SVP, Legal - Crown Media - New York, NY

SUMMARY

The SVP, Legal provides legal counsel for all of Crown Media’s content distribution, including linear networks (Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, Hallmark Drama), subscription on demand service (Hallmark Movies Now), advertising non-linear and FAST channels, and print and digital books (Hallmark Publishing).  This position plays a key role within the team to structure, negotiate, draft and administer content distribution agreements, including with cable, satellite, telecom, publishing, and digital distributors and platforms, as well as related technology agreements.  In addition, this role provides strategic guidance on new and existing opportunities domestically and internationally to help achieve corporate initiatives. This position is also responsible for counseling clients on a broad range of legal and business issues, including intellectual property and regulatory matters, and working on complex contract administration and compliance efforts. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS – include the following however other duties may be assigned at the discretion of management.

• Structure, draft, negotiate and enforce agreements for linear programming services and on demand programming across distribution platforms.
• Serve as lead counsel on a variety of digital distribution and publishing agreements, and related technology agreements. 
• Provide strategic guidance on new and existing opportunities domestically and internationally.
• Critically evaluate and interpret complex distribution agreements; clearly identify issues and opportunities to optimize the company’s position, including deal terms and relationship matters related to various platforms. 
• Work closely with other members of the Legal and Business Affairs team on complex contract administration and compliance efforts of its contractual obligations including Most Favored Nations provisions.
• Work cross-functionally with marketing, finance and the network groups to advise on rights and regulatory matters. Liaison with programming department to ensure adherence to strategic focus and compliance with contract terms.
• Work with litigation lawyers, as necessary, in order to resolve potential disputes.
• Maintain an awareness and understanding of the latest developments in the law, regulatory environment and technology as they relate to the distribution of media content, including piracy, windowing of content, packaging of content, and consumer technology offerings, such as time shifting and place shifting capabilities.  
• Performs other related job duties as requested.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

• Juris Doctorate and bar admission.  
• Min. 10 years of legal experience as a transactional attorney, preferably with a significant portion of that experience involving content distribution and licensing. 
• Detailed transactional contract drafting experience.
• Experience presenting to senior executives. 

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

•  A strong understanding of technology, consumer electronics, and distribution of content via linear and non-linear methods and business practices.
• Excellent communication skills, written and oral. Proven negotiation skills and outstanding drafting abilities. Highly organized and ability to multi-task and manage multiple high-stakes negotiations with tight deadlines. 
• Demonstrated ability to positively and proactively identify, prioritize and address legal issues quickly and effectively.
• Sound business judgment to manage multiple wide-ranging matters, conflicting deadlines, and learning new areas as business needs change.
• Track record of working well under pressure and sustaining motivation through long negotiation cycles.
• Great communication skills to manage expectations internally and externally, and to defend legal and business positions and propose new ways of doing business to move our company’s interests forward into the future.