Job Introduction
***You must be legally authorized to work in the United States in order to be considered for this role.
Job Purpose
- Liaise with and provide counsel to LA and UK on all Content Production legal matters in the US.
- Negotiate, review and comment on network commissioning agreements in conjunction with the Senior Vice President and other department heads across the LA Production business.
- Structure, negotiate and draft all business and legal terms of agreements relating to the development and production of scripted and unscripted television programs for
- television and/or digital customers.
- Oversee and counsel regarding all aspects of unscripted development and production and scripted development (working on underlying rights analysis and deals, and writer, director and talent attachment agreements).
- Counsel the client groups on a wide variety of other legal matters, including guild/union and labor issues, intellectual property rights, insurance, product integrations, online and music issues, and performing other day-to-day business and legal affairs-related tasks as needed.
Main Responsibilities
- Act as a liaison between the company’s creative executives and the creative community (i.e., talent agencies, talent managers, entertainment law firms, studios and production companies).
- Oversee all business and legal affairs aspects of unscripted programs once ordered to production.
- Advise on union and guild matters related to development and production.
- Maintain template forms and implement BBC Studios’ policy.
- Handle business and legal interactions with BBC Studios’ offices in other territories as necessary.
- Communicate legal restrictions and requirements to all necessary departments across the organization and internally within the LA Production Business.
- Elevate issues up to BBC Studios editorial standards department and brand management teams as necessary.
- Ensure all necessary sign offs/approvals have been received in connection with deals being done for rights coming into the LA Production business and rights being granted out to third parties.
- Work with Americas BLA team to create and implement approvals process for deals/agreements and to ensure that all the business and legal affairs needs of the LA Production Business are being met.
- Participate in the BLA Global Production Network, working with BLA colleagues around the work to create common practices and global strategic approaches to production related issues, primarily related to BBC Studios controlled formats.
- In conjunction with the Senior Vice President and General Counsel, oversee outside counsel assisting with deals/agreements, litigation issues, and other production related matters.
Are you the right candidate?
- JD degree and active member of CA bar
- Deep knowledge of entertainment industry, entertainment transactions and strong relationships within the industry.
- Minimum of 8 years of prior business or legal affairs transactional experience, ideally gained at a television production company, network, talent agency and/or entertainment law firm.
- Extensive unscripted and scripted television business & legal affairs experience required.
- Familiarity with and understanding of industry standards for writer, director, talent, underlying rights, and network agreements.
- Experience acting as production counsel for unscripted television programs; scripted television production experience also beneficial.
- Working familiarity with major above-the-line guild agreements and requirements.
- Outstanding analytic, negotiation and legal drafting skills.
- Ability to identify and resolve legal issues quickly and communicate effectively to all levels of the organization.
- Highly organized, detail oriented and self-motivated.
- Ability to manage multiple matters and accommodate tight deadlines while working in a fast-paced environment; flexibility or long hours if and when necessary.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Positive and professional manner.
- Ability to be discreet with confidential information.
- Ability to work independently but also be a team player.
Type: Full-time, Permanent.