Counsel

ASCAP; New York (NY); On-site; USD 190,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental plans

Vision plan

401(k) with company match

Profit sharing contribution

Generous time-off

Company holidays

Volunteer time off

Disability insurance

Gym discounts

Commuter benefits

Pet health insurance

Job summary

ASCAP in New York is seeking a Counsel or Senior Counsel to support the Business & Legal Affairs and Membership Departments with member affiliations, distributions, and drafting songwriter and composer agreements.

This hybrid role reports to the SVP and is based at the ASCAP New York headquarters, requiring a NY-licensed JD and strong drafting/negotiation skills to support cross-departmental initiatives.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) required and NY bar in good standing.
• Minimum 2 years (Counsel) or 5 years (Senior Counsel) in law firm and/or in-house.
• Experience in the music business or other creative field a plus.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation and organizational skills.
• Ability to develop highly effective working relationships externally and internally.

Responsibilities

• Draft, negotiate, close and day-to-day manage all long-form member agreements, NDAs, letters of direction and amendments.
• Provide legal support for ASCAP’s Repertory and Distribution Departments regarding rules, policies, and procedures.
• Assist GMS and MIRS teams with escalated complex member transactions and distribution issues.
• Support estate matters by reviewing documents and designating successors.
• Support SVP in executing strategy to achieve departmental and organizational goals.
• Handle special legal projects as assigned by senior staff.

Skills

Legal drafting

Negotiation

Communication skills

Relationship building

Attention to detail

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Job description

About ASCAP

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is a membership association of more than one million songwriters, composers and music publishers, and represents some of the world’s most talented music creators. Founded and governed by songwriters, composers and publishers, it is the only performing rights organization in the U.S. that operates on a not-for-profit basis. ASCAP licenses a repertory of over 20 million musical works to hundreds of thousands of businesses that use music, including streaming services, cable television, radio and satellite radio and brick and mortar businesses such as retail stores, hotels, clubs, restaurants and bars. ASCAP collects the licensing fees; identifies, matches and processes trillions of performances every year; and returns nearly 90 cents of every dollar back to its members as royalties. The ASCAP blanket license offers an efficient solution for businesses to legally perform ASCAP music while respecting the right of songwriters and composers to be paid fairly. ASCAP puts music creators first, advocating for their rights and the value of music on Capitol Hill, driving innovation that moves the industry forward, building community and providing the resources and support that creators need to succeed in their careers. Learn more and stay in touch at www.ascap.com, X, Instagram @ASCAP, Facebook.

Job overview

The Counsel or Senior Counsel will support the Business & Legal Affairs (“BALA”) and Membership Departments with a variety of business affairs and legal responsibilities related to member affiliations and distributions, including drafting and negotiating songwriter and composer agreements with music lawyers and other representatives of ASCAP members. The role reports to the SVP, Membership and Business & Legal Affairs and is positioned in the Business & Legal Affairs department. This is a hybrid role with a 3 day per week in-office requirement based out of the ASCAP New York headquarters.

Areas of Responsibility & Accountability

• Responsible for the drafting, negotiating, closing and day-to-day management of all long-form member agreements, NDAs, letters of direction, letter agreements and amendments.
• Providing legal support for ASCAP’s Repertory and Distribution Departments regarding ASCAP rules, policies, and procedures.
• Assisting the Global Member Services (“GMS”) and Member Inquiry & Resolution Services (“MIRS”) teams with escalated complex member transactions, including royalty assignments, works licensing questions, and distribution/royalty issues.
• Supporting MIRS team with guidance on member estate matters, including reviewing and summarizing estate documents, and recommending designation of a successor(s).
• Supporting the SVP, Membership and Business & Legal Affairs in executing strategy to achieve departmental and organizational goals, including long-term growth in market share and revenue.
• Special legal projects as assigned by senior staff.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Minimum of two years (Counsel) or five years (Senior Counsel) of relevant law firm and/or in house experience required.
• Juris Doctor (J.D.) required. Must be licensed and in good standing to practice law in New York State.
• Prior experience working in the music business or other creative field a plus.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation and organizational skills, as well as excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to develop highly effective and productive working relationships externally and internally throughout ASCAP.
• Ability to learn fast and have a commonsense approach to decision-making.
• A strong work ethic and a bias towards action, change and speed.
• Impeccable ethics and adherence to confidentiality obligations.

Compensation/Benefits

• A choice of either network-only provider medical and dental plans or more flexible medical and dental plans where you can see providers in or out-of-network
• Vision plan that offers both in and out-of-network provider options
• 401(k) Plan that offers pre-tax, Roth, and an after-tax employee contribution option which includes a company match.
• An additional employer paid discretionary profit share contribution, regardless of your participation in the 401(k) Plan
• Generous time-off policy
• 12 company holidays
• 16 hours to volunteer with ASCAP Notes the Cause Volunteer Program
• Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Short-term disability insurance/salary continuation and long-term disability insurance
• Company provided basic life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance
• Employee gym discounts at select gyms
• Commuter benefits
• Voluntary pet health insurance
• Voluntary auto and homeowners insurance
• Voluntary employee, spouse, and dependent life insurance options
• Voluntary ID protection Coverage

Occasional travel for in-person meetings may be required.

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $190,000 to $240,000 and will be determined on an individualized basis depending on several factors that are unique to each candidate including geographic location (due to differences in the cost of labor), skills, education and prior relevant experience.

Please be aware that ASCAP is not a nut-free or other allergen-free workplace.

ASCAP is an equal opportunity employer. All ASCAP employment decisions are made on the basis of individual qualifications and performance and not on the basis of race, national origin, ethnicity, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, genetic information, disability, handicap, color, creed, religion, veteran status, or any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.