Company Description

CREATIVITY IS OUR SUPERPOWER. It’s our heritage and it’s also our future. Because we don’t just make toys. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire fans, entertain audiences and develop children through play. Mattel is at its best when every member of our team feels respected, included, and heard—when everyone can show up as themselves and do their best work every day. We value and share an infinite range of ideas and voices that evolve and broaden our perspectives with a reach that extends into all our brands, partners, and suppliers.

The Team:

The Advertising, Marketing, Standards and Practices, and E-Commerce Legal team advises on all of Mattel’s consumer facing assets, e.g., advertising assets, packaging compliance, marketing promotions, social media accounts,  as well as on the production and distribution of all original content and other entertainment assets distributed in any media (e.g., television, streaming, and digital), including, but not limited to, short-form videos, traditional long-form content, feature films, product and mobile apps, digital games, licensed partnerships activity and products, to ensure compliance with regulations related to advertising and marketing and industry standards.  The team also leads compliance and regulatory support for Mattel’s e-commerce platform(s) and websites.  Expect a dynamic and fast-faced role where you get to make decisions that impact the Company’s product offerings and content offerings.     

Job Description

The Opportunity: 

Mattel is seeking a passionate, collaborative, and driven advertising and marketing attorney who has experience and interest in not only consumer products, but also entertainment, digital and emerging platforms.  This is a key position within the Law Department that will support the team that is primarily responsible for legal advice in the areas of: (1) advertising and marketing (including social media, promotions, and contests); (2) products and packaging; (3) content clearance and standards and practices; (4) websites, mobile apps and digital games; and (5) e-commerce.  The ideal candidate will have direct experience with CARU Rules and will be able to build and foster trusting relationships with creative partners, handling all matters with diplomacy in an environment of changing technological and regulatory infrastructure, and short turnarounds.  

What Your Impact Will Be: 

• Provide legal counsel for internal business teams responsible for all brand communications, advertising and marketing materials including, but not limited to, digital/social media campaigns and content, television and film advertising, digital games, print advertising and product packaging.  
• Counsel brand groups on a broad range of legal issues, including regulatory and compliance matters and use of third-party intellectual property, in the context of marketing, advertising, packaging and promotions, with a particular focus on Section 5 of the FTC Act and the Children's Advertising Review Unit’s (CARU) self-regulatory program.  
• Advise on advertising law compliance, policy, and process, including native advertising, testimonials and endorsements, claim substantiation, and digital disclosures.
• Update and/or implement guidelines regarding requirements for marketing, advertising, promotions, and packaging for internal stakeholders and external advertising agencies.
• Mitigate legal risks by providing reliable, thorough, day-to-day legal support; devise creative solutions to meet business objectives, including innovative marketing campaigns on tight timelines, expansive use of social media influencer content, enhanced product functionality, IoT and cross-platform digital capabilities, as clients embrace Mattel’s “digital first” strategy.
• Assist in supervision of paralegals and standards and practices professionals who provide front-line review for brand groups, and handle matters escalated from the team. 
• Provide client education and training on relevant legal issues.
• Closely monitor global regulatory trends in advertising, marketing, digital, AI, and other emerging technology to identify issues that may impact the Company and recommend proactive measures.
• Summarize and communicate findings as appropriate to cross-functional team members (e.g., Compliance, Legal, HR, IT, Information Security, Government Relations, etc.).
• Coordinate with legal privacy team regarding cross-functional issues, including ad tech, AI and others.
• Present to and assist in training internal clients on practices and procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory issues and Company policies.

Qualifications

What We’re Looking For:

• Must have a Juris Doctor degree with strong academic credentials from an ABA-accredited school 
• Good standing with at least one state bar and, if not licensed to practice in California, then a commitment to register to practice in California pursuant to California’s in-house counsel registration requirements.
• Minimum of 5 years as a practicing lawyer with significant experience in providing legal advice regarding advertising, marketing, promotions, and/or content clearance.  
• Experience with online marketing, social media, native advertising, influencer advertising, online advertising and user generated content strongly preferred.  
• Experience or strong interest in privacy law and policy development, marketing/ad technology, and cybersecurity and information technology issues and/or some intellectual property experience is preferred.  
• At least 1-2 years’ experience working with COPPA, CARU and other regulations pertinent to children’s brands strongly preferred.
• Strong analytical, risk assessment and problem-solving skills to be able to quickly understand and effectively support complex business initiatives and compliance projects.
• Strong work ethic and ability to produce high-quality work under tight deadlines.
• Excellent judgement and professional maturity, including strong executive presence.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and track record of effectively completing multi-deadline, cross-functional projects, on time and on-budget.
• Ability to inspire trust and instill confidence through strong interpersonal skills and effective collaboration.

The annual base salary range for this position is between $147,000 and $220,000
**This range is indicative of projected hiring range, however annual base salary will be determined based on a candidate’s work location, skills and experience.

Additional Information

Don’t meet every single requirement? At Mattel we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

How We Work:

We are a purpose driven company aiming to empower generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. We live up to our purpose employing the following behaviors:

• We collaborate: Being a part of Mattel means being part of one team with shared values and common goals. Every person counts and working closely together always brings better results. Partnership is our process and our collective capabilities is our superpower.
• We innovate: At Mattel we always aim to find new and better ways to create innovative products and experiences. No matter where you work in the organization, you can always make a difference and have real impact. We welcome new ideas and value new initiatives that challenge conventional thinking.
• We execute: We are a performance-driven company. We strive for excellence and are focused on pursuing best-in-class outcomes. We believe in accountability and ownership and know that our people are at their best when they are empowered to create and deliver results.

Who We Are:

Mattel is a leading global toy and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, UNO, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Monster High, MEGA and Polly Pocket, as well as other popular properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences. Our products are sold in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.

Mattel’s award-winning workplace culture has been recognized by Forbes, Fast Company, Newsweek, Great Place to Work, TIME, and more.

Visit us at https://jobs.mattel.com/ and www.instagram.com/MattelCareers.

Mattel is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer where we want you to bring your authentic self to work every day. We welcome all job seekers, and all applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, veteran and protected veteran status, disability status, and or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

Pursuant to the Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act, qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment.

Videos to watch:
The Culture at Mattel
Mattel Investor Highlights