Corporate Counsel, Product

Corporate Counsel, Product
San Mateo, CA (Collab)

Role overview:

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE or PlayStation) seeks hardworking and experienced Product Counsel to support our product and business teams that design and build our video gaming consoles, platforms, and peripherals, including PS5, PS VR2, mobile and web apps. Come join our team to help build world-class video gaming experiences that delight players and make PlayStation® the best place to play.

As Product Counsel for PlayStation’s product and engineering teams, you will get to work with a variety of teams across our global business, including product management, UX design, engineering, brand marketing, business development and regulatory teams focused on the development and iteration of our video game products. The breadth of responsibilities for Product Counsel starts from product or feature inception and continues through development, scoping, testing, market readiness, launch, and in-market support.

You must have excellent judgment in balancing legal risks with business strategy and a proven ability to act as an effective product counsel. The best candidates will have broad legal knowledge of the international laws and regulations impacting product design and features for best-in-class video game products and the ability to work closely with business partners and subject matter experts to provide nuanced and informed legal advice. You will use your drive and experience to make a big impact on the core product offerings in SIE’s global business.

What you’ll be doing:

• Build strong relationships with business partners and collaborate with multiple stakeholder teams across product management, engineering, marketing and consumer services throughout the feature and product development cycle, from initial development through launch and beyond, on all regulatory, legal and compliance issues impacting PlayStation products.
• Research and advise on U.S. and international laws and regulations related to consumer product design and video games, including advising clients on issues related to consumer protection, product safety, digital regulation, online platforms and marketplaces, user and data privacy, gaming and the app economy.
• Explain complex legal issues succinctly and clearly for non-legal stakeholders, and provide pragmatic strategic advice that balances mitigating legal risks with advancing business goals and initiatives, collaborating closely with legal department members in the US, Europe and Asia.
• Continually audit SIE’s existing products for compliance with the ever-changing regulatory environment.
• Enthusiastically use and stay familiar with technology generally, and consumer devices and online technologies in particular.
• Draft clear and concise public facing disclosures, disclaimers, terms of use or other public facing documents for our customers.
• Work closely with our Public Policy team to help track and inform regulatory policy and proposals that could impact PlayStation products, business goals and strategies.
• Design and provide legal training, policies, and guidelines for business partners and the global legal team.
• Develop a deep understanding of the video game industry, PlayStation products and services, and relevant laws through your work and by attending industry events and legal training.

What we’re looking for:

• Educational Background: J.D. degree from ABA accredited law school (or foreign equivalent) with membership in good standing in a US state bar. California State Bar membership is preferred. At a minimum, the candidate must be qualified for and quickly obtain Registered In-House Counsel status in California and the willingness to maintain that status during employment.
• At least 5 years relevant experience, particularly working as product counsel in a technology company.
• Experience counseling product development and business teams, and working closely with product managers, engineers and designers in a fast-paced environment.
• Legal expertise in any of the following areas preferred: consumer protection, digital/internet law, intellectual property, privacy, data security, product and online safety, content regulation.
• Enthusiasm and passion for technology, law, and business. Experience in the video game industry or digital online/app economy is preferred but not required.
• Proven ability to think strategically, work collaboratively and lead complex and highly impactful cross-functional projects from concept to completion.
• Ambitious self-starter comfortable working in a fast-paced environment balancing multiple projects, and enthusiastic about working on cutting-edge legal and policy matters with ambiguous or rapidly evolving legal precedent.
• Good listener with exceptional communication and organizational skills.
• Dedication to client service and attention to detail.
• Eagerness and drive to continue learning. Open mindset and creative thinker.
• Sense of humor.

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