Sarah Graham is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where she practices in the firm’s Corporate Department. She regularly represents private equity funds, strategic and financial investors, media and entertainment companies, technology companies, gaming companies, and other clients in various types of business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, investments and restructurings. Ms. Graham is a member of the following Gibson Dunn practice groups: Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity, Media, Entertainment and Technology, Betting and Gaming, and Sports Law.
Ms. Graham received her law degree from Columbia Law School, where she served as Notes Editor of the Columbia Law Review and was named a James Kent Scholar and a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Emory University, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
Ms. Graham was named among 2024’s 500 Leading Dealmakers in America by Lawdragon. She was also recognized by Variety on their list of the top dealmakers in Hollywood in 2023, as well as by The Best Lawyers in America® as One to Watch in Entertainment and Sports Law in each of 2022 and 2023. In addition, she was recognized for her Mergers and Acquisitions work, particularly in the Media and Gaming industries, in the 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation edition, an inaugural guide highlighting attorneys “who will define where the legal profession of our country goes” and whose “leadership will be called upon by businesses and individuals when they face their crossroads. She has also been named a Southern California Rising Star in mergers and acquisitions by Super Lawyers magazine.
Representative Transactions:*
- Berkshire Hathaway in various transactions, including its $37.2 billion acquisition of Precision Castparts Corp. and its $28 billion acquisition of H.J. Heinz Company.
- Platinum Equity Advisors in various transactions, including its $5.25 billion acquisition of Solenis and the combination of Solenis and Sigura Water valued at approximately $6.5 billion, its acquisition of PLI Holdings, Inc. and its acquisition of the water care business of Lonza AG.
- Contango Oil & Gas Company in its all-stock merger with KKR & Co’s Independence Energy, valued at $5.7 billion.
- The National Football League in is joint venture with Skydance Media to form Skydance Sports, a premier global multi-sports production studio.
- The independent directors of DreamWorks Animation in the company’s acquisition by NBCUniversal for $3.8 billion.
- Beats Electronics and Beats Music in the companies’ $3 billion sale to Apple.
- Fortress Investment Group in its acquisition of Vice Media, together with Soros Fund Management and Monroe Capital.
- Block, Inc. (formerly Square, Inc.) in its acquisition of a majority stake in Tidal, the streaming and entertainment platform founded by Jay-Z.
- The North Road Company, a global multi-genre film and TV studio founded by Peter Chernin, in its formation and the acquisition of the U.S. assets of Red Arrow Studios and the acquisition of Words + Pictures.
- Rich Paul in the sale of interests in Klutch Sports Group to United Talent Agency, and in the negotiation of arrangements for Rich Paul’s role as UTA’s Co-Head of Sports.
- Aubrey Drake Graham (artist Drake) and his affiliated entities in various joint venture and other transactions.
- SpringHill Entertainment, a production company founded by LeBron James, in a significant capital raise, restructuring and merger with Uninterrupted.
- James & Company in its sale to United Talent Agency.
- A Saudi Arabian investment fund in an investment in a large, independent film and television production company.
- Core Nutrition, LLC in its $525 million sale to Keurig Dr Pepper Inc.
- MGM Resorts International in a strategic joint venture with GVC Holdings for sports betting and online gaming.
- Ladder, LLC, a health and wellness company formed by LeBron James, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Main Street Advisors, in formation and financing matters.
- An internationally recognized artist in the sale of a significant portion of the artist’s publishing catalog, as well as strategic buyers of various music publishing catalogs.
- Main Street Advisors in various investments and other transactions.
- The Chernin Group in acquisition and investment transactions.
- The Tornante Company, the investment firm of Michael Eisner, in various media, entertainment and sports investments and acquisitions, including the acquisition of Portsmouth FC football club.
* Includes representations prior to Ms. Graham’s association with Gibson Dunn.
Capabilities
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Betting and Gaming
- Media, Entertainment, and Technology
- Private Equity
- Royalty Finance
- Sports Law
Credentials
Education:
- Columbia University - 2011 Juris Doctor
- Emory University - 2007 Bachelor of Arts
Admissions:
- California Bar
- Massachusetts Bar
- New York Bar