Akin is one of the elite international law firms serving as lead counsel in a wide range of film, television and digital media matters. We represent technology companies, investment management firms, major motion picture and independent studios, production companies, financial institutions, private equity funds, institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds and other significant players in the entertainment sector.

Our lawyers have decades of experience structuring many of Hollywood’s most complex film, television and digital media finance and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals. From advising on new film and television projects, to assisting clients looking to invest in emerging global markets for U.S. media, our entertainment lawyers provide the full spectrum of services.

We also help clients monetize creative output, raise capital from foreign investors and navigate refinancings, recapitalizations and financial restructurings.

We regularly advise clients on the following types of matters, among others:

  • Financings
  • Mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures
  • Cybersecurity, privacy and data production
  • Financial restructuring
  • Independent production
  • Intellectual property
  • Labor and employment
  • Disputes and investigations
  • Production and distribution
  • Lobbying and public policy.

Representative Matters

Financings

  • Representing Truist Bank as administrative agent and lender under a multimillion-dollar prepetition senior secured credit facility with borrower Our Alchemy LLC, a film distribution company that is currently a debtor in a chapter 7 case pending in Wilmington, DE.

  • Represented Bank of America in a $100-million credit facility with Electric Entertainment, an American television and media production company.

  • Represented Comerica Bank in a production loan to B4T Productions Inc. for the motion picture “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.”

  • Represented GoldenTree Asset Management in ​a term loan facility to Trusted Media Brands Inc., which was used to fund its acquisition of Jukin Media Inc.

  • Represented each of Fifth Season Studios (fka Endeavor Content) and Media Rights Capital in connection with their respective JPMorgan-led syndicated revolving credit facilities.

  • Advised an affiliate of Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine lifestyle company in obtaining a revolving credit facility and documenting project-based receivables for such facility, including for the series “From Scratch” and “Little Fires Everywhere.”

Mergers, Acquisitions and Joint Ventures

  • Represented AT&T Inc. in Sony Pictures Entertainment’s acquisition of AT&T’s minority stake in Game Show Network LLC.

  • Represented Mubadala Capital in connection with its participation in a consortium that purchased the Yes Network from The Walt Disney Company.

  • Represented Assured Guaranty and Goldman Sachs in connection with the acquisition of Portfolio Funding Company LLC I (the owner of a film library of 191 titles) from The Weinstein Company (TWC) in connection with the restructuring of TWC’s former Goldman Sachs credit facility.

Disputes and Investigations

  • Advised a former executive of a major independent film production company in an arbitration arising from a merger of the company and the distribution of proceeds following the merger.

  • Advised a lifestyle and entertainment brand in litigation against a cryptocurrency technology company alleging fraud, breach of contract and unauthorized use of intellectual property.

Production and Distribution

  • Represented Media Rights Capital (MRC) in connection with the co-financing, co-production and distribution agreements for its motion pictures and episodic series, including the feature films “Jerry and Marge Go Large” (including the license of the film to Paramount+), “Knives Out” (including the license of the film to Lionsgate), “Peter Rabbit” and “Peter Rabbit 2” (including the license of the films to Columbia), Apple TV+ series “Hello Tomorrow!” and “Shining Girls” (including the license of both series to Apple), HBO series “The Outsider,” Hulu series “The Great,” Netflix series “House of Cards” and “Ozark” and Peacock series “Poker Face” (including the license of the series to Peacock), as well as MRC’s specialty label output distribution deals.

  • Assisted Media Guarantors with the launch of its completion bond business.

Financial Restructuring

  • Advised Portfolio Funding Company LLC I (PFC) in work relating to the bankruptcy of The TWC, including with respect to PFC’s bankruptcy court-approved settlement with the creditors committee and the estate of The TWC.

 

Film, Television & Digital Media Insights

Film, Television & Digital Media Lawyers and Advisors

Film, Television & Digital Media Awards and Accolades

    Awards and Accolades

      Awards and Accolades

        Awards and Accolades

          Awards and Accolades

          We Also Recommend

          Loading...
          Loading...
          Loading...
          Loading...