Jonathan Liebman
JAKKS PACIFICAbout Jonathan Liebman
Jonathan R. Liebman (age 65) is an independent director of JAKKS Pacific, elected as a Class II director at the June 20, 2025 annual meeting; he is co‑CEO and chair of Brillstein Entertainment Partners and part of the leadership team at Wasserman Media Group LLC. He holds a BA in history (summa cum laude, 1981) from Yale University and a JD from Yale Law School (1985), clerked for Judge Leonard B. Sand (SDNY, 1986–1987), served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office (SDNY) ending as Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, became a partner at Parcher & Hayes, PC (1992–1998), and joined the predecessor of Brillstein Entertainment Partners in 1998 . If elected, the Board determined he would be categorized as an independent director under Nasdaq rules ; he was elected with 8,080,913 votes “For” vs 45,098 “Withheld” .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. District Court (SDNY), Judge Leonard B. Sand | Law Clerk | 1986–1987 | Federal clerkship experience |
| U.S. Attorney’s Office (SDNY) | Attorney; ended as Deputy Chief, Criminal Division | Not specified; ended role before 1992 | Criminal division leadership experience |
| Parcher & Hayes, PC | Partner | 1992–1998 | Litigation/management experience |
| Brillstein Entertainment Partners | Co‑CEO and Chair | Joined predecessor in 1998; current role | Business leadership and industry expertise |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brillstein Entertainment Partners (Los Angeles, CA) | Co‑CEO and Chair | 1998–present (joined predecessor in 1998; currently co‑CEO/chair) | Entertainment production and management |
| Wasserman Media Group LLC (Los Angeles, CA) | Leadership team member | Not specified | Talent representation and marketing |
Board Governance
- Board classification: JAKKS board is divided into three classes; Class II was up for election at the 2025 annual meeting . Liebman is a Class II director elected on June 20, 2025 .
- Committee assignments at nomination: “N/A” (committees to be set by the Board after the annual meeting) .
- Independence: The Board determined Liebman will be categorized as an independent director under Nasdaq rules if elected .
- Engagement and attendance baseline: In 2024, the Board, Audit, Compensation, Nominating, and Cybersecurity committees met or acted by consent at least 7, 4, 3, 3, and 3 times respectively, and all directors then serving attended at least 75% of their meetings; executive sessions of independent directors occurred at least once in 2024 .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (non‑employee directors) | $100,000 | Paid quarterly |
| Committee membership fee | $5,000 per committee | Annual cash fee |
| Audit Committee chair | +$15,000 | Annual cash fee |
| Other Committee chair | +$10,000 | Annual cash fee |
| Director stock ownership guideline | Minimum holdings equal to 2× average annual cash stipend from prior two years; example minimum $218,958 if selling in 2025 | Applies to all directors |
Performance Compensation
| Grant Type | Grant Date | Number of Units/Shares | Price/Fair Value | Vesting Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSU (Restricted Stock Unit) award | 2025‑09‑09 | 4,827 units | $0 (award) | Vesting schedule not disclosed in available summary; Form 4 indicates RSU grant and post‑transaction ownership |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- No public company directorships disclosed for Liebman in the 2025 proxy; external roles disclosed are private companies in entertainment and talent sectors .
- No related‑party transactions involving Liebman are disclosed in the Company’s “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions” section; that section references Meisheng and LaRose Industries/ Lawrence I. Rosen, not Liebman .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Legal and prosecutorial background with leadership in SDNY Criminal Division; elite academic credentials from Yale (BA summa cum laude; JD) .
- Senior leadership in entertainment/talent management, providing industry and marketing experience applicable to consumer products/licensing .
- Board views sought qualifications including management/leadership, financial expertise, marketing/consumer experience, and capital management; Liebman selected for general business and industry‑specific experience .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | As of Apr 23, 2025 (Record Date) | As of Sep 23, 2025 (Post‑Form 4) |
|---|---|---|
| Shares owned (beneficial) | 0 (not listed as owning shares in beneficial ownership table; nominee status) | 4,827 RSUs reported; post‑transaction “securities owned” 4,827 |
| % of shares outstanding | 0.000% (11,146,230 shares outstanding) | ~0.043% (4,827 ÷ 11,146,230) based on RSU count and shares outstanding |
| Ownership guideline status | Not disclosed for individual; guideline requires 2× average cash stipend | Not disclosed for individual; guideline requires 2× average cash stipend |
Insider Trades (Forms 3/4)
| Filing Type | Filing Date | Transaction Date | Security | Transaction Type | Quantity | Post‑Transaction Ownership | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form 3 | 2025‑09‑23 | — | — | Initial statement, director status | — | — | https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1009829/000118518525001261/0001185185-25-001261-index.htm |
| Form 4 | 2025‑09‑23 | 2025‑09‑09 | RSU | Award (A) | 4,827 | 4,827 (direct) | https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1009829/000118518525001262/0001185185-25-001262-index.htm |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and election strength: Board categorized Liebman as independent under Nasdaq rules; he won with 8,080,913 “For” votes vs 45,098 “Withheld,” indicating strong shareholder support .
- Committees: At nomination, he had no committee assignments; Board planned to set committees after the annual meeting, reflecting process discipline; post‑meeting committee membership was not disclosed in the proxy and no subsequent filing was found in this record .
- Director compensation and alignment: Cash retainer/committee fees plus RSU equity award suggest mixed cash/equity compensation and some ownership alignment; the Company enforces stock ownership guidelines equal to 2× average cash stipend, strengthening alignment .
- Conflicts and related‑party exposure: The 2025 proxy’s related‑party section does not identify any transactions involving Liebman; disclosed related‑parties pertain to Meisheng and LaRose/Rosen, not Liebman, which reduces perceived conflict risk .
- Shareholder sentiment on pay: 2025 say‑on‑pay passed with 4,603,326 “For,” 3,052,675 “Against,” and 470,010 “Abstentions”; while aimed at executives, it signals acceptable compensation governance context during his election .
- Engagement baseline: JAKKS reports strong meeting cadence and at least 75% attendance by all then‑serving directors in 2024; executive sessions occurred at least once, supporting board effectiveness practices (note Liebman was not yet serving in 2024) .
RED FLAGS: None identified specific to Liebman in Company disclosures (no related‑party transactions, no legal proceedings, no pledging/hedging disclosures related to him). Monitoring needed for post‑meeting committee assignments and future insider transactions .