Associate, Legal Affairs

Job Description

At Warner Music Group we're all about our people. Our global company is made up of knowledgeable, passionate, and creative individuals. Our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion fosters a culture where you can truly belong, contribute, and grow. We believe in each individual's value and encourage applications from people of any age, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, and any other characteristic or identity.

It is the mission of every member of the WMG team around the world to create a nurturing environment for artists, songwriters, and the people behind the music – at every stage of their career. We strive to set WMG apart by embracing innovation – an integral part of our company's DNA.

Consider a career at WMG and be a part of one of the most influential forces in culture today.

Associate, Legal Affairs

A little bit about our team:

Warner Music's Center of Excellence for Shared Services, opened in 2017 and is the home to the financial, legal and administrative functions that provide critical support and best-in-class services to our US Recorded Music and Publishing businesses. The Nashville center embodies the innovative and creative spirit that stems from the company's deep history in nurturing entrepreneurial thinking and artist-focused innovation, enabling our employees to develop a wide range of skills through cross-function collaboration and development opportunities.

The Legal Department is responsible for enforcing WMG's rights in the recorded music catalog repertoire controlled by its US record labels, managing litigations involving WMG's recorded music catalog rights in conjunction with WMG's corporate litigation in-house counsel, fielding inquiries from third parties, researching WMG's recorded music catalog rights, filing applications to register copyrights in and to WMG's recorded music repertoire, and managing WMG's relationships with the labor unions with which WMG's US record labels have collective bargaining agreements.

Members of the Legal Department work closely with employees in the Business Affairs, Finance, Production, Operations, New Media, and Marketing departments of each label client to fulfill the above-referenced responsibilities for the recordings and record those labels release.

Why this could be your next big break:

The candidate hired to fill this position will: (1) conduct general legal research pertaining to WMG's rights in its existing recording agreements and advise various internal business units regarding those rights and recording agreements, (2) research, answer and resolve inquiries from both internal business units and artists, producers, and other third parties, and (3) assist with the management of incoming claims.

Here you'll get to:
• Perform general catalog legal research pertaining to WMG's rights in its existing recording agreements and other contracts, including reviewing, analyzing and interpreting various provisions in the recording agreements and other contracts at the request of various internal business units such as the royalty, publishing, and revenue assurance teams;
• Manage and deliver on special catalog rights research projects in support of various internal business units in accordance with deadlines;
• Field, research, and resolve incoming inquiries from recording artists, producers, and other third party royalty participants, and their representatives;
• Field, research, and resolve incoming legal claims from recording artists, other third parties, and their representatives, including accounting claims, copyright claims, sample claims, and reversion-of-rights claims;
• Communicate the relevant details of the aforementioned incoming inquiries and claims to the relevant internal clients, and work with other attorneys in the Legal Department to secure the approval of such clients over the resolution of such matters;
• Draft legal documents related to the settlement of certain incoming claims;
• Assist the corporate in-house litigation team by performing legal research; and,
• Perform other tasks as requested by Legal Department senior management and various business units across WMG

About you:
• Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited, US law school is required;
• License to practice law in Tennessee is required;
• Candidate must be a problem solver, with the ability to find timely and creative solutions to unique issues and assignments;
• Candidate must possess excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Candidate must possess excellent analytical, mathematical and organizational skills;
• Candidate must possess strong legal and Internet research skills;
• Candidate must have strong computer skills and proficiency using Microsoft Office's Excel, Word and PowerPoint applications;
• Candidate must be able to work well independently and as part of a team;
• Candidate must be able to meet deadlines consistently and effectively while working under pressure; and
• Candidate must be able to manage multiple assignments at any given time and prioritize them effectively and appropriately.

It would be music to our ears if you also had:

3 years of relevant, music industry and/or law firm experience, including reviewing and analyzing music industry recording agreements and resolving legal claims.

About us:

With its broad and diverse roster of new stars and legendary artists, Warner Music Group is home to a collection of the best-known record labels in the music industry including Asylum, Atlantic, East West, Elektra, FFRR, Fueled by Ramen, Nonesuch, Parlophone, Rhino, Roadrunner, Sire, Warner Records, Warner Classics and Warner Chappell Music, one of the world's leading music publishers with a catalogue of more than one million copyrights worldwide.

For more than four decades, WMG has been an industry-leading force in providing a world-class array of services designed to help artists and labels grow their careers and their businesses. Artist & Label Services is the umbrella for WEA (Warner-Elektra-Atlantic) – the pioneering WEA distribution and marketing network – and Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA) – the ground-breaking global distribution company for independent artists and labels.

Love this job and want to apply?

Click the ''Apply'' link at the top of the page, or apply directly with your LinkedIn. Applying with LinkedIn will import all of the information you put in your profile, but will still allow you to upload a resume and cover letter.

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.

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.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-r1o60x-3-138-33-178-42 in your application.