of counsel London, England
Job description
ROLE DESCRIPTION:
ROLE TITLE: Legal Counsel
CONTRACT TYPE: 12 Month Fixed Term (Maternity Cover) , full-time
LOCATION: London
REPORTING TO: Senior Legal Counsel
REPORTS: N/A
BACKGROUND:
The Blair Partnership manages brand, franchise and creative coordination across the Wizarding World™. This includes J.K. Rowling’s print and digital publishing, stage and theatrical rights, as well as the coordination of other brand and franchise focused commercial activity with partners, most notably including Warner Bros.
The Agency Team at The Blair Partnership works with a range of diverse and outstanding clients to nurture and grow the most imaginative and engaging stories. Through the management of their intellectual property rights across multiple products, platforms and territories, we help our clients reach new audiences.
Pottermore Publishing is the global digital publisher of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series, as well as other audiobooks and eBooks from the Wizarding World™. Our aim is innovative digital publishing that brings those stories to life and attracts a new generation of readers. We work with global eBook and audiobook retailers to celebrate the world that first began with the Boy Who Lived.
OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE JOB:
As Legal Counsel you will report to the Senior Legal Counsel and have responsibility for advising Pottermore and The Blair Partnership on a range of legal matters relating to intellectual property/brand protection, supplier agreements, digital distribution of ebooks and digital audiobooks, content creation and exploitation, and data protection/privacy compliance.
SUMMARY OF DUTIES
Responsibilities & Accountabilities:
- Drafting and negotiating commercial agreements relating the distribution of ebook and digital audiobooks.
- Digital product development, content clearance, third-party licensing, non-disclosure agreements, release forms.
- Brand protection/domain name management.
- Advertising and marketing, including competitions/prize draws, and use of influencers and social media.
- Lead on data protection/privacy compliance.
- Support to Agency and International Teams on clients’ publishing agreements and other deals
- Providing advice to the business on risk management and legal compliance.
- Delivering the very highest standards of legal advice and regulatory compliance whilst supporting the businesses and our clients on exciting and innovative projects.
- Providing tailored, concise advice with a clear commercial emphasis to the teams in Pottermore and The Blair Partnership.
- Demonstrate a commercial and practical approach in dealing with a variety of legal issues across multiple geographical locations and legal systems.
PERSON SPECIFICATION:
Essential:
- Experience of commercial law, intellectual property/brand protection and data protection.
- Excellent drafting and negotiation skills.
- Ability to work independently and at pace in a challenging and dynamic environment.
- Minimum of 2 years’ post qualification experience.
- Experience within an in-house setting.
Desirable (non-essential):
- Ability to be persuasive and interact effectively with the business.
- Solid training and qualification from a leading City or national media focussed law firm, or legal department of a media organisation.
- Attention to detail and a commercial approach.
- Highly effective communicator and ability to influence at all levels.
Personal Characteristics:
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to build and manage relationships within and outside the business.
- Builds successful relationships with colleagues.
- Works collaboratively and effectively with a wide range of stakeholders and partners at all levels.
- Demonstrates understanding of the business’ objectives and wider issues.
- Responsive to internal clients and keeps them informed, anticipates and plans for demand.
- Provides sound, common sense advice, guidance and judgement, taking account of legal, technical and commercial factors and able to think on feet in challenging situations.
- Manages challenging relationships and conflict in a sensible and positive way.
- A positive, proactive and can-do attitude, with initiative to independently identify and progress solutions to problems, not just articulating the problem.
- Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability when circumstances and priorities change.
- Anticipates change and manages it positively to successful outcomes.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US
- Competitive Salary
- Hybrid working pattern (3 days/week on-site)
- Company Bonus Scheme
- 33 days holiday (including bank holidays)
- Group Pension Plan where we contribute 5%
- Life Assurance of 4 times salary
- Health Insurance (currently with Vitality)
- Health Shield Cashback Plan
- Harry Potter Franchise Partner discounts and a free ticket to see both parts of Harry Potter & The Cursed Child
- Annual Creative Bursary
- Season Ticket Loan
- Cycle Scheme
