Susan Zuckerman Williams

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT SUSAN ZUCKERMAN WILLIAMS

Susan Williams is chair of the Paul Hastings Entertainment and Media Finance group in the firm’s Century City office.Highly regarded as one of the entertainment industry’s top dealmakers, Ms. Williams is frequently sought to represent both domestic and international clients on some of their most significant finance and restructuring transactions. Ms. Williams is recognized for her expertise in structuring and advising both on the legal and business aspects of major transactions worldwide, including cutting-edge digital media financing and distribution transactions. Ms. Williams represents financial institutions, senior, mezzanine, and equity funds, independent production companies, and high-net-worth individuals in a wide variety of capital transactions involving film and television content. She handles numerous transactions involving new and emerging distribution platforms and represents companies at the intersection of entertainment, media, and technology in various content transactions, including distribution and co-financing agreements with major studios and with international distribution companies. She has extensive experience in tax incentive transactions and successfully guiding secured creditors through the unique issues surrounding entertainment and media assets in bankruptcy. Widely recognized as one of the most influential women in Hollywood, Ms. Williams has been named multiple times to The Hollywood Reporter’s annual “Power Lawyers” list of the 100 most influential entertainment attorneys in America, has been repeatedly recognized in Variety’s annual “Dealmakers Impact,” “Legal Impact,” and “Women’s Impact” issues, and has been repeatedly named among the Daily Journal’s Top Women Lawyers. She is ranked Band 1 by Chambers USA in California Media & Entertainment, where clients note that she is “an incredibly knowledgeable attorney” and “a very skilled lawyer with deep experience and thought leadership in the entertainment sector.” Susan is also named one of the best lawyers in Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television by The Best Lawyers in America (20••••21).Beyond her legal accomplishments, Ms. Williams dedicates a significant portion of her time to mentoring and serving as a role model to the next generation of female lawyers. She is a partner advisor to the Paul Hastings Women’s Affinity Network whose mission is to promote inclusion, while providing various leadership, professional, and business development opportunities for women at the firm. She is also a regular speaker on promoting women in the legal profession.