Role Description:
Role Title: Group General Counsel
Reports to: Group Managing Director
Team: Legal & Business Affairs Team
Reports: 2 x Senior Lawyers, Legal EA
Who we are:
The Blair Partnership is a literary and entertainment agency. We offer our clients a broad range of services including rights management, client representation and franchise management. As part of those services, we help to manage several companies on behalf of our client J.K. Rowling. Those companies include Pottermore and Bronte. These businesses benefit from shared resources and expertise provided by The Blair Partnership, but they are run by their own leaders.
There are three core pillars to The Blair Partnership’s business activity:
- Franchise Management – which encompasses brand & franchise vision and strategy, creative strategy & direction, product development, brand management & comms for the Wizarding World franchise
- Client Management - we represent our clients’ literary and entertainment rights portfolios and pursue commercial opportunities for our clients through deal making in the UK, US and internationally, partner management and backlist rights management.
- Governance & support - we provide governance and support to companies owned by J.K. Rowling and Neil Blair. As part of that support, we cultivate close collaboration & strong, cohesive working practices between all the businesses.
Our vision remains to shape, nurture and grow the most imaginative and engaging brands for generations to come, working with our clients. Our mission is to shape and connect stories to their audiences.
We are committed to creating an environment where our staff, clients & partners can tell their stories and achieve their potential whatever that may be. We are committed to representing a diversity of skills, experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds. We strive to make this a business that is welcoming, supportive and empowering; where all voices can be heard. It’s a work in progress and we know there is always more we can do.)
Role Purpose:
As the Group General Counsel and serving as a crucial member of the Business Leadership Team alongside the Group Managing Director, Group Finance Director, Chief Commercial Officer & Managing Directors of Client Management (The Agency) and Harry Potter Franchise team, you will provide strategic legal and business leadership across The Blair Partnership and Pottermore, and legal support on non-production, employment law related matters to our associated production companies - Bronte, Snowed-in Productions and Snowstorm.
Leading a team of six professionals, with direct report responsibility for the Pottermore and Client Management Legal Directors, and the Legal Executive Assistant/ Permissions Manager, you will offer expert and robust guidance and support to drive growth and commercial success while ensuring legal compliance and risk mitigation. You will also be charged with championing effectiveness & productivity within the team, embracing technology to cut through complexity and improve workflows.
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide strategic and effective legal and business affairs’ advice to The Blair Partnership and Pottermore, and employment (but not production related) legal support to the production companies – Bronte, Snowed In and Snowstorm.
- Provide clear strategic rights management advice regarding the Harry Potter franchise to the Founding Partner, the BLT and the Harry Potter Franchise team, focussing on the long-term commercial ambition, viability and integrity of the brand.
- In house Lead on commercial deals for the Harry Potter franchise, working in conjunction with trusted external law firms with expertise in entertainment law and practice
- Champion efficiency & driving productivity improvements within the LBA team’s workflow. In particular designing better, more cost-effective strategies for servicing low value, low complexity contracts, harnessing AI & other technologies to support that goal.
- Manage the Legal and Business Affairs function, overseeing governance, compliance, brand management, strategic rights management, negotiating publishing and other licensed rights contracts, data protection, litigation, and operational support.
- Manage the Legal budget and foster and manage strong relationships with key external legal partners in multiple jurisdictions. Ensure that our spend, both in house and with external counsel is carefully negotiated, budgeted & managed.
- Lead the LBA team, ensuring that it is appropriately structured and resourced to support business needs & ambitions. Maintain a collaborative and inclusive team environment with a high-performance mindset. Champion growth, providing guidance & professional development opportunities for the team.
- The GCC will serve as a key partner to the Chief Commercial Officer, actively participating in the strategic planning and decision-making processes and execution of growth strategies.
- Strategic Involvement: Actively engage in growth strategy development process, bringing a comprehensive view that includes legal, business, and industry insights.
- M&A and Corporate Development: Partner with the CCO to drive M&A and corporate development activities, including due diligence, negotiation and (as appropriate) integration processes.
- Strategic Alignment: Ensure any significant external partnerships align with the company's strategic goals and objectives. This includes identifying potential partners who complement the company's strengths
- Risk Mitigation and Opportunity Identification: Evaluate and mitigate legal risks associated with new business ventures, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and corporate development processes. They will also identify opportunities and risks arising from technological advancements, ensuring the company's intellectual property (IP) is protected and leveraged effectively.
- Working in collaboration with the rest of the Business Leadership Team (BLT), help shape business planning and policy setting, offering commercially-minded advice and pragmatic solutions. You will also provide advice to the BLT on complex governance issues and key legal and regulatory matters.
- Conduct horizon scanning for industry, legal, and regulatory changes, such as AI, advising the leadership team on strategy and implementation.
- Ensure compliance for all companies in line with company & partnership law, as well as undertaking company secretarial matters for Pottermore Limited.
Skills Required:
- Qualified lawyer under English law with at least 8+ years PQE, potentially more
- Prior experience leading an in-house legal and business affairs team in a media organisation, with expertise in high value commercial deal making and rights strategy across multimedia products.
- Proactive, hands on and solution-focused mindset, thriving in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong track record & confidence in embracing technology and championing productivity & efficiency gains within your business unit.
- Experience leading a legal team within a publishing house and/ or in IP Management is desirable
- Strong leadership skills, with a track record of building effective teams and ideally, contributing to broader general management matters.
- Ability to navigate the complexities of a varied group of media companies and high-profile stakeholders while remaining efficient, collaborative, and respectful.
What you can expect from us:
- Company Bonus Scheme
- Hybrid working policy (1 day/week working from home)
- 25 days holiday (plus 8 bank holidays) – with an additional day awarded every year after your 2-year anniversary with us, up to a cap of 30 days.
- Progressive and inclusive policies around Carers, IVF, Menopause, Pregnancy Loss, etc.
- Enhanced maternity leave (18 weeks at full pay) and paternity leave (2 weeks immediately after birth, and 10 additional days over the following 12 months, at full pay)
- Group Pension Plan where we contribute 5% and annual pensions workshops
- Life Assurance of 4 times salary
- Health Insurance (currently with Vitality)
- Health Shield Cashback Plan – dental, optical, physio and wellbeing benefits and much more.
- Annual Creative Bursary to spend on the creative activity of your choice.
- 2 paid days off per year to spend volunteering and giving back to your favourite cause or community project.
- Monthly Lunch & Learn events – hearing great stories from colleagues, clients and external speakers
- Regular fundraising events to raise money for our charity of the year. 2025/26’s charity is 4Louis.
- Seasonal company parties and team lunches
- Subsidised on-site massages
- Learning and Development opportunities, including an in-house Mentoring Programme