David C. Eisman

Mr. Eisman represents clients in the media and entertainment, music, gaming, investment banking, technology, apparel, insurance and retail industries, among others. He also is a member of the firm’s Investment Management Group, advising on family office and fund formation matters, and frequently counsels on matters involving NFTs.

In recognition of his work, Mr. Eisman has been honored extensively by leading industry outlets, including:

• Billboard as one of its 2024 Top Music Lawyers
• The Hollywood Reporter as a Hollywood Power Lawyer and one of its Top 15 Music Attorneys, as well as repeatedly as part of its list of Top Hollywood Dealmakers
• Variety repeatedly as part of its Legal Impact Report and its Dealmakers Impact Report, which highlights top attorneys working in film, television and digital media
• the Los Angeles Business Journal as a Top 100 Lawyer and its Entertainment Attorney of the Year
• the Daily Journal as one of the Top 50 Entertainment Lawyers in California
• Chambers USA (Media & Entertainment: Transactional category), The Legal 500 U.S. and The Best Lawyers in America

Additionally, under his leadership, the media and entertainment practice was named a 2022 Practice Group of the Year by Law360.

Notable Transactions

Media and Entertainment

• Vulcan Capital, an investment vehicle of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, in connection with numerous entertainment M&A transactions, including:
  • the sale of DreamWorks Studios to Paramount Pictures
  • the initial public offering and spin-off of DreamWorks Animation SKG
  • the sale of Sporting News to American City Business Journals
  • the sale of Oxygen Media, the cable television network, to NBC Universal
  • the sale of Sporting News radio station affiliate KMPC (Los Angeles) to Radio Korea
• Embracer Group, a Swedish video game and entertainment conglomerate, in:
  • its acquisition of J.R.R. Tolkien’s iconic works, including The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, including related movie, TV and video game rights
  • its acquisition of Dark Horse Comics, one of the largest U.S. independent comics companies
• 300 Entertainment, a music label representing artists such as Megan Thee Stallion, Young Thug and Gunna, in its acquisition by Warner Music Group
• OVO Sound, an independent record label owned by Drake, in:
  • its acquisition of Warner Music Group’s 50% interest in the label and related financing transactions
  • connection with its investment and partnership with Todd Moscowitz-led, and Sony Music Entertainment Inc.-backed, Santa Anna Label Group
• Artist Partner Group, one of the largest U.S. independent music labels, in its sale to Atlantic Records
• Alamo Records, a major independent music label, in its sale of a majority stake to Sony Music Entertainment
• Todd Moscowitz in a joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment, Inc. to form a new music label and artist services company
• Shamrock Capital in:
  • its acquisition of the masters and other rights to Taylor Swift’s first six albums, including some of the most popular recordings and best-selling albums of all time
  • the acquisition of the catalog proceeds of a well-known singer, songwriter and producer in a RECAP (Retained Equity in Catalog with Assignment of Proceeds) transaction
• Kenya Barris in the formation of BET Studios with ViacomCBS
• beIN Media Group in its sale of a 49% stake in Miramax to ViacomCBS and Paramount
• AGBO in the sale of a major stake to gaming company Nexon at an enterprise value of $1 billion
• Athletes First in the sale of a majority stake to MASTRY Ventures and General Catalyst
• Platinum Equity in its acquisitions of the distribution business of Deluxe Entertainment, a global leader in the entertainment industry for more than 100 years, and CineVizion, a leading digital cinema distribution company
• United Talent Agency (UTA) in various matters, including:
  • the acquisition of a significant stake in agent Rich Paul’s Klutch Sports, which represents LeBron James and other top NBA athletes, and the formation of a UTA sports division
  • the acquisition of baseball talent agency REP 1 Baseball
  • the sale of an equity stake in UTA to private equity firm EQT
  • the acquisition of top social media influencer agency DBA
  • the acquisition of electronic music-focused Circle Talent Agency
  • the acquisition of two esports talent and marketing agencies
  • the acquisition of The Agency Group, the world’s largest independent music agency
  • its TV finance and production joint venture with Valence Media
  • the acquisition of news and broadcast agency Bienstock
  • the acquisition of a stake in “American Idol” producer CORE Media
  • its $125 million acquisition of MediaLink
  • its kids animation joint venture with Stampede
• United Talent Agency, LLC and Klutch Sports Group, LLC in the acquisition of Revolution Sports
• Entertainment Partners, Hollywood’s leading payroll company and owner of Central Casting, in its acquisition by TPG Capital, L.P.
• the Carlyle Group in its investments in Ithaca Holdings, which represents top talent such as Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber, including in its acquisition of Big Machine Records
• Summit Entertainment, LLC in its $413 million acquisition by Lions Gate Entertainment
• Katherine Jackson in the $750 million sale of the Michael Jackson estate’s interest in Sony/ATV music publishing to Sony
• Marvel co-founder David Maisel in the formation of Mythos Studios, a new animation film studio, and capital raises
• Quixote Studios in its strategic partnership with Bison Capital
• Saban Capital Group in its acquisition of a controlling interest in a leading Israeli wireless provider
• Activision in its $18.9 billion merger with Vivendi Games
• the launch of The Hilhaven Lodge, an ultra-premium whiskey
• the development of an ultra-premium whiskey for a top musical performer
• an investment group in its acquisition of an equity stake in Legendary Pictures

Retail and Consumer

• Dole plc in the pending $293 million sale of its fresh vegetables division to an affiliate of Fresh Express Incorporated
• Convera in its $1 billion acquisition of The Western Union Company’s business solutions division, one of the world’s largest non-bank providers of cross-border payment and FX solutions
• Total Produce in its business combination with Dole and the IPO of the combined company, as well as its previous acquisition of a 45% stake in Dole, representing the largest fruits and vegetables deals in history
• Murad, a leading skincare brand, in its acquisition by Unilever
• XIO Group, an international private equity fund, in its $1.1 billion acquisition of J.D. Power and Associates
• Calera Capital in the $780 million sale of Sleepy’s to Mattress Firm Holding Corp.
• United Online, Inc. in its spin-off of FTD Companies, Inc.
• American Apparel, Inc. in its acquisition by a SPAC, and corporate and financing matters
• the special committee of the board of Internet Brands, Inc. in its $640 million acquisition by Hellman & Friedman

Investment Banking

• Moelis & Company in connection with its initial public offering
• the co-founders of Ares Management in its initial public offering
• Goldman Sachs Group as financial advisor to Safeway Inc. in its $9 billion acquisition by a group led by Cerberus Capital
• PJ Solomon in its sale of a majority stake to Natixis

Other

• Global Indemnity in its redomicile to the United States
• Occidental Petroleum Corporation in more than $7 billion of registered senior notes offerings and general corporate matters
• Gateway, Inc. in its $710 million acquisition by Acer Inc. via a tender offer and its acquisition of Packard Bell B.V.
• Trustbridge Partners in its acquisition of publisher Holiday House
• Gen-Probe in its $3.8 billion acquisition by Hologic recognized as a Top 10 California M&A transaction by the Daily Journal
• SKBHC Holdings LLC, a Goldman Sachs-Oaktree Capital-sponsored venture, in its formation and structuring of a distressed bank fund

Pro Bono

• launch of multimedia-based “Sexual and Cybercrimes: Know Your Rights and the Law” program in high schools across Los Angeles
• the Special Olympics relating to the World Games in Los Angeles
• Steven Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation in its merger with USC and the creation of the USC Shoah Foundation
• Oakley, Inc. in the formation of the Infinite Hero Foundation