Deputy General Counsel

Jazz at Lincoln Center • New York, NY

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the General Counsel, the Deputy General Counsel will help protect JALC’s legal interests while ensuring best practices. This role is responsible for identifying and analyzing legal issues, tracking the status of open matters, drafting multiple types of documents, maintaining confidentiality, presenting clear recommendations, and ensuring compliance. The Deputy General Counsel will perform a variety of complex tasks for which a wide degree of creativity and initiative is expected. This person must possess a high level of judgment, discretion, diplomacy, and communication skills, along with a genuine respect for the arts, and must be exceptionally well organized. The curiosity to tackle new matters, the nimbleness to shift priorities quickly, and the ability to work under tight deadlines are all essential.

Requirements

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school. Admission to the New York Bar.
• At least seven years of relevant legal experience, preferably with an emphasis on nonprofit or entertainment industry matters. In-house experience preferred.
• Demonstrated integrity and adherence to high ethical values in decisions and dealings with others.
• Ability to build rapport and effectively liaise with internal clients, outside counsel, constituencies, and adversaries at all levels.
• Flexible working style; responds calmly when under pressure.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.
• Results-oriented team player with a capacity to work in a fast-paced, creative, multifaceted business environment.
• Handles confidential information using discretion, professional sensitivity, and sound judgment.
• Superior verbal and written communications skills, with the ability to create and lead presentations.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to structure and draft agreements independently and efficiently.
• Demonstrated ability to approach complex legal scenarios in a positive and practical manner.
• Attention to detail and ability to multi-task, prioritize, and schedule work effectively without compromising interpersonal skills or optimal results.

Nice To Haves

• Expertise advising creatives on copyright, fair use, publicity, and privacy matters.
• Experience with digital distribution, content licensing, websites, and social media accounts.
• Experience with legal issues related to nonprofits, public charities, and fundraising.

Responsibilities

• Advise internal clients on legal issues in content licensing, intellectual property, trademarks, social media, marketing, promotions, real estate, tax, and compliance matters.
• Structure, draft, review, interpret, and negotiate contracts, including production, license, artist, tour, consultant, contractor, vendor, sponsorship, publishing, distribution, software, technology, media, event, residency, and lease agreements.
• Advise on rights and intellectual property matters, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
• Review creative materials with a focus on intellectual property, fair use, music clearance, publicity, and privacy. Advise on production legal issues.
• Stay current on legal developments and regulations related to AI, intellectual property, and governance, ensuring compliance with all relevant laws.
• Create, review, and update standard agreement templates for day-to-day operations.
• Support the process of maintaining JALC’s registered trademarks.
• Collaborate closely with business partners to gain a thorough understanding of their respective departments and help develop strategies that align with legal requirements.
• Act as a valuable resource for the organization by providing legal support, guidance, and recommendations to various departments and stakeholders.
• Work with the General Counsel and other colleagues on major projects with long-term organizational implications.
• Take initiative on other legal and board governance matters as needed.
• Directly supervise the Associate Counsel and JALC’s legal interns and externs, investing in their growth as legal professionals and as mission-driven contributors to the organization.
• Serve as a genuine mentor: share institutional knowledge generously, provide active guidance on professional development, and build a department culture defined by intellectual curiosity and high standards.
• Track all incoming and outgoing requests to the Legal Department, delegating thoughtfully to develop the next generation of arts lawyers while maintaining the quality the organization expects.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health
• Retirement
• Access to JALC programming—from live performances to access at Dizzy's Club to world-class jazz education through Swing University and beyond

What This Job Offers

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