Counsel - Consumer Product Licensing

NBCUniversal•Universal City, CA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

This position is on the Business & Legal Affairs team responsible for providing business and legal support for Universal Products & Experiences (UP&E). Universal Products & Experiences handles the licensing of NBCU film and television properties for merchandising, publishing, video games, digital and interactive uses, and commercial tie-ins/promotions. This role primarily focuses on rights research and analysis as well as supporting different groups within Universal Products & Experiences with drafting legal agreements.

Requirements

JD and active member of the California Bar.
Consumer Product Licensings or IP licensing experince required
5+ years of experience at a law firm or comparable studio or corporate experience.
Superior communication, drafting and negotiation skills.
Precise attention to detail.

Nice To Haves

Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills to develop working relationships with a wide range of personalities/styles.
Proven ability to exercise proper judgment to assess priorities, ability to juggle a large volume of work efficiently and effectively, and meet multiple deadlines, with minimal supervision.
Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
Precise attention to detail.
Flexibility with a proactive can-do approach.
Experience managing paralegals/ associate counsel preferred.
Entertainment, Consumer Products, media/technology, intellectual property, or other relevant subject matter expertise preferred.
Experience with intellectual property matters and corporate transactions strongly desired.
Experience with chain of title, motion picture and television rights agreements preferred.
Familiarity and experience with television and film production, SAG, WGA, and DGA agreements
Demonstrated success within a large, diverse corporate environment
Self-starter with a strong work ethic and the ability to handle multiple, high priority tasks in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent interpersonal skills which will enable him/her to interact with a wide range of personalities/styles and build productive relationships at all levels of the organization.
Superior organizational skills and ability to handle and track a high-volume workload.
Strong problem-solving and positive client service skills.

Responsibilities

Acting as an essential part of the leadership team for the AMERICAS business group, working closely with the regional heads and other executive and category leaders to shape and drive the business strategy and goals.
Draft, negotiate, review, analyze and interpret a high volume of intellectual property license and service agreements associated with the licensing, distribution, promotion, and marketing of intellectual property content for consumer products, retail promotions, live events, and other franchise activities.
Serve as a liaison to external licensees and internal partners in other business units; manage inquiries and provide consultation to internal stakeholders.
Leads and manages team, providing guidance, support, and mentorship to ensure high performance and professional development
Sets clear goals and objectives for the team, monitors progress, and provides regular feedback and performance evaluations.
Identifies areas for improvement and implements strategies to enhance team performance
Provide timely and thoughtful legal advice on potential risks and issues to internal business, franchise and creative partners, and propose practical, responsive solutions
Liaise with NBCUniversal corporate, production, finance, and other internal teams on a range of issues
Advise internal stakeholders on new business propositions and rights, deal structures and other matters, undertaking legal research and advising on issues/risks
Review creative materials for use in consumer products
Create ad-hoc contracts and legal documents as business requirements dictate
Assist with royalty audits, interpreting contractual language and finalizing settlement agreements
Advise on IP infringement enforcement and drafting breach notices and cease and desist letters.
Provide advice, analysis and research on underlying rights, trademark, clearance and other intellectual property issues related to Brand Development exploitation (i.e., merchandise, publishing, games & digital, live events etc.).
Preparation, analysis and review of rights summaries and memoranda.
Assist with the negotiation of rights agreements.
Performance of other duties and/or special projects as needed.