Vice President Legal Affairs, Universal Theatrical Group

Company Description

NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. We create world-class content, which we distribute across our portfolio of film, television, and streaming, and bring to life through our theme parks and consumer experiences. We own and operate leading entertainment and news brands, including NBC, NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC, NBC Sports, Telemundo, NBC Local Stations, Bravo, USA Network, and Peacock, our premium ad-supported streaming service. We produce and distribute premier filmed entertainment and programming through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group and Universal Studio Group, and have world-renowned theme parks and attractions through Universal Destinations & Experiences. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

Our impact is rooted in improving the communities where our employees, customers, and audiences live and work. We have a rich tradition of giving back and ensuring our employees have the opportunity to serve their communities. We champion an inclusive culture and strive to attract and develop a talented workforce to create and deliver a wide range of content reflecting our world.

Comcast NBCUniversal has announced its intent to create a new publicly traded company ('Versant') comprised of most of NBCUniversal's cable television networks, including USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel along with complementary digital assets Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, GolfPass, and SportsEngine. The well-capitalized company will have significant scale as a pure-play set of assets anchored by leading news, sports and entertainment content. The spin-off is expected to be completed during 2025.

Job Description

About Universal Theatrical Group:

Universal Theatrical Group (UTG) is the live stage division of Universal Pictures. UTG develops, produces, and manages stage adaptations of Universal’s iconic films as well as original theatrical projects.

The Role:

UTG is seeking a senior attorney to join our team, reporting to the Head of Legal Affairs and supporting both the SVP of Creative & Business Affairs and the SVP of Finance & Operations. This role offers a unique opportunity to sit at the intersection of legal, creative, and operational work in a fast-paced theatrical environment.

The Vice President Legal Affairs will work closely with senior executives to strategize, draft and negotiate a wide variety of agreements, ensure compliance with legal and tax requirements, and help bridge creative deal-making with financial and operational execution. A strong working knowledge of the theater industry and Broadway landscape—as well as a genuine love of live theater—is essential to thrive in this role.

The ideal candidate must have leadership and management skills, the requisite aptitude to build relationships with and communicate effectively with high-level executives and significant business partners, and must be comfortable working both independently and as part of a team. Superior legal drafting skills, nimbleness in acquiring an understanding of diverse legal areas, experience in managing complex projects involving legal and non-legal employees, and substantial knowledge of the entertainment, and specifically theatre, business, are essential qualifications.

Job Responsibilities Include but are not limited to:

• Providing legal counsel services for all aspects of development, production and licensing of Broadway and global versions of Universal stage properties.
• Overseeing stage play production counsel responsibilities of department, including coordinating department coverage of all first-class production, collaborating with production general management concerning day-to-day personnel and vendor issues, negotiating talent deals at all levels, and otherwise overseeing day-to-day aspects of legal functions regarding Broadway and other Universal-produced and licensed stage productions.
• Having primary responsibility for managing day-to-day legal relationships with key business partners, including serving as lead negotiator for major license agreements and, with business clients, business terms.
• Building and enhancing high-level internal and external relationships with talent representatives, other producers, industry and key business partner executives and third-party producers and theatres licensing underlying rights in Universal properties.
• Interacting with senior executives throughout the business unit to provide expert advice for theatre-related business and legal decisions and keeping them abreast of deal progress and other issues that impact areas of responsibility.
• Working collaboratively with senior leadership to help establish policies and practices for the group and assist in management of the department.
• Drafting all manner of agreements, including production and merchandise fabrication licenses, creative talent, personnel and consultant agreements, marketing releases, sponsorship, vendor and space agreements.
• Partnering with financial, development and production departments to analyze talent and other business deals and project financial structures, and using proceeds of such work to negotiate deals with talent, licensees and partners.
• Serving as primary liaison between Universal Theatrical team members and Universal legal subject-matter experts in various specific areas crucial to the business, including litigation, trademark, copyright, tax, immigration, music rights, data privacy and security, Americans with Disability Act compliance, anti-piracy and risk management.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• A minimum of 10 years legal experience, at least 7 of which are in the entertainment and, preferably, theatre industry.
• JD degree from an accredited law school.
• Admittance to New York bar.

Desired Qualifications:

• Significant law firm experience.
• Aptitude for developing relationships with agents, talent lawyers, producers, and others directly involved in the theatre and relevant legal communities. Existing such relationships a plus.
• Experience in managing high volume of projects.
• Superior drafting skills and ability to quickly process and understand new legal and business areas.
• High aptitude in understanding financial and accounting matters.
• Ability to operate independently while developing and maintaining strong and trusted relationships with leaders of other departments.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate at all levels.

What We Offer:

• Exposure to the full lifecycle of Broadway and touring theatrical productions.
• Opportunity to work with senior executives across creative, legal, and financial areas.
• A dynamic, collegial environment at the intersection of film and live theater.

Additional Requirements:

Hybrid: This position has been designated as hybrid, which currently requires contributing from the office a minimum of three days per week. Beginning January 5, 2026, hybrid employees will be required to work from the office a minimum of four days per week. The Company reserves the right to change in-office requirements at any time.

This position is eligible for company sponsored benefits, including medical, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and a variety of other discounts and perks. Learn more about the benefits offered by NBCUniversal by visiting the Benefits page of the Careers website. Salary range: $200,000-280,000(bonus and long-term incentive eligible)

Additional Information

As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with an NBCUniversal employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision. NBCUniversal's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require support throughout the application and/or recruitment process as a result of your disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. You can submit your request to AccessibilitySupport@nbcuni.com.