Business Affairs Blog

NBC Universal: VP - LA

2006-10-06T07:33:00.000-05:00

CITY: Universal City

STATE: California

COUNTRY: USA

Essential Functions (Responsibilities):
Job Purpose:
As Vice President - Legal Affairs, you will be part of a team responsible for handling legal matters surrounding the production of motion pictures.

Job Responsibilities:

This attorney will be part of a team responsible for negotiating and drafting acquisition, development and productions agreements (which includes agreements for talent).

Also responsible for all legal matters during the course of production, including, but not limited to:
*Evaluating rights/chain of title issues
*Clearance matters
*Guild issues
*Advertising, promotion and publicity issues.

Qualifications/Requirements:
Basic Qualifications:

JD Required

Minumum 10 years of experience with production.

Desired:

Self Starter

Ability to work indepently

Previous litigation experience at a major studio a plus

General:

NBC Universal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. We develop, produce and market entertainment, news and information to a global market. NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks.

Universal Pictures creates and distributes theatrical and non-theatrical filmed entertainment. A high-quality and diverse product mix is delivered to the growing global marketplace through a variety of internally developed titles, co-productions, local acquisitions, specialty motion pictures, direct-to-video titles, specialty video, classic titles, and consumer products. These films and videos then provide content for television, and further drive the recreation business, consumer products, and other ancillary businesses.

Job#551170

Lionsgate: Attorney Job LA

2006-10-06T07:32:00.000-05:00

Lionsgate is the premier independent producer and distributor of motion pictures, home entertainment, family entertainment, television programming and video-on-demand content. Lionsgate is seeking an entry-level attorney for our Business & Legal Affairs department. This position provides an excellent opportunity to learn the legal entertainment business. The position will require working on a large volume of domestic and international licensing agreements, merchandising agreements, home video agreements, clip licensing agreements, delivery of legal documentation to domestic and international licensees, handle special projects as they arise, provide legal support to the international and domestic sales team, and will be able to support his/her self administratively and provide some administrative support for the Sr. Attorney.
Requirements:	Candidates must possess a law degree from an accredited law school, have strong diplomatic skills, and be highly motivated and self-directed. In addition, candidates must have exceptional organizational skills and the ability to be flexible in a fast paced deadline driven environment. Strong writing and computer skills are required. Successful candidates must be admitted to the bar in either California or another major jurisdiction. Lionsgate offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience, an excellent benefits package, and a great working environment.

Contact Information

Company:	Lion's Gate Entertainment
Email:	resumes@lionsgate.com
Address:	2700 Colorado Ave. Santa Monica,CA 90404
Fax:	310-255-3870

Tennis Channel: Pierre Vudrag VP BA/LA

2006-10-06T07:30:00.000-05:00

The Tennis Channel has added Pierre Vudrag as VP/Business and Legal Affairs to be the network's in-house legal affairs advisor and to oversee a variety of areas including licensing program content to the network's multiple brand platforms. Based in Los Angeles, Pierre reports to Bill Simon, CFO.

Liberation Ent.: J. Alan Davis Hired

2006-10-06T07:28:00.000-05:00

J. Alan Davis has been hired at Liberation Entertainment in Los Angeles as VP/Head of Worldwide Business Affairs.

Nat Geo: Vincent D'Ambra: VP Biz Affairs

2006-09-18T07:41:00.000-05:00

National Geographic Channels International (NGCI) Vincent D'Ambra has been upped to VP/Business and Legal Affairs at NGCI's headquarters.

