Associate Counsel, Corporate & Finance

National Basketball Association (NBA) • New York, NY

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

This role will be a full-time, dedicated resource supporting the Legal Department’s corporate and finance responsibilities. This group oversees all legal aspects of: (i) team ownership transactions across the NBA and all affiliate leagues; (ii) league, team and arena finance matters; (iii) arena lease matters; (iv) new ventures, including strategic joint ventures/partnerships and league equity investments; (v) support of league entity governance matters; and (vi) support for Finance, Facilities, Risk Management, Procurement, Accounting, Treasury, and Tax.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor degree and bar admission
• Lawyer should be 2-5 years out of law school with experience in transactional matters, including corporate finance, M&A (public and private) and/or capital markets
• Excellent written and oral presentation skills, including ability to communicate effectively with senior executives and third parties.
• Exceptional problem solving and issue-spotting skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and time management capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Manage (with appropriate oversight) the processing of ordinary-course minority team ownership transactions across the NBA and all affiliate leagues, such as estate planning transactions, related-party transfers, sub-5% interest sales, etc. This would include document review and processing of ownership applications; issue spotting and negotiation of league documents; and coordination with external advisors, and applicant representatives.
• Provide support on more complex and significant ownership transactions, including controlling interest sales, minority interest transfers in excess of 5%, and transactions with private equity funds pursuant to the Private Investment Fund Policy and other institutional investors pursuant to the Institutional Investor Policy.
• Manage (with appropriate oversight) the day-to-day functions associated with debt issuances pursuant to the League-wide Credit Facility and/or League Level Credit Facility. This would include review of transaction documents, assisting Finance with creation of presentations and internal/external communications, and other administrative functions.
• Provide support on league review of team-specific financings outside of the League-wide Credit Facility and on arena company borrowings to fund new arena construction or renovation, including assisting Finance with its fair lease analysis of arena financings.
• Assist with the review and approval of (i) team arena leases and amendments thereto and (ii) design and construction of new arena projects and substantial renovations.
• Draft communications to the NBA Board of Governors and its subcommittees related to league and team matters, and prepare materials for the Board/committees in advance of meetings. Similar support services to be performed for affiliate leagues on a case-by-case basis.
• Provide support on all key league initiatives that involve equity and/or debt, including the formation of joint ventures, strategic acquisitions or minority equity investments. This may include the formation of additional country- or continent-specific vehicles, reorganization of certain aspects of our corporate entity structure, creation of affiliate leagues (including the pending formation of a European basketball league), acquisition of strategically important businesses, or equity investments in league partners for cash or VIK through NBA Investments, the Preferred Vendor Program, or other league-level initiatives.
• Provide support to the NBA Launchpad program with respect to the negotiation of terms and documentation regarding equity components of the program and follow-on investments made as a result thereof.
• Assist with all matters related to league entity governance, including advising internal clients on corporate governance matters; formation of new league entities; drafting governing documents and amendments to existing governing documents of league entities; and keeping meeting minutes and records.
• Primary responsibility for providing corporate legal support to Finance & Treasury, Facilities, Risk Management, Procurement, Accounting and Tax, including drafting and negotiating vendor agreements, engagement letters, NDAs and similar instruments; preparing or reviewing external communications; and providing general legal support to these departments.

Benefits

• Employees currently are eligible to receive an annual discretionary performance bonus, awarded at the sole discretion of the Company and subject to any terms and conditions set by the Company.
• Employees and/or eligible dependents may be eligible to participate in the following Company-sponsored employee benefit programs: medical; dental; vision; life/AD&D insurance; short- and long-term disability; fertility and family-forming assistance; wellbeing allowance; educational assistance; mental health coaching/therapy; tax advantaged accounts such as HSA and healthcare/dependent care FSAs; a 401(k) retirement plan; and time off benefits that include vacation, sick time, and personal days.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees