Entertainment Transactions Associate (Attorney)

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 153,000 - 255,000; Full time

Job summary

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, a leading Los Angeles entertainment law firm, seeks associates to work on film/TV deals, corporate transactions, and IP matters. You will draft, negotiate, and manage sophisticated agreements across entertainment and technology sectors, collaborating with senior partners on high‑profile matters.

The role offers mentorship, broad client exposure, and a path to increased responsibility within a dynamic, growth‑oriented studio.

Qualifications

• Approximately four to six years of relevant transactional legal experience.
• Experience at a large law firm is a plus.
• Experience in the entertainment industry or in-house roles is valued.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, analytical, and communication skills.
• Excellent business judgment and attention to detail.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and interest in developing long‑term client relationships.
• Willingness to grow toward partnership in the Firm.
• California Bar membership in good standing.

Responsibilities

• Draft, negotiate, and manage entertainment, intellectual property, finance, and corporate agreements.
• Support financing, investment, M&A, production, licensing, and distribution transactions.
• Advise clients across film, television, digital media, gaming, and technology sectors.
• Collaborate with multiple partners and clients on strategic matters.
• Shadow and learn from experienced partners through client meetings, negotiations, and discussions.
• Build practical legal judgment, commercial instincts, client relationships, and increasing matter responsibility.
• Collaborate across Manatt's multidisciplinary platform.

Skills

Transactional experience

M&A experience

Drafting & negotiations

Education

Active California Bar membership

Tools

MS Excel

Job description

Who We Are

Manatt’s Entertainment team is a leading multidisciplinary practice advising the companies, financiers, investors, creators, talent, brands, and entrepreneurs shaping the future of entertainment and media. We are a collaborative, entrepreneurial team that believes exceptional lawyers are developed through meaningful responsibility, close mentorship, and exposure to sophisticated matters. Associates work closely with multiple partners, gaining broad experience across the legal, business, and strategic issues driving the industry. Our culture is supportive, team-oriented, and built around developing talented lawyers who demonstrate initiative, intellectual curiosity, sound judgment, and a commitment to long‑term growth.

The Opportunity

This role offers the opportunity to work across a broad range of entertainment matters, including film and television deals, corporate and finance transactions, M&A, intellectual property, digital media, gaming, talent and creator representation, licensing, brand partnerships, and emerging business models. As associates demonstrate strong judgment, responsiveness, and excellence in their work, they earn increasing responsibility, client exposure, leadership opportunities, and a clear path to building a long‑term career, trusted advisor relationships, and a thriving practice within the Firm.

What You’ll Do

• Draft, negotiate, and manage sophisticated entertainment, intellectual property, finance, and corporate agreements.
• Support financing, investment, M&A, production, licensing, distribution, and commercial transactions.
• Advise clients across film, television, digital media, gaming, immersive and live entertainment, technology, and emerging entertainment businesses.
• Work with multiple partners and clients on strategic legal and business matters.
• Have opportunities to shadow and learn directly from experienced partners, including through participation in client meetings, negotiations, and substantive discussions.
• Build practical legal judgment, commercial instincts, client relationships, and increasing matter responsibility.
• Collaborate across Manatt's multidisciplinary platform.

Representative Areas Of Exposure Include

• Film and television financing, production, distribution, and co‑productions.
• Independent studios, production companies, financiers, investors, and emerging entertainment businesses.
• Corporate structuring, M&A, joint ventures, and strategic investments.
• Talent, executive, producer, and creator‑side transactions.
• Digital media, creator economy, gaming, interactive entertainment, and technology‑driven businesses.
• Intellectual property acquisition, licensing, merchandising, commercialization, and brand partnerships.

Qualifications

• Approximately four to six years of relevant transactional legal experience, preferably in entertainment, media, technology, corporate, finance, or mergers and acquisitions.
• Prior experience at a large law firm is a plus.
• Prior in‑house experience or experience working in another role within the entertainment industry is also valued.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to be responsive while effectively balancing multiple short- and long-term projects.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, analytical, and communication skills.
• Excellent business judgment and attention to detail.
• The confidence to exercise judgment and the humility to ask questions and continue learning.
• An entrepreneurial mindset and a genuine interest in developing long‑term client relationships.
• A desire to contribute to business development efforts and, over time, cultivate your own book of business.
• The ambition to build a long‑term career at Manatt with the goal of growing into a partner within the Firm.
• Experience working with guilds or on guild‑related matters is a plus.
• Experience with MS Excel is preferred.
• Active California Bar membership in good standing.

Successful associates on our team share many of the following qualities

• Intellectual curiosity and a genuine interest in learning new industries, business models, and areas of law.
• A proactive mindset, taking ownership, anticipating challenges, solving problems thoughtfully, and seeking opportunities to add value.
• The ability to manage multiple complex matters simultaneously while maintaining exceptional attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
• An eagerness to learn from a diverse group of accomplished partners, each offering unique perspectives, clients, and practice styles.
• A collaborative approach and a belief that the strongest results come from teamwork.
• A growth mindset, embracing constructive feedback and recognizing that meaningful mentorship comes with high expectations.
• An appreciation for in‑person collaboration and an engaged team environment. While we offer flexibility, much of our mentoring, professional development, and teamwork takes place through regular collaboration in our Los Angeles office.
• A strong desire to earn increasing responsibility by consistently delivering excellent work.
• Most importantly, they are motivated by continuous growth, meaningful client impact, and the opportunity to build a rewarding career in a collaborative, high‑performing environment.

The base pay to be offered will vary and depend on skills and qualifications, experience, location and will also take into account internal equity. Additional medical, financial and/or other benefits will be offered dependent on the position.

US Pay Range

$195,000—$255,000 USD

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Fostering diversity and inclusion is one of Manatt’s core values and is fundamental to our organization’s continued progression. We believe a workforce that reflects the communities in which we live, work and serve enriches Manatt’s culture and enhances our ability to understand our clients’ needs and develop better, more impactful solutions. In collaboration with Firm leadership, our Diversity and Inclusion department drives the Firm’s efforts, engaging our legal, consulting, business, and administrative professionals to create and sustain a culture where we celebrate each of our unique experiences and contributions.

About Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, is a leading professional services firm, providing integrated legal and consulting services to a global client base. With offices strategically located in California (Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento and Silicon Valley), New York (New York City and Albany), Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Boston, the Firm represents sophisticated clients — including Fortune 500, middle‑market and emerging companies — across a range of industry sectors such as health care; financial services; entertainment; digital and technology; and energy, environmental and real estate. For more information, visit www.manatt.com.

EEO/AA EMPLOYER/Veterans/Disabled

Manatt is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of non‑discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, physical or mental disability, religion, creed, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, sex or gender (including gender identity, gender expression, status as a transgender or transsexual individual, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), age (over 40), genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, sexual orientation, political activity or affiliation, genetic or and any other protected classes or characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Consistent with the American Disabilities Act, applicants may request accommodations needed to participate in the application process.

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips does not accept speculative CVs from recruitment agencies, headhunters or vendors who are not part of our preferred vendor list. If an unsolicited résumé is sent to an employee of Manatt, outside of a blind submission directed to our [e-mail] mailbox, Manatt will not be bound by that search firm’s terms or otherwise be obligated to pay any compensation in connection with the submitted candidate.

Privacy

For more information on how Manatt uses your data, please click here for our privacy statement.

CCPA

If you are a California resident, please click here to view our California Job Applicant Privacy Notice.