POSTING: Discovery: Director - Legal: MD

2006-09-12T08:40:00.000-05:00

Position Summary:

Draft and negotiate a wide variety of television programming agreements primarily for Discovery’s domestic and international networks, including commissions, co-productions, acquisitions, content-related agreements (e.g., footage, access and partnership agreements), talent agreements and complex output deals (e.g., as part of larger corporate deals)

Responsibilities:

1) Draft and negotiate a wide variety of television programming agreements primarily for Discovery’s domestic and international networks, including commissions, co-productions, acquisitions, content-related agreements (e.g., footage, access and partnership agreements), talent agreements and complex output deals (e.g., as part of larger corporate deals)
2) Analyze existing programming and programming-related contracts
3) Conduct pre-publication review (e.g. publicity, privacy and defamation issues) and provide on-going legal advice and risk analysis to internal clients concerning production, rights clearance and other issues as needed
4) Work closely with and provide counsel to DCI Business Affairs, Networks and other internal clients
5) Serve as liaison to DCI Networks
6) Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements:

* Minimum level of professional experience required to do the job
* Education – minimum level required, to do the job. At higher level roles, education should be a given & experience takes precedence.
* Job specific technical competencies & skills essential to the role Minimum 3-6 years of legal practice in the entertainment industry (preferably with an emphasis on the “reality”/unscripted genre); law firm experience preferred; knowledge of FCC rules and regulations pertaining to commercial and program acceptability and/or previous standards and practices experience within the cable industry helpful
* In-depth knowledge and experience with entertainment law and entertainment transactions, including television production and programming contracts; knowledge about union and non-union labor and employment law issues, guild terms (e.g., AFTRA, SAG, WGA, DGA) and their applicability to artist contracts a plus
* Excellent verbal and written communications skills
* Detail oriented and analytical with strong organizational skills
* Ability to manage a high-volume workload efficiently and smoothly in a high-pressure, deadline-driven environment
* Self-motivated with demonstrated ability to work independently as well as part of a close-knit team coupled with the judgment to know when to seek advice from supervisors
* Strong academic credentials from an ABA-accredited law school and member of Bar in good standing

POSTING Fox Cable Networks: Associate Director, Business & Legal Affairs to work with the VP, Business & Legal Affairs.

2006-09-12T08:34:00.000-05:00

Apply at www.FoxCareers.com

Telepictures Productions has upped James Dorgan to VP/Business and Legal Affairs.

2006-09-12T08:33:00.000-05:00

Telepictures Productions has upped James Dorgan to VP/Business and Legal Affairs. James supervises the business and legal issues pertaining to the company's first run productions, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Tyra Banks Show, in addition to the music affairs for all of the studio's programs. He reports to David Decker, SVP/Business and Legal Affairs.

Executive Move

2005-04-26T07:27:00.000-05:00

Claudia Teran has been upped to SVP/Business and Legal Affairs, Fox Cable Networks. Claudia will continue reporting to Rita Tuzon, EVP/General Counsel, Fox Cable Networks, and will provide the day-to-day legal oversight of the U.S. channels Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Sports en Español, and action sports network FUEL, as well as the Fox Sports channels in Latin America, the Middle East and the worldwide Fox Sports syndication sales business.

Lots of Jobs?

2005-04-05T19:31:00.000-05:00

Seems like there's more job action out there. Are you looking? Are you hiring? Let me know.

New Posting at Spike TV

2005-04-05T19:29:00.000-05:00

SVP, Business and Legal Affairs (Spike/Comedy Central)
Senior Manager supervising all business and legal affairs for Comedy Central and Spike TV and their related ancillary businesses.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
* Lead, supervise and manage a diverse staff of 24 business and legal affairs professionals; develop and implement department standards, objectives and policy

* Develop deal strategy, parameters and structure for all type of agreements related to original programming, features, "direct-to-video" projects, online, acquired programming, optioned properties, celebrity talent, promotional advertising, co-financing arrangements, and various ancillary rights agreements.

