Variety Picks Spicer, Burke, Griffith, Miller, Roman as 2020 Top Entertainment Dealmakers
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(Los Angeles) – For its annual Dealmakers Impact Report, which, this year, features “lawyers, financiers, execs and entrepreneurs [who] have forged ahead amid a pandemic and an economic near-collapse,” Variety once again selected partners from the firm’s entertainment practice: practice head Chris Spicer, along with P. John Burke, Marissa Román Griffith, Alissa Miller and Vanessa Roman. Ms. Roman, a previous Variety “Legal Impact” honoree, made her debut on the Dealmakers Impact Report; the other four lawyers have all made multiple previous appearances in the Report.
In its profile of the five honorees, Variety pointed to the more than $1 billion in transactions they handled in the past year, such as for client and fellow honoree MUFG Union Bank, including a $60 million senior secured revolving credit facility for a film distributor and a €100 million revolving credit facility for a European borrower.
One client that Variety spotlights is very much of the times: the American Coalition for Independent Content Production (ACICP), which is fighting for federal monies to help smaller entertainment companies weather the pandemic. Ms. Miller is co-leading the firm’s representation of ACICP, alongside public law and policy partner Arshi Siddiqui.
On the impact of the coronavirus on the industry, Ms. Griffith is quoted as saying, “We’re seeing budgets go up significantly because producers have to address COVID-19 safety protocols,” with delays and shutdowns threatening budget overruns.
Ms. Roman noted that issues with pandemic shutdowns have moved films from theatrical release to “pivoting rather quickly to either streaming or premium VOD [video on demand] release.” This pivot brings with it its own problems for dealmakers to resolve, she says, such as foreign contracts that may have specified theatrical release in North America and streaming deals that could disappoint investors and others hoping for bonuses from traditional distribution.
To learn more about filmmaking and film financing in the COVID-19 environment as well as about the firm’s work with the ACICP, click here to listen to Chris Spicer and Alissa Miller on a recent episode of the OnAir with Akin Gump podcast series.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers and advisors in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Founded in 1945, the firm is proudly celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2020. #AkinGump75
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