Columbia Pictures

Jared Jussim has been named executive vice president-legal affairs at each of Columbia Pictures Entertainment's motion picture and television units. He will continue to be in the company's Burbank office. Jussim previously was senior vice president-studio legal affairs at Columbia Pictures.

In an ending worthy of a comic-book cliffhanger, Spider-Man has been rescued from the clutches of . . . lawyers. The nearly eight-year legal battle over the movie rights to the last major untapped superhero ended Monday on the eve of trial, with MGM relinquishing its claim to the rights in favor of Columbia Pictures, which said it would move swiftly to place the property into production. "The idea is to do it now, as fast as we can," said Amy Pascal, Columbia's president.

William Loper has been named senior vice president-advertising at Columbia Pictures, Burbank. Loper previously was senior vice president-advertising at MGM Pictures.

Dismissal notices have been sent to some top- and middle-level Columbia Pictures executives as the studio trims its staff in preparation for a merger with Tri-Star Pictures at the first of the year. There was no official word Thursday on how many of the Burbank studio's executives were dismissed. However, one report indicated that at least 50 people were let go. Among those leaving Columbia are Fred Bernstein, president of worldwide production; Stanley G.