Firm Profile > Proskauer Rose LLP > New York, United States

Proskauer Rose LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Industry focus > Sport Tier 1

Proskauer Rose LLP is home to one of the premier sports practices in the nation, and is frequently instructed by all four major sports leagues and several major franchises, along with several large corporations who are looking to invest in the sports industry.  The practice is jointly chaired by New York-based Joseph Leccese and Bradley Ruskin, both well-regarded practitioners specialising in transactional and litigation work respectively. In addition to the firm's corporate and litigation practices in this area, which often handle league expansions, antitrust disputes, breach of contract allegations, acquisitions, and sponsorship deals, the firm also houses a prominent sports employment practice, which primarily advises leagues in relation to collective bargaining agreements and class action litigation. Frank Saviano is another key name within the firm's transactional practice, recently acting for the Big East athletic conference in connection with The University Of Connecticut rejoining the conference.

Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: design Tier 1

Proskauer Rose LLP maintains a market-leading employee benefits and executive compensation offering under the leadership of Paul Hamburger and Myron Rumeld, despite former practice head Rory Albert’s recent retirement. Household-name employers retain the team to handle the administration and design of 401(k) retirement plans, tax-exempt plans, equity and cash-based compensation strategy, and health and welfare programs – with Seth Safra being a key name for the latter. ERISA fiduciary compliance and advice on prohibited transactions for fund formation mandates are also strong points for the team. Large-scale defined benefit plan terminations are covered by Robert Projansky, while Andrea Rattner handles all securities and tax-related issues. On the multiemployer plan front, newly-promoted partner Anthony Cacace and Neal Schelberg act as fund counsel to some of the country’s largest multiemployer plan funds and fiduciaries; significant ongoing issues involve high-stakes withdrawal liabilities. The team is based in New York, with Hamburger being the main Washington DC contact.

Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions): defense Tier 1

Proskauer Rose LLP has a strong offering with practitioners who are deeply experienced in labor and employment related litigation, including trial and appellate cases. The team has established a strong reputation among companies, universities, professional sport leagues and law firms, and is headed up by Joseph Baumgarten and Neil Abramson, who both cover labor as well as employment disputes. Elise Bloom and Mark Batten are New York's and Boston's key contacts for class and collective actions respectively. Bettina Plevan has a longstanding career in the field, and Los Angeles' Anthony Oncidi is particularly well versed in handling media and entertainment clients. Other highlighted practitioners include Lloyd Chinn, Kathleen McKenna, Allan Bloom, Chicago's Nigel Telman and Steven Pearlman as well as Lawrence Sandak and Joseph O’Keefe in Newark, Los Angeles' Kate Gold and Nicole Eichberger in New Orleans. The department is particularly noted for its strong, junior bench with names such as Evandro Gigante, Adam Lupion, Keisha-Ann Gray and the recently promoted partner Rachel Philion as well as Guy Brenner in Washington DC and special counsel Jurate Schwartz in Boca Raton.

Labor and employment > Labor-management relations Tier 1

The team at Proskauer Rose LLP has established itself as a go-to practice in labor issues and enjoys a particularly strong standing in the US professional sports leagues but also in the education and media segments. The group covers all related matters, such as unions and collective bargaining, as well as litigation and arbitration proceedings. Neil Abramson, who has special expertise in the public sector, and labor claims specialist Joseph Baumgarten jointly lead the practice. Bernard Plum is well versed in collective bargaining, arbitration and strategic planning. Paul Salvatore impresses with more than 35 years of experience in the field. In Boston, the key contacts are Mark Batten and Scott Faust, while in the Los Angeles office, Mark Theodore is highlighted. Michael Lebowich, Howard Robbins, Adam Lupion and senior counsel Steven Porzio are also names to note. All individuals are based in New York except when stated otherwise.

Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling Tier 1

Proskauer Rose LLP has established itself as a go-to address for a multitude of companies, universities and sports institutions. Its broad practice covers compliance advice, trainings, internal investigations and assistance in government audits, among other matters. Noteworthy is also the team's engagement by other law firms in related mandates. The New York-based Neil Abramson and Joseph Baumgarten, who both have a comprehensive background in the field, lead the team. In the same office, Bettina Plevan stands out as an expert on discrimination, harassment and employee benefits matters. Mark Batten in Boston is regularly approached by clients to advise them on hiring, leaves, termination and the accommodation of disabilities. Guy Brenner, based in Washington DC, is a key contact for trade secrets and non-compete matters. Kate Gold bolstered the Los Angeles office, which is headed up by Anthony Oncidi, with her arrival in February 2019 from Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. Other prominent practitioners include Elise Bloom, Steven Hurd, Kathleen McKenna and Howard Robbins as well as Keisha-Ann Gray and Evandro Gigante in New York. Erika Collins left for Epstein Becker & Green, P.C. in August 2019.

Media, technology and telecoms > Advertising and marketing: litigation Tier 1

Proskauer Rose LLP remains one of the strongest names in the advertising litigation scene, with recent mandates including large-scale class actions in the pharmaceutical  and retail sectors. The firm also maintains a strong practice before the NAD, as well engaging in competitor versus competitor litigation under the Lanham act. The practice is jointly led from New York by veteran trial lawyer Lawrence Weinstein  and Brendan O’Rourke. Other key names within the team include Baldassare Vinti and Alexander Kaplan, both of whom have significant trial experience in the advertising space and practice from New York.  The firm leverages its strong position in other industries to the advantage of its advertising team, with a significant following in the sports industry. In addition to the strong senior contingent, the firm is home to two notable associates in Jeffrey Warshafsky and Jennifer Yang, with both developing a name in this field.

Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes Tier 2

Particularly strong representing Fortune500 companies and major sporting organisations, Proskauer Rose LLP is closely involved in high-profile MDL disputes such as the Johnson & Johnson 'talc tort' and Bayer's Roundup© litigation. In connection with the former, Bart Williams, Susan Gutierrez and Manuel Cachán are representing the pharmaceutical giant in a California trial against claims that the company's talcum powder products cause mesothelioma. Elsewhere, Robert Cleary and Bettina Plevan in New York represented The Metropolitan Opera in a defamation case brought by conductor-emeritus James Levine following claims of sexual harassment. IP litigation is another strength of the firm, especially for the pharmaceutical industry. In April 2019, Fangli Chen and Siegmund Gutman acted for Sanofi Pasteur in a patent dispute against Pfizer related to pneumococcal vaccines. Another key lawyer to note is chair of the litigation department Timothy Mungovan, who is heavily involved in litigation arising from the Puerto Rico bankruptcy. Regulatory specialists Seetha Ramachandran and Hadassa Waxman arrived in 2019 from Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP and the US Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York respectively. The practice also saw three partner promotions in November 2019.

Finance > Commercial lending

Proskauer Rose LLP has been one of the leading pioneers in the growth of the alternate lender market, with many major firms still playing catch up. The firm's foothold in mid-market, second-lien financings is demonstrated by its impressive workload for the direct lending arms of major funds such as Apollo, Ares, KKR, and The Carlyle Group. The highly rated co-heads of the private credit group, Steven Ellis and Stephen Boyko, divide their time between the firm's New York and Boston offices. Other key individuals in New York include global finance co-head Ron Franklin and leveraged finance head Justin Breen. The firm also has strong expertise advising private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers, and has good industry-specific knowledge in areas such as healthcare and life sciences, sports, technology, media, telecoms, and gaming.

Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 2

Proskauer Rose LLP's bankruptcy and restructuring practice distinguishes itself for the attention it devotes to corporate governance. This is particularly appreciated by independent directors who value this type of advice and instruct the firm in complex settlement negotiations. The team also represents borrowers, debtors, hedge funds, and lenders in matters of restructurings, Chapter 11 cases, transactions, and disputes. McKinsey Recovery & Transformation Services is a highlight which involved a significant litigation effort, dealt with by the firm's specialized insolvency and restructuring litigators. Co-head Martin Bienenstock took the lead role in this case. He is based in New York, while his counterpart Jeff Marwil is based in Chicago. Their team expanded in 2019 with the additions of Charles Dale in Boston from K&L Gates, and David Hillman in New York from Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP.

