Sr Manager - Business & Legal Affairs

Full Time Job
The Role
Discovery is seeking a bright, highly motivated individual to join the Business & Legal Affairs team, based in our Silver Spring, MD office. The Senior Manager will be responsible for independently handling deal negotiations and the drafting and review of a variety of agreements for the development, production and distribution of documentary and non-scripted reality television programming, including the agreements for talent across Discovery’s portfolio of networks. The Senior Manager will be responsible for handling ongoing deal management responsibilities throughout the life of a program, including the vetting of content-related legal issues.

Responsibilities

1. Assume independent responsibility for deal negotiations and preparation of contracts for developing, producing, financing, and/or acquiring television programming for Discovery’s networks.
2. Negotiate and draft all business and legal terms with producer’s lawyers and/or agents for development, commission, co-production, acquisition, and other related agreements, including standard terms and conditions, back-end participation and ancillary deal components such as the licensing and granting of rights.
3. Negotiate and draft all terms of a variety of talent deals and manage all aspects of the provision of personal services to Discovery throughout the life of the talent deal, including oversight of all business transactions between the talent and the Discovery units that utilize talent’s services.
4. Advise and support network executives and internal business units on legal issues including copyright, defamation, trademark, right of privacy and publicity, music, advertising and other production-related issues, as well as liaise with counsel for production companies regarding legal issues related to programs.
5. Review and draft ancillary production-related documents such as access agreements, format licenses, participant releases, and consultant agreements.
6. Assume accountability for deals under tight timelines while acquiring appropriate rights within budgetary parameters.
7. Manage business practices in concert with network editorial/creative and production management.

Requirements

* Minimum of 2-4 years working in-house in the business affairs or legal department of a cable or broadcast television network or studio, or commensurate experience in the entertainment/media division of a law firm.
* Excellent writing, organizational, and interpersonal skills, including clear and effective written and verbal communication skills.
* Knowledge of defamation, privacy, and copyright laws would be helpful.
* Excellent business and legal judgment, including the ability to take initiative, make firm decisions, manage projects in a fast-paced environment, and offer a high level of customer service.
* Excellent people skills and ability to develop and maintain productive working relationships with internal and external partners.
* Strong academic credentials from an ABA-accredited law school and current Bar admission.
* Experience with Microsoft Word, Excel and other software applications.
* Must have the legal right to work in the United States

Silver Spring, Maryland, MD