Senior Counsel, Business & Legal Affairs, Unscripted Development & Production, Original Acquisitions

Job Description

Overview & Responsibilities

The team supports the business and legal needs across all BET-branded and VH1-branded platforms and businesses, including, but not limited to, the development and production of scripted, unscripted, music, digital, news, documentary and live event/tentpole programming and all related advertising, sponsorship, marketing and promotion. All executives in the department work hand-in-hand with the creative, development, programming, production, talent, finance, publicity, ad sales and marketing teams, as well as many other departments across the BET Media Group and Paramount Global. The Senior Counsel of Business & Legal Affairs is an experienced mid-level attorney role currently intended to provide day-to-day support across all of the group's platforms and businesses, with a primary focus on the support of BET Media Group's Unscripted Development & Production teams and its Original Acquisitions & Co-Productions team.
• Structuring, drafting and negotiating development, talent and production-related agreements (e.g., producer, production services, high-level host and on-camera talent agreements; appearance, venue and location releases; music and clip licenses; co-production deals and rights acquisitions; format licenses; program licenses, etc.).
• Counseling in-house client groups on a wide variety of legal issues and corporate policies that may arise in connection with content development, production, music, marketing, promotion, advertising, integrations and sponsorships and managing corporate compliance with Paramount Global and BET Media Group policies and procedures.
• Handling day-to-day production legal work for original programming (unscripted episodic series and specials as well as marketing/promotion/digital content).
• Reviewing and approving legal contracts for execution by production and/or management.
• Leading and/or engaging in complex and strategic deal discussions and researching BALA issues.
• Providing risk assessment for production-related matters and implementing corporate policies.
• Performing other day-to-day BALA affairs-related tasks as needed and assigned by senior business/legal affairs executives.

Basic Qualifications
• Good standing of the New York and/or California Bar(s) with 5-7+ years of equivalent experience in a network, studio, streaming, entertainment law firm or production company environment.
• Desired candidate will have a detailed understanding of entertainment industry customs and practices and possess demonstrated ability to effectively negotiate and interact with agents, managers and outside attorneys and lead internal teams.
• Must be able to multi-task under pressure, manage a varied, high-volume workload efficiently and operate autonomously within corporate parameters.

Additional Qualifications
• Significant, demonstrable unscripted deal-making experience.
• Ability to analyze complex fact patterns and devise creative solutions that allow executives to implement their creative vision while minimizing overall legal and business risk.
• Substantive and practical experience running production legal for unscripted programming.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation and communication (written and verbal) skills; proven ability to effectively negotiate with third parties within established parameters.
• Ability to build industry relationships and a proactive approach to working with agents, managers, lawyers and other entertainment industry professionals.
• Working knowledge of television industry agreements, guild and union regulations (WGA, DGA and SAG-AFTRA), contract law and intellectual property rights (as applicable to the entertainment industry).
• Ability to build strong internal relationships, effectively advise internal teams under conditions of uncertainty, pressure and/or high risk and generate strong client satisfaction.
• Professional demeanor and interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to work with all types of personalities and work styles.
• Established track record of exercising solid business judgment, meeting deadlines and working independently.

#LI-Hybrid

The BET Media Group, a unit of Paramount (NASDAQ: PARAA; PARA; PARAP), is the world's largest media company dedicated to entertaining, engaging, and empowering the Black community and championing Black culture. Connecting Black audiences through a portfolio of brands including BET, BET+, BET Gospel, BET HER, BET International, BET Jams, BET Soul, BET Studios, and VH1, the BET Media Group is a thriving media ecosystem of leading interconnected platforms across cable TV, streaming, digital, studios, live events and international.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Hiring Salary Range: $175,000.00 - 195,000.00.

The hiring salary range for this position applies to New York City, California, Colorado, Washington state, and most other geographies. Starting pay for the successful applicant depends on a variety of job-related factors, including but not limited to geographic location, market demands, experience, training, and education. The benefits available for this position include medical, dental, vision, 401(k) plan, life insurance coverage, disability benefits, tuition assistance program and PTO or, if applicable, as otherwise dictated by the appropriate Collective Bargaining Agreement.

https://www.paramount.com/careers/benefits

Paramount is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) including disability/vet.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-rvzb60-3-133-159-224-42 in your application.