Kenneth Deutsch is Global Co-Chair of the firm's Entertainment, Sports & Media Practice. He represents a broad array of clients in the entertainment and media industries, advising on all business and legal aspects relating to the financing, production, licensing, distribution, and exploitation of motion pictures, television programs, and other intellectual property assets. His clients include film and television studios, streaming platforms, video game companies, and independent production companies, as well as financial institutions, investment funds, high net worth individuals, and other media and content financiers.

In addition to representing a suite of independent media companies in various aspects of their businesses, Mr. Deutsch has particular experience structuring complex equity and debt financings, content funds and strategic joint venture arrangements, as well as representing financial institutions and investment funds in evaluating and executing on investment and acquisition opportunities in the entertainment space.

Mr. Deutsch has been recognized by a number of publications, including Variety’s Hollywood’s New Leaders, Dealmaker Impact Report, and Legal Impact Report, and The Hollywood Report Power Lawyers. He has been referred to as a Hollywood Heavyweight by The American Lawyer, a Southern California Rising Star by Super Lawyers for his work in entertainment and sports and published in Los Angeles Magazine, and as one of The Best and Brightest in Hollywood Law: Up Next.

Mr. Deutsch's recent experience includes representing:

  • New Republic Pictures in its multi-picture film slate financing deal with Paramount Pictures, providing co-financing for, amongst others, Top Gun: Maverick and various Mission Impossible and Transformers franchise pictures
  • A24 Films in its US$225 million equity private placement, and various film output deals and joint ventures
  • Jon Favreau and his various corporate entities across entertainment projects, real estate, employment, trademark management, and other practice areas
  • Content Partners in various film library and other asset acquisitions
  • Stampede Entertainment in various joint ventures, including HappyNest, a joint venture with United Talent Agency, and Specific House, a joint venture with children’s author Mo Willems 
  • Charles King’s Macro Media in forming M88, its talent management business venture, and the structuring of its equity film fund and co-financing arrangements for various motion pictures
  • City Hill Arts, a film production company, in its structured equity film fund and single-picture equity financings
  • Dans Le Cinema, a private equity investor, as the anchor equity financier in Rob Reiner’s relaunched Castle Rock Entertainment
  • Katz Group, an entertainment/sports equity investor, in its oversight and management of its investment in Silver Pictures
  • Deviation Games, a video game company run by Call of Duty creator Dave Anthony, in its game development / publishing deal with Sony Playstation 
  • Leviathan Productions, a film production company, in its formation and equity capitalization
  • Keshet Studios in its debt financing for an episodic series produced for AppleTV+
  • Hammerstone Studios in its equity investment in a video game company
  • Sierra Pictures, a film sales and production company, in its sale to Entertainment One
  • Netflix on its acquisition of Millarworld Limited, the comic book publisher behind Kick-Ass, Kingsman and Wanted, in Netflix’s first strategic acquisition
  • MGM in structuring its multi-year joint venture with Annapurna Pictures for the domestic distribution of MGM films
  • Open Road Films in its sale to Tang Media Partners
  • Brad Weston in the formation and capitalization of Makeready, a content production company with backing from Entertainment One and worldwide distribution by Universal Pictures
  • Directors Joe and Anthony Russo (Captain America, Avengers: Infinity War) in their partnership with China's Huayi Brothers Media Corp. to form film and content company, AGBO
  • Verizon Corporate Services Group in connection with its acquisition of equity stakes in AwesomenessTV and Complex Media
  • Bank of America in providing revolving, secured senior debt facilities to RatPac Film Fund and WWE Studios*
  • Univision Communications in the formation and capitalization of the El Rey and Fusion television networks and in the financing and distribution arrangements for the television series From Dusk Till Dawn*
  • Participant Media in connection with the structuring, formation, and maintenance of its US$250 million leveraged film fund with ImageNation Abu Dhabi*
  • Spyglass Entertainment in connection with the restructuring of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer*
  • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the structuring and negotiation of its US$400 million leveraged financing of United Artists Entertainment*

*Matter handled prior to joining the firm

Bar Qualification

  • California

Education

  • JD, Harvard Law School
  • BA, Columbia University
Calabrese, Joseph A.
April 25, 2022Recognition

Showbiz Law Pioneer Saw It All

Joe Calabrese, the recently retired Global Chair of Latham’s Entertainment, Sports & Media Practice, discusses the strength of the Latham platform and the transition of the ESM practice to the next generation, including new ESM Co-Chairs Ken Deutsch and Adam Sullins.