Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP today announced the addition of Steven E. Hurdle Jr., who has joined as a partner in the Firm’s Los Angeles office. A nationally recognized transactional attorney with particular experience in the media, entertainment and technology industries, Steve’s arrival follows the addition of LA-based partner Sid Fohrman and New York-based partner Jared Bartie to Willkie’s Entertainment, Sports and Media Practice earlier this year. Steve was previously a partner and deputy chair of the Capital Markets & Corporate Department at Loeb & Loeb LLP.
“Steve is a highly regarded entertainment transactional attorney with broad industry experience and a skilled commercial approach that aligns with our growing platform in Los Angeles,” said Alan Epstein, who chairs Willkie’s Entertainment Transactions Practice and co-led the launch of the LA office. “His focus on complex and innovative transactions at the intersection of media, entertainment and technology will further strengthen our capabilities in these growing areas. I have been opposite Steve on transactions for many years and am thrilled to now have him on our side at Willkie.”
Steve has a diverse practice leading business combinations, equity financings and complex joint ventures for clients across a variety of industries, with a focus on helping entertainment companies, investors, and entertainers in business formation, fundraising, investing and transactions. He regularly represents buyers and sellers of television production companies in cross-border transactions, as well as technology startup founders and entrepreneurs in the creation of new digital media technologies that disrupt the way content is created, consumed, and monetized.
Steve commented: “Willkie’s world-class transactional and technology platform, and fast-growing West Coast presence provide an exciting opportunity to work with an innovative and dynamic team of practitioners. I look forward to working with the exceptional attorneys at Willkie to further enhance our capabilities and value to clients in the entertainment, media and technology sectors.”
Willkie represents leaders of every kind across the entertainment, sports and media industries. Willkie’s deep bench of talented attorneys provides seamless transactional, intellectual property and litigation services to A-list talent, athletes, industry executives, leagues and teams, management and production companies, established networks and streaming platforms, and virtually any organization operating in the entertainment/media space. Willkie’s transactional attorneys represent the interests of management companies, production studios, networks and streaming services, music brands, gaming and esports developers, virtual and augmented reality companies, social media and metaverse platforms, and virtually any organization involved with developing, producing and monetizing audio/visual content or digital works, both domestically and internationally.
Launched in September 2021, Willkie’s Los Angeles office now includes more than 60 attorneys in the areas of corporate and M&A transactions, private equity, music and entertainment, asset management, private wealth, litigation, and tax.
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Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is an international law firm of approximately 1,000 attorneys with offices in Brussels, Chicago, Frankfurt, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Milan, New York, Palo Alto, Paris, Rome, San Francisco and Washington. The Firm is headquartered in New York City at 787 Seventh Avenue. Tel: 212.728.8000.
