UK Entertainment Attorney Robb Klein Joins Sheppard Mullin Century City

LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - April 2, 2008) - Robb Klein has joined the Century City office of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP as special counsel in the firm's Entertainment & Media practice group. Klein was most recently a partner in the Media & Communications Group of leading European law firm SJ Berwin in London.

Klein specializes in film and television financing, production and distribution, merchandising and the licensing of rights and new media. He has worked on the financing and production of numerous feature films, from small independent movies to studio blockbusters. Recent films include "Manolete," "PS I Love You," "Love in the Time of Cholera" and "Basic Instinct 2." Klein has also worked on numerous tax-driven deals, and specializes in structuring international co-productions. His work for financiers includes representing banks, entrepreneurs, tax funds and hedge funds, often involving secured lending and complex multi-party financing arrangements.

Klein also advises companies on their online business arrangements, from terms and conditions to commercial supply and advertising agreements, and on mobile content licensing. He has represented both content owners and mobile platform operators. He also advises computer games developers in their dealings with publishers and on other types of software licensing.

Klein has worked on many significant corporate deals in the media sector including IPOs and acquisitions of companies in the film, television, music, computer games, mobile and video on demand sectors.

"We have worked with Robb through the years and we're thrilled to have him on board in LA now. His international industry experience is an excellent complement to the global matters which we handle," said Bob Darwell, chair of the firm's Entertainment & Media practice group. "Robb's depth of experience in film and television finance, online and mobile business transactions, and corporate deals is a perfect fit for our practice group, which crosses over all areas of the entertainment industry and intersects with the technology sector."

Commented Klein, "Sheppard Mullin has built a world-class Entertainment practice and I am excited about joining Bob and the team in Century City. I am very impressed by the breadth of industry work they handle and their top-notch Hollywood client list."

Klein's clients include UK producers (Holy Cow Films, West Eleven Films), European producers (Lola Films, Ilion Studios) and large U.S. independents (Mandalay Pictures, Alcon Entertainment). His work for financiers has included representing banks (Comerica), entrepreneurs (Infatrade), tax funds (Ernst & Young, Future Films) and hedge funds (120dB Films LLC).

Klein graduated, with honors, from The College of Law, Chester (UK) in 1990 and earned an LLB (Hons) from Manchester University (UK) in 1989.

Entertainment litigation partner James E. Curry also joined Sheppard Mullin's Century City earlier this week. The firm has 40 attorneys based in its Century City office and the Entertainment & Media practice group includes more than 50 attorneys firmwide.

About Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

Sheppard Mullin is a full service AmLaw 100 firm with more than 520 attorneys in 10 offices located throughout California and in New York, Washington, D.C. and Shanghai. The firm's California offices are located in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Century City, Orange County, Del Mar Heights and San Diego. Founded in 1927 on the principle that the firm would succeed only if its attorneys delivered prompt, high quality and cost-effective legal services, Sheppard Mullin provides legal counsel to U.S. and international clients. Companies turn to Sheppard Mullin to handle a full range of corporate and technology matters, high stakes litigation and complex financial transactions. In the U.S., the firm's clients include more than half of the Fortune 100 companies. For more information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.

Contact Information: CONTACT: ROBB KLEIN (310) 228-2248 RALPH RICHARDSON (213) 617-5542