Chief Counsel - Walt Disney World

2 Months ago • 15 Years + • Legal

Job Summary

Job Description

The Chief Counsel – Walt Disney World (WDW) is responsible for all legal matters impacting the WDW business within Disney Experiences (DX). This leadership role oversees a legal team supporting various WDW business units, including theme parks and resorts. The Chief Counsel advises the WDW President and other senior executives, identifying and mitigating legal risks across numerous practice areas. Responsibilities include proactive risk assessment, developing business solutions, collaborating with internal and external legal teams, attracting/developing legal talent, ensuring regulatory compliance, and managing legal budgets effectively. The role demands strong communication and strategic decision-making skills within a complex, fast-paced environment.
Must have:
  • 15+ years business legal leadership
  • Risk evaluation & sound legal judgment
  • Exceptional business acumen
  • Diverse commercial law experience
  • Legal team management expertise
  • JD degree or equivalent
Good to have:
  • Theme park/resort industry experience
  • Experience with cruise ships, consumer products, or media

Job Details

Job Summary:

The Chief Counsel – Walt Disney World (WDW) has overall responsibility for legal matters affecting the WDW business as part of the Disney Experiences (DX) segment of The Walt Disney Company. 

This position will have substantial leadership and management responsibility overseeing a team of legal professionals supporting various lines of business within WDW, including theme parks and resorts.  The Chief Counsel is a member of the WDW Steering Committee and provides advice directly to the President of Walt Disney World Resort as well as other senior WDW executives. 

Responsibilities:

  • Quickly and accurately identify and evaluate legal risks in a complex business environment and provide expert and strategic legal advice to the business unit leaders.

  • Anticipate issues and proactively develop creative business-oriented and brand-consistent solutions to mitigate legal risks encompassing a wide range of practice areas, including product development, transactional matters, sales and marketing, IP, transportation, environmental compliance, customer service, regulatory compliance, safety, public affairs, joint ventures, unions, risk management (worker’s compensation and guest claims), and other related areas.

  • Protect the interests of The Walt Disney Company as a whole and effectively collaborate with legal and business leaders outside of WDW to achieve the best result.

  • Quickly make strategic risk-based decisions and elevate to senior legal and business leadership as necessary.

  • Attract, develop, mentor, direct, motivate and drive performance from the WDW legal team.

  • Provide inspiring leadership to consistently maintain a high standard of excellence.

  • Collaborate with leaders in the practice areas of employment, litigation, real estate, and government affairs.

  • Create associations of trust and respect with key stakeholders and the legal team, including senior executive business leaders, legal leaders, and external parties (e.g., regulators, external counsel, partners).

  • Keep abreast of relevant legislative and regulatory changes.

  • Ability to work in matrixed environment leveraging resourcing from different teams to drive results.

Basic Qualifications:

  • Minimum of 15 years of experience in a business legal leadership role, leading and overseeing business legal advisor in multiple disciplines, in an in-house environment.

  • Demonstrated ability to evaluate risk, to advise business units of the risk and to exercise sound legal judgment.

  • Exceptional business acumen and ability to creatively develop business-oriented solutions to complex legal problems in a fast paced, consumer-facing environment.

  • Experience with a wide variety of commercial law practice areas including transactional matters, litigation, sales and marketing, IP, real estate, transportation, environmental, customer service, regulatory compliance, employment, litigation, safety, public affairs, joint ventures, unions, risk management (worker’s compensation and guest claims), and other related areas.

  • Proven leader experienced in managing a legal team operating in a multi-disciplinary environment. Experience in efficiency and productivity in managing a legal function at scale, demonstrable expertise in organizational design and change management.

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to collaborate.

  • Ability to operate independently, escalating to senior leadership as appropriate.

  • Law firm and budget management experience demonstrating creative thinking about law firm spend and legal technology usage.

  • Active license in good standing to practice law in a US jurisdiction and capable of meeting admission requirements in Florida.

  • Understanding of theme park, cruise ships, resort, consumer product and/or media industries is a plus.

Required Education:

  • Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree or equivalent international degree

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About The Company

From classic animated features and exhilarating theme park attractions to cutting edge sports coverage, and the hottest shows on television, The Walt Disney Company has been making magic since 1923, creating unforgettable stories that connect with audiences around the world. And we’re just getting started!

The key to our success…. The Cast, Crew, Imagineers and Employees who honor Disney’s rich legacy by stretching the bounds of imagination to create the never-before-seen, bringing unparalleled entertainment experiences to people of all ages. Begin a career that delivers unparalleled creative content and experiences to audiences around the world and just imagine the stories you could be part of…

What is #LifeAtDisney like? It’s a series of magical moments with cast members and employees developing and telling our stories in the most innovative ways. Whether it’s a day spent as a Disney VoluntEAR, or celebrating the release of a new interactive experience, retail product or movie, our days are filled with the knowledge that we are creating entertainment experiences the whole family can enjoy. Follow @DisneyCareers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for a peek behind-the-curtain, and discover how you could connect to a world of stories with Disney!

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