Partner
Marvin Putnam, an industry-leading trial lawyer, represents high-profile clients, drawing on an exceptional combination of litigation experience and keen insight on the entertainment industry. He serves as Chair of the firm’s Entertainment, Sports & Media Industry Group and previously served as Chair of the Litigation & Trial Department in Los Angeles.
Marvin has successfully represented clients ranging from individual authors and producers, to leading entertainment companies and investment banks. His accomplishments at trial and appellate courts, both state and federal, as well as internationally, have earned Marvin a reputation as a market-leading entertainment litigator. He has a demonstrated skill in handling a range of high-profile disputes, including intellectual property and business torts. Complementing his trial work, Marvin provides prepublication review for national news, variety, and talk show programs, national publications as well as film and television studios. Given his litigation skills, Marvin also often advises on complex entertainment and media transactional matters with an eye to limiting clients’ potential litigation or exposure.
Marvin has been recognized by a number of publications including Chambers USA as a leading lawyer in Media & Entertainment Litigation, Variety “Legal Impact Report,” The Hollywood Reporter “Power Lawyers,” and The Daily Journal “Top 100 California Lawyers” and “Top Entertainment Lawyers.” In 2014 he was named one of National Law Journal’s “Winning Trial Lawyers” and Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Century City Bar Association.
Marvin's considerable experience has ranged from the successful defense of several class actions brought in the wake of significant oil spills to recovery of World War II-era assets from international banks. His media specific work has included successfully serving as lead defense counsel for concert promoter AEG Live in the six-month wrongful death trial brought by Michael Jackson’s family – including successfully overcoming the Jackson family's California Supreme Court challenge, which the court rejected. The resulting verdict was named one of the 10 most significant defense verdicts of the year by the nation’s leading legal journals.*
Examples of Marvin's recent entertainment and media-related matters include representing:
*Matter handled prior to joining Latham.
Five Century City partners recognized for their outstanding achievements and success in shaping the entertainment legal landscape.
Justin Hamill, Rick Offsay, and Marvin Putnam honored for excellence in entertainment law.
Honored for overall excellence and received nine additional recognitions in the 2024 California Legal Awards, the most of any law firm.