Principal, Assistant General Counsel, Sports Marketing

Nike • Beaverton, OR

15d • Onsite

About The Position

NIKE’s Legal Department is seeking a Director, Assistant General Counsel, Sports Marketing to join the Sports Marketing Legal Team based at the Phil H. Knight Campus in Beaverton, Oregon. Nike’s ability to build and maintain a world-class portfolio of athletes, teams, leagues, federations and partners is strengthened by an exceptional team of attorneys and legal professionals who combine outstanding legal judgment with a deep appreciation for the power of sport. The successful candidate will bring excellent legal training, strong business judgment and a proven ability to advise clients on complex, high-impact matters. While experience negotiating sophisticated commercial agreements is valuable, Nike is ultimately seeking an exceptional lawyer who combines strong judgment, intellectual agility, commercial curiosity and a genuine passion for understanding the athletes, teams, leagues and broader sports ecosystem that drive Nike’s business. Successful candidates may come from transactional, litigation or other sophisticated legal practices, but all will demonstrate a growth mindset, exceptional communication skills and the ability to deliver practical, solution-oriented advice in dynamic and often ambiguous circumstances.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor degree.
• Membership in good standing with at least one U.S. State Bar and willingness to obtain and maintain Oregon State Bar membership through reciprocity or registered in-house counsel status, as applicable.
• Approximately 7-10 years of relevant legal experience, including at least 5 years at a law firm advising clients on complex, high-stakes legal and business matters.
• Significant experience negotiating, drafting, interpreting or assessing sophisticated agreements, commercial relationships or high-stakes disputes.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, assess risk, influence decision-making and provide practical, business-oriented advice in dynamic environments.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to convey complex legal concepts clearly and effectively to diverse audiences.
• Ability to engage credibly with business partners on both legal and sports-related topics and demonstrate a thoughtful understanding of the evolving sports ecosystem.
• Genuine passion for sport and deep curiosity about the athletes, teams, leagues, federations, competitions and cultural dynamics that shape the global sports landscape.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in transactional, commercial, corporate, M&A, litigation, investigations or other rigorous legal practices is welcome.
• A deep understanding of the athletes, teams, leagues, federations and broader industry dynamics that influence Nike’s business is essential.
• The strongest candidates bring outstanding legal training, a genuine passion for sport, intellectual curiosity about the evolving sports ecosystem and the ability to engage credibly with business partners on both legal and sports-related topics.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal counsel and strategic advice to Nike’s Global Sports Marketing organization across a broad range of sports, athletes, teams, federations, leagues, and geographies.
• Partner closely with Sports Marketing leaders, business teammates and legal colleagues around the world to support some of Nike’s most significant endorsement, sponsorship and partnership matters.
• Provide legal and strategic business support for Nike’s industry-leading portfolio of athlete, team, league, federation and brand partnerships around the world.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to Global Sports Marketing, partnering closely with business leaders to navigate complex legal and business matters, assess risk, unlock opportunities and support strategic decision-making.
• Manage multiple complex matters simultaneously.
• Drive legal and business excellence through process improvements, cross-functional collaboration and consistently high-quality legal support.

Benefits

• We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree