Jill Ratner Named General Counsel for Sony Pictures Entertainment

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Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is pleased to announce that Jill Ratner has been appointed as Executive Vice President and General Counsel. In her new role, Ratner will oversee all of SPE’s Legal functions, Compliance and Labor Relations, SPE Music Affairs, Government/External Affairs, and Corporate Social Responsibility teams. She is set to begin her tenure on May 28, 2024, and will report directly to SPE Chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra.

Jill has a well-earned reputation as a trusted, results-driven advisor and legal strategist, and we are thrilled to have her join SPE as General Counsel,” said Vinciquerra. “Having successfully led large legal teams at two of Hollywood’s biggest studio businesses during times of extraordinary change and transition, Jill is extremely well-suited for this role. We look forward to having her wise counsel and advice to help us meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving industry landscape and to capitalize on opportunities for growth.”

Ratner expressed her enthusiasm about joining SPE, stating, “Sony Pictures has shown remarkable strength and resiliency at a time of tremendous change in our industry. I look forward to joining this exceptional leadership team and working alongside the outstanding groups Leah Weil has built at SPE. I want to thank Tony for this incredible opportunity.”

Ratner brings a wealth of experience to SPE from her tenure at The Walt Disney Company, where she has served as Deputy General Counsel since 2019. At Disney, she led a worldwide legal team of over 200 members, with global responsibility for Litigation, Intellectual Property, and Digital Antipiracy functions. Additionally, she provided legal support for Disney’s Social Responsibility operations. Her extensive legal background covers copyright, trademark, First Amendment, contract disputes, employment, antitrust, securities, and class action matters. Ratner also provided strategic IP legal support for wide-ranging business initiatives, including AI, rights acquisition and distribution, production clearance, social media, user-generated content, and online liability and policy.

Prior to her time at Disney, Ratner served at 21st Century Fox from 2004 to 2019, where she most recently held the position of Executive Vice President and Deputy General Counsel. At Fox, she led global Litigation, Employment, Intellectual Property, Privacy, and Content Protection legal teams in support of the company’s worldwide operations. She played a crucial role in advising on key business and legal issues and was instrumental in the acquisition and launch of new digital businesses, including Hulu. Ratner also helped navigate the sale of most of 21st Century Fox’s assets to Disney and led the legal team through the precedent-setting Aereo U.S. Supreme Court case.

Ratner’s career began as Domestic Counsel at the Motion Picture Association, followed by roles as a litigation associate at Hogan Lovells LLP and Hill Wynne Troop & Meisinger.

As she steps into her new role at SPE, Ratner’s wealth of experience and strategic legal acumen are expected to greatly benefit the company as it continues to navigate and thrive in the dynamic entertainment industry.