Sr Counsel, Legal, Commercial Partnerships

Job Description

Negotiate and draft to a high standard various commercial agreements (including distribution and ad sales agreements), provide legal advice to senior stakeholders on a range of issues, and provide support to the legal team as required. Liaise closely with the relevant commercial stakeholders, including senior management, for specific regions. This role will be challenging and wide-ranging, with a focus on commercial partnerships/ distribution agreements, ad sales agreements, general commercial agreements, regulatory matters and compliance matters.

Your Role Accountabilities…
• Drafting and negotiating standard form and bespoke distribution/ commercial partnerships contracts, with a particular focus on regions within EMEA. This includes linear and non-linear carriage deals with third party platforms via a range of distribution means, across the entire WBD portfolio of content – from premium entertainment to premium sports.
• Supporting all aspects of the distribution business with TV platforms, including contracts, strategic issues, dispute resolution, and contract compliance issues.
• Key lawyer for a wide range of commercial matters including distribution, agency, ad sales, sponsorship, IP/IT, marketing and PR.
• Legal support on handling regulatory matters generally.
• Advising on, coordinating and, where applicable, supervising external counsel on, key litigation disputes and enforcement policies (e.g. bad debt, piracy).
• Support lawyer on certain key regional and international deals.
• Overseas travel, where necessary, to attend internal and external meetings.

Skills and Qualifications…
• Technically very proficient lawyer – needs to have an excellent understanding of contract and IP/ IT laws, and excellent drafting skills. A good understanding of regulatory, consumer, data protection and corporate laws is also required.
• Must be a qualified lawyer – excellent academics, training, and experience at top law firm an advantage.
• Negotiation skills must be proven – to deliver both proper legal protection to the company and excellent commercial results.
• High competency required in IT skills (e.g., Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel).
• Excellent interpersonal skills – ability to work effectively at all levels within the company:
• Clear and concise communicator (both orally and written) – ability to present and distil legally complex issues into legally compliant but practical and commercial solutions, in a way that engages the key stakeholders.
• Well organised and attention to detail: this role requires focus and energy to ensure that nothing falls between the cracks.
• All areas noted above in skills, plus good commercial knowledge essential – must have a deep understanding of the impact that deals potentially have on other revenue streams to involve other parts of the business as appropriate.
• Professional: calm under pressure, clear thinking, well organised, proactive and grasps concepts quickly.
• Flexible and commercially pragmatic.
• Will be a key provider of day-to-day support to the business so must be a good team player, and have flexible, hands-on approach.
• Emotionally intelligent outlook – must have the ability to diffuse and calm others.
• Inclusive behaviour – ensuring that all key stakeholders are consistently kept in the loop.
• Ability to manage own time judiciously and deal effectively with competing interests.
• Confident, sociable and ability to interact with clients from different cultures and backgrounds.
Hybrid Working - This role is advertised as a Hybrid work model, that combines remote and in-office work, following our current company policy and to be agreed with your Line Manager. Subject to any applicable laws, WBD / your Line Manager reserves the right to change this working agreement where this is essential to business needs and upon reasonable notice to you.

Championing Inclusion at WBD
Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of our society and the world around us. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, disability or any other category protected by law.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-g6o4b9-18-222-161-187-42 in your application.