[SONY] Sr. Counsel

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) seeks an exceptional attorney as Senior Counsel to join its Distribution Business and Legal Affairs Department in Culver City, California. The attorney will support Sony Pictures’ television, non-theatrical, and digital home entertainment distribution businesses. Working with senior business executives domestically and internationally, the attorney will manage a broad range of legal and business affairs matters relating to the licensing and distribution of Sony Pictures’ television and motion picture content.

The successful candidate will join an experienced, collaborative, and supportive legal team. In addition to working with senior business executives, the attorney will work closely with commercial and legal experts throughout SPE, including finance, marketing, music, production, intellectual property, compliance, content protection, privacy, tax, antitrust, litigation, and labor.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Assist with the development and maintenance of up-to-date templates for the full range of distribution agreements.

  • Provide strategic legal and business advice to business stakeholders to maximize deal terms while effectively managing legal risk.

  • Structure, negotiate, and draft agreements relating to the acquisition of distribution rights to television and motion picture content produced by third parties.

  • Analyze, interpret, and advise on rights, exclusivity, license periods, territories, financial terms, content protection, marketing obligations, and other material deal terms.

  • Conduct legal research and respond to developments in the evolving television, non-theatrical, and digital home entertainment marketplaces.

  • Provide business and legal affairs support as needed from time to time on projects advancing initiatives within Sony Pictures’ distribution and other businesses.

  • Structure, negotiate, and draft agreements for the distribution of television and motion picture content across television, non-theatrical, and digital home entertainment markets, including licensing arrangements for free/advertising-supported video-on-demand (FVOD/ADVOD), subscription video-on-demand (SVOD), transactional video-on-demand (TVOD), electronic sell-through (EST),free ad-supported streaming television (FAST),premium pay television, basic television, free broadcast television, and non-theatrical exhibition.

QUALIFICATIONS

  • J.D. from an accredited law school required.

  • Excellent negotiating, drafting, analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills.

  • Active membership in the California State Bar or eligibility to register as in-house counsel in California.

  • Ability to identify and assess legal and business risks and provide practical, solution-oriented advice.

  • Significant experience negotiating and drafting content licensing, distribution,and other complex commercial agreements.

  • Seven or more years of relevant experience with a major law firm, studio, television network, streaming service, or other media company. Mix of major law firm and in-house experience preferred.

  • Strong understanding of television, streaming, non-theatrical, and digital home entertainment distribution models and the evolving ways in which audiences consume entertainment content.

The anticipated base salary for this position is $180,000-$210,000.

Role is based in Los Angeles, California.

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Jaia Thomas