About Us:  

Climate Pledge Arena is the complete redevelopment of an historic landmark, originally built for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair.  Sitting at the base of the Space Needle on the Seattle Center campus, the arena is home to the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, WNBA's Seattle Storm, and the world's biggest performers of live music and events. Since opening in October 2021, we have hosted over 400 public events and welcomed over 4 million guests. The arena has been awarded Sports Business Journal’s Sports Facility of the Year and Pollstar’s best new concert venue and is consistently ranked among Pollstar’s top 10 grossing arenas worldwide. 

Climate Pledge Arena is owned and operated, and was privately developed, by Seattle Arena Company, LLC, a subsidiary of Oak View Group. Oak View Group, based in Denver, Colorado, is a global leader in facility development, management, hospitality, and sales.  

Climate Pledge Arena is named after The Climate Pledge, an initiative founded by Amazon and Global Optimism asking global corporations to become net zero carbon by 2040.  We have one of the most progressive sustainability programs of any arena our size, including being the first and only arena in the world to achieve the International Future Living Institute’s first Zero Carbon Certification. 

Position Summary: 

The Legal Counsel supports the Legal Department in managing day-to-day legal affairs of the organization and plays an important role in the daily operations, regulatory compliance and risk management strategy of Climate Pledge Arena, the Seattle Kraken and the Kraken Community Iceplex.  

Essential Duties & Responsibilities: 

The Legal Counsel reports to the Associate General Counsel to ensure effective management of day-to-day legal work, with emphasis on commercial contract and facility-related matters, including workers compensation and risk management. This position requires a highly organized, detail-oriented and proactive individual who can effectively provide essential support to the Legal Department and internal clients. The ideal candidate must possess excellent communication, multitasking and problem-solving skills, along with a strong sense of confidentiality and professionalism. The Legal Counsel will stay up to date on legal proceedings in and across sports and entertainment law and support compliance with all federal, state and local laws and regulations.  

Specific responsibilities include the following (other duties may be assigned):  

Legal Responsibilities: 

• Draft, review and manage execution of routine legal agreements and forms, including event licenses, premium sales/season ticket member agreements, location agreements, employment and independent contractor agreements, non-disclosure agreements, liability waivers and publicity releases. 

• Support and advise on legal matters regarding facilities management, including compliance with accessibility laws (such as the Americans with Disabilities Act), Landmarks Preservation Board requirements and sustainability initiatives. 

• Provide legal support in connection with arena tenants and contractors, including but not limited to, the NHL Seattle Kraken, WNBA Seattle Storm, Professional Women’s Hockey League, Delaware North, Allied Security and Pritchard.  

• Act as liaison with insurance carriers and brokers with respect to claims and coverage. Assist in reporting, policy renewals and Certificate of Insurance processing. 

• Support and maintain a comprehensive privacy program and define, develop, maintain and implement policies and processes that enable consistent, effective best practices and compliance with applicable data privacy laws that minimize risk and ensure the confidentiality of protected information, paper and/or electronic, across all media types. 

• Assist in compliance with Climate Pledge Arena collective bargaining agreements, including legal support for labor relations matters, as requested. 

• Support People and Culture Department on matters including performance management and workers compensation program (track incidents and medical record requests, summarize settlement proposals, act as liaison with outside counsel and insurance advisor, third-party administrator, etc.). 

• Support the management of pending and new litigation matters and other claims. Undertake research relating to laws, regulations, judicial decisions, legal articles and other materials, as requested. 

• Assist with Legal Department publications and preparing and hosting staff trainings on legal compliance and administrative processes. 

• Draft and proofread legal documents, including contracts, agreements and policies. 

• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information and handle matters with discretion. 

Administrative Responsibilities: 

• Prepare Legal Department meeting agendas, materials and presentations as needed. 

• Act as a point of contact between executives, Legal team members and other departments. 

• Maintain contract and company policy repository and trackers. 

• Track project progress and deadlines, ensuring timely completion. 

• Assist with planning and execution of department activities. 

Required Experience & Qualifications: 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Business contract drafting and negotiation skills. 

• Excellent proofreading ability and very strong attention to detail. 

• Working understanding of business transactional principles. 

• Strong interpersonal skills including ability to communicate effectively with a variety of contacts, including outside attorneys, senior management and business associates. 

• Sound judgment and decision-making skills. 

• Strong research, analytical and investigative skills; ability to document and present findings in a clear and concise manner. 

• Ability to work independently, but comfortable working in a collaborative environment. 

• Must be able to work a flexible and dynamic work schedule that accommodates the needs and demands of the stakeholders regarding project requests. 

• Ability to handle multiple assignments and deadlines with accuracy. 

• Must be able to work with a broad range of individuals with diverse backgrounds and interests. 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint). 

• Flexible and adaptable to changing business conditions. 
• High level of personal integrity and professional ethics. 

Required Education and Qualifications:  

• Juris Doctorate degree from an ABA accredited law school. 

• Eligible to practice law in Washington State as a member of the bar or eligible to become a Registered House Counsel in Washington. 

• Minimum 3-5 years of legal experience, law firm preferred, with demonstrated success advising clients. 
• Experience in a sports and entertainment facility or other hospitality-oriented business desired. 

Working Conditions: 

• Intermittent travel (<20% travel): may be required to travel. Trips may require air travel and/or overnight stay away from home for one or more nights. 
• Must be able to work a flexible schedule inclusive of weekends, nights and holidays required 

Compensation: 

• In accordance with the Washington State Equal Pay and Opportunity Act, the expected base pay range for this position is $170,000 - $185,000 annually. Actual base pay will depend on employee’s experience and other job-related factors permitted by law. 

• This role is classified as full-time, exempt. 
• We believe it takes a great team to build an award-winning organization. As an impactful member of the team, this role is bonus eligible. 

Benefits & Perks: 

• Company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, including premiums for eligible dependents enrolled in the plans 

• Company-paid life insurance and short- & long-term disability insurance 

• 401k (pre-tax and Roth) with Company match up to 4% 

• Kraken ticket stipend and employee only pre-sale opportunities to non-Kraken events 

• Annual wellness stipend for mental & physical health 

• Monthly cell phone stipend 

• 15 vacation days, 10 personal holidays, and accrued sick time 

• Minimum 10 paid holidays per year 

• Paid parental leave 

• Company-paid Orca, local transit card 

• Corporate office located at Climate Pledge Arena; complimentary Arena garage parking offered 

• Employee meal perks 

• Company-paid employee assistance program and Headspace subscription 

• Company-wide recognition platform 

• Flexible spending accounts and voluntary accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance available 

• Discounts at the Kraken Team Stores, Kraken Community Iceplex, 32 Bar & Grill, and other partners 

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Hiring: 

Climate Pledge Arena aspires to write a new playbook in sports and entertainment that includes everyone. In alignment with this vision, if you don’t meet every job requirement listed—or if you haven’t worked in the industry or are still learning about the industry—we still encourage you to apply. We understand you may bring other relevant experiences and expertise to help us become the highest performance organization we can be. One of our core values is ‘Make Us Better’ and we recognize diversity, equity and inclusion as a critical business strategy. If you’d like to request an accommodation in the application or interview process, please let us know by emailing: [email protected]. 

Seattle Hockey Partners, LLC and Seattle Arena Company, LLC are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We do not discriminate on basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, parental status, military service, or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws. 

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.