Chief Counsel - Walt Disney World

The Chief Counsel – Walt Disney World (WDW) has overall responsibility for legal matters affecting the WDW 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 various lines of business within WDW, including theme parks and resorts.  The Chief Counsel is a member of the WDW Steering Committee and provides advice directly to the President of Walt Disney World Resort as well as other senior WDW executives. 

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 WDW 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 WDW legal team.

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

• Collaborate with leaders in the practice areas of employment, litigation, real estate, and government affairs.

• 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 matrixed environment leveraging resourcing from different teams to drive results.

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum of 15 years of experience in a business legal leadership role, leading and overseeing business legal advisor 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, transportation, environmental, customer service, regulatory compliance, employment, litigation, safety, public affairs, joint ventures, unions, risk management (worker’s compensation and guest claims), 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 Florida.

• 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