Justin Hamill is Global Chair of Latham & Watkins Mergers & Acquisitions Practice. Recognized as a 2024 and 2020 Dealmaker of the Year by The American Lawyer and a 2021 Dealmaker of the Year by The New York Law Journal, Mr. Hamill represents clients in a range of complex corporate matters, with a focus on high-value M&A and private equity deals.

Mr. Hamill provides sophisticated transactional counsel to diverse clients, including public and private companies, investment funds, and financial institutions. He regularly advises on multibillion-dollar mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, drawing on his substantial experience across a broad array of industries, such as media, sports, and entertainment, as well as technology, financial services, consumer products, healthcare, and real estate. His practice also encompasses a range of corporate governance and emerging companies matters.

Mr. Hamill regularly advises clients on:

  • Leveraged buy-outs
  • Negotiated and contested M&A transactions
  • Public and private investments
  • Restructuring transactions and joint ventures
  • Corporate governance matters (including Securities and Exchange Commission and exchange requirements, as well as fiduciary law matters)
  • Emerging companies matters (including capital raising transactions)

Mr. Hamill is the former secretary of the New York City Bar Association Committee on Mergers, Acquisitions and Corporate Control Contests. He is also a published author and frequent speaker on corporate matters.

Recognition Highlights

  • The Hollywood Reporter – Top Dealmakers (2023)
  • Chambers USA – Corporate/M&A (2018-2023)
  • The Legal 500 US – Leading Lawyer – M&A/Corporate and Commercial: Private Equity Buyouts (2022-2023)
  • The Legal 500 US – Next Generation Partner – Sport and Media, Technology & Telecoms: Media & Entertainment: Transactional (2019-2023)
  • Variety – Dealmakers Impact Report (2019-2022)
  • Variety – Legal Impact Report (2020-2022)
  • The New York Law Journal – Dealmaker of the Year (2021)
  • The American Lawyer – Dealmaker of the Year (2020)
  • Business Insider – 8 Must-Know Deal Lawyers Advising Private Equity Firms (2020)

Mr. Hamill has represented clients in a range of corporate matters, including:

Public Company Transactions

  • Manchester United in its pending sale of an approximate 30% equity interest to Sir Jim Ratcliffe for US$1.6 billion
  • Endeavor in its US$21 billion merger of UFC and WWE
  • Silver Lake in its US$12.5 billion acquisition of Qualtrics 
  • Michael Kors in its US$1.2 billion acquisition of Jimmy Choo
  • Casper Sleep in its sale to Durational Capital Management
  • Taylor Morrison Home in its approximately US$1 billion acquisition of AV Homes
  • Kate Spade & Company in its US$2.4 billion sale to Coach
  • RSC Holdings in its sale to United Rentals for approximately US$4.2 billion
  • Warner Music Group in its sale to Access Industries for approximately US$3.3 billion (named M&A Deal of the Year by The Deal Magazine)
  • Emdeon in its sale to Blackstone for approximately US$3 billion
  • Interstate Hotels & Resorts in its sale to Thayer Capital and Shanghai Jin Jiang (named M&A Deal of the Year by Asian-MENA Counsel Magazine)
  • Agrium in its US$4.9 billion unsolicited cash / stock tender offer for CF Industries
  • Teck Resources in its US$17 billion unsolicited cash / stock tender offer for Inco
  • SpectraSite in its US$11.3 billion merger with American Tower

Private Company Transactions

  • Endeavor in a number of transactions, including:
    • Its acquisitions of UFC, IMG, OpenBet, NeuLion, Barrett Jackson, and Asylum Group
    • Its dispositions of IMG Academy, Endeavor Content, Diamond Baseball Holdings, Miss Universe, and Droga
  • Skydance Media, in connection with its US$400 million financing round led by KKR as well as its joint venture with the NFL to create a multi-sports production studio
  • Ancestry.com in its US$4.7 billion sale to Blackstone
  • Authentic Brands Group in its acquisition of Reebok and its acquisition of Boardriders (Quiksilver, Billabong)
  • Headspace in its merger with Ginger
  • Citigroup in its sale of CitiCapital to GE for approximately US$13.4 billion
  • Sony in the formation of its joint venture with Bertelsmann for Sony-BMG Music and in its acquisition of Bertelsmann’s interest in Sony-BMG Music for approximately US$1.2 billion
  • VICE Media in its joint venture with A&E Networks to launch a new 24-hour cable channel

