Executive Director for the Center for Sports, Entertainment, Media & Technology Law

Founded in 1896, the Gould School of Law has a distinguished past built on the principles of equity and excellence and the courage to break new ground. USC first introduced legal education in Southern California. Today, the Law School continues to make history through its philosophy of innovation and through its people. USC Gould cultivates analytical ability, ethical values, and a spirit of collegiality that prepares students for meaningful careers benefiting society. It was one of the first law schools to engage students in clinical programs and remains a leader in experiential education.

The Gould School of Law is seeking to hire an Executive Director whose responsibilities will be focused on Gould’s new Sports, Entertainment, Media & Technology Law Center. Over the years, as the law school has responded to industry feedback and our students’ interests, we have built the foundation for a solid program in Sports, Entertainment, Media, and Technology Law. We seek now to leverage our existing strengths in business, media, entertainment, technology, intellectual property, and AI to exponentially grow our offerings in Sports Law and Entertainment Law to meet the growing interests of our students. The new center will deepen our curricular offerings, including adding more practicums, launching an Entertainment and Sports Law Clinic and related programming, and adding an extensive number of externships and internship opportunities in various aspects of sports and entertainment law both at USC Gould and in partnership with other schools and programs at USC.

The Executive Director of the Center will partner with the Dean’s office, the faculty, and our alumni to oversee the building of a strategic and comprehensive program that will include the development of curricular and co-curricular offerings.

The successful candidate will be instrumental in the fundraising, planning, development, launch, and execution of the Center. This person will have a hands-on role in creating and launching our Entertainment and Sports Law Clinic, connecting with other USC schools to leverage common goals, and connecting with legal practitioners, business executives, leaders of sports and entertainment companies, and others focused across the breadth of the Sports, Entertainment, Media, and Technology legal landscape.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Preferred Education: Juris Doctor degree strongly preferred

• Preferred Experience: 5+ years of work experience specifically in Sports and/or Entertainment Law is preferred.  Prior experience in teaching, project management, and work experience in higher education is preferred. Prior experience in collaborative and interdisciplinary work is preferred.

Job Accountabilities:

• Reporting to the Dean of the Law School, administers and assists with the planning, development, launch, and execution of Gould’s new Sports, Entertainment, Media & Technology Law Center.

• Researches competitive programs to help develop program objectives; stays informed about sports, entertainment, media, and technology law trends and developments.

• Creates strategic and tactical plans for launching the Center, including collaborative work with the Gould development team and campus partners at other USC schools to gain philanthropic support and sponsorship opportunities.

• Oversees the planning and implementation of a new Entertainment and Sports Law Clinic and related programming, working in partnership with staff attorneys.

• Develops and maintains relationships with campus partners at other USC schools to develop and offer interdisciplinary curricular/co-curricular offerings for JD, Master’s, and undergraduate students.  

• Develops new JD curricular programming that reflects current legal trends in this area, including practicums that offer hands-on experience and engage industry professionals in entertainment, sports, media, and technology.

• Partners with the Graduate and Professional Programs office to create certificates in Sports Law, a master’s degree program in Sports Law, Communications & Management, and other programs over time.

• Partners with the Undergraduate office to add an undergraduate minor in Sports, Media & Entertainment Law.

• Partners with the Career Services Office to identify and resource opportunities for externships and internships for JD students.

• Assists with identifying and hiring subject matter experts to teach or support instructors who teach sports, entertainment, media, and technology law courses.

• Works with the L.A. Sports Council’s network, the LA 2028 Olympic/Para-Olympic games, and other sports and entertainment professional groups.

• Partners with Gould CLE’s Entertainment Law & Business Institute and the IP Institute programming.

• Prepares budgets, including budget tracking and monitoring, and contributes to the planning and preparing of annual program budgets and projections for the Center.

• Works with the Gould marketing team to create and maintain a web presence for the Center.

• Coordinates with the marketing team on the creation of a fully integrated communication program for our Sports, Entertainment, Media & Technology Law Center, which will include email, social media, a newsletter, and other methods to support the Center.

• Maintains accurate and timely progress on Center activities and prepares regular status reports.

• Tracks performance measures to assess programs’ success and conducts reviews; provides recommendations to modify programs as appropriate.

• Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Ability to initiate and manage complex projects and balance short-term priorities

• High level of self-sufficiency, professionalism, and collaboration skills

• High level of strategic thinking and planning

• High level of organization and ability to multitask

• Ability to evaluate challenges critically and develop actionable solutions

ATTENTION: Applicants must upload a cover letter and a resume to be considered for this position.

The annual base salary range for this position is $175,000 - $200,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, and external market and organizational considerations.

Learn more about our benefits and perks here: https://employees.usc.edu/benefits-perks/

Equity, diversity, inclusion, opportunity and access are of central importance to the Gould School of Law (Gould). Gould holds a unique position in society, and within the university, as every aspect of these principles are influenced by and can be protected through legal rules and institutions. At Gould, we are proudly committed to maintaining a community in which each person respects the rights of others to live, work, and learn in peace and dignity, to be proud of who and what they are, and to have equal opportunity to realize their full potential as individuals and members of society.

Minimum Education: Doctorate, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education Minimum Experience: Over 10 years, Combined education/experience as substitute for minimum experience Minimum Field of Expertise: Education and experience directly related to field of research. Expert knowledge of field, statistical research, and fundraising.