Los Angeles

With more than four decades in Southern California, Skadden’s Los Angeles office represents U.S.-based and multinational clients, including a wide variety of California-based Fortune 500, middle-market and privately held companies in industries as diverse as the region, including technology, media/entertainment, retail/apparel, beauty/personal care, food and beverage, aerospace, health care, gaming, real estate, manufacturing and private equity, among many others.

Our attorneys advise on a range of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and private equity. Our litigation practice includes a high-profile trial group; a commercial litigation group that handles large-scale and high-profile matters; a securities litigation group that advises on securities, class and derivative actions; and a white collar and government enforcement litigation team. Additional areas of practice include banking, labor and employment law, and real estate. Through our collaboration with Skadden’s Palo Alto office, clients benefit from additional counsel in the areas of intellectual property transactions, executive compensation and benefits, IP litigation and tax, and we leverage the firm’s global network to meet client needs around the world and across our practices.

In 2024, the Los Angeles Business Journal named Skadden a Most Admired Law Firm To Work, and, in 2022, we were named a California Powerhouse by Law360. As well, Skadden’s new office in Century City has won numerous design awards.

Corporate

Our corporate attorneys advise on many of the highest-profile deals in the marketplace. While these generally are the most visible, we handle many middle market corporate transactions as well. We counsel public and private business, private equity firms, investment banks, entrepreneurs and family businesses on a wide range of transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions, private equity investments and fund formation, as well as on securities law compliance, directors’ duties and corporate governance issues. Our attorneys have repeatedly been recognized as leading lawyers by Chambers Global and Chambers USA, including in M&A, private equity and media and entertainment, and multiple attorneys listed in The Best Lawyers in America.

Media and Entertainment

Skadden regularly advises on industry-shaping transactions in the media and entertainment space. We represent clients worldwide, including gaming companies, music publishers and labels, motion picture and television studios, independent producers and distributors, film financiers, talent agencies, talent managers, multi-channel networks, sports franchises and executives. We also advise private equity firms, pooled investment vehicles and other U.S. and foreign investors in acquisitions and dispositions of industry assets of all sizes.

Capital Markets

Skadden has established a leading, full-service global capital markets practice in California that boasts a wide spectrum of capabilities across the entire range of capital markets financings and related transactions. We consistently are recognized as one of the region’s top advisers. Our effectiveness stems from taking a commercial, practical and customized approach to each client’s individual goals, business and transaction needs.

Private Equity

Our established private equity practice represents private equity firms in connection with all aspects of their businesses, including structuring and organizing fund sponsors and their investment funds, executing acquisition, financing and exit transactions, and providing transactional and general corporate advice to portfolio companies.

Litigation

Skadden’s Los Angeles litigation department, which has been awarded Benchmark Litigation’s “highly recommended” ranking, represents clients in high-stakes, high-profile international, national and local litigation. Our litigation attorneys regularly appear in trial and appellate courts at the federal and state levels, before administrative tribunals, and in arbitrations and other alternative dispute resolution proceedings. Skadden is well positioned to help clients navigate the legal landscape when business conduct results in concurrent criminal, civil and/or administrative proceedings that require a strategically coordinated response. Skadden’s general commercial litigation, securities litigation, and government enforcement and white collar crime practices all are ranked in Chambers USA for California.

Banking

Banking attorneys in the Los Angeles office regularly handle domestic and international transactions representing a wide range of financial institutions, borrowers and equity sponsors. We advise clients on syndicated credit facilities for investment grade and non-investment grade companies, acquisition financings, bridge loan transactions, restructurings, workouts and debtor in possession and exit financings, mezzanine debt financings and project financings. Skadden attorneys also have handled numerous leveraged financings.

Labor and Employment

Members of our Los Angeles Labor and Employment Group advise on a wide range of matters arising in representation proceedings, collective bargaining negotiations, arbitrations, litigation in state and federal courts, mediations and administrative proceedings before such government agencies as the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, state human rights agencies, and the federal and state Departments of Labor. We advise employers on the full range of labor and employment issues that arise in the workplace. Members of our labor and employment team have been named by the Los Angeles Business Journal as Leaders of Influence: Labor & Employment Attorneys.

Real Estate

Skadden’s Los Angeles real estate practice assists clients in structuring and executing a wide spectrum of transactions. We represent real estate investment trusts, developers, lenders, investment banks, opportunity funds, domestic and foreign investors, public companies, and private entrepreneurs in the full range of real-estate related transactions.