General Counsel

Who We Are:

Whistle is a fast-growing digital sports & entertainment company that creates, curates and distributes positive, brand safe original scripted and unscripted content. Blending data-driven insights with its diverse creator community and unparalleled production capabilities in NYC and LA, Whistle’s content fosters a positive spirit that entertains and inspires its vast and highly-engaged global audience. Whistle’s content can be found across its many social media channels as well as the leading digital streaming and linear cable networks. Since launching in 2014, Whistle has raised over $100 million from investors including Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo, Aser Media, Comcast, Discovery, ITV, Liberty Global, TEGNA, Beringea and Emil Capital. To accelerate its growth, Whistle recently acquired New Form Digital founded by Ron Howard, Brian Grazer and CAA. For more information, visit whistlesports.com and newform.com.

Who You Are:

Whistle seeks an experienced and talented lawyer to lead business and legal affairs as General Counsel. The General Counsel will be a member of and serve as a key advisor to Whistle's business and executive leadership teams. You are a self-starter, full of energy and have the gravitas to lead high profile negotiations with talent, production, distributor and brand counterparts. You will have overall responsibility for Whistle's legal affairs, including overseeing transactional contract review and negotiation, managing intellectual property filings, regulatory compliance, litigation and corporate governance.

This role is based at Whistle’s New York headquarters and reports to its President & COO.

Primary Job Description:

• Oversee all legal matters for Whistle, including a focus on the drafting, review and negotiation of a wide range of matters related to entertainment deals, content creation, production, acquisition, licensing, and distribution, and advising on issues relevant to premium content production, licensing and distribution.
• Ensure Whistle's compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.
• Manage and lead Whistle’s business and legal affairs including relationships with outside law firms.
• Manage litigation and oversee intellectual property filings and prosecution.
• Interact with and advise Whistle executives and business departments, including studio, brand, media, insights and international.
• Advise and support human resources on matters related to labor, benefits, and other employment issues in New York, California and the United Kingdom.
• Monitor regulatory developments in the entertainment and digital media industries.
• Act as company secretary, attend board meetings and prepare and complete corporate filings.
• Develop, maintain and implement internal compliance and training programs for Whistle employees regarding intellectual property rights, human resources and other compliance areas.
• Establish key legal guidelines and processes for our revenue teams.
• Maintain corporate and business records.

Desired Skills and Experience:

• JD and/or LLM degree from top tier law school.
• Attorney admitted to New York State Bar.
• At least 10 years of legal experience, preferably with a combination of top tier law firm and in-house legal experience.  
• Prior entertainment/media experience is required.
• Prior experience as a General Counsel or other senior level experience managing legal and business affairs at an investor-backed company preferred.
• Prior experience working for an entertainment, digital media, television, film, video or other content company.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Highly organized, detail oriented, self-motivated, collaborative and solution-minded.
• Must also be able to work in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, with tight deadlines, and be able to multitask, manage and prioritize appropriately.

In 2018, Whistle was named a Deloitte Technology Fast 500 winner as one of the fastest growing companies in North America and landed on the Inc. 5000 as a Top 10 Media Company.