Legal Director - Commercial in City of London

Merlin is seeking a highly motivated and commercially aware Director, Business and Legal Affairs, to join our team. The successful candidate will join a dynamic and experienced Business & Legal Affairs team negotiating high value content agreements with the world’s leading digital platforms. This is an opportunity for a commercially minded lawyer with the desire to take on a challenging in-house role, to work within a relaxed culture that also demands technical excellence.

Position Status, Location, and Reporting

This is a full-time, hybrid role based in London reporting to the SVP, Business & Legal Affairs.

Key Responsibilities

• Drafting, negotiating and managing a variety of commercial agreements relating to the digital use of recorded music.
• Setting commercial parameters and negotiating business terms.
• Liaising with internal teams (finance, royalty reporting, data analytics and insights, member operations and commercial partnerships) to ensure the implementation of, compliance with and successful operation of licensing agreements.
• Dealing with the initial assessment of potential new licensing opportunities.
• Liaising with external global legal advisors as necessary.
• Assisting with the resolution of rights and other disputes.
• Assisting with compliance issues faced by a digital rights business operating on a global stage.
• Assisting with the management of day-to-day membership and operational issues.
• Assisting with general corporate, commercial and other legal matters.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• The successful candidate will have a strong academic record.
• Be qualified to practice law with c.8+ years PQE.
• Have trained at a well-established law firm preferably qualifying into Commercial, Corporate or IP departments (with some focus on media/entertainment desirable, but not essential).
• Have experience of working within or with the recorded music industry.
• Ideally have digital licensing experience.
• Be comfortable negotiating both the commercial and legal terms of complex licensing agreements with minimal supervision.
• Be an energetic, motivated and proven self-starter.
• Have a demonstrable interest in the music industry and digital sectors.
• Be practical, organised and pragmatic in their approach.
• Be commercially aware with an ability to apply the law to real-world business problems.
• Have the flexibility of mind to apply their skills to a variety of commercial and innovative arrangements.
• Be willing to work on projects across a broad spectrum of complexity.
• Enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple projects and priorities.
• Have strong attention to detail.
• Be fluent in oral and written English, and have outstanding drafting, communication, negotiation and influencing skills.

Compensation

A competitive salary, incentive, and benefits package will be offered, commensurate with the role and the relevant experience of the final hire.

The Company

Merlin is the digital music licensing partner for the world’s leading independent labels and distributors. Merlin has negotiated premium deals with Apple, Canva, ElevenLabs, Meta, Spotify, Udio, YouTube, and 40 other innovative platforms around the world. Our global membership is from 70+ countries, representing 15% of the global recorded music market. Merlin operates for the benefit of its members and is funded entirely by our low 1.5% admin fee. Merlin helps the world’s leading independent music companies own their digital business through world-class deals and a range of member benefits.

Merlin’s membership includes independents such as: Absolute Label Services, anjunabeats, Amuse, Armada Music, AudioSalad, Better Noise Music, Casete Agricultura Digital, Cinq Music Group, Curb Records, Domino, Epitaph, Exceleration Music, Fluxus, GYROstream, Hopeless Records, IDJDigital, IDOL, Innercat Music, K7, Kontor New Media, Mad Decent, Measurable Accurate Digital Solutions, Mills Records, MNRK, Mushroom Music, Nettwerk, Ninja Tune, Phonographic Digital Limited, Polyvinyl Records, Pony Canyon, Random Sounds, Secretly, Secret City, Sound Republica, Starbase, Stones Throw, Strm, Sub Pop, Symphonic Distribution, Wagram Music, Warp Records, Zebralution, and hundreds more.

Merlin has resources in London, New York, and Tokyo.

We are committed to inclusion and diversity; are proud to provide equal opportunity workplaces; and we will evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, religion or belief, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or gender assignment, marital or civil partnership status, disability, pregnancy, childbirth or any other characteristic protected by law.

Application Details:

Please send a CV to our retained agent Nick Wasserman of Handle Recruitment using the link provided. Please note that any direct applications will be forwarded to Handle for their consideration on our behalf. No Agencies. All successful candidates will be contacted within 5 working days of application. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, though, we are not always able to respond directly to everyone, but we will try our very best.