Loeb & Loeb has added to its entertainment transaction capabilities, bringing on former Irell & Manella partner Paul Swanson to chair its entertainment finance practice.

Swanson, who joined Loeb's Los Angeles office as a partner on Monday, focuses his practice on national and diversified corporate, intellectual property and entertainment-related financing transactions.

“It just a great opportunity for me to expand my practice with a firm that has been in the entertainment business for many years, and has that amazing brand platform when it comes to all types of entertainment,” Swanson said.

Swanson joined Irell in an of counsel position in 2014, and was promoted to partner last year. Before joining Irell, he spent 10 years at Los Angeles-based boutique Liner LLP, which merged with DLA Piper in 2017.

In his practice, Swanson has negotiated complex financings for the production and distribution of media, including motion pictures, television programs, video games and digital content. He also represents financial institutions, investment banks, independent production companies, producers and others in structuring and administering multitranche debt and equity credit facilities and other financings.

“Paul has a very sophisticated practice in the entertainment finance area,” Scott Edel, chairman of Loeb & Loeb's entertainment practice, said. “As I looked for opportunities to bolster our entertainment practice, I identified Paul as someone we would like to have join us.”

According to Edel, Los Angeles-based Loeb & Loeb has over 30 lawyers in its entertainment practice firmwide, and half a dozen lawyers in the entertainment finance practice. While Loeb & Loeb saw an entertainment team in Los Angeles depart last year for Paul Hastings, the firm added entertainment industry veteran Michael Helfant last July as of counsel in the city. Helfant also continues to lead Los Angeles-based production and financing company Amasia Entertainment as its CEO.

In August, Loeb & Loeb also set up shop in San Francisco after adding a six-lawyer trusts and estates team from Cooley.

In a statement on behalf of the firm, a representative for Irell said, “We have greatly enjoyed working with Paul over the last several years and wish him the very best as he embarks on this next chapter of his career.”

As for Irell & Manella, the 106-lawyer firm this week picked up trial lawyer Alex Romain from Los Angeles-based litigation boutique Hueston Hennigan.