Counsel, Media

MLB; New York (NY); On-site; USD 190,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits package

Company contributed 401K plan

Paid time off and holidays

Paid parental leave

Access to free tickets to baseball and

MLB.TV

Discounts at MLB Store

Employee assistance programs

Training and development programs

Tuition reimbursement

Disability benefits

Life and accidental death insurance

Pet insurance

Job summary

Major League Baseball seeks a Counsel, Media in the Media & Distribution group to lead media rights licensing and distribution transactions and provide strategic counsel on legal risks, policy, and compliance across evolving media platforms.

The role covers drafting complex agreements, advising on advertising initiatives, and coordinating with the MLB Legal team to align policies. Requires a JD, NY bar admission, and 5+ years of practice in a top firm or equivalent environment.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree and admission to a state bar (New York preferred)
• Top academic credentials and references
• Minimum of five (5) years as a practicing lawyer, preferably with at least several years’ experience in a well-regarded law firm
• Top tier law firm experience strongly preferred
• Experience drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements in licensing, production, distribution or other media-related transactions
• Experience navigating regulatory frameworks applicable to media rights and enforcement of IP in sports and media environments
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to build relationships
• Must work effectively in a fast-paced environment with senior management
• Passion for sports, entertainment and evolving media landscape

Responsibilities

• Participate in or lead the structure, negotiation and/or drafting of broadcast, streaming, production, distribution and other complex agreements with networks, digital platforms, distributors and partners
• Advise on advertising, sponsorship and promotional initiatives from media partnerships and league platforms
• Partner with business leaders and clubs to maximize reach and monetization across all media platforms
• Coordinate with MLB Legal and stakeholders to align policies with Media & Distribution goals
• Draft, review and advise on adherence to media-related league rules and policies and regulatory issues

Skills

Negotiation

Legal drafting

Strategic counsel

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) degree

New York State Bar admission

Job description

Major League Baseball is looking for a Counsel, Media in the Media & Distribution department to participate in or lead media rights licensing and distribution transactions, advise on advertising and promotional initiatives, and provide strategic counsel on legal risks, policy, and compliance in an evolving media environment.

Responsibilities

Media Rights Licensing & Distribution Transactions

• Participate in or lead the structure, negotiation and/or drafting of broadcast, streaming, production, distribution and other complex agreements with various partners, including networks, digital and social media platforms, distributors and supply-side and operations partners, ensuring alignment with MLB’s long-term media strategy and other business development goals as determined by organizational needs
• Advise on advertising, sponsorship and promotional initiatives derived from media partnerships and league-owned and operated products and platforms, including related insertion technologies and activities across social media platforms, and collaborate with legal subject matter experts and business owners in those and surrounding areas
• Partner with business leaders and clubs to maximize reach and monetization opportunities across all media platforms and partners and support other emerging business areas
• Coordinate with members of the MLB Legal team and relevant stakeholders within MLB to align policies and practices with the work of the Media & Distribution legal team

Legal Counsel, Policymaking & Compliance

• Draft, review and advise on adherence to media-related league rules and policies, as well as regulatory and other compliance issues attendant to media rights licensing and distribution across local, national and international markets
• Provide strategic counsel on legal risks, intellectual property protection, clearances and rights enforcement in an evolving media and emerging business environment and across all traditional and emerging technologies and distribution models

Qualifications & Skills

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree and admission to a state bar (New York preferred)
• Top academic credentials and references
• Minimum of five (5) years as a practicing lawyer, preferably with at least several years’ experience in a well-regarded law firm
• Top tier law firm experience strongly preferred
• Experience drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements in any or all of licensing, production, distribution or other media-related transactions
• Experience navigating regulatory frameworks applicable to, and intellectual property protection and enforcement of, media rights and other emerging sports business areas
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; strong ability to build and maintain relationships
• Must work effectively in a fast-paced environment, interacting regularly with senior management
• Must be able to simultaneously accomplish multiple quantitatively and qualitatively challenging tasks
• Passion for sports, entertainment and the evolving media landscape

Salary Range: $190,000 - $205,000 (Base Salary) + Bonus

As a candidate for this position, your salary and related aspects of compensation will be contingent upon your work experience, education, skills, and any other factors MLB considers relevant to the hiring decision. In addition to your salary, MLB believes in providing a competitive compensation and benefits package for its employees.

Top MLB Perks & Benefits:

• Competitive Benefits Package
• Company Contributed 401K Plan
• Paid Time Off and Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• Access to Free Tickets to Baseball Games & MLB.TV
• Discounts at MLB Store | MLBShop.com
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Onsite/Online Training & Development Programs
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Disability Benefits (short term and long term)
• Life and Accidental Death Insurance
• Pet Insurance

Why MLB?

Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. Employees love working at MLB because of the culture of growth, teamwork, and professionalism. Employees who are most successful at MLB take initiative, know how to identify problems and provide solutions, and always put the Team first. For those ready to step up to the plate and join the major leagues, MLB takes the same approach as teams do with their players: empowering our “workforce athletes” to be at their best by engineering experiences that put employees in the best position to succeed. Major League Baseball is looking for candidates who are passionate about growing America’s pastime to best serve its fans for decades to come.

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