Senior Legal Counsel - Music Publishing

Spotify • Full-time • Los Angeles, CA • 4d ago

Why This Job is Featured on The SaaS Jobs

This Senior Legal Counsel role stands out in the SaaS ecosystem because it sits at the intersection of product delivery and highly structured rights licensing. For subscription platforms that distribute digital content at scale, publishing and copyright frameworks are not a back-office concern but a core operating constraint that shapes features, launches, and commercial terms. The remit signals a mature platform environment where legal decisions directly influence how the service can evolve across markets.

From a SaaS career perspective, the role offers durable experience in translating complex legal regimes into practical guidance for cross-functional teams. Work spanning product, finance, and business affairs builds fluency in how SaaS companies manage risk while iterating on customer-facing functionality. Negotiating with CMOs, PROs, and publishers also develops repeatable skills in stakeholder management and contract strategy that transfer across regulated or rights-heavy SaaS categories.

This position is best suited to an established in-house operator who prefers owning negotiations end to end and advising on real-time business decisions rather than working purely in an advisory lane. It will appeal to counsel who enjoys balancing precision with pragmatism and who is motivated by the operational realities of digital distribution and platform expansion.

The section above is editorial commentary from The SaaS Jobs, provided to help SaaS professionals understand the role in a broader industry context.

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.

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