P. John Burke Repeats as Daily Journal “Top Entertainment Lawyer”

(Los Angeles) – Akin Gump is pleased to announce that Akin Gump entertainment and media practice head P. John Burke has, for the second consecutive year, been named by Daily Journal to its list of “Top Entertainment Lawyers.”

Among Mr. Burke’s engagements spotlighted in the publication’s profile is his representation of OneWest Bank in Relativity Media’s recapitalization project, which he called the most interesting project he has worked on in 2015.

He also pointed to what he called a “very complicated P&A [prints and advertising] deal” for new client Immigrant Bank, noting it was a “unique, cutting-edge transaction, which we think we can probably replicate.”

In his profile, Mr. Burke speaks about technology and the globalization of the film industry. Regarding the former, he said, “With the move to converting from analog to digital, from physical to online, we're seeing a lot more deals involving technology.” Regarding the latter, he noted, “We’re seeing far more cross-border transactions” and added that he is working in new markets such as Cambodia, Mongolia and Vietnam. “We’re finding that our services are being called for literally in every corner of the globe. We just closed a film fund for Middle Eastern and Asian entities,” he said, noting that it is a “fairly significantly sized fund that is going to be funding 25 films over the next five years.”

Mr. Burke said that the work he finds most gratifying, however, is his pro bono work—he has been offering his services free of charge to the American Film Institute for more than two decades. “That gives me a lot of satisfaction,” he said.

Earlier this year, Mr. Burke was recognized as a Power Lawyer by The Hollywood Reporter for the ninth consecutive year (learn more here) and was again featured by Variety in its Legal Impact Report featuring the top lawyers working in Hollywood (learn more here).

Founded in 1945, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

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