Director, Legal, WBTV Unscripted

WarnerMedia Services, LLC; Burbank (CA); Hybrid; USD 154,000 - 286,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Wellness program

Life insurance

Retirement plan

Paid holidays and vacation

Job summary

Warner Bros. Discovery seeks an experienced entertainment attorney to join the Warner Bros. Television Legal organization as Director, Legal, WBTV Unscripted, in Burbank, CA. This role supports development, production, and distribution of unscripted programming across platforms, with hybrid in-office requirements three days a week.

The ideal candidate will manage complex negotiations, provide business-focused legal advice, and supervise junior staff while mitigating risk in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of law practice in national firm, major studio, or platform.
• CA state bar member in good standing; JD required.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and contract analysis capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate, draft, and analyze development, production, and distribution agreements.
• Provide strategic legal guidance across development, production, distribution, and exploitation of unscripted programming.
• Advise on marketing and advertising restrictions; balance creative and commercial priorities.
• Supervise paralegal and clerical staff; manage outside counsel and licensing services.

Skills

Legal drafting and negotiation

Entertainment industry knowledge

Contract management

Risk assessment

Interpersonal and communication skills

Leadership/supervision

Education

BA/BS degree

Juris Doctorate

CA state bar membership in good standing

Job description

Welcome to Warner Bros. Discovery… the stuff dreams are made of. Who We Are… When we say, “the stuff dreams are made of,” we’re not just referring to the world of wizards, dragons and superheroes, or even to the wonders of Planet Earth. Behind WBD’s vast portfolio of iconic content and beloved brands, are the storytellers bringing our characters to life, the creators bringing them to your living rooms and the dreamers creating what's next… From brilliant creatives, to technology trailblazers, across the globe, WBD offers career defining opportunities, thoughtfully curated benefits, and the tools to explore and grow into your best selves. Here you are supported, here you are celebrated, here you can thrive.

Your New Role Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is seeking an experienced entertainment attorney to join the Warner Bros. Television Legal organization as Director, Legal, WBTV Unscripted. This role sits within the Warner Bros. Television Unscripted Business & Legal Affairs team, supporting one of the industry's leading producers of unscripted programming across broadcast, cable, streaming, and emerging media platforms. The position is based in Burbank, California, with a hybrid schedule requiring three days per week in office.

As a key member of the team, you will provide strategic legal guidance across the development, production, distribution, and exploitation of unscripted programming. Partnering closely with creative executives, production teams, business stakeholders, and talent representatives, you will support a diverse slate of content from concept through distribution while helping advance business objectives and mitigate legal risk in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.

This role requires substantial experience structuring and negotiating complex business arrangements and independently managing a wide range of transactional matters. You will negotiate, draft, and analyze development, production, and distribution agreements while providing practical, business-oriented legal advice that supports both creative and commercial priorities.

The ideal candidate will possess strong analytical skills, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to balance competing priorities while delivering effective legal solutions.

Your Role Accountabilities

• network licensing agreements
• rights agreements
• shopping agreements
• above-the-line talent agreements (e.g., producers, on-screen talent)
• options
• purchase agreements
• format deals
• production services agreements
• contestant and participant agreements
• releases
• trade out and branded partnership agreements
• contingent compensation definitions
• composer agreements
• music licenses
• location agreements

• union and nonunion guild obligations
• researching and providing legal advice for filming in the U.S. and internationally
• clearing content
• rights research
• providing general production legal support
• advising on marketing and advertising restrictions
• negotiating with networks/licensees

Ensure compliance with Warner Bros. Discovery and corporate legal policies and practices, as well as applicable laws and regulations; provide risk assessments to senior business and legal executives; engage and supervise outside counsel, clearance coordinator, and outside music licensing services. Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications & Experience

• 7+ years of practicing law with a national law firm, a major film or television studio, or major online service or platform preferred.
• BA/BS degree required.
• Juris Doctorate degree.
• Must be a CA state bar member and bar membership must be in good standing.
• Must have knowledge of law and legal environment of entertainment industry sufficient to draft and negotiate legal documents and counsel management on legal implications of their actions.
• Must be able to analyze, draft and negotiate contracts.
• Must be able to research legal questions and communicate responses effectively to all levels of corporate and production staff.
• Must be able to write in a well-organized, concise and precise manner.
• Must be able to supervise paralegal and clerical subordinates engaged in performance of legal-related tasks.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to build strong internal client relationships with personnel of all levels, effectively advise senior-level executives, and produce strong client and partner satisfaction through practical and strategic thinking.
• Must be agile, proactive, and highly motivated; must have positive, team-oriented attitude, excellent judgment, ability to handle high volume of work with minimal supervision and to assess risk, make decisions and prioritize multiple projects with competing deadlines.

How We Get Things Done… This last bit is probably the most important! Here at WBD, our guiding principles are the core values by which we operate and are central to how we get things done. You can find them at www.wbd.com/guiding-principles/ along with some insights from the team on what they mean and how they show up in their day to day. We hope they resonate with you and look forward to discussing them during your interview.

Championing Inclusion at WBD

Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects a wide array of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, and genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, protected veteran status or any other category protected by law.

In compliance with local law, we are disclosing the compensation, or a range thereof, for roles in locations where legally required. Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, skill set, experience, and/or performance. Base pay is just one component of Warner Bros. Discovery’s total compensation package for employees. Pay Range: $154,000.00 - $286,000.00 salary per year.

Other rewards may include annual bonuses, short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards.

• annual bonuses
• short- and long-term incentives
• program-specific awards

In addition, Warner Bros. Discovery provides a variety of benefits to employees, including health insurance coverage, an employee wellness program, life and disability insurance, a retirement savings plan, paid holidays and sick time and vacation.

• health insurance coverage
• an employee wellness program
• life and disability insurance
• a retirement savings plan
• paid holidayssick time and vacation

If you’re a qualified candidate with an arrest or conviction record, please know that your application will be considered in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

Warner Bros. Discovery, a premier global media and entertainment company, offers audiences the world's most differentiated and complete portfolio of content, brands and franchises across television, film, streaming and gaming. The new company combines WarnerMedia's premium entertainment, sports and news assets with Discovery's leading non-fiction and international entertainment and sports businesses.