For Christopher "Kit" Kaufman and Tad Freese, the $4 billion sale of Lucasfilm Ltd. to Walt Disney Co. was the culmination of a working relationship that lasted more than 20 years.

Kaufman and Freese are long-time partners in the corporate group at Latham & Watkins’ Menlo Park office. Freese, who has spent his entire career at Latham, first came to the firm as an associate working under Kaufman, and is now global co-chair of the corporate department.