Job Description
WME seeks a talented and highly motivated attorney to oversee the agency's Motion Picture Business Affairs division. This position will report to the Head of Business Affairs and will include reviewing, drafting and negotiating deals for our motion picture clients.
You are an experienced entertainment legal professional, well-versed in all sides of motion picture dealings across agents, talent, studios, and production companies. You will advise our agents and their clients on best deal practices, representing our business with expertise, as well as serving as a thought leader for the Motion Picture business unit. This role should be identifying macro trends in the representation and motion picture business at large, introduce new thinking and paths for the division to consider, and continue to drive WME's position at the forefront of the industry.
Responsibilities
• Responsible for handling matters surrounding WME's motion picture development, production and distribution projects on a day to day basis, including drafting and negotiating: development/attachment agreements with producers and talent, broadcast/license agreements with studios and other content distributors, various production releases, co-production agreements, talent/crew agreements (e.g., directors, writers, actors, below-the-line production services, etc.), format licenses, distribution agreements, and various contractor and vendor agreements.
• Coordinate with WME risk management to ensure coverage; coordinate with WME finance with respect to payments/collections; evaluate intellectual property rights/chain of title issues.
• Act as an entrepreneurial business partner and provide decision-making support and guidance on strategy in dealmaking to WME agents and executives.
• Apply innovative problem-solving skills and practical business judgment to balance WME's business needs and acceptable levels of risk.
• Foster positive long-term internal business client and external client relationships.
Qualifications
• JD from an ABA accredited law school.
• Admitted to CA Bar (or another state bar permissible under CA in-house counsel rules).
• Minimum 10 years of transactional legal experience, ideally with at least 2 of those years spent working at a law firm. In-house experience at a film production company, studio or media company, or comparable experience within an entertainment law firm.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and organizational skills; experience drafting and negotiating all manner of contracts for film development, production, finance, and sales & distribution deals. Experience with talent agreements (e.g. actors, writers, producers, directors); intellectual property including copyright and trademark matters; guild/union (e.g., DGA, SAG-AFTRA, WGA, IATSE) and non-union labor and employment law; and/or legal production work related to film deals.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills which will enable him/her to interact with a range of personalities and styles in a fast-paced business environment and to work effectively with people at many different levels (including agents, senior executives, television network executives/business affairs, show creators, producers, artists, other attorneys, and in-house client divisions); have an effective problem-solving approach; excellent drafting and analytical skills; be well-organized; and have a strong work ethic.
• An upbeat temperament, dynamic personality and highly team-oriented approach to work is necessary.
Endeavor is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment.
Jobcode: Reference SBJ-rb62oo-54-166-170-195-42 in your application.