Counsel

Job Description

Counsel (Hybrid)

Department: Office of the Chief Legal Officer
Status: Full-time/Regular/Exempt
Supervisor: Vice President and Associate General Counsel

The Counsel position presents a unique opportunity to work on cutting edge legal issues in a fast-paced, collegial environment. The successful candidate will possess transactional and technology licensing experience, as well as strong negotiation and drafting skills and the ability to creatively problem solve.

The Counsel must be a customer service focused team player who communicates clearly and proactively, is eager to provide advice on a wide array of legal and business issues, seeks achievable solutions, and works closely with the Associate General Counsel and directly with the PBS Children's Media and Education team to structure, negotiate and draft a variety of agreements, and provide legal advice and counsel.

Key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
• Provide support on a wide range of legal issues, with an emphasis on content distribution, technology and commercial transactions, licensing, intellectual property, and privacy.

• Provide primary legal support, including negotiation and drafting of contracts, for various teams in PBS's Digital, Children's Media and Education, and other groups.

• Negotiate and draft agreements for distribution of PBS content services on various platforms, including cable, satellite, and online streaming over PBS and third-party apps on a linear and on-demand basis.

• Negotiate and draft agreements for sponsorship and underwriting for direct to PBS content.

• Assist the VP & Associate General Counsel with high value/high risk issues, including research of novel legal issues under short deadlines to produce legal advice for executive management.

• Support the rights-management function and conduct rights analyses for potential deals.

• Supervise outside counsel.

• Remain current with the latest industry trends and developments

• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements for success:
• J.D. degree from an accredited law school.

• Licensed to practice law and eligible for admission by the Virginia State Bar as a Virginia Corporate Counsel (or currently an active member of the Virginia State Bar).

• 3+ years' experience in the practice of law, either at a nationally recognized law firm or an established in-house environment, negotiating and drafting agreements for complex technology transactions.

• Extensive knowledge of technology, intellectual property, privacy, and contract law.

• Experience with content distribution via cutting-edge distribution methods.

• Prior experience in the media, entertainment and/or television industries a plus.

• Ability to juggle a variety of tasks and multiple projects and to adjust priorities on short notice.

• Highly motivated self-starter able to initiate and drive projects through to successful completion.

• Strong negotiation skills.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, both written and oral, to lead meetings; effectively disseminate information to a variety of stakeholders at all levels of the organization; foster a candid, open environment that promotes innovation and collaborative decision-making; and develop and maintain excellent client relations.

• Ability to work effectively both independently and within a team.

• Excellent analytical skills, including the ability to consider and analyze a broad range of factors and to make decisions.

• Passion for the PBS mission.

• Lifelong learner.

• Strong computer skills particularly in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook); familiarity with legal word processing (e.g., redlining and tracking changes in agreements).

• Must have received or be willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination by date of hire to be considered. Proof of vaccination required.

PBS is an Equal Opportunity Employer in accordance with the EEOC and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-rjme00-3-139-107-241-42 in your application.