Disney Legal Department to Shrink, Memo Says

Disney plans to reduce the size of its Legal and Global Affairs department, with some employees expected to be affected, according to a September 18 memo from Chief Legal and Global Affairs Officer Horacio Gutierrez. The memo did not specify how many jobs could be cut or when changes would take effect. Gutierrez told employees that the department would become “a much smaller organization” and that decisions about staffing were part of a broader review of how the team works. The memo described options under consideration, including automating some workflows, expanding self-service, using alternative legal providers, sharing services and outsourcing. The message establishes that the department is expected to shrink, but it does not say that artificial intelligence will drive the changes. Gutierrez referred to technology more generally, and the memo did not give a reduction target or schedule. Disney has not publicly provided those details. The department has fewer than 1,000 employees, according to coverage of the memo, but the number who may be affected remains unknown.