Industry focus > Insurance: advice to policyholders Tier 2

Proskauer Rose LLP’s insurance team is recommended for its ‘practical advice and excellent responsiveness’ and its ‘in-depth knowledge of the insurance industry across multiple lines of insurance.’ Those lines include general liability, D&O, property damage and business interruption, fiduciary liability, and commercial insurance such as financial guaranty insurance. The practice is best known for representing private equity and hedge fund firms. In this area John Failla, assisted by Nathan Lander, represented Sycamore Partners in a coverage dispute related to its investments in portfolio company Nine West. Seth Schafler has extensive experience in D&O and E&O coverage. Marc Rosenthal, based in Chicago, co-heads the practice with Failla. All other named lawyers are based in New York.

Intellectual property > Copyright Tier 2

Proskauer Rose LLP is known for representing big names in the music industry in high-profile copyright disputes. In a recent standout case, Sandra Crawshaw-Sparks defended the Estate of Bob Marley and Blackwell Fuller Music Publishing against a road manager for the singer in the 1970's who claimed to have written Marley's songs 'War' and 'Natty Dread'. Crawshaw-Sparks also worked alongside Alexander Kaplan for Sony in its dispute against an unnamed media company, which allegedly used unauthorized recordings by the client on 200 counts. Kaplan is based in New York, whereas Crawshaw-Sparks splits her time between New York and Los Angeles.

Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters) Tier 2

The service group at Proskauer Rose LLP is made up of experts from a number of disciplines, working seamlessly across the firm's offices in New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston. Key figures in the non-compete and trade secrets group include employee benefits and executive compensation partner Michael Album; John Barry, who has complementary experience in the higher education sector; litigator Steven Kayman; and Guy Brenner, who leads the Washington DC labor team. Another name to note in the trade secrets group is Anthony Oncidi in Los Angeles, who heads the firm's wider labor and employment practice. Named attorneys are based in New York unless stated otherwise.

Investment funds > Private equity funds (including venture capital) Tier 2

Proskauer Rose LLP represents a variety of funds and investors active across multiple industry sectors and geographies, and is also recognized for its experience and strength in international funds work. The firm advises on fund formation, fundraisings, and beyond, supporting its clients with internal governance, spin-outs, restructuring, and myriad regulatory issues. The team also works with emerging managers on the establishment and management of new funds. The practice is led by an experienced team of partners with varied expertise: Howard Beber works with clients across all stages of fund formation and management, representing long-established and emerging funds; Stephen Mears focuses on venture capital and growth equity funds, and also works with institutional investors; New York-based Chip Parsons has particular expertise in working with private credit and private equity sponsors including the Carlyle Group and JP Morgan Chase on fundraising and ongoing management; David Tegeler works primarily with asset managers on governance, restructuring, and secondary transactions; and Robin Painter advises sponsors on fund structuring, but also acts for institutional investors and advisors. All lawyers are based in Boston unless otherwise stated.

Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional Tier 2

Located in New York unless otherwise stated, the experts at Proskauer Rose LLP’s employee benefits and executive compensation practice regularly advise on IPOs, joint ventures, corporate restructurings and high-value M&A transactions. Andrea Rattner and Washington DC-based Paul Hamburger handle the full suite of deferred and equity-based compensation and benefit plan integrations, while Ira Bogner focuses on ERISA Title 1 guidance for fund formation mandates including REITs. Also in the funds space, Michael Album and Washington DC-based Josh Miller have a notable practice handling management buyouts on behalf of founders and portfolio managers in the private equity and hedge funds fields. Album, Miller and Los Angeles-based Colleen Hart also represent senior executives in high-value transactions involving significant equity incentives and tax considerations.

Labor and employment > ERISA litigation Tier 2

Proskauer Rose LLP’s ERISA litigation practice maintains a high profile by defending financial services clients in class action suits concerning their 401(k) investment plan management strategy; representative examples include New York-based Russell Hirschhorn’s representation of Wells Fargo in fiduciary breach allegations (a mandate which he took over from the recently retired practice co-head Howard Shapiro) concerning its $35bn plan. Also on this front, New York-based practice head Myron Rumeld is currently defending allegations of prohibited transaction violations involving proprietary investments. Another stand-out aspect of the team is its stock-drop litigation expertise, having obtained favourable results for plan sponsors in a number of cases before the Supreme Court.

