Sonya Roberts

After more than 20 years, at times working in dual roles as entertainment lawyer and producer, Sonya Roberts understands the nuances of creating successful 360-degree properties from inception to exploitation. Her expertise spans domestic production, international co-productions, production financing, distribution, licensing and merchandising, with specialized knowledge in the areas of children’s television (animation and live action), lifestyle, reality and documentary productions.


client roster includes:

  • production companies & content creators

  • creators, writers, showrunners, producers, directors

  • performers & artists

  • licensors & licensees

  • broadcasters & distributors

  • children’s entertainment & merchandise

  • animation & visual effects

  • multi-media platforms & social media companies

  • podcasters & education publishers

  • influencers & brand ambassadors

Based in Toronto, Canada, Sonya worked for many years as Director of Legal and Business Affairs at a top-tier combined prod-co and animation studio that produced the animated series The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! which was, dubbed by her young daughter, “the best gig ever”. Throughout her career, both in-house and in private practice, she has advised clients in all aspects of entertainment and media, including television, film, digital, music, videos, theatre, live events and publishing. Early in her career she shepherded a very young team through the legal aspects of making of their first documentary film, Hardwood, which ended up with an Academy Award nomination. It was a successful beginning that inked her love for working with creatives and supporting their passions. Over the years, she also hasn’t been afraid to roll up her sleeves and take on more production-related roles in music videos, reality and independent film.

Sonya’s mother came from Greece to Canada after WWII and the Greek civil war as an orphan with little education. As a creative young person Sonya always wrote stories, but her mother also encouraged her to pair her creativity with a “solid education”. Ironically, while attending law school, it was her creative pursuits (namely writing lifestyle tv scripts), that ended up paying the bills! With a deep understanding and respect for the creative world, she has based her career around assisting individuals and businesses service their ever-evolving needs.

• Western University, BA

• University of Windsor LLB

Called to the Bar in the Province of Ontario, Canada - 2000

*Please note that Sonya is not presently licensed in the US; her California Foreign Legal Correspondent authorization is filed and pending.

“I enjoy the creative world of storytelling in all its forms. And I love being part of projects that embrace bringing together unique and diverse talents and perspectives. Together the right team bring can bring out the best in each other creatively, without losing sight of the business realties.”

 

“I’m here to serve the client, and if they want to take on a fight, I am here to advocate. But it’s also my job to make the client aware of all the options - and the realities and obligations that often go along with conflicts.”

“I appreciate that Nolan Heimann lawyers believe in working together holistically. Multiple minds benefit the client.”

Representative Matters

 

Brokering a co-venture between a producer and a major US network, while simultaneously finalizing a multi-million-dollar license deal of a major kids’ brand on which the co-venture series is based


Providing ongoing legal counsel for a web-series based on a major YouTube gamer/influencer (10 million subs). This web-series is nominated by the Youth Media Alliance for outstanding web-series

 

Advised clients on reality show participation agreements, including The Bachelor

Providing ongoing legal counsel for a web-series based on a major YouTube gamer/influencer (10 million subs). This web-series is nominated by the Youth Media Alliance for outstanding web-series


Advised a client (the private life partner of a major political figure) who both were central characters in a Netflix film, negotiated and revised her character’s on-screen representation, in a bid to avoid protracted litigation

 

Negotiated terms for an original content podcast deal between my client and Spotify

Brokered a multi-season Canadian co-venture between a major public US broadcaster and a Canadian producer and involving various tiers of Canadian and US government grant financing


Finalized a multi-platform agency deal for an up-and-coming social media influencer and an option-license agreement between a popular anime illustrator/author with both a major Seoul-based online publisher (via LA office) and its Belgium-based publisher

 

Represented influencers on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Twitch with respect to agency representation agreements, licensing agreements and publishing agreements

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