Fenwick & West LLP represented Viacom (NYSE: VIA) and its subsidiary Paramount Pictures as special tax counsel in Paramount's recently announced $1.6 billion acquisition of the DreamWorks SKG studio founded by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. The deal brings Paramount key assets, including all of DreamWorks' current projects in development, an ongoing production partnership with Steven Spielberg and David Geffen, an exclusive distribution agreement with DreamWorks, and exclusive rights to future DreamWorks Animation characters in TV shows. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2006.
The Fenwick & West tax team included partners David Forst, James Fuller and Jennifer Fuller, and associates Catherine Curtiss, Andy Kim and Larissa Neumann.
Fenwick & West provides comprehensive legal services to high technology and life sciences clients of national and international prominence. The firm was ranked by MergerMarket as the #1 U.S. Legal Advisor for Technology Industry M&A in 2004. The Fenwick & West Tax Group is one of only seven law firm tax groups in the United States to receive the First Tier rating by International Tax Review for 2006.