Labor and employment > Immigration Tier 2

The 'exceptional' New York-based immigration and nationality practice at Proskauer Rose LLP is jointly led by David Grunblatt and Valarie McPherson, both of whom are highly rated by clients. The team is skilled in corporate immigration policies and global business matters, and has been involved in a litany of non-immigrant and immigrant visa matters for corporations and their business operations. Jennifer Wexler is also a name to note in the group; she has expertise representing domestic and international companies in the fashion and retail industry. The core client roster includes financial institutions, large corporations, non-profit organizations, and universities.

Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs) Tier 2

Proskauer Rose LLP is praised by clients for its ‘great experience and advice’. The team has a proven track record in IPOs, mergers and tender offers, equity and debt financing and joint ventures, operating across the spectrum of asset classes, including offices, retail and shopping malls, power centers, lodging, health care, data centers, industrial and self-storage facilities. Chicago-based Michael Choate is well versed in corporate governance issues and federal securities compliance matters; he jointly heads the practice with Steven Lichtenfeld, who is based in New York and is a go-to name for public offerings and private placement of debt and equity securities. The practice is geared towards the representation of non-traded REITs and has been particularly active in cross-border work.

Real estate > Real estate Tier 2

Proskauer Rose LLP is home to a ‘large and deep real estate practice’ noted for its ‘creativity, flexibility and legal knowledge’. The department’s expertise is split between real estate private equity and structured financing transactions, with particular expertise in transactions in the hospitality and leisure sectors. The practice group also represents multinational corporates and developers throughout all stages of the development process from land acquisitions and environmental diligence through to arranging dispositions. Contacts in New York include Ronald Sernau (‘excellent and creative’), Jeffrey Horwitz, Steven Lichtenfeld, David Weinberger and Perry Cacace. Another key figure is Michael Choate in the Chicago office. In addition to its real estate development and investment work, the team is also active in real estate M&A and has a strong Manhattan-focused commercial leasing practice. Clients have also recognized Eliska Krausova as a strong associate in the practice group.

Tax > Not-for-profit (nonprofit and tax exempt organizations) Tier 2

Proskauer Rose LLP combines 'highly skilled and dedicated attorneys with deep expertise in tax' with a strong full-service offering to advise not-for-profit organizations on a full range of tax, corporate, intellectual property, litigation, labor, and real estate matters. With particular expertise in the sports and healthcare sectors, the team counts New York City Ballet, Pac 12 and the Hospital for Special Surgery among its clients. Practice head Amanda Nussbaum and David Miller, who are both based in New York, have core strengths both in tax-exempt and corporate tax matters, and are names to note for transactions involving the consolidation of for-profit and non-for-profit organizations.

Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 2

The 'client friendly' team at Proskauer Rose LLP handles corporate tax matter for clients across a range of industries, including entertainment, sports and biotechnology. The team is also highly rated for its work in the financial services sector. Practice head Ira Bogner is noted for his expertise in executive compensation matters, as well as in the treatment of tax-exempt organizations. Amanda Nussbaum is 'fantastic' and has experience working with non-profit organizations, and is also active in structuring taxable and tax-free M&A. Martin Hamilton is known for his 'extremely careful and skilled' approach to matters relating to corporate and partnership taxation, and experienced partner David Miller is recognized for his expertise in the taxation of derivatives and financial products. The tax team, moreover, is crucial to the firm's wider fund formation practice.  All listed attorneys are based in New York.

Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense

Proskauer Rose LLP's team is jointly led by Robert Cleary, who is regularly instructed in international criminal matters including corruption and money laundering investigations and foreign extradition proceedings, and internal investigation expert Dietrich Snell. The group is noted for defending corporates and individuals in high-stakes government investigations and assisting with internal investigations, often resolving matters before they get to trial. The group expanded in 2019, bringing on AML expert Seetha Ramachandran from Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP and Hadassa Waxman from the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, where she built up prosecutorial experience in a variety of fraud, money laundering and cybercriminal cases. Lindsey Collins is developing exceptional work in the government and internal investigations space. All attorneys mentioned are based in New York.

Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 3

Proskauer Rose LLP has an extensive client base among issuers and their senior executives and board members and financial institutions for securities regulation and litigation. Among its clients are full-service and boutique brokerage firms, domestic and foreign investment banks, investment advisers, investment companies, business development companies, hedge funds, private investment funds, banks and securities issuers around the world. The firm has a 19-partner securities litigation and regulatory defense practice, led by Ann Ashton in Washington DC, where Ralph Ferrara is a standout practitioner for complex securities class and shareholder derivative actions. The firm also has securities litigators in New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Boca Raton. Gregg Mashberg, Joshua Newville and Jonathan Richman are the key partners in New York. 'The firm tries to find ways to get things done versus simply giving you a list of all the reasons that it can not be done', remarks a client.

