Senior Vice President, Business Affairs And Chief Legal Counsel

Jim Kennedy joined Pixar in September 2009 as its Senior Vice President, Business Affairs and Chief Legal Counsel. In this position, he is responsible for overseeing Pixar’s Legal and Business Affairs matters, and coordinating with the Legal and Business Affairs groups at Walt Disney Studios.  Kennedy also serves a member of Pixar’s senior leadership team.

Kennedy brings to Pixar over 35 years of legal and business affairs experience in entertainment-related companies.  Prior to joining Pixar, he served as Executive Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs and Corporate Secretary at THQ Inc., a publicly-held entertainment software company in Agoura Hills, CA.  He previously held executive legal and business affairs positions at companies such as Electronic Arts Inc., Mindscape Inc., Lucasfilm, Lucas Digital and LucasArts Entertainment Company.  

He began his career as a corporate attorney in the Century City, CA office of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.  Kennedy has also been a lecturer and adjunct professor at the undergraduate and law school level, and a frequent speaker and panelist at entertainment industry events at which free food and cocktails are served.  He holds an undergraduate degree from Princeton University, a law degree from Boston College School of Law, and an MBA in Strategic Leadership from Dominican University of California.