Associate Counsel

Square Enix; El Segundo (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision coverage

401K with employer match

PTO 25 days

Game discounts

Referral bonus

Job summary

Square Enix is seeking an Associate Counsel to support legal matters for publishing operations across the Americas. The role sits within the Square Enix America Legal team, collaborating with multiple business units.

The successful candidate will draft and negotiate a variety of agreements, provide risk-aware guidance, and stay current on laws affecting online entertainment, privacy, and gaming. Travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and active US state bar.
• 1+ years of legal experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, adaptable to context.
• Detail-oriented with strong big-picture awareness.
• Strong organization and prioritization skills.

Responsibilities

• Draft, negotiate, review and interpret contracts including vendor agreements, NDAs, EULAs, software licenses, and content licenses.
• Partner with business executives to implement legal best practices in the digital space.
• Provide legal guidance to minimize risk while enabling business goals.
• Research and analyze evolving laws affecting online business (privacy, AI, children’s safety, loot boxes).
• Review game content and marketing materials for IP, compliance, and other issues.
• Liaise with Square Enix legal teams worldwide.
• Occasional business travel.

Skills

Written communication

Verbal communication

Attention to detail

Prioritization

Analytical thinking

Presenting Complex Ideas

Education

Juris Doctor (accredited law school) or EU equivalent

Job description

Square Enix is a leading publisher of entertainment content, known for iconic gaming franchises such as the Final Fantasy series, Kingdom Hearts, Dragon Quest, NieR, and Life is Strange.

We are seeking an Associate Counsel to assist with legal matters for our publishing operations throughout the Americas. As a member of the Square Enix America Legal team, they will have an opportunity to work with all teams across our business.

Roles, Responsibilities, and KPIs

• Draft, negotiate, review and interpret a wide variety of contracts including vendor agreements, NDAs, EULAs, software licenses, content licenses, and probably something new every day.
• Partner with business executives to discuss and implement best practices in the digital world, and to creatively solve issues.
• Provide legal guidance throughout the company to minimize legal risk while helping teams accomplish their goals.
• Research and analyze legal issues and especially keep abreast of new and changing laws affecting online business (e.g., data privacy, AI, children’s safety, loot boxes, etc.).
• Review content of games and marketing materials for IP, compliance, and any other issues.
• Liaise and work with Square Enix legal teams around the world.
• Occasional business travel.

Essential

• Juris Doctor (accredited law school) or EU equivalent.
• Active member in good standing of a US state bar.
• 1+ years of legal experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to adapt styles depending on context.
• Detail-oriented without losing sight of the big picture.
• The ability to concisely distill and summarize complex ideas.
• Good organization and the ability to effectively prioritize tasks.

Desirable

• Strong familiarity with trends in the video game/entertainment industries and online/mobile/digital worlds.
• Previous work experience in software or video games.
• Passion for games, technology and media/entertainment. Plays games regularly.

Benefits

• 100% Medical, Dental, Vision coverage- with the option to add a spouse/domestic partner and children at 2% of the premium.
• Medical FSA (Flexible Spending Account) and Dependent Care FSA (Flexible Spending Account) to help pay for medical expenses, childcare or adult care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
• Wellness programs- mental health resources, counseling, financial wellbeing, support for future moms, a 24/7 Employee Assistance Program hotline, and much more.
• Generous leave- from the start you can earn up to 25 days of PTO, we observe 13 major holiday and provide job protected leave for life’s unexpected moments.
• 401K auto enrollment and employer-match contribution.
• Be among the first to get copies of every game title, plus receive generous discounts on thousands of games in our library.
• Refer our next new team member and receive a $1000 bonus.

Purpose & Values

Purpose: Creating New Worlds with Boundless Imagination to Enhance People’s Lives.

Values:

• Deliver Unforgettable Experiences
• Embrace Challenges
• Act Swiftly
• Stronger Together
• Continuously Evolve
• Cultivate Integrity

Annual Salary Range: $110,000 - $135,000