Universal Music Group 2026 Summer Internship: Business & Legal Affairs Opportuni
Universal Music Group, Santa Monica
Universal Music Group 2026 Summer Internship: Business & Legal Affairs Opportunities: - Santa Monica, 90404, United States of America
Program Eligibility:
Currently enrolled at an accredited two or four-year college/university in the United States, purs u ing an undergraduate, graduate and/or law degree
Graduating between Spring 202 6 - Fall 202 8
Have access to housing and transportation within the designated city (We do not offer housing or transportation accommodations)
Legally authorized to work in the United States and will not require sponsorship for employment visa status, now or in the future (e.g., H1-B, OPT, etc.)
Commit to 20 - 40 hours per week (based on individual business area)
Note: There are multiple job descriptions listed below. Please read carefully. Applications will be reviewed early Spring 202 6 .
2026 Summer Internship Program Dates: June 8 th , 2026- August 14 th , 2026
Business & Legal Affairs - I nterscope Capitol ( Onsite: CA ):
How You’ll CREATE:
The IGA and CMG Business & Legal Affairs departments are responsible for all business and legal aspects of the labels. There are 5 attorneys based in Santa Monica and 5 attorneys based in Hollywood. This does not include the department head, who oversees both teams and works out of the Santa Monica and Hollywood offices throughout the week. The attorneys will guide the interns through legal assignments and projects. Candidates m ust be enrolled as a full-time law student (2L or 3L preferred) .
Contractual research
Draft and redline assignments that may include LODs, NDAs and tolling agreement s
Review and drafting artist agreements
Attend meetings
Review content for IP and clearance issues
Ideal candidates will have:
Superior analytical and writing skills and ability
Comfortable working and researching independently
Redlining experience a plus
Business & Legal Affairs - REPUBLIC C ollective ( Onsite: NY ):
How You’ll CREATE:
The Business & Legal Affairs team handles legal and business matters for REPUBLIC Collective. Its responsibilities include structuring and negotiating artist signings and other music or entertainment - related deals, managing legal matters in connection with album releases and advising on other label business . Candidates m ust be enrolled as a full-time law student (2L or 3L preferred).
Organi ze agreements (i.e., reading contracts for specific info rmation and compiling data/creating charts or logs)
Prepare research on timely legal issues in the music industry to present to the departmen t
Draft memoranda and summarized recording proposals for distribution to company executives
Draft clearance agreements for various marketing initiatives, including music videos and artwork
Draft correspondence such as indemnification and audit letters
Participate in production and clearance meetings
General departmental support as needed
Ideal candidates will have:
Exposure to contract coursework documents
Business/Contract Administration - R EPUBLIC Co llective ( Onsite: NY ):
How You’ll CREATE:
The BA Clearance team reviews and clears all music across the REPUBLIC Collective labels.
Interpolation r eviews
Upload documents to Monday.c om
Schedule m eetings
Research
Ideal candidates will have:
Experience with Monday.com
Business & Legal Affairs - UMLE (FONO) , Bilingual (English/Spanish) ( Onsite: CA ):
How You’ll CREATE:
The intern will support the Business & Legal Affairs team for FONO in the U.S., assisting attorneys with the review, tracking and organization of artist s , producer s and label agreements. Candidates must be enrolled as a full-time law student (2L or 3L preferred).
Drafting basic legal documents, reviewing and processing product release approvals
M aintaining contract databases and providing general administrative and research support
The role offers exposure to the day-to-day legal and business operations of a major record label and the opportunity to learn directly from experienced in-house counsel
Ideal candidates will have:
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft and edit legal or business correspondence clearly and accurately
Familiarity with contract terminology and basic legal concepts (e.g., rights management, licensing, IP, confidentiality)
Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish, with the ability to review and interpret legal documents in both language
Business & Legal Affairs - UMLE, Bilingual (English/Spanish) (Onsite: FL ):
How You’ll CREATE:
Candidates must be enrolled as a full-time law student (2L or 3L preferred).
Maintain guest artist records for UMLE artists, including: ( i ) liaising with third parties and managing participation requests; (ii) coordinating approvals of participation s internally; (iii) tracking all participations (external and internal) via a digital database
Create and manage centralized artist rosters and artist contact sheets for UMLE labels
Help maintain and update various internal contract databases and spreadsheets of all artist agreements and related rights
Support BA with option tracking/exercising deal termination processes
Conduct general legal and contractual research as required ; review music agreements, amendments and related documents as requested by BA, A&R/Admin, Finance, etc., and prepare ad hoc contract summary reports and memos
Assist with non-publishing matters (i.e., reviewing master-use & synch licenses, and draft and issuing same upon request)
Review and analyze chain of title documents to confirm necessary transfer of rights for applicable exploitation, as well as prepare written analysis to identify issues (if any)
Review and analyze video footage to identify clearance issues, including product placement, trademark, and copyright matters
In the event of overflow, assist in reviewing and interpreting audio and video checklists and related documents to check for legal issues and accuracy
Participate in department discussions regarding best practices, standard language and policies to enable drafting consistency and improve workflow/streamline processes
Ideal candidates will have:
Experience with contracts
Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish, with the ability to review and interpret legal documents in both languages
Business & Legal Affairs - UMLE, Bilingual (English/Spanish) ( Onsite: FL ):
How You’ll CREATE:
The legal department provides practical, cross-disciplinary support throughout the music production process. Our team negotiates and drafts agreements, releases, and other legal documents to secure all necessary rights for creating and exploiting sound recordings and related materials. We also identify potential legal risks and advise on strategies to mitigate them. As part of a Latin label, the department works closely with Spanish-speaking artists and teams, offering a unique opportunity to develop cultural awareness and interpersonal skills in a dynamic, international environment. Candidates must be enrolled as a full-time law student (2L or 3L preferred).
