Draft:Lawrence "Larry" Waks
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Lawrence "Larry" Waks (born October 10, 1964) is an American entertainment lawyer known for his representation of high-profile celebrities and brands in complex business transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, and endorsement deals. With a background in finance and law, Waks has been instrumental in landmark deals for celebrity-owned brands like Casamigos Tequila and Aviation Gin, among others. His expertise spans intellectual property, brand strategy, and investment, making him a sought-after legal advisor in the entertainment and consumer products industries.
Early Life and Education
[edit]Waks was born and raised in the Westchester area of Miami, Florida to a Cuban mother and a French father. He grew up in a multilingual household as the eldest of three siblings. French is his first language, but learned to speak fluent English, Spanish, Russian, German in school and with his elders. Notably, his godfather was American sports agent and lawyer Bob Woolf who was a great influence in Larry's life and career trajectory.
Waks attended Ransom Everglades School in Coconut Grove /Miami Florida before beginning his higher education as a Geology and Environmental Studies major earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Trinity University and subsequently his J.D. degree from St Mary's University. In addition, he earned a Post Graduate Degree in Finance and Accounting from Southern Methodist University (SMU).
Career
[edit]Early Career
[edit]Waks initially worked in the energy sector, representing major oil and commodity trading companies around the globe living in Bolivia, Argentina, London, Paris and Anchorage before transitioning into entertainment law.
Transition to Entertainment Law
[edit]Waks then moved to New York City where he focused more on the entertainment and consumer products industries. He gained experience representing all forms of entertainment clients from record labels, publishing companies and film studios to individual artists, merchandising companies and cable networks throughout the United States and in foreign countries. As a litigator, he handled lawsuits involving antipiracy, antibootlegging, and other intellectual property issues, including copyrights, trade secrets, and trademark disputes, in addition to libel and privacy matters. As a transactional lawyer, Waks negotiated agreements with record labels, film studios, content providers, cable and broadcast networks, electronic game companies, and fashion companies among others.
Moving Into Brand Representation
[edit]Waks has represented clients in several high-profile transactions, including George Clooney, Rande Gerber, and Mike Meldman in the $1 billion sale of Casamigos to Diageo in 2017,[1] the sale of Patrón to Bacardi for $5.1 billion in 2018,[2] the sale of Aviation American Gin, where Ryan Reynolds served as brand ambassador and an owner to Diageo in 2020,[3] the launch and expansion of Dwayne Johnson's Teremana Tequila. He also worked on the sale of Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey for Conor McGregor to Proximo Spirits,[4][5] the sale of Jay-Z's 50% stake in champagne brand, Armand de Brignac, to LVMH in 2021,[6] the investment of Proximo in JAJA Tequila in 2021,[7] the launch of Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre ready-to-drink (RTD), Gin and Juice[8] as well as their Still G.I.N.,[9] the joint venture between Beyoncé and LVMH Moët Hennessy in 2024.[10], the launch of Matthew McConaughey's Pantalones Tequila[11] in 2024. His role often extends beyond legal representation to advising on business strategy, brand partnerships, and investments.
Personal Life
[edit]Waks is married to film producer, Terri Piñon, and is the father of two children, Andrew and Brooke. Outside of his professional life, Waks is a talented bass player and continues to play music in his spare time. He is also a United States Coast Guard licensed sailboat Captain.
References
[edit]- ^ Hopkins, Amy (June 21, 2017). "Diageo splashes US$1bn on Casamigos Tequila". The Spirits Business.
- ^ Carruthers, Nicola (April 30, 2018). "Bacardi completes Patrón Tequila acquisition". The Spirits Business.
- ^ Picchi, Aimee (August 17, 2020). "Ryan Reynolds' Aviation Gin sold to Diageo for up to $610 million - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com.
- ^ Carter, Gary (April 29, 2021). "Conor McGregor Nets Up To $600 Million In Sale Of Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey". The Whiskey Wash.
- ^ Smith, Christian (April 28, 2021). "Conor McGregor sells majority of Proper No. Twelve to Proximo Spirits". The Drinks Business.
- ^ Wiener-Bronner, Danielle (February 22, 2021). "Jay-Z sells half of his Champagne brand to owner of Dom Pérignon | CNN Business". CNN.
- ^ Abdulla, Hannah (October 20, 2021). "Proximo Spirits partners with Jaja Tequila for production and global distribution".
- ^ "Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg Launch Ready to Drink Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop" (Press release).
- ^ Madsen, Miona (October 16, 2024). "Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg launch gin". The Spirits Business.
- ^ Holland, Oscar (August 22, 2024). "Beyoncé launches whiskey inspired by 'moonshiner' great-grandfather". CNN.
- ^ "Matthew and Camila McConaughey's New Spirits Brand Gives Tequila "A Kick in the Pants"". The Hollywood Reporter. 25 October 2023.