Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP > Costa Mesa, United States > Firm Profile

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Healthcare > Health insurers Tier 1

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP‘s market-leading health insurance practice has a strong full-service practice with deep expertise across the sector. The team’s multidisciplinary expertise runs the gamut of health insurance-related issues, advising leading national insurers on both contentious and non-contentious issues. Core focus areas include high-profile litigation, transactional work, and regulatory issues, as well as Medicare managed care compliance. The team is led by the New York-based William Bernstein, whose practice concentrates on advising financial institutions, managed care companies, and health insurers on transactional and corporate matters. Also in New York are transactional and regulatory experts Robert Belfort and Randi Siegel. On the litigation side, Los Angeles-based Ileana Hernandez and Gregory Pimstone represent major health plans and insurers in consumer and unfair competition actions and in federal and state investigations. Other key members of the team include LA’s Paul Carr-Rollitt, who handles major transactions, and Medicaid and ACA experts Anne Karl and Michael Kolber, both based in New York.

Healthcare > Service providers Tier 2

The sizeable team at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP advises a full range of healthcare stakeholders, including major foundations, dialysis care providers, and health systems on joint ventures, operating arrangements, and the transformation of Medicaid delivery systems. Chairing the practice from New York, William Bernstein often advises managed care companies, emerging companies, and financial institutions on models for the payment of health services, health IT, and care delivery systems. Also based in New York, Anne Karl frequently advises states on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid issues. Barry Landsberg has extensive litigious expertise, representing hospital and physician medical staff in consumer class cases before the California Supreme Court. Greg Pimstone represents service providers who are targets of government investigations and enforcement actions, and Paul Carr-Rollitt assists both for profit and non-profit healthcare organizations with healthcare M&A matters and public offerings. In the Washington DC office, Cindy Mann has longstanding experience advising on strategic issues in relation to state and federal health reform and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. All named lawyers are in Los Angeles unless otherwise specified. Megan Thibert-Ind joined the Chicago practice from McDermott Will & Emery LLP, contributing her knowledge of regulatory disputes, often assisting hospital systems and ambulatory surgery centers.

M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m) Tier 2

The ‘resourceful, diligent, well respected, results-oriented‘ team at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is equally adept at handling both domestic and cross-border mid-cap transactions on behalf of buyers and sellers operating in highly regulated industries, including financial services, healthcare, TMT and retail. The practice, which is managed by Thomas Poletti in Orange County, also provides representation to banks and other financial institutions in their acquisitions, and to investment banks in their role as financial advisor in M&A deals. Poletti possesses a broad skillset that in addition to strategic M&A extends to capital markets and SPACs. Also on the West Coast, Craig Miller is a name to note in San Francisco for financial services and venture capital clients. Based in Washington DC, Scott Schwartz acts for investors and companies in the media, insurance, biotechnology and manufacturing industries, and is also proficient in corporate governance and restructuring matters.

Media, technology and telecoms > Advertising and marketing: transactional and regulatory Tier 2

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is well known in the advertising space, with the team advising several household-name brands, including major entertainment studios and technology companies, on a full spectrum of matters. Key areas of expertise include structuring multi-platform marketing campaigns, negotiating advertising agreements, sponsorships and media deals, and constructing product claims. Beyond its digital, technology, and entertainment advertising expertise, it also has strong capabilities in the healthcare industry. Practice head Christine Reilly is based in Los Angeles, as is Jesse Brody, who specializes in digital marketing and data privacy-related matters, as well as assisting clients in their traditional and digital advertising campaigns. In New York, Jeffrey Edelstein has a broad advertising practice, which includes handling advertising and entertainment contracts alongside advising on FTC and self-regulatory issues, while Po Yi specializes in commercial transactions which sit at the intersection of entertainment, media and advertising.

Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation Tier 2

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP  represents a variety of heavyweight entertainment figures, notably from across the music industry; IP matters such as copyright infringement and breach of contract cases stand out as particular areas of strength. Renowned litigator and practice head Robert Jacobs regularly advocates on behalf of high profile recording artists and music publishers. He recently represented electronic music producer Marshmello; Dan Smith, the lead singer of pop rock band Bastille; and other performing artists in a copyright infringement suit that featured complex copyright issues pertaining to remixes of pre-existing songs. Nathaniel Bach has extensive experience in IP-related matters and is currently representing EMI in a music royalties litigation. Further recommended is esteemed trial lawyer Sarah Moses who is well versed in antitrust actions, breach of  contract matters and trademark disputes. All lawyers mentioned are based in Las Vegas.

Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional Tier 2

In Los Angeles, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is a go-to firm high-profile music transactions, with the team active across talent deals for the likes of The Eagles and Burt Bacharach as well as catalog sales. The practice is additionally well-versed in corporate transactions and frequently represents major film and television companies in deals such as financings and capital raises. Practice head Jordan Bromley represents a wide roster of musical artists as well as advocating for changes to labor law in California as musicians are currently exempt from certain protections. His colleague Sophia Yen is highly experienced in complex development deals and financings and led on the recent formation of the global comedy company Hartbeat. Gary Gilbert excels in negotiating recording agreements and world tours for leading musical artists. Christopher Chatham advises on production issues and celebrity backed consumer brands.

