Legal Counsel - Business & Legal Affairs

This is a Full Time Job


First Look Media is seeking a thoughtful, proactive, energetic attorney with 3-5 years of entertainment law experience to join the in-house Business & Legal Affairs Team. You will provide day-to-day business & legal affairs advice and counsel for a fast-growing multi-faceted media company, that includes a subscription video-on-demand service (Topic), as well as a growing studio for original television, film, digital, and podcast content (Topic and Topic Studio).

Responsibilities:

Draft and negotiate agreements for all aspects of television, film, digital video, and podcast development, production, and distribution, including option-purchase and other rights acquisitions agreements, writer agreements, talent and crew agreements, and production services agreements
Draft and negotiate television and film license and acquisitions agreements
Provide day-to-date legal oversight and advice on all aspects of production, including without limitation, appearance releases, archival releases, music licenses, and location agreements; make informed judgment calls with respect to licensing and fair use; advise on guild and insurance-related issues; etc.
Review programs prior to distribution to flag potential issues as related to IP, rights of privacy and publicity, and defamation
Review and negotiate various vendor, service provider, and event agreements
Direct communication with all First Look/Topic departments (including Programming, Production, Distribution, Editorial, Marketing, Social Media, Finance, and HR), First Look/Topic's outside counsel, third party filmmakers and artists, and opposing counsel and agents
Background & Qualifications:

3-5 years of direct entertainment/media business, contracts, and production experience, at a law firm, network, studio, or production company
Member of the bar (NY, CA, or a different state)
Excellent contract drafting skills and proven experience with entertainment law and contracts, preferably including production agreements
Proven experience with production legal work, including but not limited to talent agreements, director and crew agreements, and rights and clearances
Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills with internal clients as well as opposing counsel
Excellent negotiation skills with opposing counsel and agents
Excellent organizational and time-management skills; must be able to handle a varied and high-volume workload and to multi-task under pressure
Positive, can-do, team-player attitude; no job is too large or too small
Must be resourceful and proactive
Strong interest in and enthusiasm for First Look and Topic's business and the entertainment and media business more broadly
About First Look Media

First Look Media is a new-model media company devoted to supporting independent voices, from fearless investigative journalism and documentary filmmaking to smart, provocative entertainment. Launched in 2013 by eBay founder and philanthropist Pierre Omidyar, First Look Media was created with the belief that independent perspectives are vital to both a vibrant culture and a thriving democracy.

First Look Media is currently in the market with its flagship properties, The Intercept, Field of Vision, and the recently launched Topic SVOD service, and plans to continue expanding its mission of supporting independent voices via a variety of new brands, formats and platforms as well as through foundational technology helping creators and audiences develop, distribute, discover and connect with meaningful stories.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer --people of color, people with disabilities, women, and LGBT candidates are strongly encouraged to apply; we are committed to a diverse workplace, and to supporting our staff with ongoing career development opportunities.