Legal & Business Affairs Counsel

This is a Full Time Job

Who are we hiring?

The Counsel Legal & Business Affairs will provide key support as part of the legal team responsible for Real Estate, Development & Construction, and Venue Operations within the Legal Department. This role offers an exceptional opportunity for an early-career attorney to develop expertise across a dynamic range of practice areas—including commercial real estate, large-scale construction and development, and live entertainment venue operations—while working alongside experienced attorneys on high-profile, innovative projects.

What will you do?
• Support Development & Construction Transactions: Assist senior attorneys in formulating strategy and addressing legal aspects of major development and construction transactions for venues and other future projects in the U.S. and abroad.
• Address Venue Operations Legal Issues: Help manage and resolve a broad range of legal issues related to the operations, construction, and development of domestic and international venues, including the existing Sphere in Las Vegas, NV and the new Sphere in National Harbor, MD.
• Venue Operational Licenses: Assist with ongoing maintenance and compliance issues related to venue operational licenses, including liquor licenses, food service licenses, and certificates of occupancy.
• Draft and Review Contracts: Draft, review, and assist in negotiating a high volume of Requests for Proposals/Qualifications, bid documentation, and contracts between MSGE, Sphere, and counterparties—including procurement vendors, property owners, architects/engineers, general contractors, construction managers, individual trade contractors, professional consultants, and other professional services providers.
• Advise on Legal Compliance: Support business units in monitoring legal compliance by MSGE, Sphere, and relevant counterparties with project-specific contracts, leases, easements, and third-party rights agreements in connection with real estate, operations, construction, and development activity.
• Litigation and Pre-Litigation Support: Assist in managing operations- and construction-related pre-litigation or litigation issues, including assisting the Litigation group with initial fact-finding and due diligence reviews and working with risk management/insurance advisers and outside counsel in legal proceedings.
• Regulatory and Insurance Compliance: Assist in ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal law, including ADA compliance and relevant building codes, and insurance coverage requirements across MSGE's and Sphere's various business units.
• Real Estate Portfolio and New Opportunities: Support senior attorneys and other colleagues with construction, zoning, real estate, historical landmark, and risk management/insurance aspects of the MSGE real estate portfolio and Sphere's exploration of potential new Sphere venues, other venue development, or management opportunities.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Liaise with and support members of the companies' Venues, Risk Management, Health & Safety, Security, Government Affairs, Communications, Tax, and Finance teams as needed.
• Outside Counsel Coordination: Assist in managing outside counsel on transactions, including tracking deliverables, reviewing work product, and supporting legal spend management.
• Provide exceptional experiences for our guests, partners, and team members, including by adhering to our appearance and presentation guidelines while on-site.

What do you need to succeed?
• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school
• Admission to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (New York admission preferred)
• 3 years of experience in the practice of law, preferably with exposure to real estate, construction, corporate/commercial transactions, or a related practice area
• Strong contract drafting, review, and analytical skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate legal issues clearly to non-lawyer colleagues
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously
• Self-starter with a collaborative, team-oriented approach
• Commitment to quality work product and organizational ethics, integrity, and compliance

Special Requirements
• May require domestic business travel as needed in support of business transactions

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