Chief Counsel - International Parks

The Chief Counsel role has overall responsibility for legal matters affecting the International Parks business as part of the Disney Experiences (DX) segment of The Walt Disney Company.  This position will have substantial leadership and management responsibility overseeing a team of legal professionals supporting a mix of owned and operated theme parks, joint ventures, and a licensing business.  This includes responsibility across resort destinations in Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Abu Dhabi.  This individual is a member of the International Parks Steering Committee and provides advice directly to the President and Managing Director, Disney Parks International.    

Responsibilities:

• Quickly and accurately identify and evaluate legal risks in a complex business environment and provide expert and strategic legal advice to the business unit leaders.

• Anticipate issues and proactively develop creative business-oriented and brand-consistent solutions to mitigate legal risks encompassing a wide range of practice areas, including product development, transactional matters, sales and marketing, IP, transportation, environmental compliance, customer service, regulatory compliance, safety, public affairs, joint ventures, unions, risk management (worker’s compensation and guest claims), and other related areas.

• Protect the interests of The Walt Disney Company as a whole and effectively collaborate with legal and business leaders outside of International Parks to achieve the best result.

• Quickly make strategic risk-based decisions and elevate to senior legal and business leadership as necessary.

• Attract, develop, mentor, direct, motivate and drive performance from the International Parks legal team.

• Provide inspiring leadership to consistently maintain a high standard of excellence.

• Create associations of trust and respect with key stakeholders and the legal team, including senior executive business leaders, legal leaders, and external parties (e.g., regulators, external counsel, partners).

• Keep abreast of relevant legislative and regulatory changes.

• Ability to work in a matrixed environment leveraging resourcing from different teams to drive results.

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum of 15 years of experience in a global business legal leadership role, leading and overseeing business legal advisors in multiple disciplines, in an in-house environment.

• Demonstrated ability to evaluate risk, to advise business units of the risk and to exercise sound legal judgment.

• Exceptional business acumen and ability to creatively develop business-oriented solutions to complex legal problems in a fast paced, consumer-facing environment.

• Experience with a wide variety of commercial law practice areas including transactional matters, litigation, sales and marketing, IP, real estate, construction, land use, environmental, customer service, regulatory compliance, employment, litigation, public affairs, joint ventures, and other related areas.

• Proven leader experienced in managing a legal team operating in a multi-disciplinary environment. Experience in efficiency and productivity in managing a legal function at scale, demonstrable expertise in organizational design and change management.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to collaborate.

• Ability to operate independently, escalating to senior leadership as appropriate.

• Law firm and budget management experience demonstrating creative thinking about law firm spend and legal technology usage.

• Active license in good standing to practice law in a US jurisdiction and capable of meeting admission requirements in California.

• Understanding of theme park, cruise ships, resort, consumer product and/or media industries is a plus.

Required Education:

• Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree or equivalent international degree

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The hiring range for this position in Burbank, California is $345,900.00 - $463,900.00 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.