Director, Business & Legal Affairs

Los Angeles, CA

Hybrid

Full-time

1001-5000

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🔴 Closes on:

Jun 5

Job Description:

At Warner Music Group, we’re a global collective of music makers and music lovers, tech innovators and inspired entrepreneurs, game-changing creatives and passionate team members. Here, we turn dreams into stardom and audiences into fans. We are guided by three core values that underpin everything we do across all our diverse businesses:

Curiosity: We do our best work when we’re immersing ourselves in culture and breaking through barriers. Curiosity is the driving force behind creativity and ingenuity. It fuels innovation, and innovation is the key to our future.
Collaboration: Making music and bringing it to the world is all about the power of originality amplified by teamwork. A great idea, like a great song, travels globally. We ignite passions and build connections across our diverse community of artists, songwriters, partners, and fans.
Commitment: We pursue excellence for our team and our talent. Everything in music starts with a leap into the unknown, and we’re committed to keeping the faith, acting with integrity, and delivering on our promises.

WMG is home to a wide range of artists, musicians, and songwriters that fuel our success. That is why we are committed to creating a work environment that actively values, appreciates, and respects everyone. We encourage applications from people with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.

Consider a career at WMG and get the best of both worlds – an innovative global music company that retains the creative spirit of a nimble independent.

Curiosity: We do our best work when we’re immersing ourselves in culture and breaking through barriers. Curiosity is the driving force behind creativity and ingenuity. It fuels innovation, and innovation is the key to our future.
Collaboration: Making music and bringing it to the world is all about the power of originality amplified by teamwork. A great idea, like a great song, travels globally. We ignite passions and build connections across our diverse community of artists, songwriters, partners, and fans.
Commitment: We pursue excellence for our team and our talent. Everything in music starts with a leap into the unknown, and we’re committed to keeping the faith, acting with integrity, and delivering on our promises.

Consider a career at WMG and get the best of both worlds – an innovative global music company that retains the creative spirit of a nimble independent.

A little bit about our team:

We are a dynamic, diverse and dedicated group of professionals with a passion for music who provide general counseling to Warner Records across a wide range of business and legal issues. We value hard work, finely-tuned listening, and a forward-thinking mindset. We work closely with every department at the label, and we focus on structuring the label’s business and legal relationship with each of our artists.

Your role:

You will have the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of a record company – and the recorded music business more generally – while making a meaningful and tangible contribution to the creation and release of our artists’ music. You will be directly involved in all business and legal aspects of the process from recording to marketing to other activities surrounding artist projects. In a rapidly and ever-changing industry, you will be challenged to make the most of your existing skills while learning new ones. The Warner Records culture will challenge you to make the most of your skills while providing you ample opportunity to grow as an attorney and as an executive.

Here you’ll get to:

You will negotiate and draft proposals and a variety of music and entertainment-related agreements, including recording, label, license, producer, mixer, soundtrack, termination/release, and merchandise, along with related memos and summaries.
You will research, advise and support A&R, marketing, video, commerce, promotion, royalties, international and other departments regarding contractual and legal obligations.
You will work closely with A&R administration regarding clearances, budgets, approvals, and general counseling.
You will work closely with Finance to develop deal analyses.
You will review and vet artwork, label copy, videos, and other assets and materials.
You will provide business and legal counseling and policy guidance regarding label's distribution of content and other business activities.
You will investigate, analyze and respond to claims and disputes, including copyright, audit, breach of contract, publicity and trademark, and coordinate with corporate legal department regarding dispute resolution strategies.

About you:

You are extremely passionate and knowledgeable about music.
You have a J.D. from top law school plus membership in good standing in one state bar (preferably New York, California or Georgia).
You have at least 3-5 years of post-bar experience in a major record label business and legal affairs department, in-house legal department, law firm, or similar experience.
You have superior negotiating, drafting, organizational, and oral and written communication skills.
You have a demonstrated ability to work independently, within a team-oriented environment.
You must be able to meet deadlines consistently and effectively while working under pressure; candidate must be able to manage multiple assignments at any given time and prioritize them effectively and appropriately.

We’d love it if you also had:

In-depth understanding of the areas of the law applicable to the music business, including copyright, trademark, contract, rights of publicity, etc.
Strong business and financial knowledge.

About us:

As the home to 10K Projects, Asylum, Atlantic Music Group, East West, FFRR, Fueled by Ramen, Nonesuch, Parlophone, Rhino, Roadrunner, Sire, Warner Records, Warner Classics, and several other of the world’s premier recording labels, Warner Music Group champions emerging artists and global superstars alike. And our renowned publishing company, Warner Chappell Music, represents genre-spanning songwriters and producers through a catalog of more than one million copyrights worldwide. Warner Music Group is also home to ADA, which supports the independent community, as well as artist services division WMX. In addition, WMG counts film and television storytelling powerhouse Warner Music Entertainment among its many brands.

Together, we are Warner Music Group: Independent Minds. Major Sound.

Love this job and want to apply?

Click the “Apply” link at the top of the page, or apply directly with your LinkedIn. Applying with LinkedIn will import all of the information you put in your profile, but will still allow you to upload a resume and cover letter.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t hear from us right away. We’re taking our time to review all resumes, and to find the best people for WMG.

Thanks for your interest in working for WMG. We love it here, and think you will, too.

and

This position requires a minimum of four days per week in the office. We value in-office collaboration and believe it's essential for talent development and fostering strong working relationships.

Salary Range

$130,000 to $150,000 Annually

Salary ranges are included for job postings where required by law. The actual base pay is dependent upon many factors, such as work experience and business needs. The pay range is subject to change at any time dependent on a variety of internal and external factors.

WMG is committed to inclusion and diversity in all aspects of our business. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and will evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, religious creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, marital status, medical condition as defined by state law (genetic characteristics or cancer), physical or mental disability, military service or veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.