Seven Latham Partners Named to Variety’s Dealmakers Impact Report 2021
Seven Latham partners from across the Entertainment, Sports & Media Practice have been named to Variety’s Dealmakers Impact Report 2021. The annual recognition celebrates the “top financiers, attorneys, executives and entrepreneurs [that] forged the major game-changing deals that changed the showbiz landscape.” The seven partners recognized are:
- Joseph Calabrese, Century City Partner and Global Chair of the Entertainment, Sports & Media Industry Group
- Justin Hamill, New York Partner and Global Vice Chair of the Entertainment, Sports & Media Industry Group
- Libby Savill, London Partner and Global Vice Chair of the Entertainment, Sports & Media Industry Group
- Nancy Bruington, Century City Partner
- Kenneth Deutsch, Century City Partner
- Rick Offsay, Century City Partner
- Jonathan West, Century City Partner
Calabrese was recognized for advising the International Olympic Committee on TV rights and sponsorship deals, South Korea’s JTBC Studios on its purchase of a majority of Hollywood producer Wiip, and Chris Meledandri and his animation house Illumination Entertainment for co-financing and distribution. He was also celebrated for his work for clients including Warner Bros., A24 Films, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Skydance Media and World Surf League/Kelly Slater Wave.
Hamill was honored for working with Endeavor on its US$1.2 billion acquisition of OpenBet, and buyout of minority partners in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), advising private equity group Silver Lake on investing in analytics firm Pro Football Focus and the Ambassador Theatre Group. He also advised private equity group KKR on its US$1 billion-plus purchase of music assets from Kobalt Capital, its investment in the OneRepublic music catalog for US$200 million, and its creation of a BMG joint venture.
Savill was celebrated for advising children’s content creator Moonbug Entertainment on its sale to Kevin Mayer/Tom Staggs/Blackstone, as well as earlier acquisitions and financings. She also represented private-equity group KKR on its US$1 billion-plus purchase of music assets from Kobalt Capital and stage events company Crossroads Live in its international acquisitions, a joint venture, and financing.
Bruington, Deutsch, Offsay, and West were recognized as a team for a variety of matters including Bruington and Offsay’s advising of Skydance Media on the closing a US$1 billion credit facility, Bruington’s help to events organizer Crossroads Live on secure loan financing, Deutsch and Bruington’s counseling of New Republic Pictures on its Paramount film slate financing, Deutsch’s advising the formation of personal management company M88, Offsay’s work for Illumination Entertainment in co-financing/distribution of the animated Super Mario Bros. movie and Silver Lake Partners on its minority investment in the Ambassador Theatre Group, and West’s representing of Scooter Braun-led Ithaca Holdings in its US$1 billion sale to South Korea’s HYBE, Ryan Seacrest for his iHeart Media contract extension, and the cast of “Friends” on collectible merchandise for a TV anniversary special.