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SXSW is seeking a highly motivated, creative General Counsel with 10+ years of experience, who is highly collaborative in a fast paced environment. The General Counsel reports to the CEO and supports SXSW initiatives by providing legal advice, drafting and revising contracts, conducting legal risk assessments, overseeing copyright and trademark issues, managing and coordinating outside legal services, reviewing cutting edge legal issues that may impact the business, and assessing the legal implications of internal policies and other business decisions in an effort to minimize legal risk and costs, reduce litigation exposure, ensure legal compliance, present solutions, and to do so efficiently and professionally.

Key Job Duties

• Manage a lean legal department consisting of both legal and non-legal support, with both year-round and seasonal employees

• Manage and work closely with outside counsel concerning trademark issues, litigation, insurance, liquor, visas, and other matters

• Draft, review, negotiate, and revise a high volume of event related contracts, including, without limitation, sponsorship, vendor, content licenses, trademark licenses, and talent agreements

• Draft, review and revise website policies, including, without limitation, terms of use, privacy policy, and purchase terms

• Strong experience with copyright and trademark law and drafting licenses in the current digital media landscape

• Review marketing materials for legal compliance

• Maintain an internal rights tracking database and trademark docket

• Manage domestic and international trademark prosecution, enforcement and compliance efforts

• Manage contracts workflow, improve processes, and train non-legal departments to use templates to increase efficiency

• Participate in meetings related to City of Austin relations and event safety

• Collaborate with non-legal SXSW departments to establish and review company-wide policies

• General legal analysis, research and advice on issues associated with new company initiatives

• Provide legal advice onsite during events concerning liability, contract compliance, third-party trademark compliance

• Coordinate with internal teams on insurance coverage priorities and renewals

• Provide support to HR on employment matters

• Collaborate with outside corporate counsel to maintain corporate records

• Advise the communications team in high profile PR matters

• Train non-legal staff on privilege, data privacy, and other matters

• Minimum of 10 years of experience as a General Counsel or similar role

• Texas law license (preferred)

• Experience working in entertainment industry

  • Familiarity with terminology

  • Understanding of customs / standards

• Experience with intellectual property and live events

• Strong people skills and flexibility

• Highly organized

• Strong personnel / management skills

• Experience with prioritizing a range of issues

• Consistent follow-up and detail-oriented

• Willingness to speak-up in a group

• Management of an increased workload during Q1 and Q4 in the run up to the annual event

• Familiarity with technical solutions to enhance workflows and willingness to maintain the current systems in place