Senior Counsel, Regulatory Affairs & Corp Transactions

KSHB / KMCI / The EW Scripps Company•Washington, DC

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

The E.W. Scripps Company is seeking a Senior Counsel, Regulatory Affairs & Corporate Transactions to provide legal counsel on matters related to the distribution of the Company’s local stations, networks, and programming across multiple platforms, including over-the-air, MVPD, streaming, and digital. This role will structure, negotiate, and draft a variety of commercial agreements; prepare regulatory filings; and oversee compliance with FCC regulations in partnership with internal teams. The Senior Counsel will also support the Company’s mergers and acquisitions activity and advise business leaders on regulatory and transactional matters, with a focus on operational effectiveness, risk management, and alignment across the enterprise.

Requirements

Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school and active license to practice law in good standing with at least one state bar: OH, NY, NJ, or GA preferred.
Minimum 5 years of experience at a law firm, as a house counsel in technology, regulatory, or intellectual property law, and/or in a business role focusing on program licensing and distribution
Strong contract drafting skills with experience in licensing, production, and local media distribution
Familiarity with FCC regulations applicable to broadcast and digital platforms
Accuracy and disciplined approach to compliance and risk management
Skilled in counseling creative and business partners, balancing legal and business considerations
Strong oral and written communication skills
Proficiency with Word, Excel, and related tools
Demonstrated experience in federal regulatory compliance requirements, including FCC rules and reporting processes
Demonstrated experience in retransmission consent, corporate governance processes, and related compliance requirements

Responsibilities

Advise on regulatory and contractual rights, obligations, most-favored-nation provisions, and transactional standards related to retransmission consent, network, and program distribution.
Draft offers and contracts based on approved deal terms; coordinate with Distribution in negotiations.
Review and negotiate inbound contract requests from outside parties, including retransmission consent, network distribution, non-disclosure, master services, and related agreements.
Create new contract forms as needed to accommodate evolving business models.
Evaluate standard terms and template agreements to ensure accuracy and efficiency.
Coordinate with business units to manage deal flow and contract execution.
Manage outside counsel when appropriate and oversee contract management system.
Monitor FCC regulatory requirements and compliance obligations relevant to the Company’s operations.
Draft and coordinate FCC compliance materials in collaboration with internal teams.
Work closely with the VP of Government Affairs on compliance-related matters, with advocacy retained by that office.
Assist, as needed, with preparation and submission of monthly, quarterly, and annual FCC filings and reports.
Maintain accurate compliance records and ensure timely submission of required reports to federal agencies.
Provide guidance to internal stakeholders to uphold compliance standards across business units.
Support Company M&A activity, i.e., securing regulatory approvals.
Prepare required regulatory filings and notices including but not limited to FCC license transfer applications (incl. waiver requests).
Coordinate with Company’s corporate development and M&A counsel on strategy regarding regulatory approval.