Kendall Johnson > Latham & Watkins LLP > Century City, United States > Lawyer Profile

Acting on behalf of private equity firms, NBA franchises, and major sporting federations, the Latham & Watkins LLP team demonstrates ‘valuable industry knowledge’ in handling multi-jurisdictional M&A, antitrust litigation, and sponsor-backed minority investments in sports franchises. The practice is also highly regarded for its work in the media space, regularly assisting with multi-party joint entertainment ventures and terminating telecast rights agreements. Described as ‘thorough’ and a ‘balanced negotiator’, Adam J. Sullins heads the team from Century City and focuses on strategic investments and transactions, whilst Kendall Johnson is knowledgeable on the licensing and financing of sponsorship rights. In New York, Frank Saviano specializes in team acquisitions and stadium development, and Justin Hamill assists with corporate governance affairs. San Francisco-based Chris Yates concentrates on high-stakes antitrust claims, and Adam Rosenthal is well-regarded for his expertise in matters concerning sports league governance and rules.

As the entertainment industry continues to expand across borders and technological platforms, Latham & Watkins LLP‘s media and entertainment team remains at the forefront of the market, providing comprehensive guidance on a diverse array of transactions for a range of clients including production companies, major motion picture studios, investment funds, financial institutions, and video game developers, among others. The team’s work frequently runs cross-border, regularly advising multinational clients on their acquisitions, operations expansions, and financing agreements. Following the departure of former practice head Ken Deutsch in June 2023, Rick Offsay now leads the department from Los Angeles, offering clients a wealth of experience in devising innovative transaction structures to help them deploy capital across various geographies and industry sectors. Also in Los Angeles are Kendall Johnson, who specializes in transactional matters in the sports sector, and Nancy Bruington, who has extensive experience in structuring and negotiating complex financing transactions within the entertainment industry for clients active in motion picture production, television, music, and sports media, among others. In New York, Justin Hamill further enhances the practice with his expertise in high-value strategic and private equity deals, advising clients on a broad spectrum of film, television, music, and content-related business transactions.