VP, Legal
About The Position
UnitedMasters is building a marketplace that connects artists, brands and fans - empowering artists to earn and grow. UnitedMasters has taken the bold step of building a music distribution service that, radically, puts artists first - disrupting the legacy music business by letting up-and-coming artists distribute their music directly to fans through streaming services while maintaining ownership of their master recording rights and up to 100% of royalties. Through the combination of UnitedMasters’ music distribution platform and its deep ties to brands, UnitedMasters enables independent artists and change-makers to grow and earn unlike any other platform. The UnitedMasters team is made up of musicians, marketers, engineers, and storytellers with backgrounds from YouTube, SoundCloud, Pandora, Facebook, Uber, Dropbox, Complex, VICE, and more. We work hand in hand with the award-winning creative teams that forge those innovative partnerships at Translation (our in-house creative advertising agency). We are looking for a VP, Legal to join UnitedMasters! This role is for a strategic, business-minded legal leader who thrives at the intersection of music, technology, and advertising. In this role, you’ll serve as a key partner to executive leadership, advising on risk, commercial transactions, corporate strategy, and high-impact partnerships across UnitedMasters LLC and Translation LLC. You’ll play a critical role in shaping the company’s legal and business direction while leading and developing the legal team. This is an opportunity for someone who can think big, move decisively, and help guide the company through its next phase of growth. This role is based in Brooklyn, New York with four days in-office and one day remote.
Requirements
- Background in IP, media, technology, music and/or entertainment law, with strong commercial instincts.
- Proven ability to operate at a strategic level, advising executives and influencing business outcomes while maintaining strong relationships internally and externally.
- Experience managing or leading legal teams and partnering with outside counsel.
- Deep understanding of commercial deal structures, rights frameworks, and global business operations.
- Strong judgment, with the ability to balance legal risk against business objectives.
- Effective communicator, excellent writer, and outward leader who can translate complex legal concepts into clear, actionable guidance.
- Comfortable operating cross-functionally with product, finance, HR, marketing, and business teams.
- Proficiency with AI-powered legal tools and workflows (e.g., contract review/analysis, legal research, and document automation), with the ability to leverage emerging technologies to improve legal efficiency, scalability, and decision-making.
- J.D. from an accredited law school, admitted and in good standing in at least one U.S. jurisdiction, preferably NY.
- 8 to 15 years of experience, with a mix of reputable entertainment law firm and in-house experience
Responsibilities
- Partner directly with the C-suite and senior leadership to provide strategic legal guidance and risk analysis on key initiatives and company direction.
- Structure and advise on complex commercial arrangements, including distribution, licensing, partnerships, and strategic transactions.
- Serve as a senior legal advisor across the full enterprise, including music distribution, product and technology, international expansion, sync and licensing, corporate strategy, business development, advertising, and supporting shared services (HR, Finance, IT).
- Manage the internal legal team, setting priorities, allocating resources, and elevating overall legal function performance.
- Partner and coordinate with outside counsel, ensuring efficient execution, cost management, and alignment with company objectives.
- Lead development and implementation of scalable legal frameworks, policies, and best practices across the organization
- Guide product, technology, and international teams on launches, expansion, and regulatory considerations
- Oversee and manage enforcing rights, dispute resolution strategy, including pre-litigation, litigation, and settlement approach.
- Ensure the company operates with a practical, business-forward legal posture that enables growth rather than restricts it
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Executive
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
Number of Employees
101-250 employees
