Light & Wonder is restructuring its in-house legal team amid ongoing lawsuits over copyright infringement allegations.
The prominent Las Vegas-based gambling corporation will part ways with James Sottile, its incumbent Chief Legal Officer and Executive Vice President, as of December 31, this year.
He will retire from his role after joining the company in 2018 to be succeeded by Susan Dawson, who joined Light & Wonder in 2021. In addition to the Chief Legal Officer role, she will also take up the position of corporate secretary.
Dawson will relocate to Las Vegas from the United Kingdom as part of the overhaul.
Post-retirement, Sottile will serve as a consultant for Light & Wonder for one year, earning a monthly consulting fee of $11,959, said to be equivalent to 20% of his 2025 base salary, according to a regulatory filing.
Before his time at the company, Sottile was a partner at Jones Day and spent 12 years as a partner at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP.
During his tenure at L& W, Sottile played a key role in major transactions, including the 2022 rebrand of the company’s interactive division from Scientific Games and the $850 million all-cash acquisition of Grover Gaming, a charitable gaming business operating in five U.S. markets.
Legal challenges provide the context
Sottile’s exit comes as Light & Wonder faces multiple content-related lawsuits.
Aristocrat is suing the firm in a Nevada district court, alleging copyright infringement, deceptive trade practices, and unfair competition related to its Dragon Link game.
Nevada’s district court granted Aristocrat a preliminary injunction, forcing the company to remove its Jewel of the Dragon slot title from casino floors, while Aristocrat further claims the cross-platform provider hired former Aristocrat executives and designers to replicate Dragon Link. An amended complaint filed earlier this year cited trade secret violations in the development of Dragon Train and Jewel of the Dragon.
In addition, Evolution is suing Light & Wonder in a Nevada district court, alleging patent infringement tied to its Lightning Roulette product. Evolution refiled its lawsuit in April after an earlier suit was dismissed due to vague patent claims, refining its arguments to address the court’s concerns.
Against this backdrop, Light & Wonder has opted for a new composition to its legal team.
Image credit: L&W
