Description:
Overview and Responsibilities:An American Film Production and Distribution Company is seeking a hardworking Business and Legal Affairs Counsel to provide day-to-day services with a focus on marketing legal for An American Film Production and Distribution Company (supporting projects across Comedy Central, An American Film Production and Distribution Company, Smithsonian Channel, TV Land, MTV, CMT, CBS News Digital, CBS Sports, An American Film Production and Distribution Company + and PlutoTV). This position is based in New York.
- Negotiating, structuring, and drafting a high volume of marketing-related agreements, including agreements for partnerships, marketing agencies, creative content vendors, talent, live events, co-branded content and product placements.
- Handling day-to-day production-related legal matters for co-branded marketing projects (including vetting creative pitches, reviewing scripts and cuts, drafting and negotiating appearance releases, location releases and production services agreements). Ability to issue spot and advise on legal implications, while understanding and furthering business objectives.
- Partnering with other in-house groups (including Production, Marketing, Labor & Employment, Risk Management, Litigation, Ad Sales, Finance and Programming) on a variety of legal issues, deal-making strategies and corporate policies.
- Participating in and contributing to strategic deal discussions as well as researching issues. Providing practical risk assessment and risk reduction solutions for marketing executives.
- Performing other day-to-day tasks as needed and assigned by senior legal executives.
Basic Qualifications:
- Member in good standing of the New York Bar(s) (or eligible for Registered In-House Counsel designation).
- 4+ years transferable experience (ideally with business/legal affairs experience at a network, studio, entertainment law firm or production company environment), including entertainment marketing contract drafting and negotiation and counseling marketing teams.
Additional Qualifications:
- Excellent drafting, negotiation, communication (written and verbal), interpersonal and organizational skills.
- Strong ability to analyze fact patterns and devise creative solutions that allow network executives to implement their creative vision in compliance with corporate policies and guidelines, while minimizing overall risk.
- Must be able to multi-task under pressure, handle a varied, high-volume workload efficiently, and operate independently with minimal supervision.
- Ability to build strong internal client relationships and generate client satisfaction through quick turnaround and firm decision-making.
- Proficient in entertainment industry customs and practices and possess proven ability to effectively negotiate and interact with agents, managers and outside attorneys.
- Working knowledge of television industry agreements, guild and union regulations (WGA, DGA and SAG-AFTRA), contract law and intellectual property rights (as applicable to the entertainment and advertising industries).
- The BALA department works as a team in a highly collaborative manner. The ideal candidate will have a cooperative, positive team spirit!
