Senior Counsel, Legal Affairs, Original Programming and Corporate Contracts

Job Description

The Senior Counsel will play a key role in supporting both production legal and corporate legal matters. This position is responsible for drafting and negotiating a wide range of agreements, including development, production, licensing, and vendor contracts, as well as conducting production clearance reviews and providing practical legal advice on Starz’s slate of original programming. The ideal candidate will bring a strong background in entertainment law and intellectual property, excellent drafting skills, and the ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.

Key Responsibilities

· Draft and negotiate development agreements and related documentation (e.g., rights acquisition, writer-producer, non-writing executive producer, and other talent agreements).

· Draft and negotiate production-related agreements, including location agreements, leases, and content/clip licenses.

· Conduct script and production clearance reviews, including title clearance, fair use assessments, and advising on copyright, right of publicity, defamation, and privacy issues.

· Review, interpret, and advise on chain of title documentation and other contractual matters for executives and business stakeholders.

· Draft, negotiate, and manage corporate contracts, including technology vendor agreements (e.g., SaaS, software licenses, cloud computing, open-source, subscriptions, professional services) and facility/vendor agreements.

· Partner with creative, production, and business executives to provide timely, practical legal advice during all stages of development and production.

· Support the SVP, Legal Affairs on special projects and additional responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications & Skills

· Juris Doctor (JD) degree and active membership in the State Bar of California.

· 4–6 years of legal experience in a law firm or in-house at a studio/network, with a focus on entertainment, copyright, and intellectual property.

· Strong knowledge of television industry practices and precedents.

· Proven experience with both production legal and corporate contracts, particularly technology and vendor agreements.

· Excellent drafting, negotiation, and analytical skills with keen attention to detail.

· Strong interpersonal and communication skills; ability to build trust and collaborate with diverse teams.

· Highly motivated, organized, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.

Nice-to-haves

· Experience advising on guild/union agreements (SAG-AFTRA, WGA, DGA).

· Familiarity with international production issues, including co-productions and local production laws.

· Knowledge of data privacy and security requirements in vendor contracts.

· Prior in-house experience at a premium cable network, streaming platform, or major studio

Compensation

$160,000 - $185,000

About STARZ

STARZ (NASDAQ: STRZ) is the leading premium entertainment destination for women and underrepresented audiences, and home to some of the most popular franchises and series on television. STARZ offers a robust programming mix for discerning adult audiences, including boundary-breaking originals and an expansive lineup of blockbuster movies, and is embodied by its brand positioning “We’re All Adults Here.” Complementary to any platform or service, STARZ is available across a wide range of digital OTT platforms and multichannel video distributors and is a bundling partner of choice. STARZ is powered by an industry-leading advanced technology, data analytics and digital infrastructure and the highly rated and first-of-its-kind STARZ app.

Our Benefits

• Full Coverage – Medical, Vision, and Dental
• Annual discretionary bonus and merit increase
• Work/Life Balance – generous sick days, vacation days, holidays, and wellness days
• 401(k) company matching
• Tuition Reimbursement (up to graduate degree)

 

EEO Statement

Starz is an equal employment opportunity employer. All employees and applicants are evaluated on the basis of their qualifications, consistent with applicable state and federal laws. In addition, Starz will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Starz will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and federal law.