Senior Counsel, Distribution Business & Legal Affairs

Sony Pictures Entertainment(SPE)seeks an exceptional attorney as Senior Counsel to join itsDistribution Business andLegalAffairsDepartment in Culver City, California. The attorney will support Sony Pictures’ television, non-theatrical, and digital home entertainment distributionbusinesses. Working withsenior business executives domestically and internationally,the attorney will managea broad range of legaland business affairsmatters relating to the licensing and distribution of Sony Pictures’ television and motion picture content. 

The successful candidate will join an experienced, collaborative, and supportive legal team. In addition to working with senior business executives, the attorney will work closely with commercial and legal experts throughout SPE, including finance, marketing, music, production, intellectual property, compliance, content protection, privacy, tax, antitrust, litigation, and labor. 

Responsibilities 

• Structure, negotiate,anddraftagreements for thedistributionoftelevision and motion picture contentacrosstelevision, non-theatrical, and digital home entertainmentmarkets, includinglicensing arrangements forfree/advertising-supported video-on-demand (FVOD/ADVOD), subscription video-on-demand (SVOD), transactional video-on-demand (TVOD), electronic sell-through (EST),free ad-supported streaming television (FAST),premiumpaytelevision, basic television, free broadcast television, and non-theatrical exhibition. 

• Structure,negotiate, and draft agreements relating to theacquisition of distribution rights totelevision and motion picture contentproduced by third parties. 

• Provide strategic legal and business adviceto business stakeholders to maximize deal terms while effectively managing legal risk. 

• Analyze, interpret, and advise on rights, exclusivity, license periods, territories, financial terms, content protection, marketing obligations, and other material deal terms. 

• Conduct legal research andrespond to developmentsin the evolvingtelevision, non-theatrical, and digital home entertainmentmarketplaces. 

• Assist with thedevelopment and maintenance of up-to-date templatesfor the full range of distribution agreements. 

• Provide business and legalaffairssupport as neededfrom time to timeonprojectsadvancinginitiatives within Sony Pictures’ distributionand otherbusinesses. 

Qualifications 

• J.D. from an accredited law schoolrequired. 

• Active membership in the California State Bar or eligibility to register as in-house counsel in California. 

• Sevenor more years of relevant experience with a major law firm, studio, television network, streaming service, or othermediacompany. Mix of major law firm and in-house experience preferred. 

• Significant experience negotiating and drafting content licensing, distribution,andother complex commercial agreements. 

• Excellent negotiating, drafting, analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills. 

• Strong understanding of television, streaming,non-theatrical, and digital home entertainmentdistributionmodels and the evolving ways in which audiences consume entertainment content. 

• Ability to identify and assess legal and business risks and provide practical, solution-oriented advice. 

• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with legal, business, and operational teams. 

• Detail-oriented, proactive, and able to manage multiple matters and accommodate tight deadlines. 

Sony Pictures Entertainment is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected characteristics.

SPE will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records in accordance with applicable law.

Sony Pictures does not allow audio recording, video recording or use of AI note-taking tools during interviews. Please be aware these tools may be enabled as a default and can be difficult to disable once the interview has started, so we recommend you check your device and disable these tools prior to the start of your interview. If recording or the use of the tools occurs during the interview and cannot be promptly turned off or disabled, the interviewer may end the interview.

To request an accommodation for purposes of participating in the hiring process, you may contact us at SPE_Accommodation_Assistance@spe.sony.com.