Sony Pictures Entertainment general counsel Leah Weil is exiting her role after almost three decades with the company.
The longtime senior executive vice president is the studio’s most senior legal advisor with oversight across film and TV production, acquisition and distribution, media networks, digital content creation and distribution, operation of studio facilities and development of new entertainment offerings.
Per Sony Pictures Entertainment chief Tony Vinciquerra’s Tuesday memo to staff, Weil will continue to serve as general counsel for the studio for the next few months and will support a transition to her successor, who has not yet been named.
Among her most notable accomplishments at Sony is Weil’s oversight of the landmark deal with Marvel for the rights to Spider-Man, which is still Sony’s most important and valuable IP.
Other highlights of her tenure including leading the restructure of the Mandalay Pictures deal and MGM acquisition in the 1990s, and the more recent acquisitions of Crunchyroll, Industrial Media and Pixomondo, navigating response to the infamous 2014 cyber-attack on Sony, and leading guild negotiations for the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA deals.
Weil began at Sony Pictures Entertainment in 1996. During her time with the company, she has become an MPA board member and been named to PvNew’s Power Dealmakers list multiple times, among other accolades.
“I am truly lucky to be able to say that I struggled with this decision,” Weil wrote in her own note to Sony staff Tuesday. “While there has never really been a ‘good’ time to leave it does feel like the right time in my life to make this transition. I will deeply miss being an active part of the community we have built, but I am excited about the future and having the time to turn my attention back to things and relationships that have so often been pushed aside while I have been focused on the press of work.”
Read Vinciquerra’s announcement regarding Weil’s retirement below.
After a distinguished 28-year career, Leah Weil has made the decision to step down from her role as General Counsel and transition to an advisory role.
Leah really doesn’t like to pat herself on the back, so allow me to do so…
First, it is hard to imagine SPE without Leah as our GC. For many of us, Leah has always been there; a wise and trusted partner offering invaluable advice and counsel and driving the legal, regulatory and compliance strategies for some of SPE’s greatest challenges and successes.
Leah joined Sony Pictures’ legal team in 1996. With her outstanding intellect, work ethic and well-earned reputation, Leah quickly rose to the highest position in the legal group. And during her time as GC, she transformed the entire legal operation into a fully integrated and essential part of our overall business. A snapshot of Leah’s portfolio and oversight illustrates just how deeply woven into the fabric of SPE Leah is. In addition to her responsibility for all internal and external legal matters relating to SPE’s global operations, Leah also oversees our Ethics and Compliance and Labor Relations teams, SPE’s Music Affairs group, and the Global Policy and External Affairs function which includes our Corporate Social Responsibility group responsible for handling the studio’s strategic philanthropic efforts and community outreach activities.
And in her nearly three decades at SPE, Leah really has seen it all. From leading our efforts on historic and transformative deals, having a key role in hundreds of projects and strategic initiatives, playing an integral part of the studio’s transformation into the digital age, to guiding SPE through challenging crises such as the 2014 cyber-attack and the global COVID pandemic, to leading our efforts in the historic and extraordinarily challenging WGA and SAG-AFTRA negotiations this year, to overseeing and executing the myriad day-to-day transactions that are critical to keeping all our businesses thriving.
Leah will continue to serve as GC for the next few months and will support a smooth transition to her successor. In the coming weeks, we will have a chance to celebrate Leah and her many accomplishments, but in the meantime, please join me in thanking Leah for her exemplary service and dedication to the studio.
Tony
