Our Team
Neil Sacker
Education:
- B.A. Cornell University
- J.D. Yale Law School
Bar Admissions:
- California
- New York
Neil Sacker is an attorney and executive with over three decades of experience at the intersection of law, entertainment, and business development. Neil graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Yale Law School, earning a Juris Doctor. These formative years laid the foundation for Neil's commitment to excellence, analytical rigor, ethical practice and building long-term business relationships.
Neil started his entertainment career at Warner Bros. Studios in 1991, where he honed skills in negotiating and drafting critical agreements for a range of film productions including Interview with the Vampire and The fugitive . In 1995, Neil joined Miramax Films as Executive Vice President and head of Business and Legal Affairs. At Miramax, Neil negotiated the acquisition of the rights to the Lord of the Rings franchise and worked on over 75 films, including Scream, Good Will Hunting, and the Academy Award winning The English Patient. Building on the legal foundation from Warner Bros., at Miramax Neil learned how to think “outside the box” strategically and solve problems constructively with counterparties.
Following Miramax, Neil was the Chief Operating Officer at the Yari Film Group, where his responsibilities expanded beyond business & legal affairs to also cover oversight of the development and production of the film slate including the Academy Award-winning Crash and The Illusionist. Neil continued with those responsibilities as President of The Film Department, where he was instrumental in producing notable films like Law Abiding Citizen.
Before founding Sacker Entertainment Law, PC, Neil Sacker served as an entertainment partner at top-tier law firms including Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
Ben Halperin
Associate Attorney
Education:
- B.A. University of Michigan
- J.D. Fordham University School of Law
Bar Admissions:
- California
- New York
At Sacker Entertainment Law, Ben drafts and negotiates agreements for actors, directors, producers, showrunners, rightsholders and numerous below-the-line roles. Representative matters include working on showrunner agreements for HappyNest Entertainment's growing slate of animation projects, handling production legal for the Stampede Ventures film Space Cadet and managing option purchase agreements for several firm clients from close of deal terms to execution.
Ben received his B.A. from the University of Michigan and his J.D. from the Fordham University School of Law. At Fordham, he received the Archibald R. Murray Public Service Award, was a member of Fordham Law Advocates for Voting Rights and was an Associate Editor of the Fordham Intellectual Property, Media & Entertainment Law Journal, which published his Note in 2019. After graduating law school, Ben was a Law Clerk with NBCUniversal's Content & Production Risk group, where he worked on production-related contracts, performed legal research and reviewed fair use and life rights releases for programs such as Little America and Angelyne. Ben also worked in Business & Legal Affairs for Gaumont Television USA, where he assisted with a variety of development and production-related agreements and provided administrative support for the studio's legal department on shows that included Narcos.
Tiyona Griggs
Associate Attorney
Education:
- B.A. Georgia State University
- J.D. The University of Alabama School of Law
Bar Admission:
- California
At Sacker Entertainment Law, Tiyona handles a wide range of transactional matters, including drafting and reviewing motion picture agreements ranging from rights, writing, directing, producing and acting as well as key production agreements covering matters such as principal locations, casting directors and directors of photography. Tiyona worked extensively on the upcoming Stampede Ventures film Space Cadet starring Emma Roberts.
Prior to joining Sacker Entertainment Law, Tiyona received her B.A. in Political Science from Georgia State University, and her J.D. from The University of Alabama School of Law. During law school, Tiyona interned for the Honorable L. Scott Coogler of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama; Hardin & Hughes, LLP; and The University of Alabama Athletics Department.
Emma Wilson
Associate Attorney
Education:
- LL.B. Durham University Law School, United Kingdom
- LL.M. BPP University, London
- LL.M. University of California, Los Angeles
Bar Admission:
- California
Emma Wilson represents clients including Hammerstone, Iconoclast, and Vertical across film and television, advising high-level producers, distributors, financiers, and A-list talent on transactions spanning development, production, and distribution. Her credits include providing production and finance legal services in connection with Paper Tiger (2024, dir. James Gray, starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver), K-Pops (2025, dir. Anderson .Paak), and Flight Risk (2023, dir. Mel Gibson, starring Mark Wahlberg).
With a background that bridges both the legal and creative sides of the industry, Emma is particularly passionate about championing emerging filmmakers and helping them bring their stories to screen, guiding them through the legal complexities of getting a film made.
