Legal Counsel, Legal Affairs, Distribution

Please note that this role is based in the United Kingdom. To enable us to meet the statutory and regulatory obligations of the United Kingdom immigration system, you must have the appropriate immigration permission needed to work and reside in the United Kingdom for the duration of the employment.

The Legal Counsel role forms part of the Sony Pictures Entertainment Legal Affairs team and is based in London. The role primarily supports the London-based Sourcing and Distribution & Content Services teams in connection with supplier and procurement agreements, and the Formats business’s Brand Management and Interactive Strategy team in connection with ancillary and brand-extension activities. The agreements supported may relate to EMEA or have a wider international scope. The role reports to a Vice President, Legal Affairs, Distribution, also based in London.

The position is suited to qualified lawyers with 5 years + post-qualification experience. Prior media and entertainment industry-specific experience is beneficial but not essential. Responsibilities will include advising on, drafting and negotiating a broad range of supplier, procurement and services agreements (e.g. post-production, technical mastering, content distribution and localization (subtitling and dubbing) agreements) and agreements for activities in connection with Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Formats business (e.g. live events, branded locations, web-based games and clip licences). Advising on and reviewing artificial intelligence (AI) use case requests connected with these areas, and supporting implementation of applicable AI use case conditions, will also be a key responsibility for the successful candidate.

The role will require regular liaison with business partners across Sony Pictures Entertainment. This will include other Legal Affairs teams (e.g. Corporate, Ethics and Legal Compliance, Litigation, IP, and Music) and Sourcing, Distribution & Content Services, Formats, Sales and Marketing teams, in London, across EMEA, in Los Angeles and other international offices.

The role requires exceptional organisational and interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to multitask and prioritise, to ensure tasks and projects are completed accurately and on time.

What you'll do:

Will handle, manage and coordinate a wide variety of legal activities, including:

• Drafting and negotiating a broad range of commercial contracts, with particular emphasis on supplier, procurement and services agreements, and agreements for the licensing and exploitation of intellectual property in connection with the Formats business.
• Partnering with Sourcing, Distribution & Content Services, Formats, Sales, Marketing, and other business stakeholders to negotiate agreements and find practical solutions to business challenges.
• Assisting with the creation, maintenance and updates to the Legal Affairs team’s precedent agreements and process documents.
• Advising on and reviewing artificial intelligence (AI) use case requests connected with the role’s areas of responsibility, coordinating with relevant specialist teams as appropriate and supporting implementation of applicable AI use case conditions.
• Conducting legal research and advising the relevant businesses on legal and related aspects of their activities.

What you have:

• A solid understanding of contract and licensing law.
• Strong commercial contracts experience, ideally including procurement, sourcing and supplier or services agreements.
• Self-starter with a proactive and positive attitude to their work, demonstrating a commercial and practical approach, taking ownership of tasks and working independently as well as collaboratively with others.
• Ability and willingness to continue to learn and understand new law and industry practices.
• Excellent legal analysis, drafting, negotiation and organizational skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to win the confidence of business partners and the flexibility to respond appropriately to a wide variety of stakeholders across multiple territories in a fast-paced international business.
• Serve as an adviser to business partners by providing practical, commercial and timely guidance.

Ability To

• Work in a fast-paced environment with an ever-changing landscape, calmly and thoughtfully under pressure.
• Work toward strategic objectives as outlined by supervisors.
• Prioritize work effectively to optimize results.
• Have excellent interpersonal skills and be a team player, with common sense, discretion and maintaining confidentiality in all matters.
• Collaborate with various stakeholders across the organization.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer (solicitor or equivalent) with substantial relevant post-qualification experience.
• Must speak English fluently; additional languages a plus.
• Experience working in or with a large international media, entertainment, technology or other commercial organization is helpful but not a prerequisite.

How we take care of you:

• Competitive salary, with annual bonus eligibility.
• A choice of comprehensive health plan options that fit your lifestyle, including private medical insurance.
• Rest and recharge during a week off during the winter holidays, in addition to the 25 days of paid annual leave.
• Participate in extensive learning & development opportunities at all levels, including curated instructor-led classes and high-impact online resources.
• Build your community by joining our Employee Business Resource Groups, and/or Sony Pictures Action – our racial equity and inclusion strategy.
• Access to an employee online store filled with a variety of discounted Sony products.
• Watch the newest movies and TV shows at our exclusive employee screenings at work.
• Entitlement to apply for an interest-free season ticket loan.
• Automatic enrolment in the Company’s Pension Plan
• Free counselling and advisory service.
• You will be automatically enrolled in the Company’s Life Insurance and Group Income Protection Plans, subject to any applicable service requirements.
• The opportunity to attend various social events in our state-of-the-art offices in Paddington.

In addition to the above, we have a range of other optional discounted benefits that are reviewed regularly (e.g., gym memberships, travel insurance, activity passes, car leasing, experience days and many more!)

If you require any reasonable adjustments with any part of the recruitment process, including the application or interview process, please contact us at uk_-_peopleandorganisation@spe.sony.com. Please put Reasonable Adjustment Request in the subject line of the email.

Sony Pictures does not allow audio recording, video recording or use of AI note-taking tools during interviews. Candidates requiring these tools as an accommodation during an interview should submit a reasonable adjustment request at the point they are invited to interview.

Sony Pictures Entertainment is committed to equal opportunity in all its employment practices, policies and procedures. No worker or potential worker will therefore receive less favourable treatment due to their race, age, creed, sexual orientation, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, disability, religion, gender, marital status or Trade Union membership (if applicable).

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