Vice President of Legal Affairs, Motion Picture

This is a Full Time Job

Sony Pictures Entertainment's Motion Picture Legal group has an opening for an attorney at the Vice President level. The attorney will provide legal support to various divisions including Columbia, TriStar, Screen Gems and 3000 Pictures. This attorney will draft and negotiate contracts in concert with and under the direction of business affairs executives for all phases of development, production, and post-production of theatrical motion pictures. Experience with distribution agreements, including co-financing and negative pick-ups is a plus.

Responsibilities:
• Review chain of title documents and opine on rights issues
• Draft and negotiate rights acquisition and writing contracts
• Independently handle all legal issues relating to motion picture production, including drafting and negotiating contracts for directors, producers, actors, heads of department, production services agreements, NDAs and VFX agreements
• Interface with business affairs, creative executives, production department, labor, risk management, credits and other studio departments
• Work with production paralegal to review, provide comments and negotiate license agreements, leases, location agreements and other production contracts in connection with motion picture production
• Act as a resource to develop junior attorneys

Requirements:
• J.D. required
• Minimum 10 years of legal theatrical development & production experience
• Knowledge of contract law and legal issues specific to entertainment law (production and intellectual property issues)
• Superlative communication and drafting skills
• Ability to review agreements and to trouble-spot legal issues
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, learn and understand SPE policies and parameters and exercise judgment based on experience
• Member in good standing of the California Bar