Industry focus > Environment: transactional Tier 3

Proskauer Rose LLP handles the full range of environmental law matter in relation to M&A, real estate and financings transactions, and also provides standalone advice on environmental compliance, sustainability and climate change issues. Based in New York, the practice group is headed by Gail Port, a key contact for environmental law advice on corporate, financing and development transactions in heavily regulated industries, such as pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, telecoms and chemicals. Senior counsel Aliza Cinamon is also recommended; she advises on environmental liability and risk allocation issues, as well as public filing disclosures and environmental insurance products.

Industry focus > Healthcare: advice to service providers Tier 3

Proskauer Rose LLP is well known for acting as transactional counsel, and also handles healthcare employment matters, regulatory and compliance work, and private equity investments. Key names in the New York office include Edward Kornreich, who has extensive experience in regulatory counseling, and transaction-focused David Manko. Richard Zall left for King & Spalding LLP in January 2021.

Investment funds > Alternative/hedge funds Tier 3

The hedge funds team at Proskauer Rose LLP has a particularly strong reputation for start-up funds; in 2019 the firm assisted Antora Peak Capital Management with launching a $75m hedge fund, advised Aldinger Capital Management on a managed futures fund, and also acted for Jay Rao, a former Balyasny and Millenium portfolio manager, in launching a $400m hedge fund focused on the healthcare sector. The practice group is jointly headed by three partners: Christopher Wells, who has extensive experience in fund formation, including hybrid structures, seed investments, agreements among principals, and employment and compensation arrangements; Michael Mavrides a name to note for federal and state investment adviser registration, commodity pool operator and commodity trading adviser registration, and other compliance issues; and Robert Leonard, who advises institutional investors, family offices, and investment advisers, on structuring master-feeder, side-by-side and mini-master-feeder funds.

M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts Tier 3

With offices across key financial centers in the US and globally, Proskauer Rose LLP assists clients with leveraged buyouts, investments, and divestitures, working with funds active in a wide range of industries including chemicals, defense, and financial services. Clients include Blackstone and Ares Management, and alongside traditional funds, the practice works closely with alternative asset managers across the market, seeking to adapt to developments within the PE space. The practice also advises clients' portfolio companies on an ongoing basis from investment to exit. Jeffrey Horwitz is a key contact in the New York office. Michael Woronoff, Monica Shilling, Jonathan Benloulou, and Chris Wu left the firm for Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

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

Proskauer Rose LLP's New York-based team has experience in contentious and strategic data privacy matters. Margaret Dale represents clients in regulatory investigations and class action lawsuits, while Edward Kornreich and Jeffrey Neuburger have experience advising on regulatory issues in the healthcare and technology sectors, respectively. Kristen Mathews and associate Tiffany Quach moved to Morrison & Foerster LLP.

Media, technology and telecoms > Outsourcing Tier 3

Jointly led Robert Freeman and Jeffrey Neuburger, the New York team at Proskauer Rose LLP has a track record of representing both purchasers and vendors on a wide range of transactions. It helps at all stages of deals, assisting clients in asset management, healthcare and block chain technology sectors, and has a focus on the media and entertainment spaces. Neuburger has vast experience working on the tech aspects of large infrastructure projects and other key practitioners include life sciences expert Daryn Grossman and senior associate Wai Choy, who has experience leading on outsourcing deals in an array of sectors.

Tax > International tax Tier 3

Proskauer Rose LLP has a strong reputation for international transactions and business structuring matters, acting for private investment managers, REITs and multinational corporates. Contacts in New York include David Miller, Martin Hamilton and Amanda Nussbaum, who is advising the Los Angeles 2028 Organizing Committee on tax matters relating to its preparation for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Two names to note in Boston are Scott Jones and Arnold May, both of whom focus on tax planning for private equity managers. Ira Bogner chairs the tax department in New York; Katherine Napalkova in Los Angeles was promoted to partner in November 2019.

Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense Tier 4

Proskauer Rose LLP defends clients in domestic antitrust cases and displays niche expertise in the representation of agricultural cooperatives, for instance with regard to the Capper-Volstead Act's antitrust exemption. Other areas of focus range from financial services and healthcare to consumer products and particularly sports and sports leagues. Colin Kass and the 'extremely knowledgeable' Christopher Ondeck, both of whom work out of Washington DC, preside over the antitrust litigation group. Kass is involved in class actions, monopolization and competitor foreclosure cases, whereas Ondeck focuses in the defense of food and agriculture companies against antitrust conspiracy claims.

Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)

Proskauer Rose LLP’s ‘high-caliber professionals’ pride themselves on their ability to brief and present arguments at the appellate stage, but also on their extensive experience handling the trial stage of disputes. The practice is a popular choice among clients seeking representation in appeals involving labor and employment law, commercial issues, entertainment, and sports. Contacts in the New York office include Mark Harris, who leads the appellate group, and Myron Rumeld, a name to note for ERISA-related appeals. Recently promoted senior counsel John Roberts leads the Boston-based group. In a standout highlight at the First Circuit, a cross-practice team represented the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico in numerous appeals arising from the restructuring of the country’s debt.

Industry focus > Healthcare: life sciences Tier 4

Proskauer Rose LLP is particularly experienced in handling IP strategy, patent litigation and corporate transactions, with a notable strength in the biosimilar-related matters. Among its recent caseload, life sciences group chair Siegmund Gutman, who represents clients before trial and appellate courts as well as arbitration panels, acted for Amgen in high-profile patent litigation concerning Amgen's development and commercialization of a biosimilar to Genentech's Acastin. Fangli Chen and Steven Bauer are also recommended for patent infringement and trade secrets litigation. New York-based Robert Cantone and Daryn Grossman are contacts for corporate and financing transactions.

Intellectual property > Trademarks: litigation Tier 4

Proskauer Rose LLP's New York-based IP litigation practice is jointly led by Brendan O’Rourke and Lawrence Weinstein. O'Rourke is rated in particular for his ability to 'add value by analyzing a specific situation from a large number of angles'; he is particularly skilled in trying jury cases as well as obtaining emergent relief, acting for clients including Target, Novartis, Sandoz and Diageo, among others. Weinstein is particularly experienced in Lanham Act cases and consumer class actions, and acts for clients in a variety of industries, including fashion retail, medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

Investment funds > Mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds Tier 4

Proskauer Rose LLP represents registered funds and registered alternative asset managers, independent trustees and board members, and investment advisers in SEC relations, regulation, and compliance. The team also has a core focus on the formation and operation of BDCs. Stuart Coleman leads the practice, and advises on SEC examinations, exchange-traded fund formation, and litigation. David Stephens handles the structuring and formation of new investment products for major clients, including the BNY Mellon Family of Funds, and the independent board members of Legg Mason Partners Equity Funds. Also recommended are Nicole Runyan, who has expertise in BDCs and interval funds, and Bradford Green a contact for the formation of bespoke vehicles that provide access to retail and mid-tier high net-worth asset management platforms.

Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation Tier 4

Proskauer Rose LLP houses a practice with a strong track record in the music industry and with a strong roster of clients on the individual and corporate sides of the market. Copyright infringement makes up the lion's share of work within the practice; the team primarily defends prominent rights-holders, often in litigation brought by smaller artists or other industry professionals, as well as disputes between record labels alleging prior licensing of particular works. The team is led by Sandra Crawshaw-Sparks, who splits her time between the firm's New York and LA offices, and focuses primarily on copyright matters, though she also represents clients in trademark and contract law disputes. In addition to Crawshaw-Sparks' bicoastal practice, the New York office also provides a full-time home to another key figure within the team: copyright litigator Alexander Kaplan.

Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional Tier 4

Proskauer Rose LLP houses a practice which combines large-scale M&A transactions with advice on rights deals, distribution agreements, and strategic joint ventures in the broadcast space. The firm's leading sports practice bleeds over into their media work, with several recent broadcast deals concerning sports networks, such as the firm's work for fuboTV on its  content distribution agreement with NBCUniversal, as well as work for sports leagues on the broadcasting of their events, such as the Ivy League's ten-year rights deal with ESPN, which was handled by New York-based TMT practice head Robert Freeman. Freeman is a key figure in the firm's practice, along with private equity and M&A specialist Lauren Boglivi and IP specialist Sandra Crawshaw-Sparks. The firm is particularly experienced in issues involving OTT distribution, with several recent mandates in the streaming space for both distributors and content creators.

Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions Tier 4

The New York-based team at Proskauer Rose LLP regularly handles IT-related instructions from the media, retail and leisure industries, and has noted strength assisting an established client base of asset managers. The firm assists internet media company VerticalScope with a range of licensing, intellectual property and outsourcing agreements. Jeffrey Neuburger and Robert Freeman share leadership of the practice. Daryn Grossman, who was made managing partner in January 2020, is a key contact. Associate Wai Choy is also recommended.

Media, technology and telecoms > Telecoms and broadcast: transactional Tier 4

The interdisciplinary team at Proskauer Rose LLP handles a range of transactions in the telecoms and broadcast sectors, and has a specialism in internet broadcasting and content delivery in the sports sector. Other areas of strength include advising on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, financings, and licensing arrangements. It also has notable expertise in related IP issues. Robert Freeman heads the practice along with Jeffrey Neuburger, while Lauren Boglivi is the key contact for private equity clients. Sports law expert Frank Saviano and associate Wai Choy are other key team members.

M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+) Tier 5

Proskauer Rose LLP is active in upper-middle market and large-cap transactions in several key industries. The practice is especially active in deals involving unique assets and clients in regulated sectors, notably gaming, media, sports, life sciences and hospitality. These focuses necessitate close co-operation with the firm's tax and structuring practices. One standout deal over the past year was the sale of the Carolina Panthers to David Tepper for $2.2bn, an example of the firm's unique asset approach. The practice group is led by Ronald Papa in New York. Lauren Boglivi has also had a standout year, advising on many of the firm's high-profile deals, including the sale of the .org domain by the Public Interest Registry.

M&A/corporate and commercial > Venture capital and emerging companies

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

Tax > Financial products

Banking and finance > Banking and finance Tier 2

Proskauer Rose LLP's Latin America practice has a sizeable emphasis on banking and finance transactions. Much of this is centred in Sao Paulo where it has several senior banking and finance specialists covering pre-export finance, acquisition finance, project finance, syndicated term and revolving loans, hedging and derivatives, along with other financing products. It has close connections to a wide range of lenders, including Brazil-based and other Latin American banks. The Latin American team has also worked with a number of regional corporates, including those that have carried out major restructuring exercises. New York-based head of the Latin America practice Carlos Martinez is a multi-talented individual with deep experience in the region, including large corporate restructurings and cross-border financings. Head of the Sao Paulo office Antonio Piccirillo is a recognised banking and finance specialist, notably pre-export finance, syndicated loans, project finance, debt restructurings and securitizations. David Fenwick is also rated for pre-export and trade finance, and syndicated loans; he recently advised Itau Unibanco on its $100m term loan facility agreement with Standard Chartered and Wells Fargo, the first ever syndicated loan financing in Latin America structured on blockchain technology. Fabio Yamada is another prominent figure in pre-export and trade finance, along with restructurings and syndicated loans.

Corporate and M&A > Corporate and M&A Tier 3

Proskauer Rose LLP has a high level of senior Latin America M&A experience in its New York office, complemented by a large and well-established team in Sao Paulo. Many within the team are native Latin Americans. The firm has built an impressive client base of multilatinas, multinationals, financial institutions, and financial investors, with clients such as AccorHotels, BTG Pactual and Frontera Energy routinely turning to the firm for big-ticket deals. The group recently advised Brazilian financial services heavyweight BTG Pactual on the sale of its 40% interest in NASDAQ-traded Estre Ambienta. Head of the Latin America group Carlos Martinez has a significant focus on M&A, for both Latin American clients and other international businesses; he has worked on a series of deals for Frontera Energy over the years. M&A partner and fluent Spanish speaker Daniel Ganitsky is an experienced figure in cross-border deals, including a high proportion of Latin America-related transactions; BTG Pactual and Graña y Montero are among his clients. Antonio Piccirillo and Fabio Yamada provide further support from Sao Paulo. Named individuals are based in New York unless stated otherwise.