Research and interpret contracts and other legal documents
Assist attorneys in drafting and reviewing a variety of legal agreements
Support senior attorneys in managing and responding to legal claims and inquiries
Help clear rights for the release of recorded products
Maintain records in UMG’s contract data management system
Ideal candidates will have:
Basic knowledge of music law, music industry, intellectual property, and record label issues
Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish, with the ability to review and interpret legal documents in both languages
Must be adept at drafting agreements
Business & Legal Affairs - UMPG ( Onsite: CA ):
How You’ll CREATE:
The Business & Legal Affairs i ntern position is designed to provide hands-on experience and exposure to a career as a member of a Business & Legal Affairs team. The person in this position will provide a wide spectrum of support to corporate/transactional attorneys , as well as non-attorney teams which also make up the department . Candidates must be enrolled as a full-time law student (2L or 3L preferred).
Review and summarize contracts
Redline various publishing agreements, correspondence and other documents
Draft standard form letters and other legal documents
Research assigned topics such as significant changes in music trends, new music applications, and digital platforms, among other topics.
Assist in record keeping and data management for non-attorney teams
Attend weekly meetings and phone calls with supervising attorneys
Interact with other departments based on department needs and tasks
Ideal candidates will have:
Self-starter skills; t ake initiative and be resourceful; take ownership of tasks and projects
Solid collaboration and interpersonal skills
Sound problem-solving and critical thinking skills
Business & Legal Affairs - Litigation Corporate ( Onsite: CA ):
How You’ll CREATE:
The Litigation department handles claims on behalf of and against the various UMG business units and provides advice and counseling on legal questions as they arise. Candidate s m ust be enrolled as a full-time law student (2L or 3L preferred).
Legal research and writing
Research into ownership/control of assets and the use by third parties of our works
Research into the background of disputes that we may want to assert or are brought against us
Ideal candidates will have:
Strong research and analytical skills
Business & Legal Affairs - IT Legal ( Onsite: NY ):
How You’ll CREATE:
The C orporate T ransactional L egal team is responsible for a variety of commercial contracts, mainly IT transactions, eCommerce and Supply Chain . Candidat es m ust be enrolled as a full-time law student (2L or 3L preferred).
R eviewing and redlining agreements
Researching legal issues
Updating templates
Business & Legal Affairs - Transactional ( Onsite: CA ):
How You’ll CREATE:
Our team handles all central business and legal affairs for UMG, ranging from rights management, artist-related matters, enterprise deals for IT, data, distribution and other related matters. Candidate s m ust be enrolled as a full-time law student (2L or 3L preferred).
Reviewing documents
Researching rights in our historical agreements
Summarizing relevant documents
Drafting brief agreements
Depending on competency and demonstrated comprehension, the intern may be able to handle more complex review/research and drafting
Ideal candidates will have:
Ability to issue-spot potential legal issue
Ability to think creatively about problem solving
Have some sense of "business" as this is not a purely "legal" team
Business & Legal Affairs - Digital ( Onsite: CA ):
How You’ll CREATE:
Digital Business Affairs handles all of the digital content deals for UMG's full catalog of sound recordings and music videos.
Review ing and summariz ing contracts ; may be asked to help with our implementation of AI tools
Testing out digital music services and social media apps to describe the relevant features and functionality for music uses
Ideal candidates will have :
Strong reading comprehension skills
Interest in technology and digital media
Strong interpersonal skills
Public Policy (Onsite: DC ):
How You’ll CREATE:
In every country around the globe, the business of music is overseen by a wide range of laws and regulations – from copyright and its enforcement, to international trade agreements and much more. The UMG Public Policy team works to develop, enact and see implemented public policies protecting those who create music (from songwriters to artists and beyond), reflecting music’s truly unique value and supporting the company’s business strategies. As UMG’s representatives before public officials, we serve as the bridge between the company and policymakers.
Conduct ing research on legislation, press reports and other matters, as needed. Ability to probe online sources to find information and compile them into a comprehensible format
Attending congressional staff hearings and industry meetings, as applicable, with SVP and Senior Manager, Public Policy and Government Relations
Assisting Senior Manager, Public Policy and Government Relations with day-to-day operations; drafting legislative reports; coordinating special events and scheduling
Researching and prepar ing materials for congressional and UMG executive meetings
Maintaining distribution lists of internal and external contacts
Ideal candidates will have:
General understanding of the branches of the U.S. Government and the legislative process
Pursuing a degree in political science, government, or law or with previous legislative/policy experience is preferred
Knowledge and passion of multiple musical genres, music industry issues and politics
Bring Your VIBE (ALL ROLES) :
Strong attention to detail
Strong organizational skills and efficiency
Ability to multitask and meet tight deadlines in fast- paced, high-pressure environments
High level of integrity
Discretion in handling confidential information
Professionalism in dealing with senior professionals inside and outside the company
A “can-do” attitude
Knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Exce l , PowerPoint)
Self-starter
Excellent communication skills
Eager to learn