Senior Vice President, General Counsel

Minnesota Twins•Minneapolis, MN

9h•$350,000 - $500,000•Onsite

About The Position

The General Counsel has the responsibility for overseeing and directing legal support, advice and counsel to the Minnesota Twins, LLC, a Major League Baseball organization (the “Club”) and its affiliated baseball related entities, including in connection with facility operations for both baseball and non-baseball related events. The General Counsel serves as the chief legal officer for the Club and leads its in-house legal department, currently consisting of a Senior Counsel and a Associate Counsel. Primary responsibilities include oversight and management of day-to-day workflow of the legal department and providing advice and counsel on legal matters to include governance, Major League Baseball compliance and coordination, stadium and facilities matters, sponsorship agreements, media rights agreements, employment and labor issues, mergers and acquisitions, capital transactions, real estate matters, litigation, and lobbying efforts.

Requirements

JD Degree required from an ABA accredited law school with strong academic credentials
Licensed to practice law and in good standing with current state bar association, and ability to register for admission with the Minnesota State Bar in good standing
Minimum of 10+ years of post-bar experience with a law firm or as in-house counsel. Relevant experience pre-bar will be considered, based on the depth and relevance of experience
Significant experience in contract drafting and negotiating, with a strong foundation in corporate law
Experience in regulatory and/or league compliance
People management experience, with demonstrated ability to build consensus among multiple internal and external constituents.
Requires a strong understanding of, and experience in, the law (transactional, corporate, M&A, litigation, real estate, labor, etc.) as it relates to the interests of the Club
Ability to develop and implement legal strategies and solutions, which protect the Club and advance the Club’s business objectives
Excellent oral and written communication skills, with strong attention to detail
Excellent analytical, problem solving, interpersonal/communication skills, with ability to analyze and interpret complex legal issues and distill into understandable concepts to inform decision making for a wide range of departments, including the executive team and ownership
Demonstrated ability to develop, supervise and train staff, including organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments
Ability to prioritize and execute against multiple tasks under tight deadlines
Possess high degree of personal integrity, professional ethics, and self-motivation to consistently perform demanding responsibilities
Highly proficient in MS Office applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Growth mindset, grit, adaptability and resilience demonstrated through prior experiences
Strong work ethic, including flexibility in working nights, weekends, and holidays

Nice To Haves

Experience in entertainment/sports industry
Experience as in-house counsel in a corporate law department
Mergers and acquisitions and/or transactional real estate matters

Responsibilities

Direct/Manage all legal services for the Club and its affiliated entities.
Provide legal support and advice to executive and leadership team members across all organizational areas, including situational and contract analysis, risk management, employment practices, compliance, strategic planning and other business initiatives
Prepare, review and negotiate all varieties of legal documents, including but not limited to complex facilities operation and management agreements, sponsorship agreements, suite license agreements, technology/software agreements, vendor/service agreements, concert/major event agreements, and employment/consulting agreements
Lead and facilitate process improvements in the areas of contract drafting contract process intake and cross-functional collaboration processes
Review, understand, and provide advice on all corporate documents, MLB documents, facilities operating agreements and major partner agreements
Understand, interpret and provide guidance on compliance with MLB-related rules, regulations and policies
Review, understand, and provide advice on compliance with corporate governance matters for Minnesota Twins holding company, including preparation for, and coordination of, Advisory Board meetings
Collaborate with technology department on enterprise-wide data privacy initiatives to ensure responsible adoption of emerging technologies
Proactively anticipate, identify and manage liability areas and legal exposures
Provide training to staff in critical areas to appropriately manage risks (e.g., data privacy, intellectual property protection, and MLB compliance)
Manage pending and open litigation matters with the assistance of outside counsel, including document production and other discovery requests
Select and retain outside counsel as required in litigation, employment, immigration and intellectual property matters
Provide enterprise-wide risk and liability assessment and management assistance, including service on the Club’s Risk Management Committee
Serve as legal contact with MLB for Club’s participation in league-wide insurance program, including annual renewals and claim review and processing
Interact with/advise Human Resources department with respect to legal aspects of employment and personnel matters
Serve as a member of the Club’s Code of Conduct Response Team, and provide assistance to Human Resources department in drafting written disciplinary actions
Advise on proposed major business transactions and assist with the negotiation of business agreements, including but not limited to concessionaire/merchandising agreement, ballpark lease amendments/renewals, media rights agreements, and related ancillary documentation.
Conduct contract/policy compliance audits to ensure organizational adherence to applicable laws and MLB policies and rules
Develop strong relationships with key legal personnel at MLB Central Office and across club legal teams to assist in establishing Club policies for consistency and compliance with MLB requirements
Develop and maintain strong, cooperative inter/intra departmental and interpersonal working relationships, including with Minnesota Ballpark Authority legal counsel on ballpark lease and related legal matters.
At Club’s cost, maintain professional growth and development through seminars, continuing legal education, and professional affiliation to keep abreast of current and developing legal issues and trends in the baseball industry and at major entertainment facilities.