Creative Media & Interactive Associate

About The Team

The Interactive & Creative Media Group is one of Sheridans' flagship practices and is widely recognised as a market-leading, full-service offering to the interactive entertainment and creative industries. Our clients include video game developers and publishers, esports platforms and organisers, advertising and social media agencies, influencer and talent businesses, commercial production companies, VFX and animation studios, fashion brands, and companies developing and deploying AR, VR, mixed reality and AI technologies.

The group's work is organised around four core pillars — Advertising, Games, Fashion and Production — spanning commercial, regulatory, intellectual property and technology matters across each sector.

The group is consistently recognised as a market leader in the advertising, digital, gaming and interactive media industries, with a number of its lawyers ranked as leading individuals in the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. We advise a broad client base — from early-stage studios and start-ups to global publishers, agencies and platforms — on many of the most novel and complex legal issues facing the creative and interactive economy today, including the commercial and regulatory implications of generative AI, immersive technologies, online content regulation and the evolving advertising and data protection landscape.

The group currently comprises four partners, nine associates, one trainee solicitor and one paralegal, supported by five personal assistants.

About The Opportunity

We are seeking a technically strong and commercially minded Associate with 2–4 years of post-qualification experience, gained in a well-regarded City, boutique or in-house practice, to join our Interactive & Creative Media Group. This is an exceptional opportunity to work directly with market-leading partners on high-profile mandates across the games, advertising, production and digital media sectors, with meaningful client contact and real responsibility from day one.

Responsibilities

• Managing your own caseload efficiently and cost-effectively, providing pragmatic, commercially focused advisory and transactional advice on the games industry including general commercial contracting matters, relevant laws and regulations and intellectual property in a clear, concise and persuasive manner.
• Drafting and negotiating a wide range of commercial agreements in the games industry and advising on:
  • Game development agreements (work-for-hire vs. co-development, milestone and payment schedules, deliverables, acceptance testing)
  • Publishing agreements (advances, royalties, recoupment, marketing commitments, platform exclusivity)
  • Co-development and outsourcing agreements (art, audio, QA, localisation studios)
  • Porting and platform conversion agreements
  • Engine licensing agreements (e.g. Unreal, Unity-style royalty and distribution terms)
  • Middleware and third-party technology licences (physics engines, anti-cheat, voice chat, analytics SDKs)
  • Platform holder agreements (console manufacturers, PC storefronts, mobile app stores)
  • Age rating and content compliance (PEGI, ESRB, USK, etc.)
  • Cloud gaming and streaming distribution agreements
  • Cross-promotion and bundling agreements
  • Loot box and in-game purchase compliance
  • Virtual currency and virtual item terms of service
  • Consumer protection compliance
  • Advertising and influencer marketing agreements (sponsored streams, creator codes)
• Supporting corporate transactions in the interactive and creative sectors — including investment rounds, financings, M&A and joint ventures — by conducting IP, IT and commercial due diligence and drafting and negotiating commercial warranties, indemnities and disclosure materials.

The above is not an exhaustive list of duties. You will be expected to take on additional or different tasks as required by the evolving needs of the group, the firm and its clients.

Skills, Experience & Qualifications

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following.

Skills & Experience

• A qualified lawyer having trained and practised at a well-regarded City, specialist or in-house legal team.
• Ideally, at least one training seat or a period of post-qualification experience in a team advising on interactive and creative media matters, with demonstrable exposure to some or all of the following areas:
  • advertising, influencer marketing and social media (including ASA/CAP Code and platform-related work);
  • video games and interactive entertainment, and related emerging technologies (including AR, VR, mixed reality and AI);
  • fashion (commercial, brand and intellectual property matters);
  • commercial production, animation, VFX and post-production.
• A methodical, detail-oriented approach to work with a strong focus on accuracy and quality.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to engage directly with clients, senior internal stakeholders and business teams.
• Enthusiasm, resilience and a professional, client-centred approach, with a strong service ethic.
• The ability to build effective relationships and to persuade and influence colleagues at all levels of seniority.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise and manage a demanding workload to tight deadlines.
• The ability to handle confidential and sensitive matters with discretion at all times.
• Flexibility to work outside normal business hours during busy periods, and an interest in the media, entertainment and technology sectors in which the firm operates.

Qualifications

• A strong undergraduate degree from a well-regarded university (or equivalent qualification).
• Qualified as a Solicitor in England and Wales with between two and four years of post-qualification experience.