Senior Lawyer, BBC IP Legal

BBC Group and Public Services; London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The BBC is seeking a Senior IP Lawyer to join their dynamic legal team in London. This role involves advising on a range of intellectual property matters, including copyright, trademarks, and patents. The successful candidate will have a strong background in IP law and the opportunity to influence strategies across various media platforms within a collaborative environment.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

35-hour working week

25 days annual leave

Defined pension scheme

Discounted healthcare and gym

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years PQE in IP law.
• Strong academic background.
• Experience advising on copyright, trade marks, and patents.

Responsibilities

• Advise on copyright issues and disputes.
• Support on complex rights issues in commissioning agreements.
• Supervise and develop junior lawyers.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Communication

Education

Qualified solicitor or barrister

Job description

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As a Senior IP Lawyer you will play a key role in advising across the BBC Group on diverse IP matters and emerging issues as AI changes the media and technology landscape. Collaborating with content creators, business affairs, and tech teams, you’ll help deliver world-class content to global audiences. Our expert legal team also supports BBC Studios, offering comprehensive IP guidance across production and distribution activities.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

As a Senior Lawyer at the BBC, you’ll engage directly with clients to provide tailored legal advice and practical solutions. Collaborating with content creators across TV, radio, podcasts, online, and BBC News, you’ll be central to our dynamic legal team. You’ll shape strategy on your own matters, take ownership of delivery, and grow your expertise through training and hands-on experience—all within a supportive, friendly, and collaborative environment.

Our team is dedicated to providing exceptional quality legal advice whilst maintaining a work life balance. There is also the opportunity to undertake pro bono work and join our Legal for Everyone group driving inclusiveness.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT:

Your work will be a diverse caseload made up of a mix of advisory and some potential dispute work advising on a full range of IP rights including: copyright; trade marks and related rights; confidential information and television formats; patent and technology related issues and contractual rights issues; including more specifically;

• Advising content creators on copyright issues, use of exceptions and related disputes.
• Advising on complex contractual and rights issues in relation to commissioning agreements, collective licences, IP exploitation or disputes.
• Supporting the Senior Counsel on patent related matters which may include advising on patent pools, instructing agents, managing pre-action disputes, Negotiation and drafting of agreements in relation to Technology/R&D matters and advise on AI related matters.
• Supervising and helping to support and develop junior lawyers and trainees.

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL

• Qualified as a solicitor or barrister in a leading law firm or chambers with a minimum of 5years PQE in IP law and possess a strong academic background.
• Demonstrable experience of advising on the full range of IP rights including copyright, trade marks and patents with experience of both dispute and advisory work.
• Must have strong analytical, problem solving skills and be a good communicator able to clarify complex issues and concepts to non lawyers.
• Track record of providing proactive, specialist, timely and authoritative legal advice to senior leaders and key decision makers at all levels.
• Commercially aware with an understanding of issues affecting the BBC and media industry generally.

DESIRABLE BUT NOT REQUIRED:

• In-house experience highly preferred particularly in a media organisation.

If you can bring some of these skills and experience, along with transferable strengths, we’d love to hear from you and encourage you to apply.

Disclaimer

This job description is a written statement of the essential characteristics of the job, with its principal accountabilities, incorporating a note of the skills, knowledge and experience required for a satisfactory level of performance. This is not intended to be a complete, detailed account of all aspects of the duties involved.

Please note: If you were to be offered this role, the BBC will conduct Employment screening checks which include Reference checks; Eligibility to work checks; and if applicable to the role, Safeguarding and Adverse media/Social media checks. Any offer made is conditional on these checks being satisfactory.

The BBC is committed to redeploying employees seeking suitable alternative employment within the BBC and they will be given priority consideration ahead of other applicants. Priority consideration means for those employees seeking redeployment their application will be considered alongside anyone else at risk of redundancy, prior to any individuals being considered who are not at risk.

Information at a Glance

This is your BBC

At the BBC you can create and innovate in an inclusive environment while contributing to some of the world’s best loved content, and the BBC’s mission to inform, educate and entertain.

Find out more about the BBC

Life at BBC

Here you will benefit from:

• Fair pay and flexible benefits including a competitive salary package, a flexible 35-hour working week, 25 days annual leave with the option to buy an extra 5 days, a defined pensionscheme and discounted dental, health care and gym.
• Excellent career and professional development.
• Support in your working life, including flexible working which you can discuss with us at any point during the application, selection or offer.
• A values-based organisation where the way we do things is important as what we do.

Benefits may vary if you are joining on an FTC basis.

Learn more about life at the BBC and our values in our candidate pack.

Candidate pack

You belong

We have a working environment where we value and respect every individual's unique contribution, so all our employees feel that they can belong, thrive and achieve their full potential.

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to join us. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity.

We welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief.

Find out more about diversity, inclusion and belonging in our strategy below.

Diversity, inclusion & belonging strategy

Disability confident

We are a disability confident employer. If you need to discuss adjustments or access requirements for the interview process, or to carry out this role, please contact us via email and we’d be happy to discuss: [e-mail]

BBC Group and Public Services, Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London, United Kingdom, W1A 1AA. BBC Studios Distribution Limited, company no: 01420028, registered address: 1 Television Centre, 101 Wood Lane, London, United Kingdom W12 7FA.