Private Equity Transactions

  • KKR in a number of transactions, including:
    • Its US$1.2 billion acquisition of Kobalt
    • Its joint venture with BMG to acquire music rights
    • Its acquisitions of the music catalogs of ZZ Top, Diplo/Major Lazer, John Legend, Twenty One Pilots, John McVie, and Five Finger Death Punch
    • Its acquisition of a majority stake in OneRepublic and Ryan Tedder’s music catalog
  • Silver Lake in a number of transactions, including:
    • Its lead participation, along with DigitalBridge, in a US$6.4 billion equity investment round by Vantage Data Centers
    • Its US$500 million investment in Shadowbox Studios
    • The US$1 billion equity funding round by Thrasio
    • Its US$1 billion investment in Reliance Retail Ventures
    • The US$650 million equity funding round by Klarna
    • Its investment in BJYU’s
    • Its US$1.35 billion investment in Jio Platforms
    • Its acquisition of TEG, Asia Pacific’s leading live entertainment and ticketing company
    • Its US$500 million investment in City Football Group
  • TPG Capital and Oaktree Management in their acquisition of Taylor Morrison / Monarch Homes for approximately US$1.2 billion
  • Farallon Capital Management in its US$1.5 billion sale of its stake in 26 shopping center properties to Simon Property Group

Capital Markets Transactions

  • Endeavor Group Holdings in connection with its initial public offering
  • Virgin Group in connection with the initial public offering of Virgin America
  • Taylor Morrison Home Corporation in its initial public offering
  • Hudson’s Bay Company in its initial public offering in Canada

SPAC Transactions

  • Starry in its US$1.6 billion merger with FirstMark Horizon Acquisition Corp
  • Transfix in its US$1.1 billion merger with G Squared Ascend I
  • Virgin Orbit in its US$3.2 billion merger with NextGen Acquisition Corp. II
  • Aspiration in its US$2.3 billion merger with InterPrivate III Financial Partners
  • Vacasa in its US$4.5 billion merger with TPG Pace Solutions
  • Embark Trucks in its US$4.55 billion merger with Northern Genesis Acquisition Corp. II
  • Bird Rides in its US$2.3 billion merger with Switchback II Corporation
  • Boxed in its US$900 million merger with Seven Oaks Acquisition Corp.
  • Vivid Seats in its US$1.95 billion merger with Horizon Acquisition Corporation
  • Offerpad in its US$3 billion merger with Supernova Partners Acquisition Company
  • The Beachbody Company in its US$2.9 billion merger with Forest Road Acquisition Corp. and Myx Fitness
  • Taboola in its US$2.6 billion merger with Ion Acquisition Corp.
  • Talkspace in its US$1.4 billion merger with Hudson Executive Investment Corp.
  • Ouster in its US$1.9 billion merger with Colonnade Acquisition Corp.
  • Opendoor in its US$4.8 billion merger with Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings II
  • GCM Grosvenor in its US$2 billion merger with CF Finance Acquisition Corp.
  • Virgin Galactic in its US$1.5 billion merger with Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings

Workouts and Restructurings

  • Starry Group Holdings, Inc., in connection with its chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings
  • Virgin Orbit Holdings, Inc., in connection with its voluntary chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in order to effectuate a sale of the business
  • GM Bondholders Committee in the chapter 11 § 363 sale of GM for US$105 billion, and the preceding US$27 billion bond exchange offer
  • Penson Worldwide, a securities and clearing firm, in its proposed debt restructuring
  • GMAC Bondholders Committee in the US$28.5 billion bond exchange offer by GMAC

*Certain matters above were handled prior to joining Latham

Speaking Engagements

Mr. Hamill’s speaking engagements include:

  • “A Closer Look at SPACs – Pros & Considerations,” NVCA Webcast
  • “Finding the Right SPAC,” TechGC SPACS & Direct Listings Forum
  • “Panel on SPACs,” Harvard Law Entrepreneurship Project’s Annual Symposium
  • “Panel on M&A Advice,” DealFlow’s SPAC Conference
  • “Defending Against an Activist Campaign,” Active-Passive Investor Summit
  • “Distressed Opportunities in Private Equity,” Yale Private Equity Conference
  • “Current Environment for Private Equity Investing,” Practicing Law Institute

Thought Leadership

Mr. Hamill’s recent publications include:

  • “Revlon: The Next Iteration,” The Daily Deal
  • “Differential Treatment of Stockholders in Third Party Transactions: Effects and Implications Under Delaware Law,” The M&A Lawyer
  • “M&A Due Diligence and the Perils of Social Media,” The Daily Deal
  • “Quasi-Appraisal: The Unexplored Frontier of Stockholder Litigation?,” The M&A Journal

Bar Qualification

  • New York

Education

  • JD, Boston College Law School
    cum laude
  • BA, Dartmouth College