"The best in the business at understanding client needs and crafting sophisticated solutions."
Chambers USA 2024
"A renowned M&A lawyer with a wealth of experience handling transactions involving media and entertainment companies."
Chambers USA 2024
"Brilliant, insightful and steady. He's the lawyer you can call and know he will find a way to solve the problem and offer focused, no-nonsense solutions."
Chambers USA 2024
"He has his finger on the pulse of the market and can get into the weeds of a transaction, getting things done efficiently and effectively."
Chambers USA 2024
"Justin Hamill is obviously the best."
The Legal 500 US 2024
Leading Lawyer ‒ Private Equity Buyouts and Media & Entertainment: Transactional
The Legal 500 US 2024
Next Generation Partner ‒ Sport
The Legal 500 US 2024
"He is our go-to for the most complex issues and he develops incredible relationships with the business folks and legal team. He is the best lawyer I have ever worked with, hands down."
Chambers USA 2023
"Justin is an incredible strategist and problem-solver."
Chambers USA 2023
"Truly exceptional in the corporate department."
The Legal 500 US 2023
Profile
Justin Hamill is Global Chair of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions Practice. Recognized as a 2024 and 2020 Dealmaker of the Year by The American Lawyer, a 2024 M&A MVP by Law360, and a 2021 Dealmaker of the Year by The New York Law Journal, Justin represents clients in a range of complex corporate matters, with a focus on high-value M&A and private equity deals.
Justin provides sophisticated transactional counsel to diverse clients, including public and private companies, investment funds, and financial institutions. He regularly advises on multibillion-dollar mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, drawing on his substantial experience across a broad array of industries, such as media, sports, and entertainment, as well as technology, financial services, consumer products, healthcare, and real estate. His practice also encompasses a range of corporate governance and emerging companies matters.
Justin regularly advises clients on:
Leveraged buy-outs
Negotiated and contested M&A transactions
Public and private investments
Restructuring transactions and joint ventures
Corporate governance matters (including Securities and Exchange Commission and exchange requirements, as well as fiduciary law matters)
Emerging companies matters (including capital raising transactions)
Justin is the former secretary of the New York City Bar Association Committee on Mergers, Acquisitions and Corporate Control Contests. He is also a published author and frequent speaker on corporate matters.
Recognition Highlights
The American Lawyer – Dealmaker of the Year
(2024 and 2020)
Law360 – M&A MVP (2024)
The Hollywood Reporter – Power Lawyers (2024) and Top Dealmakers (2023)
The New York Law Journal – Dealmaker of the Year (2021)
Chambers USA – Corporate/M&A (2018-2024)
The Legal 500 US – Leading Lawyer – M&A/Corporate and Commercial: Private Equity Buyouts (2022-2024)
The Legal 500 US – Next Generation Partner – Sport and Media, Technology & Telecoms: Media & Entertainment: Transactional (2019-2024)
Justin has represented clients in a range of corporate matters, including:
Public Company Transactions
Skydance Media in its pending merger with Paramount to form “New Paramount” at an enterprise value of approximately US$28 billion and Skydance at US$4.75 billion
Endeavor in its pending US$13 billion sale to Silver Lake
Manchester United in its sale of an approximate 30% equity interest to Sir Jim Ratcliffe for US$1.6 billion
Endeavor in its US$21 billion merger of UFC and WWE
Silver Lake in its US$12.5 billion acquisition of Qualtrics
Michael Kors in its US$1.2 billion acquisition of Jimmy Choo*
Casper Sleep in its sale to Durational Capital Management
Taylor Morrison Home in its approximately US$1 billion acquisition of AV Homes*
Kate Spade & Company in its US$2.4 billion sale to Coach *
RSC Holdings in its sale to United Rentals for approximately US$4.2 billion*
Warner Music Group in its sale to Access Industries for approximately US$3.3 billion (named M&A Deal of the Year by The Deal Magazine)
Emdeon in its sale to Blackstone for approximately US$3 billion*
Interstate Hotels & Resorts in its sale to Thayer Capital and Shanghai Jin Jiang (named M&A Deal of the Year by Asian-MENA Counsel Magazine)*
Agrium in its US$4.9 billion unsolicited cash / stock tender offer for CF Industries*
Teck Resources in its US$17 billion unsolicited cash / stock tender offer for Inco*
SpectraSite in its US$11.3 billion merger with American Tower*
Private Equity Transactions
Apollo in a number of transactions, including:
Its US$3.6 billion pending acquisition of Barnes Group Inc.