* Advise and counsel senior business leaders on sensitive issues
* Supervise training of business affairs and legal professionals
* Negotiate and/or supervise major deals
* Make legal judgment calls and provide strategic advice for Comedy Central and Spike TV
* Strategize with senior channel management on major transactions; provide ongoing strategic legal advice in furtherance of business objectives

* Translate MTV Networks legal, business and organizational initiatives into actionable goals for the team
* Maintain relationships with key managers, agencies and attorneys in the entertainment community
* Represent team to channel group, the Senior Team of the MTVN Business & Legal Affairs Department, and MTVN generally

Oversee 10 attorneys, administrative, contract management, music and media licensing staff

Qualifications:
Law degree from accredited law school with NY or CA bar admission and membership in good standing. Minimum 10 years of experience in entertainment law firm, media or entertainment company or studio/ network/ production company with at least 75% of that experience in entertainment and IP law (transactional work); significant management ability and experience, legal analysis, drafting and deal making skills; previously established relationships with key agents and entertainment lawyers are a plus.

ABC VP Job

2005-04-05T19:27:00.000-05:00

ABC Inc. --- Buena Vista Television

Title: VP, Business and Legal Affairs, Buena Vista Television
US-CA-Burbank

RESPONSIBILITIES:
VP, Business and Legal Affairs, Buena Vista Television
Buena Vista Television is the domestic television distribution division of
the Walt Disney Company and the leading provider of syndicated
programming.

Summary of Position:
The VP of Business and Legal Affairs is responsible for setting the
strategy that maximizes the company‚s ability to exploit products across
multiple platforms and emerging technologies. The VP of Business and Legal
Affairs will work with a team of approximately 18 employees including
Business and Legal Affairs Attorneys, Contract Administration
professionals, and related support staff while working closely with other
executives inside the Disney Media Division and the Disney studio. This
position reports directly to the EVP, Business & Legal Affairs, Buena
Vista Television.

Main Roles and Responsibilities:

Successfully manage multiple aspects of the Business and Legal Affairs
operation by providing business, strategic, and Legal advice for multiple
platforms and businesses including VOD, PPV, Pay TV, Broadband, Wireless,
and Digital New Media. Other specific responsibilities will include:

Working with the sales staff to draft and negotiate deals in traditional
licensing, emerging technologies, and Digital New Media
Maintaining a clear understanding of and ability to manage various rights
issues related to the dissemination of content over multiple distribution
platforms
Developing and negotiating strategic partnerships with traditional
(cable, satellite) and New Media (telco‚s, ISP‚s) distributors for pay
television content by means of PPV, VOD, SVOD, and new business models.
Negotiating and implementing distribution agreements for content
management and content protection requirements
Spearheading the formulation of requirements for new Pay TV business
models and protection of content in new delivery systems
Participating in Legal „roundtables‰ regarding content protection and
digital delivery
Providing counsel to Corporate Legal and New Media regarding the MPAA‚s
Content Protection Working Group‚s negotiations with the cable industry
for the next generation delivery of Pay TV services

Requirements:
The ideal candidate will possess a J.D.Degree and a minimum of 7-10 years
of leadership experience in Business and Legal Affairs. Additional
requirements include:

Demonstrated ability in anticipating and exploring new business models
and technology platforms in the areas of Broadband, VOD, Internet, Pay TV,
Intellectual Property and Security
Technical and Legal expertise to navigate new media deals while
strategically anticipating opportunities in emerging technologies
Mandatory Entertainment Industry experience in broadcast, cable, studio
and/or a production company
In depth deal making experience including exceptional drafting and strong
negotiating skills.
Ability to immediately assume a leadership role displaying excellent
interpersonal skills with the ability to manage heavy contract volume
Strong analytical, interpersonal and communication skills
Expertise with clearance rules, licensing rules, and profit participation
rules

Additional Information
Position Type: Full Time, Employee
Job#: MONVPCS

Contact Information
abcrecruiter4@abc.com
ABC, Inc.

Wow....it's been a while...

2005-04-01T23:49:00.000-05:00

Sorry....just trying to think about what the heck to use this for....ok, so I am going to post job listings I find. I am going to post stories about cases we all need to know about.....and I need your help. Write to me and I'll post your posts.....