Emma earned her law degree from Durham University, one of the leading law schools in the UK, and an LL.M. from BPP University in London. She began her career at Warner Bros. in London, where she worked across international television and film production and distribution. She later earned a second LL.M. from UCLA, specializing in Media and Entertainment Law, and went on to work at Sheppard Mullin, representing high-profile talent and production companies on guild and entertainment matters.
Emma is an active member of AMEC, BHBA, and WIF, serves as Program Director for BABA, and sits on the board of UCLA Law Women LEAD. Born in Belgium to Northern Irish and French parents, she brings a distinctly international perspective to her practice, further informed by her multicultural background and fluency in multiple languages.
Nadia Loney
Associate Attorney
Education:
- B.A. Political Science, University of California Los Angeles
- J.D. University of California Los Angeles
Bar Admission:
- California
At Sacker Entertainment, Nadia facilitates the negotiation and drafting of a variety of agreements that underpin the creation, production, and distribution of entertainment content for writers, directors, producers, and actors.
Nadia graduated from UCLA Law, with a specialization in their entertainment program. She received her B.A. in Political Science from UCLA, graduating with summa cum laude honors. During law school, Nadia clerked at Lavely & Singer, where she gained an in-depth understanding of the potential pitfalls and challenges that creators, studios, and talent may encounter. Upon graduating, Nadia worked at CAA in their Motion Picture Business and Legal Affairs department. During her time at CAA, Nadia assisted in the negotiations and deal-making processes for represented talent. As a creative outlet , Nadia previously owned and operated an interior design studio in Los Angeles.
Jamil Ebo
Associate Attorney
Education:
- B.A. Trinity College
- J.D. Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Bar Admissions:
- Pending admission to the New York Bar
At Sacker Entertainment Law, Jamil drafts and reviews agreements that support the development, production, and distribution of film and television projects for writers, directors, producers, and actors, and spearheads the legal delivery of clients’ films to their U.S. distributors.
While working as a summer associate for SEL, Jamil provided production legal services for feature films such as Flight Risk directed by Mel Gibson and starring Mark Wahlberg. Prior to joining SEL, he completed clinical work with startups, interned at the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, and served on the executive board of the Cardozo Black Law Student Association.
Kirk Stambler
Of Counsel
Education:
- B.A. Brown University
- J.D. New York University School of Law
Bar Admission:
- New York
- Not Admitted in California
Kirk Stambler is a corporate attorney with over three decades of experience in transactional corporate and entertainment law, business affairs, project development and production. Kirk earned his B.A. in History at Brown University in 1980. After spending a year writing and recording music in New York, he attended New York University School of Law, earning a J.D. degree in 1984.
After law school, Kirk joined the corporate department of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson and its high profile mergers and acquisitions practice. In 1987, he joined Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, representing entertainment industry clients as well as engaging in the firm’s wide-ranging corporate practice.
In 1993, Kirk joined Warner Bros. in the newly created position of Vice President, Special Projects, Business and Acquisitions, with responsibilities that cut across several divisions and was involved a wide variety of transactions, including co-productions, production and distribution finance, film and corporate acquisitions, foreign language production, international theme parks, licensing, publishing and consumer products.
Over the years, Kirk has acted as a consultant to entertainment companies and non-profit organizations, served as Chief Strategy Officer for a streaming startup, and worked as a writer and producer. In 2024, he became a strategic advisor to an international production company based in Australia, with whom he is co-producing several projects, and currently sits on the board of the non-profit Planetary Sunshade Foundation.
Darian Handy
Firm Coordinator
Education:
- B.A. Political Science & Documentary Filmmaking, Spelman College
- M.B.A concentration in marketing, Quinnipiac University
Darian Handy brings a strong passion for the arts, shaped by her background in documentary filmmaking and early exposure to creative spaces. With a deep appreciation for storytelling and the entertainment industry, she is driven by an interest in supporting creative talent and the work that brings stories to life.
Alongside her creative foundation, Darian has experience supporting legal and administrative operations, including document preparation, research, case coordination, and client communications. Darian is expanding her work within the entertainment space, where she will play a key role in coordinating SEL’s services and supporting the firm’s growth.
Originally from New Haven, Connecticut, Darian earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a dual focus in Documentary Filmmaking from Spelman College, as well as her Master of Business Administration from Quinnipiac University.
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