sector tax reliefs, which reliefs are key to the continued growth of the creative industries in the UK. Indeed, Libby was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s 2019 New Year’s Honours List for services to film and television, one of the UK’s highest honours.

Some of the comments from our clients and peers about Libby and her team are as follows:

“Lisbeth Savill is a standout media partner. A brilliant experienced lawyer with strong commercial advice.” The Legal 500 UK 2022

Lisbeth Savill and her team are “key players driving the most significant deals in the business” Variety’s Legal Impact Report and Dealmakers Report 2017-2022.

For further information on our services, click here

For further information on all of our areas of practice globally, click here.

For further advice or to arrange a meeting with Latham’s Entertainment, Sports and Media team, please contact in the first instance EntertainmentLaw@lw.com

Website: www.lw.com