{"id":54244,"date":"2026-01-08T11:29:19","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T11:29:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/developments\/?post_type=press_releases&p=54244"},"modified":"2026-01-08T11:29:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T11:29:19","slug":"renowned-sports-partners-to-join-latham-watkins-in-new-york","status":"publish","type":"press_releases","link":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/developments\/press-releases\/renowned-sports-partners-to-join-latham-watkins-in-new-york\/","title":{"rendered":"Renowned Sports Partners to Join Latham & Watkins in New York"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arrival of prominent dealmakers Matthew Eisler and Russell Hedman marks a major expansion of the firm\u2019s elite sports and M&A practice, strengthening Latham\u2019s leadership.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Latham & Watkins is pleased to announce that Matthew Eisler and Russell Hedman will join the firm, bringing one of the most robust deal sheets in the sports industry to the firm\u2019s premier sports practice. They will join the firm\u2019s New York office as partners in the M&A and Private Equity Practice, as well as the Entertainment, Sports & Media Practice, bringing extensive experience advising on headline-making acquisitions, investments, and complex transactions across the global sports industry and private capital sector.<\/p>\n

Together, Eisler and Hedman have successfully managed and executed a wide range of sophisticated transactions across leagues and geographies, including many of the highest-profile deals over the last decade in the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NWSL, and other leagues worldwide. As private equity practitioners, they will not only be powerful additions to the firm\u2019s Entertainment, Sports & Media Practice but will also bolster Latham\u2019s market-leading private equity platform.<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt and Russell are extremely talented lawyers whose impressive track record speaks to their market reputation. We\u2019re delighted to have them join our team,\u201d said Marc Jaffe, Managing Partner of Latham\u2019s New York office. \u201cThey have been leaders in the sports sector for some time now, and their incredibly deep connections, combined with their wide-ranging experience and competitive drive, deliver exceptional results for clients. They will bring all of this and more to our team, and it\u2019s exciting to think about the synergies between their practice and ours, as well as the opportunities to build and solidify our position at the center of the global sports industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collectively, Eisler and Hedman focus their practice on complex M&A and investment transactions in the sports and private capital sectors, including the purchase and sale of sports teams and stakes therein, the creation of consortiums and joint ventures across various leagues and sports, and expansion franchise transactions. They advise ultra-high net worth individuals, family offices, private capital funds, and sports teams across the spectrum of transactional and regulatory matters, including compliance with league rules.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur sports practice has been one of the firm\u2019s fastest-growing areas for several years, with significant opportunities to expand further. Matt and Russell are key to our strategic growth plans in New York, across the US, and globally,\u201d said Adam Sullins, Global Co-Chair of Latham\u2019s Entertainment, Sports & Media Practice. \u201cWe are excited to have them on our team. They share our ambition to be the leading firm in sports, and their addition to our platform will help us unlock tremendous opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul Kukish, Global Co-Chair of Latham\u2019s M&A and Private Equity Practice, added, \u201cMatt and Russell\u2019s depth of knowledge and prominence in the sports industry will significantly enhance our capabilities and further bolster our reputation in the industry. They are standout partners with experience few can match, and they will be outstanding additions to our team at a time when we expect this asset class to continue attracting significant private capital and institutional investment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eisler has been honored as a \u201cSports Super Lawyer\u201d by\u00a0The Hollywood Reporter<\/i>, a \u201cPower Player\u201d by\u00a0Sports Business Journal<\/i>, a \u201cTrailblazer\u201d by the\u00a0National Law Journal<\/i>, a \u201cHighly Commended Practitioner\u201d by the\u00a0Financial Times<\/i>, and a\u00a0Law360<\/i>\u00a0MVP in Sports over multiple years. Hedman\u2019s leadership in sports has been recognized through his inclusion in\u00a0Bloomberg Law<\/i>\u2019s 40 Under 40 and his selection as a\u00a0Law360<\/i>\u00a0Rising Star in Sports.<\/p>\n

Eisler and Hedman will join Latham from Hogan Lovells. Eisler received his JD from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and BA from Rutgers. Hedman received his JD from Harvard Law School and BA from the University of Colorado.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-54244","press_releases","type-press_releases","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/developments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press_releases\/54244","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/developments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press_releases"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/developments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/press_releases"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/developments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54244"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}