ABC Studios is locking down Pete Nowalk.

The Disney-owned studio has signed the How to Get Away With Murder creator to a three-year overall deal. The pact is Nowalk's first.

Under the pact, Shondaland disciple Nowalk will create and develop new projects for the studio and continue to serve as showrunner on the Viola Davis starrer.

Nowalk, who first attempted to write movies before television, drew the attention of Shondaland partner Betsy Beers with a spec script for Grey's Anatomy. Beers passed it along to Shonda Rhimes and Nowalk wound up with a job on Grey's spinoff Private Practice.

"Betsy Beers and Shonda Rhimes literally were Santa Claus for me," Nowalk told THR last in September ahead of Murder's debut. His work on Private — his first time in a writers' room — eventually led to writing opportunities on Grey's Anatomy and Scandal before he sold Murder to ABC with Shondaland producing. Davis went on to win the Emmy, among other awards, for her starring role. The series last year won an AFI Award for TV Program of the Year.

"We’re thrilled to extend our relationship with Pete. He’s been part of the ABC Studios family for a long time and created a hugely successful drama for us,” ABC Studios exec vp Patrick Moran said.

Nowalk is repped by UTA and Sloane Offer. 

Nowalk joins Rhimes, among others, with overalls at ABC Studios.

Original Article Source: The Hollywood Reporter