Paul Hastings LLP, a leading global law firm, announced today that highly regarded litigator James Bo Pearl has joined the firm as a partner in the Entertainment and Media Litigation practice, based in the Century City office. Pearl joins the firm from O’Melveny & Myers, LLP in Los Angeles.
“New entrants and disruptors are reshaping the entertainment and media landscape, and our clients want industry veterans to help guide them through these ever-changing times,” said Seth Zachary, Chair of Paul Hastings. “Bo is leading trial attorney who has helped lead industry-changing litigation, and his capabilities and experience make him a significant addition to our Entertainment and Media practice.”
“Paul Hastings’ successful development and growth of the firm’s Entertainment and Media practice, both in Century City and globally, were very attractive to me,” said Pearl. “I am excited about the opportunity to help continue to build and grow a very exciting practice.”
Pearl represents companies in the entertainment, sports, and technology industries in their general business, intellectual property, and antitrust litigation. He has helped lead industry-changing antitrust litigation, from opening up the microprocessor market to free and open competition for Advanced Micro Devices to litigation in the boxing world that paved the way for historic cable television boxing agreements. Pearl was recognized for his work helping global pop star Kesha get back to work during highly contentious litigation — work that aided the release of the Grammy-nominated Rainbow album. He has also helped to beat back several high-profile idea theft challenges to major studio releases properties. The addition of Pearl continues Paul Hastings’ strong lateral growth across its global platform.
Over the past year, the firm has welcomed more than two dozen partners, including Entertainment and Media Litigation partner Steven Marenberg in Century City; Employment Law partner Jeff Webb in Los Angeles; Privacy and Cybersecurity partner Aaron Charfoos in Chicago; Investigations and White Collar Defense partners Tom Best, Matt Herrington and Jonathan Drimmer in Washington, D.C. and Shaun Wu in Hong Kong; and Antitrust and Competition partner Camille Paulhac and Investigations and White Collar Defense managing director Nicola Bonucci in Paris.
Paul Hastings’ Entertainment and Media practice is recognized as among the most notable in the market by Chambers and Partners, and is routinely recognized as among the most influential in Hollywood by The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. The firm established an Entertainment and Media practice and opened an office in Century City, the business hub of Los Angeles’ thriving entertainment and media industry, in March 2018. In November 2019, the firm expanded Entertainment and Media capabilities with the launch of a European-based team that advises production, distribution and media companies and financial institutions, funds and high-net-worth investors in Europe and Asia, as well as U.S.-based clients, on cross-border entertainment and media transactions in these regions. The firm’s global interdisciplinary team is at the forefront of the market, with savvy, deeply experienced advisors who work closely with clients to develop innovative solutions for financing, corporate, capital, and distribution and cross-border transaction matters. Paul Hastings also provides a full breadth of talent representation in film, television and digital media.
