Thomas Baxter, a partner in the Corporate & Financial Services Department, is a corporate lawyer who focuses on business transactions for private and public companies principally in the entertainment and media industry. His clients include media, entertainment, and technology companies, startups, private equity firms, entrepreneurs, high net worth individuals, celebrities, athletes, and influencers. He advises clients with respect to joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, licensing agreements, and endorsement deals, and regularly provides outside general counsel services to his clients. Thomas previously worked as in-house counsel for a Big Four entertainment studio on corporate matters, including joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and securities law compliance. Thomas also has in-depth experience in matters related to distribution, production, and finance of major films, TV studios, and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs).
Experience
- Variety, Legal Impact Report, 2023
- Super Lawyers, Rising Star, Southern California, 2013 - 2019
Thomas advised on the following significant matters*:
- Represented Panoramic Media in its sale of certain film, television and other projects to Miramax in connection with the appointment of Jonathan Glickman, founder of Panoramic Media, as CEO of Miramax.
- Represented actor Ryan Reynolds in connection with a sweat equity joint venture with Mint Mobile and the sale of his creative marketing agency, Maximum Effort Marketing, to a performance television platform
- Represented Gary Barber in connection with the relaunch of Spyglass Media Group
- Represented Spyglass Media Group in connection with the sale of over 200 feature film titles to Lionsgate and Lionsgate’s subsequent investment in Spyglass
- Represented numerous professional athletes and A-list celebrities in connection with endorsement and "sweat equity" deals
- Represented a top entertainment company in the formation of a strategic joint venture and in numerous corporate governance matters
- Represented a European reality television company in the formation of, and investment, in a North American joint venture
- Represented a major entertainment company in the formation of, and investment in, a television production company
- Represented a major studio in its investment in, and strategic partnership with, a well-known television producer
- Assisted a top media company with its formation, organization, and financing, and with various investments and corporate governance matters
- Represented a global technology company in the sale of a transactional streaming service
- Represented numerous Big Four studios in connection with financing, distribution, and production agreements
- Represented numerous MVPDs in carriage transactions with content providers and retransmission agreements with broadcasters
- Represented numerous regional sports networks in the acquisition of local media rights for various professional sports teams
*Thomas advised on these matters prior to joining Willkie.
Credentials
Education
Loyola Law School, J.D. (magna cum laude), 2009 Loyola Marymount University, M.B.A. (summa cum laude), 2009 Florida State University, B.S. (magna cum laude), 2003