Jennifer Lewis, the first general counsel for LeBron James’ entertainment development and production company, has recently accepted a similar role with the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers. This position was vacant following the departure of the former general counsel, Nicole Duckett, who left the team to launch her consultancy.
Prior to her role at James’ company, SpringHill Entertainment Co., Lewis held legal and business affairs roles at the Walt Disney Co., Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. After leaving SpringHill in late 2021, she served for over a year as general counsel for Redbud Brands Inc, a startup studio that raised $46 million in 2022 for investments in the consumer goods space.
Following Lewis’ departure, SpringHill hired Endi Piper, a veteran law figure previously with Complex Media Inc. and BuzzFeed Inc. Piper assumed the role of legal chief last year, around the time BuzzFeed acquired Complex.
While off-season transitions are ongoing within the NBA, several other legal professionals have moved into new roles. For instance, the NBA recently appointed Albert Sanders Jr., a former White House counsel in the Obama administration, as the new head of referee operations. Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns and Oklahoma City Thunder have also onboarded new legal and compliance staff.
In a somewhat turbulent context, legal moves are also noted within the Dallas Mavericks, owned by billionaire Mark Cuban, and the Portland Trail Blazers. The former recently fought a $750,000 fine for alleged deliberate losses, while the latter saw a change in general counsel amidst a $2 billion bid for the team.
For more details, visit the original article here.