Kerry vs. Bush

2004-08-03T22:25:00.000-05:00

I suspect BA types are generally blue staters, and so more for Kerry than Bush. Am I right?

Business vs. Legal Affairs

2004-08-03T22:22:00.000-05:00

What defines the difference? Can you be a non-lawyer and be in business affairs these days? I used to work with a great guy who did all of the "SNL" and Conan O'Brien business affairs work and he wasn't a lawyer. But I suspect that is a dying breed, if not already dead.

By the way, he died of a heart attack.

Which makes me think....working for an agency?

2004-07-29T22:54:00.000-05:00

It has always seemed to me that doing business or legal affairs for an agency was not the optimal spot. Safe, sure, but subject to being a pure second class citizen. Sort of like always being an associate at a law firm, with no hope of partnership. Except, a lot of associates become partners. Not so at an agency. Except Wayne Kabak, who made the transition to being an agent and now is co-head of the NY office of William Morris.

Are you old school? Who places your calls...

2004-07-29T22:32:00.001-05:00

I just dealt with a business affairs guy from an agency today. He was for 35 years a biz affairs guy at one of the biggies. I guess he was dumped from there....but he's a good guy generally. Smart and decent. Very old school (literally). Anyway, what I notice most about the negotiation was how he had all of his e-mails and his calls placed by his assistant. On some level, this put me off. It's frankly outdated and kinda oddly archaic. At the same time, he is such a nice guy, that I kinda think it's just the way he grew up, was SOP at the big agency and he probably doesn't even have a computer at his desk. I wonder if he calls her an assistant or a secretary.

At my shop, I guess I could ask my assistant to place and take my calls, but I don't think I could even do that. I actually like that I answer my own phone, but generally (unlike my NBC days) I am not really dodging calls (and the phone has the on-screen caller ID).

Great Forms Resource

2004-07-24T13:44:00.000-05:00

I think this is the best (free) forms resource on the web. It's all contracts from top firms that are necessarily attached to corporate filings. All of the key info is redacted (so if you need to know what the standard home video royalty would be, you're out of luck), but for verbiage, it can't be beat....at least you know what the big firms are using these days. It is especially good in technology contracts, but here's the media section: http://contracts.corporate.findlaw.com/industries/media/index.html

If you have any other great resources like this, let me know....

Interviewing Minors - Article

2004-07-24T13:39:00.000-05:00

Found this article on findlaw.com on interviewing minors.

http://articles.corporate.findlaw.com/articles/file/00010/008700

Still here...Day 2

2004-07-24T13:22:00.000-05:00

I suspect no one knows about this blog yet, but a day after creating it, it still seems like a fine idea to me. Sort of like Google, but far less capitalized.

Networking Sites?

2004-07-23T11:49:00.000-05:00

I am a member of Orkut.com and LinkedIN, but not sure if they even are worth the time. Orkut seems cool since it seems to have some of the key old school dotcom masters of the universe, but I doubt they will connect up with you. (I used to work at Inside.com) I did email Jon Battele who ran the Industry Standard and he wrote back. I guess we're now "buddies".

Best Job Sites?

2004-07-23T11:46:00.000-05:00

I know many of you are interested in business/legal affairs jobs. The best site (altho it is mostly west coast) is www.ifcome.com. I also hear emplawyernet.com is pretty good, but its a pay site. Finally, the key is "word of mouth" and networking. Do you have any other suggested sites?

Welcome to our first post

2004-07-23T11:34:00.000-05:00

Welcome. This is the inaugral post to the business affairs blog. This blog is dedicated to news, gossip, jobs and other miscelleny on those who consider themselves to be business or legal affairs executives, mostly in the media businesses. It will also be a resource for lawyers and law students and others related to entertainment law and business.

It should be fun, but only if you send me your tips. FYI, this is not a full-time job and the posting will always be sporadic.