VP Legal & Business Affairs

Who are we hiring?

The Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs is responsible for negotiating and structuring complex development, production, rights acquisition, and other agreements for Sphere Studios. This position demands excellent negotiation and drafting skills and strong business acumen, a robust legal background, a proven track record in the film industry, an entrepreneurial spirit, and deep collaboration within the team and cross-functionally.

What will you do? 

• Negotiate, structure, and draft deals and agreements in all phases of development, packaging, production, and other facets of Sphere’s business, including above-the-line talent (actor, writer, director, producer, etc.), underlying rights, and production services type deals
• Collaborate and consult with, advise, and guide senior management, producers, and other departments (including Creative, Physical Production, Marketing, and Finance)
• Review project budgets, financial projections, and other financial documents
• Help inform business and legal policies and best practices to streamline related operations and processes
• Advise on issues relating to compliance by company and business partners with law and prior contractual arrangements, troubleshoot to solve problems (including interaction with third parties and their counsel) and analyze financial exposures and legal risks as necessary
• Devote time and resources to keep current on changes and trends in the law, technology, and industry as they relate to the development, production, and distribution of content
• Collaborate with risk management and legal disputes related to Sphere content development, production, and/or exploitation (including intellectual property matters), in conjunction with Corporate Legal and external counsel as appropriate, to achieve optimal resolution
• Manage ad hoc Business & Legal Affairs functions and participate in special projects, as needed

What do you need to succeed? 

• Law degree from an accredited law school and licensed to practice law in the State of California
• Significant “business affairs” experience in addition to purely legal skills
• Minimum of ten (10) years within a studio Business Affairs department or major entertainment law firm
• Advanced contract drafting and negotiation skills
• Ability to communicate issues/render advice to non-lawyers
• Flexible, creative thinker with a collaborative and business-oriented approach to problem solving 
• Exceptional written and oral business communication skills 
• Strong understanding of legal issues in the feature film business (intellectual property, rights of publicity and privacy, contracts, industry practices, guilds, etc.)
• Outstanding prioritization and organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to work in partnership with other departments and divisions of the company and to contribute to a collaborative work environment and culture
• Commitment to quality work product and organizational ethics, integrity and compliance 
• High performance and time management under intense deadlines and other time pressures

Special Requirements 

• Occasional travel to Las Vegas and New York may be required

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