Deputy Chief Counsel, ABC Legal, News & Regulation

Job Description

At Disney, we‘re storytellers. We make the impossible, possible. We do this through utilizing and developing cutting-edge technology and pushing the envelope to bring stories to life through our movies, products, interactive games, parks and resorts, and media networks. Now is your chance to join our talented team that delivers unparalleled creative content to audiences around the world.

Disney Legal is seeking a highly qualified Deputy Chief Counsel to lead and manage the ABC Legal, News & Regulation legal team (currently, nine attorneys, one paralegal, and one administrative assistant). The News & Regulation legal team advises ABC News and the news operations of the ABC owned television stations in the Disney Entertainment Television business segment on legal issues arising in newsgathering and editorial activities, including pre-publication review of broadcast, on-line, and streaming news reports and guidance on libel, privacy, access, and copyright (fair use), as well as advising the ABC owned stations, ABC News, and ABC Entertainment clients on a range of FCC and FTC regulatory issues. 

The role will be based in Disney’s New York City offices located at 7 Hudson Square. The role reports to the Chief Counsel, Disney Entertainment Television, News, Streaming & Technology.   

Responsibilities

The ABC Legal, News & Regulation group provides legal advice and support to ABC News, the ABC owned stations (currently, WABC (New York City), KABC (Los Angeles), WLS (Chicago), KTRK (Houston), WPVI (Philadelphia), KGO (San Francisco), KFSN (Fresno), and WTVD (Raleigh-Durham)), ABC local and network political sales, and the ABC scripted and unscripted Broadcast Standards & Practices groups on a wide range of matters including: editorial and newsgathering issues involved in the preparation and the broadcast, on-line and streaming distribution of national and local news programming (e.g. libel, privacy, trespass, surreptitious recording, subpoenas, access, copyright/fair use); FCC and FTC regulatory issues (e.g. licensing, children’s programming, political and issue advertising, equal time, indecency, sponsor identification, public file, FCC EEO requirements, issues/programs reports, closed captioning); and sweepstakes/ contests/ promotions. 

The Deputy Chief Counsel role requires a talented, experienced candidate with a broad set of high-functioning skills necessary to advise high-profile news organizations.  The successful candidate will possess senior-level subject matter expertise and experience, including:

• Reviewing news scripts and rough cuts for libel, privacy, copyright (fair use) and other issues, and working with network and station news teams to address such issues;

• Reviewing investigative and newsgathering proposals and advising network and station news teams on legal risks and suggested approaches;

• Drafting, reviewing, and/or revising a variety of releases, consent forms, nondisclosure agreements, and other documents;

• Reviewing and advising network and station news teams on retraction demands, takedown requests, subpoenas, copyright infringement claims, and other legal threats and challenges;

• Reviewing network and station political and issue advertising to ensure it complies with federal and state regulations, meets ABC standards, and (in the case of issue and non-candidate political advertising) does not raise libel, privacy, or other issues; and

• Reviewing and advising station clients on political advertising rate issues, children’s programming requirements and reports, issue//program reports, FCC EEO obligations, closed caption requirements (including responding to viewer complaints), sponsor identification rules, and/or other FCC regulatory matters.

In addition to possessing the skills required to advise on specific substantive matters, the Deputy Chief Counsel role also requires senior-level leadership and management skills, including:

• Advising and interacting with senior news management on decisions that can involve complex legal issues and reputational risk;

• Operating largely autonomously while knowing when to consult with senior business and legal leaders and Disney Legal subject-matter experts;

• Managing outside counsel and outside counsel legal budgets; and

• Autonomously managing and motivating the ABC Legal, News & Regulation legal team while also working collaboratively within and across Disney Legal & Government Affairs. 

Basic Qualifications

• Minimum of fifteen years of legal experience gained at a law firm and/or as an in-house counsel at a media company with an emphasis on pre-publication review and/or litigation defense of news content

• Demonstrated ability to evaluate legal risk and exercise sound legal judgment

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to distill complex legal issues and succinctly communicate those issues to clients

• Strong work ethic, particularly because the Deputy Chief Counsel is on call for news clients throughout the continuous news cycle environment

• Work style that is accustomed to rolling up the sleeves and diving into the details of individual matters that involve complicated legal and/or reputational issues.

• Commitment to professionalism and integrity

• A collaborative, solutions-oriented approach to providing legal advice with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work well with colleagues at all levels of the organization, including but not limited to attorneys and journalist clients

• Ability to prioritize, multitask and work quickly under tight deadlines in a fast-paced news environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Passion for providing legal support to national and local news organizations

• Experience leading a legal team, including hiring, managing, developing and retaining talent. 

Required Education

• Law degree from an accredited law school

• Admission to the New York State Bar or willingness and qualification to be Registered In-House Counsel.

#legalaffairs