Senior Counsel, Media Law

Chicago Public Media • Chicago, IL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Chicago Public Media is one of the nation’s largest local nonprofit news organizations, home to WBEZ 91.5FM, the Chicago Sun-Times, and Vocalo. It reaches over 3.3 million people weekly across broadcast, print, and digital platforms. As a mission-driven organization, it aims to be the most trusted news source for Chicagoans, believing independent journalism is essential to a healthy democracy and access to objective, fact-based news is a right. The organization serves the public interest by creating diverse content that informs and enriches the community, supported by approximately 250 professionals. Chicago Public Media, Inc. (“CPM”) is seeking a Senior Counsel, Media Law, to support its award-winning journalists, editorial operations, marketing, events, membership, and product teams at WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times. This role also involves company-wide contract review, drafting, negotiation, and compliance-related legal work. The Senior Counsel, Media Law, will report to the Chief Legal Officer of CPM and collaborate closely with other members of the law department, the Editor-in-Chief, and executive and senior leadership teams.

Requirements

• Deep interest, knowledge and proficiency in media law
• 3+ years of media law experience
• The highest level of professionalism and sound judgment
• Problem-solving skills and excellent business judgment, comfortable providing advice to internal and external clients
• Resourceful and proactive, with a strong ability to balance legal risks with practical business needs
• Strong writing and communication skills
• Strong attention to detail, passion for establishing clarity in the face of complexity and ambiguity, and bias to action
• Ability to collaborate and form relationships, gain credibility, and partner up and down a matrixed organization
• Ability to work well under pressure and manage multiple high priority projects and deadlines
• Demonstrated success of establishing client rapport and participating in an environment of continuous improvement
• An entrepreneurial spirit with high energy, enthusiasm and a strong work ethic
• Graduation from an American Bar Association accredited law school with a Juris Doctor degree
• Admitted to practice in at least one jurisdiction in the United States, preferably Illinois

Nice To Haves

• experience working in-house in a media, internet, news or publishing company preferred

Responsibilities

• Review news articles, investigations, scripts, podcasts and footage prior to publication to identify and mitigate legal risks before publication.
• Advise on requests for records under the federal Freedom of Information Act and state public records laws; work with journalists to respond to and prepare appeals from denials.
• Manage First Amendment claims, defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright and trademark infringement matters, FOIA litigation, cases relating to court access.
• Manage litigation counsel, assist with fact gathering and witness interviews, review pleadings.
• Respond to subpoenas for documents.
• Handle copyright and trademark issues and rights clearance and advise on and draft intellectual property, licensing, partnership, production and talent agreements.
• Review, draft and negotiate contracts for clients across the company, including marketing, membership and event contracts, vendor and operational contracts and consulting agreements; create template agreements for future use.
• Advise on FCC regulations for broadcasters and FTC rules for advertising; ensure privacy compliance by drafting strong privacy policies and terms of use for digital platforms; provide counseling on privacy matters.
• Manage legal risks associated with new technologies, including artificial intelligence (“AI”), and assist with rollout of internal AI policies and use of AI in the newsroom.
• Offer support and advice on the legal rights and protections afforded to journalists in connection with newsgathering activities; assess and respond to threats lodged at journalists.
• Review communications, contests and giveaways, event contracts and rights clearances.
• Develop and provide training to staff on best practices.
• Advise on day to day legal matters and provide substantive support for the rest of the legal team on an as-needed basis.

Benefits

• competitive salary and benefits package which includes medical, dental, vision, vacation, holidays, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement savings, and a commuter benefits plan

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees