Spotify

Senior Legal Counsel - Music Publishing

Spotify$214K — $306K *
Legal & Accounting
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Qualified lawyer with 10+ years of law firm or in-house counsel experience in music publishing.
  • Substantial transactional experience negotiating agreements with CMOs and music publishers.
  • Strong commercial acumen and a practical approach to problem-solving.
  • Ability to manage multiple high-stakes negotiations in a fast-paced environment.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Alignment with Spotify's values and a demonstrated Growth Mindset.
  • Passionate about music law and supporting the growth of songwriters and publishers.

Responsibilities

  • Provide strategic legal advice on music publishing and copyright issues.
  • Structure, draft, and negotiate music licensing agreements.
  • Advise on compliance with legal obligations for digital exploitation of music.
  • Support new features and market launches within existing rights frameworks.

Benefits

  • Health insurance coverage.
  • Six months of paid parental leave.
  • 401(k) retirement plan with company contributions.
  • Monthly meal allowance provided.
  • 23 paid days off annually.
  • 13 paid flexible holidays.
  • Paid sick leave as needed.
Full Job Description
We are seeking an experienced Senior Legal Counsel with deep expertise in music publishing and copyright licensing to join our Legal Licensing Team. In this role, you will partner closely with Business Affairs, Finance, and Product teams to structure, negotiate, draft complex licensing agreements with CMOs, PROs, and music publishers, and advise on the legal frameworks governing the use of musical works across Spotify's service.

What You'll Do

  • Provide strategic and tactical legal advice on music publishing and copyright matters, translating complex legal issues into actionable business guidance.
  • Partner with Business Affairs to structure, draft, and negotiate music CMO, PRO, and publishing licensing agreements.
  • Advise on compliance with contractual, statutory, and regulatory obligations relating to the exploitation of musical works across digital platforms.
  • Advise on new features, market launches, and commercial initiatives in light of existing rights frameworks.


Who You Are

  • Qualified lawyer with 10+ years of relevant law firm and/or in-house counsel experience, including substantial transactional experience in music publishing.
  • Demonstrated experience negotiating complex agreements between digital services and music publishing rights holders, including CMOs and major and independent publishers.
  • Strong commercial acumen with a practical, business-oriented approach to problem-solving and the ability to provide clear, pragmatic, and timely counsel to cross-functional stakeholders.
  • Proven ability to operate independently in a fast-paced, evolving environment andmmanage multiple high-stakes negotiations simultaneously.
  • You have strong written, verbal communication and presentation skills and the ability to express thoughts logically and succinctly
  • You embody Spotify's values and demonstrate a Growth Mindset.
  • You are passionate about music law and committed to supporting the growth and success of songwriters and publishers within the evolving digital music ecosystem.


Where You'll Be

  • This position is located in Los Angeles, CA
  • We offer you the flexibility to work where you work best! There will be some in-person meetings, but it still allows for flexibility to work from home.


The United States base range for this position is $214,661 - $306,659, plus equity. The benefits available for this position include health insurance, six month paid parental leave, 401(k) retirement plan, monthly meal allowance, 23 paid days off, 13 paid flexible holidays, paid sick leave. These ranges may be modified in the future.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us. Find our AI notice here: https://lifeatspotify.com/ai-notice

About Spotify

Spotify is a Swedish audio streaming and media services provider, launched in October 2008. The platform is owned by Spotify AB, a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange since April 2018. Spotify's primary business is providing an audio streaming platform, with the company claiming that it had 345 million active monthly users and 155 million paying subscribers as of December 2020. Unlike physical or download sales, which pay artists a fixed price per song or album sold, Spotify pays royalties based on the number of artist streams as a proportion of total songs streamed on the service. Spotify distributes approximately 70% of its total revenue to rights holders, who then pay artists based on their individual agreements. Spotify has faced criticism from artists and producers including Taylor Swift and Thom Yorke, who have argued that it does not fairly compensate musicians. Spotify has also faced criticism from artists and producers including Taylor Swift and Thom Yorke, who have argued that it does not fairly compensate musicians.
Learn more about Spotify
Size
3,456 employees
Industry
Founded
2006

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