Senior Counsel, Intellectual Property

WWE; Stamford (CT); On-site; USD 125,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and bonus structure

Equity/stock options (if applicable)

Health, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Job summary

WWE is seeking a skilled and proactive Corporate Counsel to join our Business & Legal Affairs team in Stamford, CT. The ideal candidate will have approximately 6–8 years of legal experience focused on intellectual property clearance, prosecution, enforcement and the negotiation of corporate agreements.

This role sits at the intersection of law, business strategy, and entertainment. You'll work with internal teams and external counsel worldwide, managing IP matters from trademarks to licensing,

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and admission to at least one U.S. state bar, with Connecticut in-house counsel authorization.
• Strong background in trademark clearance, prosecution and enforcement.
• Experience drafting and negotiating corporate contracts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Knowledge or willingness to watch WWE programming.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive clearance searches and provide risk assessments for new brands, products, character names, corporate logos, and apparel slogans.
• Monitor and enforce the company’s intellectual property portfolio (trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets), including drafting and sending cease-and-desist letters, managing takedowns, filing UDRP actions, managing third party enforcement vendors and supporting litigation if necessary.
• Develop and institute best practices for IP enforcement and protection for infringements, counterfeit and video piracy strategies.
• Advise on copyright, domain name and related brand protection issues.
• Support IP enforcement, including monitoring, cease and desist letters, opposition and related disputes.
• Collaborate with external counsel and IP offices globally on enforcement. Work closely with internal business units on a wide variety of intellectual property related matters.
• Stay current on relevant legal developments, including changes in IP law and technology affecting brand owners’ ability to monitor and enforce proactively.
• Draft a broad range of contracts relating to sports and entertainment, including intellectual property settlement and coexistence agreements, license agreements, product placement agreements, independent contractor agreements and NDAs.
• Work closely, collaboratively and enthusiastically with other members of the Business & Legal Affairs team of WWE, WWE affiliates, as well as corresponding business clients.
• Provide comprehensive legal advice and counsel to internal business units.
• Provide real-time analysis and advice on business and legal issues, including questions of contract interpretation and enforcement.
• Participate in special projects and other duties as assigned.

Skills

Clearance searches

Trademark prosecution

Enforcement

Contract drafting

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Education

J.D. / Juris Doctor

Bar admission

Job description

Who We Are

WWE® is the global leader in sports entertainment. The company creates and delivers original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, Premium Live Events, digital media, and publishing platforms. WWE's TV-PG programming can be seen in more than 1 billion households worldwide in more than 20 languages through world-class distribution partners including Netflix, ESPN, NBCUniversal, USA Network and The CW. WWE is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO). Additional information on WWE can be found atwwe.com andcorporate.wwe.com. TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) is a premium sports and entertainment company. TKO owns iconic properties including UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization; WWE, the global leader in sports entertainment; and PBR, the world’s premier bull riding organization. Together, these properties reach 1 billion households across 210 countries and territories and organize more than 500 live events year-round, attracting more than three million fans. TKO also services and partners with major sports rights holders through IMG, an industry-leading global sports marketing agency; and On Location, a global leader in premium experiential hospitality.

Who We Are

WWE® is the global leader in sports entertainment. The company creates and delivers original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, Premium Live Events, digital media, and publishing platforms. WWE's TV-PG programming can be seen in more than 1 billion households worldwide in more than 20 languages through world-class distribution partners including Netflix, ESPN, NBCUniversal, USA Network and The CW. WWE is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO). Additional information on WWE can be found atwwe.com andcorporate.wwe.com. TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) is a premium sports and entertainment company. TKO owns iconic properties including UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization; WWE, the global leader in sports entertainment; and PBR, the world’s premier bull riding organization. Together, these properties reach 1 billion households across 210 countries and territories and organize more than 500 live events year-round, attracting more than three million fans. TKO also services and partners with major sports rights holders through IMG, an industry-leading global sports marketing agency; and On Location, a global leader in premium experiential hospitality.

Working Conditions

• Stamford based role
• Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm

About The Role

WWE is seeking a skilled and proactive Corporate Counsel to join our Business & Legal Affairs team and report into the WWE - Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and TKO - Head of Intellectual Property and Licensing. The ideal candidate will have approximately 6-8 years of legal experience, focused on intellectual property clearance, prosecution, enforcement and protection as well as drafting and negotiating corporate agreements. This position offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of law, business strategy, and entertainment.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive clearance searches and provide risk assessments for new brands, products, character names, corporate logos, and apparel slogans.
• Monitor and enforce the company’s intellectual property portfolio (trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets), including drafting and sending cease-and-desist letters, managing takedowns, filing UDRP actions, managing third party enforcement vendors and supporting litigation if necessary.
• Develop and institute best practices for IP enforcement and protection for infringements, counterfeit and video piracy strategies.
• Advise on copyright, domain name and related brand protection issues.
• Support IP enforcement, including monitoring, cease and desist letters, opposition and related disputes.
• Collaborate with external counsel and IP offices globally on enforcement. Work closely with internal business units on a wide variety of intellectual property related matters.
• Stay current on relevant legal developments, including changes in IP law and technology affecting brand owners’ ability to monitor and enforce proactively.
• Draft a broad range of contracts relating to sports and entertainment, including intellectual property settlement and coexistence agreements, license agreements, product placement agreements, independent contractor agreements and NDAs.
• Work closely, collaboratively and enthusiastically with other members of the Business & Legal Affairs team of WWE, WWE affiliates, as well as corresponding business clients.
• Provide comprehensive legal advice and counsel to internal business units.
• Provide real-time analysis and advice on business and legal issues, including questions of contract interpretation and enforcement.
• Participate in special projects and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and admission to at least one U.S. state bar, and the ability to register as Connecticut authorized in-house counsel.
• Strong background in trademark clearance, prosecution and enforcement.
• Experience drafting and negotiating corporate contracts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Knowledge or willingness to watch current and historical WWE programming.

Required Skills

• Working and recent knowledge and experience with clearance search work as well as U.S. trademark prosecution (including all filings with the U.S. Trademark Office).
• Familiarity with domestic and international IP enforcement strategies.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salary and bonus structure
• Equity/stock options (if applicable)
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match

WWE EEO Statement

WWE is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding non-discrimination in employment. WWE makes employment decisions based on merit and qualifications, without considering an employee’s or applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited under federal, state or local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the Company has facilities. WWE also provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state or local laws. For information about Privacy and Information Security for WWE employment candidates, please review our Candidate Privacy Policy. For information regarding Terms and Conditions for this and other WWE websites, please review our Terms and Conditions.