The US$1.4 billion offer by Concord Chorus Limited for Hipgnosis Song Fund Limited
KKR in a number of transactions, including:
Its US$1.85 billion sale of Chord Music to Universal Music Group and Dundee Partners
Its US$1.2 billion acquisition of Kobalt
Its joint venture with BMG to acquire music rights
Its acquisitions of the music catalogs of ZZ Top, Diplo/Major Lazer, John Legend, Twenty One Pilots, John McVie, and Five Finger Death Punch
Its acquisition of a majority stake in OneRepublic and Ryan Tedder’s music catalog
Silver Lake in a number of transactions, including:
Its lead participation, along with DigitalBridge, in a US$9.2 billion equity investment round by Vantage Data Centers
Its US$500 million investment in Shadowbox Studios
The US$1 billion equity funding round by Thrasio
Its US$1 billion investment in Reliance Retail Ventures
The US$650 million equity funding round by Klarna
Its investment in BJYU’s
Its US$1.35 billion investment in Jio Platforms
Its acquisition of TEG, Asia Pacific’s leading live entertainment and ticketing company
Its US$500 million investment in City Football Group
TPG in a number of transactions, including:
Its establishment of a new talent management and representation company and simultaneous investment in Untitled Entertainment
Its significant strategic growth investment in K2 Medical Research
Its acquisition, together with Oaktree Management, of Taylor Morrison / Monarch Homes for approximately US$1.2 billion
Private Company Transactions
Ancestry.com in its US$4.7 billion sale to Blackstone
Authentic Brands Group in a number of transactions, including its acquisitions of Champion, Reebok, Quiksilver, and Billabong
Endeavor in a number of transactions, including:
Its acquisitions of UFC, IMG, OpenBet, NeuLion, Barrett Jackson, and Asylum Group
Its dispositions of IMG Academy, Endeavor Content, Diamond Baseball Holdings, Miss Universe, and Droga
Skydance Media, in connection with its US$400 million financing round led by KKR as well as its joint venture with the NFL to create a multi-sports production studio
Headspace in its merger with Ginger
Citigroup in its sale of CitiCapital to GE for approximately US$13.4 billion*
Sony in the formation of its joint venture with Bertelsmann for Sony-BMG Music and in its acquisition of Bertelsmann’s interest in Sony-BMG Music for approximately US$1.2 billion*
VICE Media in its joint venture with A&E Networks to launch a new 24-hour cable channel*
Capital Markets Transactions
Endeavor Group Holdings in connection with its initial public offering
Virgin Group in connection with the initial public offering of Virgin America*
Taylor Morrison Home Corporation in its initial public offering*
Hudson’s Bay Company in its initial public offering in Canada*
SPAC Transactions
Starry in its US$1.6 billion merger with FirstMark Horizon Acquisition Corp
Transfix in its US$1.1 billion merger with G Squared Ascend I
Virgin Orbit in its US$3.2 billion merger with NextGen Acquisition Corp. II
Aspiration in its US$2.3 billion merger with InterPrivate III Financial Partners
Vacasa in its US$4.5 billion merger with TPG Pace Solutions
Embark Trucks in its US$4.55 billion merger with Northern Genesis Acquisition Corp. II
Bird Rides in its US$2.3 billion merger with Switchback II Corporation
Boxed in its US$900 million merger with Seven Oaks Acquisition Corp.
Vivid Seats in its US$1.95 billion merger with Horizon Acquisition Corporation
Offerpad in its US$3 billion merger with Supernova Partners Acquisition Company
The Beachbody Company in its US$2.9 billion merger with Forest Road Acquisition Corp. and Myx Fitness
Taboola in its US$2.6 billion merger with Ion Acquisition Corp.
Talkspace in its US$1.4 billion merger with Hudson Executive Investment Corp.
Ouster in its US$1.9 billion merger with Colonnade Acquisition Corp.
Opendoor in its US$4.8 billion merger with Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings II
GCM Grosvenor in its US$2 billion merger with CF Finance Acquisition Corp.
Virgin Galactic in its US$1.5 billion merger with Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings
Workouts and Restructurings
Starry Group Holdings, Inc., in connection with its chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings
Virgin Orbit Holdings, Inc., in connection with its voluntary chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in order to effectuate a sale of the business
GM Bondholders Committee in the chapter 11 § 363 sale of GM for US$105 billion, and the preceding US$27 billion bond exchange offer*
Penson Worldwide, a securities and clearing firm, in its proposed debt restructuring*
GMAC Bondholders Committee in the US$28.5 billion bond exchange offer by GMAC*
Latham & Watkins has been named a Law360 M&A Group of the Year in recognition of the firm’s unmatched global platform, deep industry experience, and product excellence, providing turnkey solutions to clients.
Notice: We appreciate your interest in Latham & Watkins. If your inquiry relates to a legal matter and you are not already a current client of the firm, please do not transmit any confidential information to us. Before taking on a representation, we must determine whether we are in a position to assist you and agree on the terms and conditions of engagement with you. Until we have completed such steps, we will not be deemed to have a lawyer-client relationship with you, and will have no duty to keep confidential the information we receive from you. Thank you for your understanding.