Kirkland & Ellis announced today that top sports attorney Frank Saviano has joined the Firm as a partner in the Sports Group. “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Frank, one of the nation’s leading sports transactional lawyers, and bring his experience to bear for our clients,” said Jon A. Ballis, Chairman of Kirkland’s Executive Committee. “We continually aim to have the top talent on our platform to meet clients’ needs, and the sports and entertainment industry has been a rapidly growing focus for private capital investors.” Mr. Saviano advises on complex, business-critical corporate matters across the sports and media industries. He represents a broad range of clients, including private capital firms, strategic companies, professional teams and owners, sports leagues, financial institutions, media networks and companies operating at the intersection of sports and adjacent sectors. Mr. Saviano joins from Latham & Watkins LLP, where he was a partner. “Kirkland provided a compelling opportunity to join a premier platform and a team of exceptional lawyers who are helping shape the future of the sports industry,” said Mr. Saviano. “This is an exciting time for the sports industry as the range of transactions and investors continues to diversify, creating new avenues for capital and growth. The firm is perfectly positioned to assist these clients, and I am glad to be part of this team.” Kirkland’s Sports Group advises leading asset managers at the forefront of institutional investment in the sports industry, transforming the landscape of team ownership and league dynamics. The practice represents teams, owners and investor groups in their most complex and high-stakes legal and commercial matters. Beyond ownership, the practice brings deep experience across the broader sports ecosystem, from media and technology innovation to real estate development and capital expansion projects, as well as litigation and dispute resolution. “Frank is a top performer in the sports transactions space and extremely well respected,” said Michael Considine, a Kirkland corporate partner. “We are delighted to bring him on board as demand for this work continues to accelerate. We work with clients across virtually every sport and in all aspects of their life cycle. Frank’s experience will strengthen and complement our sports transactions team effortlessly.”