Seattle Sounders FC Looking for Club Counsel

TITLE:  Club Counsel

DEPARTMENT: Legal & External Affairs

REPORTS TO:  General Counsel & External Affairs

FLSA STATUS: Salaried, Exempt

ROLE TYPE: Individual Contributor

CLOSING DATE: Sunday, May 23, 2021

OUR CLUB

When you join Sounders FC you join a soccer-loving, socially progressive, ambitious Club rooted

in the best soccer city in America. Here we average nearly 40,000 fans per match, maxing out with over 69,000 fans when we won the 2019 MLS Cup here in Seattle. We exist to create special moments like these, where we enrich lives and unify our fans and city through soccer.

THE OPPORTUNITY

This is a legal job, we are looking for a lawyer. We assume that if you are applying you are a lawyer. But more than that, Sounders FC is looking for a new teammate. Our small legal team (let’s be honest, you will be the second) works closely with every department in our organization, from soccer to human resources to marketing to sponsorships, ticketing and everything in between. Sports law runs the gamut; if you have practiced as an attorney in any setting, you have relevant experience.

Our department works closely with government agencies and authorities and manages our public benefits and delivery of our social impact. We are passionate about the work our team did last summer and fall in having hard conversations about how to accelerate that impact, growing and evolving and investing in our people.

We believe that our value proposition is one where growing revenue, retaining season ticket holders, and driving consumption of our brand, increasing our technological efficiency and running a best-in-class professional sports organization is predicated on living our values. Our legal department is critical to strategic, creative, collaborative thinking that informs partnerships, products, and campaigns to achieve results aligned to those values.

 GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Out of the gate, you will primarily focus on transactional matters for the club and be responsible for drafting, negotiating and administering legal aspects of sponsorship agreements, intellectual property licenses, contest terms and conditions, and independent contractor and service provider agreements; and perform legal review of all marketing and promotional materials.

In addition, your past legal experience and expertise will provide an immediate opportunity to own whole subject matters areas on behalf of Sounders FC and we will look to you to let us know where those past experiences can be leveraged quickly to grow your ownership of legal functions and activities.

We will work collaboratively in the legal department to influence and adapt processes and procedures and compliance activities in employment, MLS and USL league compliance, and pursuant to local, federal and state law.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

To perform this job successfully, an individual serve in a subject matter expert role on a range of topics and in serving that function should have the following experiential basis, core behaviors and characteristics and skills. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• You are an adept and astute problem solver and issue spotter, can quickly and effectively shift between multiple tasks and subject matters, You can work collaboratively with and in support of people managing operations, creative campaigns, administrative and compliance functions, live events and other public facing activities; oh yeah, and five (5) soccer teams.
• You have experience in managing legal matters – which could include litigation, start to finish transactions, legal projects and/or legal functions for organizational clients. You have subject matter expertise that evidence this experience and your role(s) in achieving good results for your client(s).
• You are a continuous learner in all aspects of life but believe in a healthy work life balance. You enjoy people and working hard but having fun. You might not know anything about soccer (or Seattle) but you will lean in and learn and that is exciting.
• You know there will be a learning curve and sometimes longer days that will force you to dive in, not only to the subject matter, but relationships with your new colleagues. And you believe that one of the best roles for an attorney is as a trusted advisor where those relationships allow you to influence great products, services, campaigns and moments early in the process.
• You are able to participate in league level legal meetings and in league trainings and conference calls; where minimal out of state travel may be required.
• Ability to effectively present information to individuals in a group setting and to all levels within the organization both in person and through teleconferencing technology and remote work arrangements.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Juris Doctorate or equivalent from an accredited law school required.
• Admitted to and in good standing with Washington State Bar; or ability to become admitted.
• 3+ years of corporate transactional experience in a firm or as in-house counsel or other relevant experience.
• Experience working in and around youth or youth sports with work in soccer preferred.
• Comfortable working remotely and in a fast paced, dynamic work environment.
• A passion for soccer a plus.
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) or Multi-Lingual a plus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• This position is remote for 2021. Immediate relocation to the greater Seattle area is not required, but employee must live in Washington state.
• Some evening and weekend work will be required, including all Sounders FC home matches.
• Employee must be able to facilitate own local travel to attend off-site meeting and events in the greater Seattle area.
• Once in-market, must comply with all COVID-19 health policies, protocols, and/or testing, and/or vaccination requirements as determined by Seattle Sounders FC and MLS.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The job description listed above is representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Seattle Sounders FC strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.