O’Melveny Nabs Morgan Lewis Entertainment Finance Lawyers

O’Melveny & Myers nabbed two entertainment finance lawyers as partners as it continues to bolster its corporate finance practice.

Terrence L. Dugan and Christopher A. Owens specialize in representing major lenders and investors. These include banks and investment funds in credit and M&A transactions involving entertainment industry players ranging from film studios to record labels.

“Terry and Chris have frontline experience arranging some of the biggest entertainment transactions in recent years, and we’re delighted to welcome them aboard,” said Bradley J. Butwin, O’Melveny’s chair.

“Our goal is to provide our clients with unmatched service in New York corporate finance, and entertainment and media finance is a key area for us,” he said.

O’Melveny has practiced entertainment law since the 1930s.

Dugan had worked for Morgan, Lewis & Bockius for more than 15 years. He focused on media and entertainment, representing banks and private equity funds in financing and acquisition of motion picture and music.

Morgan Lewis had no immediate response to his departure.

Dugan said he hoped to use his experience, which has included representing a senior lender in the bankruptcy workout of French motion picture company EuropaCorp. S.A., to attract more clients. The company, founded by noted director Luc Besson, filed for bankruptcy last year after a series of poor performing films.

“O’Melveny has an existing, long-standing entertainment practice on the West Coast, which we want to use as a platform to broaden our client base,” Dugan said.

“The goal is to take Wall Street finance and join it with the entertainment practice at O’Melveny,” he added.

O’Melveny’s expansion of its corporate practice in New York has also included aviation finance partner Jason Kaplan and returning corporate finance partner Jeff Norton.