US firm Latham & Watkins continues its aggressive hiring strategy with the recruitment of a six-partner team from O’Melveny & Myers, including the firm’s entertainment, sports and media group head Joseph Calabrese and high profile London-based partner Libby Savill.
On the US side, Calabrese and partners Christopher Brearton, Robert Haymer, Nancy Bruington and Kenneth Deutsch are set to join the firm.
Savill had joined O’Melveny from Olswang two years ago and was tasked with launching the firm’s UK media practice. She specialises in commercial work for major studios, independent producers, independent distributors and television content providers, and is also deputy chair of the British Film Institute.
She is the latest heavyweight to join the London office in a series of hires since 2013. Others include Macfarlanes environmental specialist Paul Davies, Nick Benson from Weil Gotshal & Manges; David Walker and Kem Ihenacho from Clifford Chance; Lucy Oddy from Berwin Leighton Paisner; and Tom Alabaster from The Carlyle Group. The office now has over 250 fee-earners including 65 partners.
O’Melveny & Myers, meanwhile, yesterday (11 November) named partners Stephen Scharf, Matthew Erramouspe, and Bruce Tobey as the new transactional co-heads of its entertainment, sports and media practice.
In a statement, the firm said: ‘Stephen, Matthew, and Bruce, together with our leading entertainment litigators, are furthering a legacy laid down by John O’Melveny, Deane Johnson, Donald Petroni, and others. Today, entertainment companies are facing an expanding global market and a changing digital media landscape, and O’Melveny’s award-winning entertainment lawyers are poised to help them achieve their goals.’
Latham & Watkins declined to comment.
sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk
