Associate Director / Director, Business & Legal Affairs

Full Time Job
Job Description:

At Warner Music Group, we're a global collective of music makers and music lovers, tech innovators and inspired entrepreneurs, game-changing creatives and passionate team members. Here, we know that each talent makes our collective bolder and brighter. We are guided by four core principles that underpin everything we do across all our diverse businesses:
• Music is Everything: Music is our passion, and we can never get enough. Tastes, trends, and tech will change, but great artists and songwriters will always be our driving force.
• Global Growth, Local Expertise: Music is a global language. Through communication and collaboration, our success can come from anywhere and translate everywhere.
• Innovation and Insight: Pushing the boundaries requires the best information and the boldest imagination. We use both to create the future.
• Empowered by People: Like the artists we serve and the music they make, our differences make us stronger. This is a place where every talent can belong and build a career.

We remain committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We know it fosters a culture where you can truly belong, contribute, and grow. We encourage applications from people of any age, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, and any other characteristic or identity.

Consider a career at WMG and get the best of both worlds – an innovative global music company that retains the creative spirit of a nimble independent.

Job Title: Associate Director/Director, Business & Legal Affairs – title commensurate with experience

A little bit about our team:

The Business and Legal Affairs team at Atlantic is a close-knit group of passionate music attorneys. Our team negotiates record deals for Atlantic's entire roster of artists and manages the business and legal issues relating to the creation, distribution, monetization and marketing of our artists' music. Our team works directly with every department at the label, including A&R, marketing, artist development, PR, royalties, finance and sales.

Your role:

This role reports to Executive Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs and General Counsel. You will be a member of Atlantic Records' seven-lawyer Legal & Business Affairs Team. This is an opportunity to join a group that is shaping the future of the music business.

Here you'll get to:
• Structure, negotiate, draft and review a wide variety of complex music industry agreements, including ''360'' recording agreements, label deals, profit split deals, soundtrack album agreements, producer agreements, manufacturing and distribution agreements, and various types of licenses.
• Liaise with all other departments of the company to answer questions and ensure compliance with contractual and legal obligations.
• Review artwork, audiovisual materials and marketing materials to determine potential legal issues and assess the possible risks associated with their distribution; supervise clearance process.
• Provide advice to Audit and Finance departments on contractual interpretation and audit strategy; negotiate and draft final settlements.
• Review royalty statements of major artists and statements which are substantially payable to ensure accuracy.
• Manage claims and outside counsel as necessary.

About you:
• 2-3 years of experience as a lawyer with a primary focus on music.
• Experience negotiating recording agreements or other relevant transactional experience.
• Strong contract drafting skills.
• Experience handling complex business and legal issues.

We'd love it if you also had:
• Record label business affairs experience.

About us:
As the home to 300 Elektra, Asylum, Atlantic, East West, FFRR, Fueled by Ramen, Nonesuch, Parlophone, Rhino, Roadrunner, Sire, Warner Records, Warner Classics, and several other of the world's premier recording labels, Warner Music Group champions emerging artists and global superstars alike. And our renowned publishing company, Warner Chappell Music, represents genre-spanning songwriters and producers through a catalogue of more than one million copyrights worldwide. Redefining what it means to be a music company in the 21st century, our consumer brands include trend-setters like UPROXX, Songkick, HipHopDX, and EMP. We're the home to WMX – the next generation services division that connects artists with fans and amplifies brands in creative, immersive, and engaging ways – and Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA) – the ground-breaking global distribution company for independent artists and labels.

Together, we are Warner Music Group: Music With Vision & Voice.Don't be discouraged if you don't hear from us right away. We're taking our time to review all resumes, and to find the best people for WMG.

Thanks for your interest in working for WMG. We love it here, and think you will, too.

Effective October 1, this position will require being in the office 4 days a week. We believe that an in-office presence is critical for talent development, collaboration and building strong relationships.

Salary Range
$90,000 to $120,000 Annually

Salary ranges are included for job postings where required by law. The actual base pay is dependent upon many factors, such as work experience and business needs. The pay range is subject to change at any time dependent on a variety of internal and external factors.

WMG is committed to inclusion and diversity in all aspects of our business. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and will evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, religious creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, marital status, medical condition as defined by state law (genetic characteristics or cancer), physical or mental disability, military service or veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

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