Latham & Watkins Advises Established in Joint Venture With ACI Licensing to Expand Portfolio Into Premium Lifestyle Sector

Established Incorporated, a premier global brand licensing company, has announced the formation of a strategic joint venture with ACI Licensing to acquire and manage four prominent lifestyle brands. Under the terms of the agreement, Established will hold a controlling 51% ownership stake in the joint venture, with ACI Licensing retaining 49%. The transaction significantly expands Established's brand portfolio beyond its core electronics business, providing entry into the premium lifestyle sectors with four recognized brands spanning apparel, footwear, accessories, and home furnishings — Badgley Mischka, C&C California, Kay Unger, and RACHEL Rachel Roy.

Latham & Watkins LLP represents Established in the transaction with a corporate deal team led by New York partner James Gorton and Houston counsel Thomas Verity, with associates Zainab Hashmi, William Fullenweider, and Stacey Hall. Advice was also provided on tax matters by Houston partners Tim Fenn and Christine Mainguy; on intellectual property matters by Orange County counsel David Kuiper, with trademark attorney Emma Dibene; and on finance matters by New York Partner Scott Ollivierre and Houston counsel Benjamin Gelfand, with associate Ben Bussmann.