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Posted May 04, 2021

Head of Legal - NYC

Condé Nast
New York, NY Full Time
Reference: CondéNastR-05373

Condé Nast is a global media company producing the highest quality content with a footprint of more than 1 billion consumers in 32 territories through...

Condé Nast is a global media company producing the highest quality content with a footprint of more than 1 billion consumers in 32 territories through print, digital, video and social platforms. The company’s portfolio includes many of the world’s most respected and influential media properties including Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour, Self, GQ, The New Yorker, Condé Nast Traveler/Traveller, Allure, AD, Bon Appétit and Wired, among others. Condé Nast Entertainment was launched in 2011 to develop film, television and premium digital video programming.

Job Description

Condé Nast is a global media company, home to iconic brands including Vogue, The New Yorker, GQ, Glamour, AD, Vanity Fair and Wired, among many others. The company's award-winning content reaches 84 million consumers in print, 367 million in digital and 379 million across social platforms, and generates more than 1 billion video views each month.

The company is headquartered in London and New York, and operates in 32 markets worldwide, including China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico & Latin America, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, the U.K. and the U.S., with local license partners across the globe.


Purpose/Job Description

Oversee and lead the legal practice for Condé Nast Entertainment (CNE), including the following responsibilities:

  • Partner with CNE Business Affairs & Operations to develop deal playbooks and policies for CNE’s long-form (film and television), digital video and podcasting businesses.
  • Draft and negotiate, and oversee the drafting and negotiation of, agreements related to all aspects of CNE’s long-form (film and television), digital video and podcasting businesses, including long-form agreements relating to rights (e.g., literary option and purchase agreements and life rights agreements), creative, talent, development, production, distribution, licensing, sales agent, and business/revenue.
  • Align with CNE Business Affairs & Operations on deal making and business narratives.
  • Collaborate with CNE Business Affairs & Operations and IP & Content Integrity teams to develop holistic IP/content strategies and policies.
  • Collaborate with IP & Content Integrity team to develop standard legal terms for journalistic contributor agreements related to audiovisual and audio rights in published content.
  • Manage and lead a team of skilled Legal team members working across all CNE platforms.
  • Support and collaborate with CNE Business Affairs & Operations and IP & Content Integrity team in development and implementation of workflow processes and rights and production management systems.
  • Provide legal oversight and advice on all aspects of production, making informed judgment calls that balance business needs and risk.
  • Advise on insurance related matters.
  • Maintain relationships with key managers, agencies, and attorneys in the entertainment community.
  • Work cross-functionally to inform the creation of necessary policy and legal agreements to support corporate goals.
  • Work with corporate legal team, CNE Business Affairs & Operations and corporate tax to develop corporate structures of CNE-related entities throughout the world.
  • In coordination with corporate legal and corporate tax teams, advise CNE Business Affairs & Operations on tax credits and other tax-related matters.
  • Provide guidance to and coordinate with IP/entertainment counsel in markets to ensure market alignment with CNE playbooks and policies.
  • Work closely with IP/entertainment counsel in markets to ensure compliance with local legal content and other relevant restrictions relevant to audiovisual and audio content.


Skills and Experience

  • 8-15 years of experience as a practicing entertainment attorney at a law firm and/or in-house at a studio/network, production company, or agency
  • Significant managerial experience with a company engaged in the entertainment, media or sports industries
  • Significant experience negotiating and drafting production, development, distribution, licensing, and other commercial agreements, specifically in entertainment or media
  • Excellent analytical, interpersonal, communication, organizational, problem-solving and time management skills
  • Knowledge of the media, film, television, digital video and podcasting industries and business models, video communities and Internet/consumer technology
  • Proven understanding of content exploitation models across traditional, digital and podcasting outlets
  • J.D. (or international equivalent/LLM), and admitted to the bar of at least one state


Reporting Line

This role reports into the Deputy General Counsel for Condé Nast.

About Condé Nast Legal

The Condé Nast Legal team is led by the General Counsel based in our London HQ Office and is comprised of colleagues in London as well as our Legal teams based in our various markets around the world (USA, Russia, China, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, UK, Mexico, India, Japan and Taiwan). We are also supported by a network of outside counsel where necessary and work closely with colleagues in Advance Legal who provide legal counsel on corporate and trademark matters to Condé Nast and our parent company, Advance Publications.

The Purpose of the Condé Nast Legal team is to help our business, shareholder and colleagues:

  • Make more informed decisions;
  • Solve and prevent legal and business problems;
  • Conduct business in the right way (and prove that they have done so);
  • Protect their assets, brands and people
  • We achieve our Purpose by:
  • Providing advice and training
  • Resolving issues and disputes
  • Developing legal systems, processes, policies, documents and tools that enable proactive legal risk management
  • Creating and managing legal documents and record records
  • Tracking and monitoring the external legal and policy trends that will shape the Digital, Publishing and Luxury marketplace of the future.
  • Condé Nast and its publications set the standard and our Legal Team are no exception. This means all Members of the Legal team are:
  • Technically excellent and continuously improving in the legal disciplines which will determine our future (particularly in the space where media, digital, data, consumer and adtech law meet);
  • Passionate about and committed to Condé Nast and the value of creativity to the economy and society;
  • Trustworthy, Ethical and have absolute integrity;
  • Pragmatic in our approach, always seeking solutions, open to change and embracing best practice in Legal Tech and Legal Ops;
  • International in outlook and curious about the world around us.

What happens next?

If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply below, and we will review your application as soon as possible. You can update your resume or upload a cover letter at any time by accessing your candidate profile.

Condé Nast is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, familial status and other legally protected characteristics.

This listing expired on Jul 03. Applications are no longer accepted.

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