Legal Counsel (m / f / d) - FTE (at least 1 year)

ICE; Berlin; Vor Ort; EUR 80.000 - 100.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

A leading organization in the music industry is seeking a Legal Counsel for a maternity cover position. The role involves drafting and negotiating commercial contracts, providing legal advice across business areas, and monitoring legal developments. Ideal candidates are fully qualified German lawyers with 2–5 years of experience and strong knowledge of copyright law. This fixed-term role offers competitive local benefits and flexible working options.

Leistungen

Competitive local benefits

Flexible working

Health initiatives

Corporate pension scheme

Training and development opportunities

Team socials and company events

Enhanced holiday allowance

Qualifikationen

• 2–5 years of post-qualification experience as a lawyer.
• Proven experience drafting commercial contracts.
• Strong knowledge of copyright and IP law.

Aufgaben

• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial contracts.
• Provide legal advice on various commercial issues.
• Monitor legal developments in relevant jurisdictions.

Kenntnisse

Commercial law expertise

Contract negotiation

Copyright knowledge

Interpersonal communication

Knowledge of EU data protection laws

Ausbildung

Fully qualified German lawyer (1. and 2. Staatsexamen)

Tools

Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, SharePoint)

Jobbeschreibung

About ICE

ICE is a purpose-driven organisation, founded by rightsholders, for rightsholders.

We exist to support songwriters, enabling societies and publishers to accurately compensate them when their work is used internationally.

We operate at the exciting intersection of technology, music, and data.

Since our 2010 launch, we have paid billions to rightsholders through deep expertise in Copyright, Processing and Licensing.

Our collaboration with stakeholders across the industry delivers best practice, new processes & innovative solutions for better royalty flows.

Strategic investment in technology enables us to process trillions of streams, to deliver the maximum revenue for rightsholders.

ICE has grown to distribute more than €1bn in royalties per year, licensing music services such as Spotify, Apple, YouTube and TikTok.

About the Role

This is an exciting and challenging role, dealing with complex legal issues in a rapidly changing legal landscape at a high-profile organisation at the forefront of the music industry. This role works collaboratively with other business areas and provides support on a range of commercial and legal matters.

This is a maternity cover position with a fixed-term contract of 1 year. There might be the possibility but no guarantee of a contract extension on a permanent basis after 1 year.

Key Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial contracts, including service agreements with music collecting societies, supplier agreements, NDAs, and other key commercial arrangements
• Provide legal advice across the business on a variety of legal and commercial issues, including intellectual property rights and access, copyright, confidentiality, data protection, and general contractual matters
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure contractual terms align with the organisation’s operational needs and strategic goals.
• Support the creation, implementation, and enforcement of internal policies and procedures.
• Monitor legal and regulatory developments in Germany, the UK, and internationally; deliver relevant updates and training to the business as needed.
• Identify legal risks across various business areas and advise on appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Instruct, coordinate, and manage external counsel, including establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Fully qualified German lawyer (1. and 2. Staatsexamen), each with at least the grade “befriedigend” (satisfactory).
• 2–5 years of post-qualification experience as a lawyer, with solid expertise in commercial law.
• Proven experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial contracts (e.g. IT / supplier agreements, service agreements, NDAs) in-house or at a law firm.
• Strong knowledge of copyright and IP law, with practical contract negotiation experience.
• Familiarity with EU data protection laws and related legal issues (privacy, data use, governance).
• Commercially minded with the ability to build strong internal and external relationships.
• Proficient in Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, SharePoint).
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Desirable

• Experience of working in the music industry, particularly online exploitation of rights, copyright, and licence agreements.
• CIPP / E certification
• German language skills is a plus.
• Familiarity with contract lifecycle management or legal tech tools is a plus.

Person Profile

• Proactive and solutions-focused lawyer, comfortable with complexity and ambiguity.
• Resilient, values-driven, and committed to following correct procedures.
• Strong collaborator with excellent interpersonal and cross-functional communication skills.
• High attention to detail with the ability to simplify complex issues into clear processes.
• Able to manage high workloads and shifting priorities without compromising quality.
• Fast learner with a growth mindset and strong drive for continuous improvement.
• Trusted partner to non-legal stakeholders; approachable, accessible, and business-minded.
• Integrity, discretion, and confidentiality in all professional dealings.
• Committed to finding practical solutions, not just identifying problems.

What we offer

• Competitive local benefits based on your location
• We promote flexible working regarding time and / or place
• Both mental and physical health initiatives
• Corporate pension scheme
• Comprehensive training and development opportunities
• Industry insider events, team socials and company events
• Enhanced holiday allowance

We welcome candidates from all backgrounds, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and any other protected characteristic.

We are committed to making all stages of our recruitment process accessible to candidates with disabilities. Please speak to our recruitment team and we will work with you to make reasonable adjustments to ensure you can perform at your best throughout your application.