Two recent alumni returned to UCLA Law on October 2 to give students an overview of a typical media and entertainment private M&A deal from start to finish. Roey Gilberg '14 and Cat Zhang '17, associates at Sidley Austin, made their presentation as part of the Supplemental Practical Legal Education (SPLE) program offered by the Ziffren Center.

Outlining a typical transaction from the buyer side, the alumni brought with them sample documents for students to analyze. In their hour-long presentation, Gilberg and Zhang addressed all steps of a deal, from preliminary actions to closing.

Gilberg and Zhang explained that the due-diligence review is the heart of a junior associate’s responsibilities. The goal of a due-diligence review is to identify potential issues, risks and red flags associated with the target company. They said the work of a junior associate at this stage can change the trajectory and price of a deal. Other responsibilities of junior associates include drafting transaction documents and ancillary agreements, and organizing signature pages. At the conclusion of the event, the panelists availed themselves to students who wished to ask more questions.