Jim Russell

Jim Russell is a Partner in Dentons' Business Law, Entertainment Law and Banking and Finance groups in the Toronto office, specialising in Entertainment Law. He focuses on debt and equity financing across several industries, with particular expertise in production financing, corporate and syndicated financing, international and inter-provincial co-productions and co-ventures, and copyright. He has extensive experience in safeguarding intellectual property and negotiating documentation related to the structuring of production companies and entertainment ventures, as well as in the financing, production and exploitation of film, television and transmedia works.

Jim has advised Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. on numerous landmark transactions, including its separation of the traditional studios business from Starz Entertainment by way of plan of arrangement, the launch of Lionsgate Studios Corp. on NASDAQ which raised US$350 million, and its US$4.4 billion acquisition of Starz. He also advised Lions Gate on the acquisition of Entertainment One Ltd. from Hasbro Inc. In his financing practice, he advises on a variety of lending, credit and investment structures, including syndicated banking and loan transactions, copyright security and production financing. He has also acted for BMO on Blue Ant Media Corporation's acquisition of Thunderbird Entertainment Group and its go-public reverse takeover transaction.

Jim holds an LL.B. from the University of Toronto (1992) and a B.A. from the University of Western Ontario (1989).

He was named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers for Entertainment Law in Toronto (2013) and received the Lexpert Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40 award (2007). He is recognised by Chambers Canada, The Legal 500 Canada, The Best Lawyers in Canada and The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory for Entertainment Law.