Alum Connection: How Internships Steered Jody Weinberg to Pixar Animation Studios

You never know what an internship experience can teach you. Jody Weinberg (‘91 English & Political Science) credits internships with testing her interests and ultimately discovering her passion for law. Her résumé reads like a diverse list of internship opportunities that students across LSA may pursue, interning at places like a county government, a governmental legal department with public counsel supporting victims of a race uprising, at the Marshal’s office of the U.S. Supreme Court, and in the legal department at an entertainment company that is the predecessor of NBCUniversal. Today, she is Vice President of Business Affairs and Legal Counsel at Pixar Animation Studios. In this Alum Connection, Jody will shed light on what she learned navigating different legal environments and how these internships supplemented the excellent education she got at LSA and Pepperdine University. Join us to hear her story and to ask your questions about launching a career in law.

About Jody:
Jody Weinberg started working for Pixar Animation Studios in June 1995 as Director, Business and Legal Affairs for Walt Disney Feature Animation during the development of “Toy Story”, and continued to work on all Pixar features through July 2001. Weinberg became an independent contractor for Pixar in July 2003, and remained in that capacity until she joined the studio fulltime in September 2006 as Associate General Counsel. As of July 2019, Weinberg was promoted to Vice President, Business Affairs & Legal Counsel.

In her role, Weinberg handles structuring, negotiating, and documenting business and legal terms for the engagement of outside voice, writing, and other talent in Pixar Animation Studios productions; and providing legal counsel and services in all aspects of production, with a focus on intellectual property matters.

Prior to Pixar, Weinberg worked as a contract lawyer in Century City, CA; was a Marshal's Office intern at the Supreme Court of the United States; a legal intern at MCA TV / Universal; a legal intern at Public Counsel working on FEMA and SBA appeals for victims of the Rodney King riots; a legal intern at Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office, Criminal Division; and an intern for the Fresno County Board of Supervisors.

Weinberg grew up in Fresno, CA and attended San Joaquin Memorial High School. She received her B.A. in both English and Political Science at the University of Michigan, and her J.D. from the Pepperdine University School of Law. Weinberg currently resides in Encino, CA.

You should attend this session if you are:
-An undergraduate U-M LSA student
-Interested in pursuing law school
-Interested in licensing, entertainment, and entertainment law.

What you’ll gain by attending:
-Make a valuable connection with a successful LSA alum ready to help you
-Gain insights into moving from your LSA degree into entertainment law
-Get advice on choosing valuable internships

RSVP NOW to be part of the conversation. The link to join this Alum Connection will be emailed to you after you RSVP.

The Opportunity Hub aims to deliver inclusive and accessible experiences and welcomes all LSA students to participate. This event is on the 2nd floor of a wheelchair accessible building which includes wheelchair-accessible restrooms on the 2nd floor, a gender-inclusive and accessible restroom on the 2nd floor, places to sit or stand during the event, and accessible parking options nearby on Maynard Street. To request other accommodations please contact Sairah Husain at sairah@umich.edu or 734-763-4674 so we can make arrangements.