Senior Counsel, Global Content Licensing (DTC)

The Walt Disney Company; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 226,000; Full time

Job summary

The Walt Disney Company seeks an experienced attorney to join the Global Content Licensing team supporting Disney's direct-to-consumer efforts, with a focus on Hulu + Live TV and distribution agreements across the streaming ecosystem.

You will advise internal stakeholders, manage high‑volume distribution work, draft memos, and help develop best practices and templates to scale legal support in a fast‑paced media environment.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of legal experience.
• Experience reviewing, drafting, and negotiating content distribution agreements (MVPDs and digital MVPDs).
• Strong contract interpretation, drafting, and analytical skills.
• Ability to manage a high volume of work in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional partnering abilities.
• Sound judgment in identifying and elevating legal risks.
• Interest in developing broader deal-making and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Conduct contract diligence and summarize key terms for business audiences.
• Advise stakeholders on contractual requirements for live, linear, and distribution programming.
• Assist in execution and management of distribution agreements and Hulu + Live TV operations.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to support distribution workflows and improve efficiency.
• Support distribution initiatives for direct-to-consumer services, including live events.
• Draft recommendation memos for senior leadership.
• Identify legal risks and contribute to best practices, templates, and processes.

Skills

MVPDs experience

Contract negotiation

Legal analysis

Cross-functional partnership

Communication skills

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

California Bar admission

Job description

About The Role & Team

The Legal Department is seeking an experienced attorney to join the Global Content Licensing team supporting Disney's direct-to-consumer businesses. This role will focus primarily on providing strategic advising with respect to operation of the Hulu + Live TV service, other content licensing agreements across Disney's streaming ecosystem, and performing due diligence, with an emphasis on operational excellence and strong cross-functional partnership.

About The Role & Team

This position offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of media, technology, and entertainment, supporting key distribution partnerships and stakeholders across the business. The role is well-suited for an attorney with a strong foundation in content distribution (specifically, with respect to DMVPDs and/or MVPDs carriage deals) who is interested in deepening their expertise in a fast-paced environment, with the opportunity to gain exposure to more complex deal work over time.

The ideal candidate will be detail-oriented, collaborative, and comfortable managing a high volume of work while exercising sound legal judgment. This individual will play a key role in supporting ongoing distribution initiatives and contributing to the efficiency and scalability of the legal function.

What You Will Do

• Conduct contract diligence and summarize key terms, rights, obligations, and restrictions for legal and business audiences
• Advise internal stakeholders on contractual requirements and legal considerations for live, linear, and distribution-related programming
• Assist in the execution and ongoing management of distribution agreements and operation of Hulu + Live TV, ensuring alignment with business and legal requirements
• Partner with cross-functional teams to support distribution workflows and improve operational efficiency
• Support distribution initiatives for Disney's direct-to-consumer services, including live events and similar offerings
• Exercise independent legal judgment on key initiatives and draft recommendation memos for senior legal and business stakeholders
• Identify and elevate key legal considerations, risks, and issues as appropriate
• Contribute to the development of best practices, templates, and processes to improve legal support for high-volume distribution work

Basic Qualifications & Skills

• At least 5 years of legal experience
• Experience reviewing, drafting, and negotiating content distribution agreements across traditional cable and satellite providers (e.g., MVPDs), new media platforms and/or digital MVPDs, and/or background in a law firm supporting similar clients is strongly preferred
• Strong contract interpretation, drafting and analytical skills, with attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to manage a high volume of work and multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent communication and organizational skills and ability to effectively partner with cross-functional teams
• Sound judgment and ability to identify and elevate legal risks as needed
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Interest in developing broader deal-making and negotiation skills over time

Education

• Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent from an accredited law school
• Strong academic credentials
• Admission to the California State Bar in good standing or willingness and qualification to be Registered In-House Counsel

#CORP_Media #twdcmedia

The hiring range for this position in Greater Los Angeles area is $174,600 to $225,800 per year and in New York area is $182,900 to $236,600 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.