1st In-House Counsel

1st In‑House Counsel

Latitude is seeking an exceptional In‑House Counsel to be the first legal hire for a rapidly scaling media company. This counsel will report directly to leadership, working closely with the CFO and executive team, and serve as a strategic legal partner as the company expands its global intelligence platform.

This is a unique opportunity to build and shape the company’s legal function from the ground up, advising on all aspects of the business, including complex sponsorship negotiations, global event operations, and editorial guidance. The ideal candidate combines deep media‑law expertise, strong commercial judgment, and startup adaptability.

• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to the CFO and executive team on all legal and regulatory matters across business functions.
• Advise on media‑law issues including defamation, privacy, copyright, fair use, and First Amendment considerations.
• Advise editorial teams on legal issues related to journalism and ensure compliance with applicable media regulations and industry standards.
• Support corporate governance matters including board materials, corporate policies, regulatory filings, and maintaining corporate records.
• Develop and implement internal policies, procedures, and legal risk frameworks to ensure compliance and operational efficiency.

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide variety of commercial agreements including event sponsor ships, sales contracts, vendor agreements, content partnerships, licensing agreements, syndication deals, and talent agreements.
• Maintain standardized contract templates and playbooks to enable business velocity while protecting company interests.

• Provide comprehensive legal support for a global events portfolio, including budgets ranging from $25,000 to over $5 million.
• Advise on issues of liability, insurance, force majeure, and attendee terms.
• Navigate cross‑border legal and regulatory considerations for major event franchises.

• Manage a global trademark portfolio and brand protection strategy.
• Advise on copyright, content ownership, and journalists’ external IP arrangements.
• Oversee domain and social media legal matters.

• Identify and evaluate legal risks across the organization and develop practical mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate with outside counsel on litigation matters, manage discovery processes, and develop litigation strategies.
• Oversee pre‑publication review to minimize legal exposure.
• Manage relationships with outside counsel and legal service providers to ensure cost‑effective delivery of specialized legal services.

• Support leadership on employment agreements, consulting arrangements, and compliance with employment laws across multiple jurisdictions.
• Ensure understanding and compliance with data privacy regulations including CCPA and GDPR.

• Partner with editorial, events, revenue, and operations teams to advance business goals.
• Provide practical, solutions‑oriented legal guidance that balances risk with opportunity and enables growth.
• Build trusted relationships across all levels of the organization.

• J.D. from an accredited law school (top‑tier institutions strongly preferred).
• Active bar membership in New York (or eligibility to practice in‑house in New York).
• 5+ years of progressive legal experience, ideally including media, entertainment, publishing, technology, or related industries.
• Demonstrated expertise in media law, intellectual property, and commercial transactions.
• Experience managing litigation matters and working with outside counsel.
• Experience supporting live events or conferences strongly preferred.
• Experience with newsroom operations and First Amendment issues strongly preferred.
• Position is in‑office (NYC), Monday‑Thursday.
• Candidates must be willing to work flexible hours and travel domestically and internationally on an as‑needed basis.

Salary Range: $200,000 – $250,000 per year, based on education, work experience, certifications, and other factors.

Latitude will not propose you to prospective clients without your prior consent. Candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Latitude is an Equal Opportunity Employer.