Mr Robert Freeman > Proskauer Rose LLP > New York, United States > Lawyer Profile
Proskauer Rose LLP Offices
11 TIMES SQUARE
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10036-8299
NEW YORK
United States
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Mr Robert Freeman
Work Department
CORPORATE
Position
Robert E. Freeman is a partner in Proskauer’s Corporate Department, co-head of the Technology, Media & Telecommunications Group and a member of the Sports Law Group.
For over two decades, Rob has helped to structure and negotiate the transactions that shape the way consumers access and view content. As the co-head of Proskauer’s TMT group, Rob leads a team of attorneys focused on media, sports, entertainment and technology, representing clients such as Warner Bros. Discovery, Cox Communications, AMC Networks, The Big Ten Conference, TMRW Sports, ForgeLight, DISH/Sling, Hulu, NBA Media and NFL Media, among many others. Rob’s work for these clients includes a broad array of corporate transactions ranging from the negotiation of complex media and sports rights and content distribution agreements, including over both traditional (e.g., cable, satellite, telco) and digital (e.g., Internet, wireless) platforms, to the creation of joint ventures, strategic alliances and complex commercial licensing arrangements and industry-specific mergers and acquisitions. Most recently, Rob also has advised multiple clients on first-of-their-kind transactions related to sports betting.
Recent examples of Rob’s work include representing ForgeLight LLC in its acquisition of a majority stake in Univision Holdings, Inc, the leading Hispanic media company in the U.S.; Discovery in its $2 billion+ joint venture with the PGA Tour to form “GOLFTV” and subsequent acquisitions of Golf Digest and Golf Channel Latin America; Cox Communications in the negotiation of the largest content acquisition deal in Cox’s history with The Walt Disney Company, which included all of Disney’s cable networks, ABC’s broadcast stations, and the ESPN family of programming services; and The Stars Group in its groundbreaking partnership with FOX Sports, which included the launch of sports betting platform FOX Bet and an equity investment by FOX of over $240 million in The Stars Group.
Rob is a frequent lecturer on sports, media, intellectual property, licensing, emerging technology, digital rights and sponsorship issues and is the editor of Proskauer’s “Three Point Shot” sports e-newsletter. He is a longtime member of the Board of Directors of the T. Howard Foundation, whose mission is to increase diversity in the media and entertainment industries. Rob has also chaired the Golf Committee for the March of Dimes’ annual golf outing in the NYC area.
Lawyer Rankings
United States > Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional
The New York-based team at Proskauer Rose LLP advises on high-profile M&A , OTT launches and distribution deals for the likes of Warner Bros, Discovery, Hulu and iHeartMedia. Practice co-head Robert Freeman ‘s detailed knowledge of the media and entertainment side of M&A deals makes him a valuable corporate asset. Fellow co-head Lauren Boglivi is another M&A expert who recently represented Homecare Homebase LLC in its acquisition of CellTrak Technologies. Co-head Sandra Crawshaw-Sparks divides her time between New York and Los Angeles and focuses her bi-coastal practice on music litigation and transactional matters. Also in New York, Jeffrey Neuburger is a blockchain specialist who is handling a range of matters for Miramax related to a a collection of NFTs, while filmmaker-turned-lawyer Wai Choy is another name to note who is also leading on the Miramax NFT matter.
United States > Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions
Proskauer Rose LLP has a full service offering which encompasses standalone e-commerce, content production and distribution, rights and licensing arrangements, as well as corporate support on M&A, joint ventures and financings. Its lawyers’ expertise covers a broad range of areas, and they are particularly active in sports, media and entertainment, blockchain, biometrics and big data. Notable recent highlights include advising Sony Electronics on its collaboration with Theta Labs to launch 3D non-fungible tokens. Jeffrey Neuburger and Robert Freeman jointly lead the team from New York. Partner Wai Choy is developing a strong name in this area and co-founded the firm’s blockchain group.
Lawyer Rankings
- Media and entertainment: transactional United States > Media, technology and telecoms
- Technology transactions United States > Media, technology and telecoms
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: design
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Venture capital and emerging companies
- Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions)
- Labor and employment > Labor-management relations
- Intellectual property > Copyright
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market ($500m-999m)
- Industry focus > Sport
- Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
Firm Rankings
- Media, technology and telecoms > Advertising and marketing: litigation
- Insurance > Advice to policyholders
- Investment fund formation and management > Alternative/hedge funds
- Intellectual property > Copyright
- Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional
- Labor and employment > ERISA litigation
- Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes
- Tax > International tax
- Tax > Not-for-profit (nonprofit and tax exempt organizations)
- Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital)
- Real estate > Real estate
- Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs)
- Tax > US taxes: non-contentious
- Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection)
- Labor and employment > Immigration
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation
- Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate
- Antitrust > Civil litigation/class actions: defense
- Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense
- Environment > Environment: transactional
- Healthcare > Life sciences
- Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: transactional
- Investment fund formation and management > Mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+)
- Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)
- Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
- Healthcare > Service providers
- Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions
- Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
- Intellectual property > Trademarks: litigation
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: large deals ($1bn+)
- Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers
- Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)
- Finance > Commercial lending