Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs

Job Description

Overview and Responsibilities

Do you love entertainment? BET is seeking it's next scripted BALA VP! Candidate will handle a heavy volume of production- and development-related scripted work primarily for BET Studios, which will develop and produce original content and license studio programs to internal and external platforms. Candidate will also support business and legal affairs matters for BET Networks and the BET+ streaming platform. This position will be located in New York.

Primary duties will include:
• Structuring, drafting, and negotiating agreements involving the development and, production of original, licensed, and co-produced and licensing of scripted television programs including, series, mini-series, and ''movies-of-the-week.'' These agreements will include, without limitation, sales, distribution, and financing agreements, talent agreements (including test-option agreements), writer agreements (including creators and staff writers), director agreements, rights agreements (life-rights, book option etc.), overall agreements, first look/right agreements, and production company agreements.
• Performing day-to-day legal work for television programs, which will include:
• vetting creative summaries/pitches/potential characters for legal and business risk;
• leading all aspects of and providing on- and off-set advice to third-party production companies, producers, and creative executives on development- and production-related matters and legal analysis;
• working with internal departments (e.g., talent, music & media licensing, labor and employment, risk management, intellectual property & litigation, accounting/finance, press/publicity, and digital) in connection with legal concerns that may arise in connection with production and development and to ensure compliance with BET Studios and BET Networks policies and procedures;
• and performing other day-to-day legal and business affairs-related tasks as needed and assigned by the Senior Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs.

Basic Qualifications
• Minimum of 8 years of experience (preferably at a major studio or OTT/streaming service (e.g., HBO Max, Hulu), but including at a law firm and/or in a business and/or legal affairs department, with significant, demonstrable scripted deal-making experience.
• Qualified candidates must be members of the California or New York Bars.

Additional Qualifications
• Excellent negotiating and drafting skills.
• Knowledge of entertainment transactions and day-to-day legal challenges faced by scripted television productions.
• Ability to analyze fact patterns and devise creative solutions that allow executives to execute their creative vision while minimizing overall legal and business risk.
• Strong knowledge concerning union (SAG-AFTRA, WGA, DGA, IATSE) and non-union issues and working knowledge of labor and employment law issues, music clearances, intellectual property law, risk management issues and rights of publicity and privacy.
• Attention to detail and managing a high-volume workload efficiently and smoothly.
• Superlative communication skills and the ability to proactively collaborate with client group members, provide guidance, and make strategic recommendations in deal-making.
• Excellent industry relationships and a proactive approach to building relationships with television agents, entertainment lawyers and other entertainment professionals.
• A cooperative, team-focused approach.
• Leadership skills to manage and oversee junior attorneys and legal staff.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-r1872m-18-118-137-243-42 in your application.