Nathaniel F. Sussman

Nathaniel F. Sussman

Nate Sussman is a transactional attorney who advises clients on corporate, commercial, and regulatory matters.

Mr. Sussman’s wide-ranging practice encompasses intellectual property and commercial counseling, mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financings, corporate governance, and securities regulation. He also has experience advising on consumer contracts, executive compensation, and the formation of funds and joint ventures.

Mr. Sussman has represented clients ranging from Fortune 500 corporations and global investment funds to emerging companies and well-known individuals. His representations have included Berkshire Hathaway, Intel Corporation, The Walt Disney Company, Universal Music Group, Oaktree Capital Management, Pacific Gas & Electric Company, and Edison International.

In addition to his broader practice, Mr. Sussman advises clients on the diverse array of legal issues that arise in connection with artificial intelligence. He serves as co-chair of MTO’s Generative AI Task Force and is a frequent public commenter on AI and the law.

Before joining MTO, Mr. Sussman worked in the Business Affairs department of Warner Bros. Television Studios and in the Cyber Crime Division of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Mr. Sussman earned his J.D. from the University of Southern California, where he graduated first in his class and served as executive articles editor on the Southern California Law Review. During law school, Mr. Sussman completed an externship with Judge George H. Wu of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and participated in USC Gould’s Small Business Clinic. He also holds an M.Sc. in philosophy from The London School of Economics and Political Science and a B.A. in political science from the University of Western Ontario.

Experience

Representative matters include advising:

Intellectual Property and Commercial Counseling

  • Intel Corporation in connection with patent licensing, technology transfers, and research and development partnerships.
  • The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in its loan of Thomas Gainsborough’s 18th century masterpiece, The Blue Boy, to The National Gallery, London.
  • A quantitative hedge fund in protecting its trade secrets and outlining a legal strategy for deploying proprietary artificial intelligence programs.
  • A non-profit biomedical research institute in licensing transactions and sponsored research collaborations with for-profit entities.
  • An entertainment company in outlining a non-fungible token (“NFT”) strategy for licensing and enforcing its copyrights and trademarks.
  • Leading content-streaming services in connection with commercial partnerships and consumer agreements.
  • A global social media platform in collaborating with artists to design and market products in e-commerce.
  • A well-known resort brand in registering and protecting its trademarks.

Mergers, Acquisitions, and Investments

  • Berkshire Hathaway Inc. in connection with its multi-staged acquisition of Pilot Flying J, one of the largest private companies in the United States.
  • Sean Parker in his transformative investment in Stability AI, a leading creator of generative AI models.
  • A subsidiary of Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A. de CV (FEMSA) in a number of strategic acquisitions.
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Company in its $973 million sale of transmission tower wireless licenses to SBA Communications.
  • A partnership in connection with the acquisition of a significant ownership stake in a Major League Baseball team.

Public and Private Financings

  • Berkshire Hathaway Inc. in over $13 billion of issuances of its registered public debt securities in U.S. and international currencies.
  • Edison International in a number of registered public offerings of its common and preferred stock.
  • iHeartMedia companies in a debt-exchange restructuring transaction to reduce iHeartCommunications, Inc.’s $5.2 billion of debt by approximately $500 million.
  • The Yucaipa Companies, an investment fund controlled by Ronald Burkle, in establishing and managing secured bank credit facilities for over $200 million.
  • Oaktree Capital Management in a private issuance of debt securities for approximately $200 million.

Corporate Governance and Securities Regulation

  • Berkshire Hathaway Inc. in connection with a range of public-company governance and securities law matters.
  • KB Home in connection with a range of public-company securities law matters.
  • Jack Dorsey in connection with Elon Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, Inc. (now known as X).
  • The James Campbell Company, a real estate company created by the heirs to the Estate of James Campbell, in connection with governance matters.
  • Numerous well-known founders and entrepreneurs in connection with complex public-company governance, capital structures, and disclosure matters.

Investment Funds

  • Oaktree Capital Management in connection with the structure and management of its investment fund complex.
  • BDT&MSD Partners in connection with the structure and management of its advisory and investment businesses.
  • A financial sponsor in its launch of a private, closed-end real estate fund with approximately $160 million in committed capital.
  • Several of the world’s largest family offices in connection with their formation, structure, management, operations, and transactions.

Publications

Trade Publications

Academic Research

  • “A Behavioral Theory of Robot Rights.” Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal 32 (2023): 113-1350.
  • “Chinese Legalism (法家) and the Concept of Law.” Jurisprudence 13, no. 3 (2022): 393-420.
  • “Quick Thinking: How Einstein Did (and Did Not) Refute the Ether Frame of Reference.” Synthese 199 (2021): 5995-6008.
  • “On Immigration, Information, and the New Jurisprudence of Federalism.” Southern California Law Review  93, no. 1 (2019).

Practice Areas

Industries

Education

  • University of Southern California (J.D., 2020), Order of the Coif

  • The London School of Economics and Political Science (M.Sc., 2017)

  • University of Western Ontario (B.A., 2016)

Bar Admissions

  • California

Experience

Representative matters include advising:

Intellectual Property and Commercial Counseling

  • Intel Corporation in connection with patent licensing, technology transfers, and research and development partnerships.
  • The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in its loan of Thomas Gainsborough’s 18th century masterpiece, The Blue Boy, to The National Gallery, London.
  • A quantitative hedge fund in protecting its trade secrets and outlining a legal strategy for deploying proprietary artificial intelligence programs.
  • A non-profit biomedical research institute in licensing transactions and sponsored research collaborations with for-profit entities.
  • An entertainment company in outlining a non-fungible token (“NFT”) strategy for licensing and enforcing its copyrights and trademarks.
  • Leading content-streaming services in connection with commercial partnerships and consumer agreements.
  • A global social media platform in collaborating with artists to design and market products in e-commerce.
  • A well-known resort brand in registering and protecting its trademarks.

Mergers, Acquisitions, and Investments

  • Berkshire Hathaway Inc. in connection with its multi-staged acquisition of Pilot Flying J, one of the largest private companies in the United States.
  • Sean Parker in his transformative investment in Stability AI, a leading creator of generative AI models.
  • A subsidiary of Fomento Económico Mexicano, S.A. de CV (FEMSA) in a number of strategic acquisitions.
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Company in its $973 million sale of transmission tower wireless licenses to SBA Communications.
  • A partnership in connection with the acquisition of a significant ownership stake in a Major League Baseball team.

Public and Private Financings

  • Berkshire Hathaway Inc. in over $13 billion of issuances of its registered public debt securities in U.S. and international currencies.
  • Edison International in a number of registered public offerings of its common and preferred stock.
  • iHeartMedia companies in a debt-exchange restructuring transaction to reduce iHeartCommunications, Inc.’s $5.2 billion of debt by approximately $500 million.
  • The Yucaipa Companies, an investment fund controlled by Ronald Burkle, in establishing and managing secured bank credit facilities for over $200 million.
  • Oaktree Capital Management in a private issuance of debt securities for approximately $200 million.

Corporate Governance and Securities Regulation

  • Berkshire Hathaway Inc. in connection with a range of public-company governance and securities law matters.
  • KB Home in connection with a range of public-company securities law matters.
  • Jack Dorsey in connection with Elon Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, Inc. (now known as X).
  • The James Campbell Company, a real estate company created by the heirs to the Estate of James Campbell, in connection with governance matters.
  • Numerous well-known founders and entrepreneurs in connection with complex public-company governance, capital structures, and disclosure matters.

Investment Funds

  • Oaktree Capital Management in connection with the structure and management of its investment fund complex.
  • BDT&MSD Partners in connection with the structure and management of its advisory and investment businesses.
  • A financial sponsor in its launch of a private, closed-end real estate fund with approximately $160 million in committed capital.
  • Several of the world’s largest family offices in connection with their formation, structure, management, operations, and transactions.

Publications

Trade Publications

Academic Research

  • “A Behavioral Theory of Robot Rights.” Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal 32 (2023): 113-1350.
  • “Chinese Legalism (法家) and the Concept of Law.” Jurisprudence 13, no. 3 (2022): 393-420.
  • “Quick Thinking: How Einstein Did (and Did Not) Refute the Ether Frame of Reference.” Synthese 199 (2021): 5995-6008.
  • “On Immigration, Information, and the New Jurisprudence of Federalism.” Southern California Law Review  93, no. 1 (2019).

Practice Areas

Industries

Education

  • University of Southern California (J.D., 2020), Order of the Coif

  • The London School of Economics and Political Science (M.Sc., 2017)

  • University of Western Ontario (B.A., 2016)

Bar Admissions

  • California