The Company
Merlin provides independents the means to own their future. Merlin is a member led, music focused organisation providing digital music licensing for independents across the globe.
Members benefit from Merlin’s premium deals but work directly with key digital partners. Our membership consists of independent labels, distributors, and other rights-holders, representing tens of thousands of labels and hundreds of thousands of artists from every country in the world.
Merlin works collaboratively with our digital partners, delivers value back to those digital partners, and seeks to drive other incremental benefits to our members. Our approach has enabled our membership to grow to represent 15% of the global market share.
We have deals with nearly 40 digital services, including partners like Adaptr, Apple, AWA, Boomplay, Deezer, FLO, JioSaavn, JOOX, KKBox, Meta, NetEase, Pandora, Peloton, Snap, SoundCloud, Spotify, Tencent, TikTok, TREBEL, Twitch, YouTube Music, and many other global, regional and strategic partners.
We have resources in London, New York, Thailand, and Tokyo.
The Opportunity
Merlin is seeking a Commercial Legal Counsel to join our experienced Business & Legal Affairs team negotiating high value content agreements with the world’s leading digital platforms.
There will also be plenty of exposure to legal disciplines beyond commercial contracting, within a relaxed working culture that also demands technical excellence.
Position Status, Location, and Reporting
This is a full-time, hybrid role based in London reporting to the Senior Director, Business & Legal Affairs.
Key Responsibilities
- drafting, negotiating and managing a variety of commercial agreements relating to the digital use of recorded music
- 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 and have qualified into Commercial, Corporate or IP departments – with some focus on media/entertainment desirable, but not essential.
You will be commercially aware with an ability to apply the law to real-world business problems You should also have experience of working in the music industry, with a strong preference shown to those with digital licensing experience.
You’ll be a UK qualified solicitor with c.2-5yrs PQE – but this should be taken as a guide only.
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.
Please note that we have retained the services of Handle Recruitment to conduct this search, and any direct applications will be forwarded to them for their consideration on our behalf. All successful candidates will be contacted within 5 working days of application. We are not always able to respond directly to everyone, but we will try our very best.