
contact information
P (212) 826 5575
scouncil@fkks.com
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areas of expertise
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Saphya Council is an associate in the Interactive Entertainment, Advertising Technology, and Privacy & Data Security Groups at Frankfurt Kurnit. Variety included her as an "Up Next" honoree in their 2023 Legal Impact Report.
Ms. Council's work includes rights clearance, negotiating and drafting influencer and talent agreements, software agreements, music licenses, releases, contractor service agreements, and website terms of service and refund policies. She consults with clients regarding video game production, in-game monetization, video game-related activations and promotions, artificial intelligence, and intellectual property.
Ms. Council advised a well-known video game company on concept art clearance for their DLC. In addition, she has counseled a major food delivery service on their advertising on popular gaming VOD services.
Prior to joining Frankfurt Kurnit, Ms. Council interned with the firm’s Interactive Entertainment Group, working on projects involving video games, advertising, and music. While in law school, Ms. Council held various internships related to entertainment law, volunteered at the Fashion Law Clinic of Loyola Law School, and competed on the school’s Transactional Negotiation Team. Ms. Council became a certified mediator through the Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center in Los Angeles.
Ms. Council graduated from New York University Shanghai in Shanghai, China where she studied computer science and video game design. She is conversationally fluent in Mandarin Chinese and is currently studying Korean language. She earned her J.D. from Loyola Law School.
Ms. Council is an avid gamer and enjoys first person shooters, slice of life games, and survival horror games. She is admitted to practice in New York.
awards & recognition
Variety's Legal Impact Report "Up Next" honoree 2023
education
Loyola Law School (J.D., 2021)
-Editor-in-Chief, International and Comparative Law Review, Volume 44
NYU Shanghai (B.S., B.Eng., 2017)
-Dean’s Service Scholar
-Honors scholar
Upcoming Speaking Engagements
Past Speaking Engagements
Privacy and Children’s Issues
Daniel M. Goldberg moderates the “Privacy and Children’s Issues” panel during Frankfurt Kurnit’s The Legal Side of Video Games event in San Francisco with Saphya Council.
March 23 2023
Saphya Council at the GDoC Expo
Saphya Council presents, “Know Your Music Copy Rights: Work-for-hire vs. Licenses” during the Game Devs of Color Expo. Read more.
September 16 2022
PAX West 2022
Saphya Council and Emma C. Smizer present, “Crafting Contracts for Music in Games (13+)” at PAX West in Seattle. Read more.
September 5 2022
Saphya Council at PAX East 2022
Saphya Council moderates the panel, “The Business and Legal Walkthrough” during PAX East in Boston, MA. Read more.
April 22 2022
news & press
Mondaq Thought Leadership Awards – Spring 2023
Rick Borden and Saphya Council are recognized as Mondaq Thought Leading Authors for Data Protection in the United States. Their article, “New York's Proposed New Cybersecurity Regulations Will Mandate Big Changes For Many Businesses” was one of the most viewed of the last 6 months. View Article
Variety’s Legal Impact Report 2023: Hollywood’s Top Entertainment Dealmakers and Litigators
Variety’s Legal Impact Report 2023 includes Marcie Cleary, Victoria Cook, Melissa Georges, Julie Murray, and Dionne Gordon. Saphya Council is included as an “Up Next” honoree. View Article
Loot Box Litigation Lessons For Game Developers
Saphya Council and Emma Smizer wrote the expert analysis column, “Loot Box Litigation Lessons For Game Developers” published in Law360. Read more.
Cyber Security Regulatory Risk Management
Rick Borden and Saphya Council wrote the article, “Cyber Security Regulatory Risk Management” published in the Jan-March 2023 issue of Risk & Compliance magazine. View Article
Professional Skateboarder Loses Lanham Act Case Against Video Game Companies
IP Litigator and The Licensing Journal published Saphya Council’s article, “Professional Skateboarder Loses Lanham Act Case Against Video Game Companies.” View Article
Supercell Oy: California Court Tosses Loot Box Class Action
Class Action Prospector shares Saphya Council’s article, “California Court Dismisses Loot Box Class Action Against Mobile Game Developer.”