Counsel - Espn Jobs

The Counsel in ESPN’s Legal Department will assist the Deputy Chief Counsel, Principal Counsel, and other attorneys in fulfilling the legal affairs and requirements of the corporation. Areas of focus can include, but are not limited to, programming acquisitions, production agreements, marketing, and promotion, digital (including social) media and platforms, and distribution, as well as legal work related to various aspects of direct-to-consumer offerings. The preferred location for this position is Bristol, CT. Will also consider New York, NY.

Job Responsibilities:

• Conceives and recommends strategies and initiatives to minimize the legal risks of current operations and proposed actions.
• Translates corporate strategy into mid- and long-term goals and the analysis and evaluation of trends in ESPN’s legal positioning and compliance into recommended corporate actions.
• May directly supervise, on a non-exclusive basis, one or more Paralegal and Legal Assistant colleagues.
• As requested by the Deputy Chief Counsel and/or Chief Counsel, participates in relevant professional associations, seminars, and conferences.
• Possesses and maintains (including through Department designated continuing legal education) knowledge in specialized legal areas, specifically in connection with (1) content (including audiovisual programming, licensing, and production); (2) intellectual property (copyright, trademark, rights of publicity); (3) marketing and promotion; and/or (4) digital (including social) media and platforms.
• Performs such other duties or functions as the Chief Counsel, Deputy Chief Counsel, Assistant Chief Counsel, or an attorney reporting to any of them may delegate to them.
• Manages outside counsel in their representation of ESPN on litigation and other legal matters.
• Conceives and recommends and, with appropriate approvals, implements enhancements and improvements to established processes and workflows.
• Reviews and edits significant policies, letters, work orders, and other documents from applicable client departments to ensure that potential legal implications are appropriately addressed.
• Drafts contracts and other legal documents, recommends approval/modification of contracts proposed by outside parties and negotiates with outside parties. Assists with/supports comparable tasks in other areas outside of core expertise/primary responsibility.
• Maintains current knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local laws and of industry legal standards and norms; analyzes how these might impact ESPN.
• Operates within the context of defined corporate strategies.
• Keeps internal clients fully informed of relevant legal issues and implications of their current operations and proposed actions and advises them accordingly of risks and legal consequences of alternative actions.

Required Qualifications:

• A minimum of 2 years contract law experience, including extensive drafting, in either a transactional or litigation capacity.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with marketing matters.
• Experience supervising paralegal/legal support staff.
• Familiarity with entertainment, broadcast/cable, Internet, mobile, other digital (including social) media, and/or sports businesses.
• Familiarity with audiovisual production legal work, including licensing of audiovisual content and data components.
• Familiarity with content agreement negotiating (including, by way of example only, audiovisual programming, licensing, and production agreements) and intellectual property law (copyright, trademark, rights of publicity)

Required Education

• JD degree or equivalent from an accredited law school
• Admission to Connecticut State Bar or New York State Bar in good standing or willingness and qualification to be Registered In-House Counsel.

The hiring range for this position in New York is $139,910 to $181,060 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.