Real estate > Land use/zoning Tier 2

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP offers a strong focus and in-depth of knowledge on local, state and federal land use law. Praised for a ‘high degree of practical intelligence’, the team handles large-scale and complex mandates emanating out of California, with offices in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco and Sacramento cementing the team’s reach across the entire region. Los Angeles-based attorney Victor De La Cruz leads the group, notable in the space for handling complex college and universities, waste haulers, signage companies and real estate development matters. Orange County’s Susan Hori counts challenging CEQA and entitlement processes to obtain approvals for clients among her core specialisms. In the firm’s San Francisco office, Sigrid Waggener has experience across all project and asset classes, focusing on both large-scale project and infrastructure development alongside CEQA and NEPA compliance. David Smith is another key contact in San Francisco.

Intellectual property > Copyright Tier 3

Harnessing the bench strength of its 10 national offices, the team at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP brings experience to representing major music and entertainment industry clients involved in high-stakes disputes. The practice is led by seasoned entertainment litigator Robert Jacobs, counsel Jessica A. Wood, who specializes in such sectors as digital media, food and beverages, toys, consumer products, and fashion and apparel, and the firm's digital and technology transactions business unit head Eric Bergner. In January 2022, the team was bolstered by the arrival of Christopher Chatham, who moved to the firm from his boutique Chatham Law Group, along with associate Sandra Bignone. Previous practice head Michelle Cooke departed in July 2022. All the lawyers mentioned work in Los Angeles.

Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions) Tier 3

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP‘s team is headed by Esra Hudson from Los Angeles and benefits from offices in California, Washington DC, Illinois, and Massachusetts, giving the firm nationwide presence and expertise in key jurisdictions. Sector focuses for the team include retail, entertainment, healthcare, finance, and insurance, with the practice handing the entire spectrum of employment issues, with recent work including representing Del Taco LLC in class action and arbitration matters, representing H&M in a wage and hour case, and defending American Multi-Cinema, Inc. in a PAGA representative action. Key contacts include Deborah Kelly in Washington DC, Andrew Satenberg in Los Angeles for wage and hour actions, and Sharon Bauman in San Francisco, who has a particular specialism in acting for clients in the healthcare industry.

Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection) Tier 3

Serving at the cross-roads of corporate data and operational risk and spanning the range of proactive and responsive cybersecurity and data protection matters is at the core of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP’s data security and privacy practice. The nationwide team is co-led by Scott Lashway in Boston and Donna Wilson in Los Angeles- Lashway frequently advises a range of companies, including private equity and technology players, on privacy program implementations, data due diligences, incident responses and government investigations, while Wilson is a key contact for clients in the financial services space requiring strategic data security advice. The litigation expertise of Christopher Lisy, in Boston, adds a layer to the practice, while Orange County-stationed Brandon Reilly specializes in matters concerning incident response and strategic uses of data. Kaylee Cox Bankston departed in September 2022.

Environment > Environment: regulatory Tier 4

The energy and environment team at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is led by Craig Moyer in Los Angeles and advises on regulatory, litigation and transactional matters in the environmental sphere across the country. It acts for businesses, non-profits and public sector entities on crisis and risk management, as well as compliance issues. Moyer is well versed in cases relating to hazardous materials and workplace health and safety incidents and handles investigations and enforcement actions by state and federal regulators. Ted Wolff left in summer 2022.

Finance > Fintech Tier 4

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP has a ‘diverse, experienced, strategically recruited‘ team of lawyers with a ‘deep knowledge of their field and industry‘. The firm advises on the full range of transactional, business consulting, litigation, regulatory compliance and enforcement matters.  The client base encompasses major banks and financial institutions, and also emerging and startup technology companies. This includes support on new technologies, such as advising Centrifuge in launching its fully decentralized Tinlake financing protocol that operates across different blockchains. Practice head Brian Korn is highly rated for investment structuring and compliance work. Chicago’s Bryan Schneider is noted for his regulatory and enforcement expertise. Clients also rate the ‘honest, available, and responsive‘ Los Angeles-based regulatory partner, Scott Pearson.

Industry focus > Cannabis Tier 4

The multi-disciplinary practice at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP advises on the full array of cannabis mandates, working with a spectrum of global as well as regional clients including investors, high profile individuals, significant brands, and financial institutions. Anita Famili Sabine leads the department and is located in Los Angeles, possessing great experience on FDA matters, media agreements, and joint ventures.

Real estate Tier 4

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is particularly active in the burgeoning cannabis and CBD industry, helping multistate operators, owners and investors in partnerships, land permitting and ground leases. In the Silicon Valley office, Michael Polentz leads the practice and is experienced in acquisitions, leasing, land use, development and construction. Los Angeles’ Anita Famili Sabine is recommended for financing, development, leasing and investment-related transactions nationwide.

Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes Tier 5

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP has thorough expertise in the entertainment and media, financial services, health care, manufacturing, retail and transportation industries. The team is also well-equipped to assist an assortment of clients across various sectors in arbitration, litigation, and trials. Ronald Turovsky leads the California-based team and is well-versed in all stages of commercial litigation pertaining to trade secrets, unfair competition, and ERISA. Barry Lee is a standout commercial litigator who is experienced in jury and bench trails, he is also knowledgeable on a breadth of issues including antitrust and construction. Joanna Allen focuses on litigation matters for health plans, insurers, and numerous other managed care entities, while Kevin Dwight offers expertise across multiple sectors, including employment, financial services, and real estate.