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Susan Grode Dies: Entertainment Lawyer Who Repped Matt Groening & Stephen Hillenburg Was 86

Susan Grode represented top creators and authored The Visual Artist's Manual, with her advocacy shaping key artist protections used widely in the arts and entertainment fields.

Summary by Deadline
Susan Grode, a pioneering attorney who specialized in animation and fine art with clients including The Simpsons creator Matt Groening and SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg, died this week of natural causes in Los Angeles. She was 86. Grode pioneered contractual protections that remain standard today and represented some of the most influential creators in animation over the course of her decades-long career. Along with Groening…

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Variety broke the news in Los Angeles, United States on Thursday, February 12, 2026.
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