White & Case Advises Kobalt on Agreement to Divest AWAL and Neighbouring Rights Businesses to Sony Music Entertainment

Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised Kobalt Music Group Limited on an agreement to divest its recorded music operations, including AWAL, a leading provider of services to independent recording artists, and Kobalt Neighbouring Rights, its global neighbouring rights agent, to Sony Music Entertainment.

AWAL and Neighbouring Rights will become a new division within Sony Music Entertainment's independent artist and label services offerings.

White & Case has previously advised Kobalt, an independent rights management and publishing company, on acquisitions, fundraising activities and corporate matters.

The White & Case team that advised on the transaction was led by partners Michael Immordino, Daniel Turgel and Monica Holden (all London), who advised on the M&A aspects, and included:

• M&A associates Mark Richardson, Christian Holbrook, Nick Crawford and Francis Brown (all London) and Fabrizia Faggiano (Milan).
• Antitrust aspects were led by partners George Paul (Washington, DC) and Axel Schulz (Brussels) and associates Daniel Rosenthal and Alexander Andresian (Washington, DC) and Jan Jeram (Brussels).
• Tax aspects were led by partners Will Smith (London) and Steven Gee (New York) and associate Alexander Miles-Dinham (London).
• Employment aspects were led by partners Nicholas Greenacre (London) and Tal Marnin (New York) and associates Kate Russell (London) and DeVoia Stewart (New York).
• Intellectual Property and Data, Privacy & Cybersecurity aspects were led by partners Philip Trillmich and Tim Hickman (both London).

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