Irell & Manella LLP's entertainment transactions group is nationally recognized for its expertise and exceptional ability to draw upon experts in related fields, such as tax, intellectual property, real estate, and entertainment litigation.  Irell & Manella's entertainment group continues to be a leader in the field, with sixty years of experience in representing top talent and leading global entertainment companies.

The group represents a diverse range of clients – media conglomerates, movie studios, television networks, production companies, video game developers, financiers, financial institutions, actors, directors, writers, producers, executives.  Our wide-ranging transactional expertise includes multi-platform deals, mergers and acquisitions, slate deals, acquiring or selling film or television libraries, copyright administration, production work, format rights, private and public debt and equity financings, corporate reorganizations and workouts, all for a wide range of clients, including private equity funds, venture capital firms and public and private companies, both large and small.  In addition, our attorneys are well-versed in television and film development and production work, often serving as an extension of our clients’ in-house legal departments, providing day to day drafting support and advice and counsel on topics ranging from clearance to guild issues. 

The group’s innovative work in virtually every aspect of the entertainment and media industries reflects the broad array of services and expertise provided by its attorneys.  Whether for reality-based television, product integration, new technology, mobile, wireless, slate deals, or entertainment mergers and acquisitions, it is common for the deals structured by Irell & Manella’s entertainment group to set industry standards, as the group is often found at the legal forefront of entertainment and media, counseling on the "next big thing."  Our overall experience in crafting deals in new distribution media before economic and transactional models are fully developed, gives us significant expertise and experience for our clients to call upon.  This has proven to be an invaluable resource for many of our long-standing clients as they begin to explore various new ground-breaking ventures.

The entertainment group is part of Irell & Manella’s renowned intellectual property practice that was recognized in 2005 by Chambers & Partners as the "U.S. Intellectual Property Global Law Firm of the Year."  Our long-standing and unmatched expertise in intellectual property and technology transactions makes us uniquely suited to assist our clients with their business strategies and to guide them in complex issues that will arise as technology, communications, media and related industries converge.  This, coupled with our deep bench of unparalleled talent and resources takes us beyond the margins of a traditional entertainment practice, and distinguishes both our practice and Irell & Manella from other firms to provide our client the utmost value and representation.

Representative recent transactions include:

• Representation of Viacom, Inc. in the $1.6 billion acquisition of DreamWorks L.L.C.

• Providing production legal work for the Apprentice, Run’s House, Survivor, Making the Band and Trippin’.

• Representation of CBS/Paramount Network Television in connection with clearance for DVD and new media exploitation of current and library properties.

• Representation of Viacom, Inc. in the $900 million sale of the DreamWorks Live Action Library to Soros.

• Representation of NBC/Universal in connection with the sale and clearance of foreign format rights of current and library properties.

• Representation of Luc Besson and EuropaCorp., Inc. in connection with U.S. distribution of the upcoming live action/animation title Arthur and the Minimoys.

• Representation of Clarity Partners in its acquisition of a 50% stake in the Village Roadshow Group.

• Representation of a Fortune 500 company in connection with a variety of product integration projects.

• Providing production legal work for on-line programming such as Gold Rush and California Heaven.

• Representation of one of the first companies to provide video content to iTunes/iPod.

For more information on our entertainment transactions group, please contact Juliette Youngblood.