About this role
We are looking for a high-calibre and dedicated Associate to join our highly regarded London Media, Sports & Entertainment team within the firm's Technology, Media, IP and Competition practice group.
Our Sector Expertise CMS is recognised as one of Europe's leading firms for the TMT sector. We hold Legal 500 and Chambers rankings in key Media, Sports & Entertainment categories and are one of the largest and most experienced groups in the UK and Europe.
Our client roster in Media, Sports & Entertainment spans household names and major rights-holders, leading sports bodies, broadcasters, content producers and rights-owning organisations. This generates a significant and growing volume of complex, commercially significant mandates across the media rights landscape and wider sports sector.
CMS has the leading sports media rights practice in the UK, advising on some of the most valuable rights in world sport, with deal values over the last four years exceeding US$20billion in aggregate value.
About the Role You will spend a significant proportion of your time working on media rights sales mandates, acting as a dedicated and identifiable point of contact for a key client relationship. The remainder of your time will be spent on other Media, Sports & Entertainment matters, supporting senior lawyers across the team on a range of sports-related and media work.
As part of our Media, Sports & Entertainment practice, you will work on matters that are often bespoke and highly commercial in nature, providing excellent opportunities to develop genuine subject matter expertise. You will collaborate across our international offices and work closely with experts in IP, data protection, commercial, regulatory and disputes to deliver work in some of the fastest moving and most high-profile sectors of the economy.
We want our lawyers to become genuine subject matter experts in the industry sectors they are immersed in. If you want exposure to exciting work, high-profile clients and complex, intellectually stimulating matters, CMS offers a platform where you can grow, specialise and develop first-class industry-specific expertise.
Working alongside senior partners and lawyers who are dedicated to the media and sport sectors, you will be responsible for a variety of work including:
• Acting as a primary day-to-day junior associate on media rights matters relating to a leading sporting competition, taking ownership of workstreams and maintaining a deep understanding of the client's business and priorities.
• Active involvement in advice relating to package formulation, tendering, auction processes, contracting, financial security and operational arrangements.
• Working across a broad range of media rights, commercial, IP and sports-related matters for clients across the media and sport sectors.
• Developing existing and new client relationships, with the opportunity to build your own profile and network within the sports and media industries.
• Adopting and encouraging the adoption of a sophisticated approach to AI usage in your work and that of the team throughout the lifecycle of a project.
About You We will invest in your ongoing training and development to support your professional goals and help you to thrive in your role from day one.
Our opportunities are open to all suitably qualified applicants, so to be considered for this role, you must meet the following skills and experience:
• 2-4 years of PQE
• An outstanding, intellectually rigorous lawyer with a genuine interest in, and commitment to, the media and sport sectors.
• Committed to delivering high-quality work, excellent client service, and building a successful career in private practice.
• Numerate with strong drafting skills, commercial awareness, and sound judgement, with the ability to translate complex legal analysis into practical, client-focused advice.
• A clear and concise communicator, capable of building strong relationships with clients and colleagues.
• Enthusiastic about using AI tools to enhance the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of your work.
We are not necessarily looking for directly relevant sector experience. Our practice is unusual in its focus, and we recognise that strong candidates may come from a range of transactional or commercial legal backgrounds. What matters most is intellectual rigour, a logical and methodical approach to legal work, and a genuine enthusiasm for the field.
We are particularly interested in candidates with STEM backgrounds and others who think logically and can apply a methodical, evidence-based approach to their legal work.
Desirable
The following are not strict requirements but would be viewed favourably:
• A Level Mathematics (or equivalent qualification demonstrating strong numerical and analytical aptitude).
• Experience with media rights and/or intellectual property matters.
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What’s in it for you? We want to reward you today and help you plan for tomorrow. We appreciate that everyone is different, therefore we have designed a benefits system that offers choice and flexibility based on individual needs and lifestyles. To name a few, these include:
• Competitive basic salary (reviewed annually)
• Flexible, hybrid working policy
• Generous bonus scheme
• Up to 25 days holiday (rising to 28 days with service)
• Holiday exchange scheme
• Private medical insurance
• Enhanced parental leave
• Reasonable adjustments and accommodation for disabled talent in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.
If you would like to read more information regarding our range of benefits, please visit our Rewards & Benefits page on our website.
Please note that we have a preferred agency panel in place. Only applications submitted via the portal at the point of instruction will be accepted.