Day in the Life: Anne-Marie Kabia, Commercial Counsel

Anne-Marie, our Commercial Counsel, takes us through a typical day in her life in Magnite’s New York office.

Magnite’s Day in the Life series dives into the various people and teams that make up the world’s largest independent sell-side ad company.

How would you explain what you do to someone outside the industry?

Most people know that large companies have in-house legal teams to manage and support the organization’s legal needs, but being part of a legal team in a specialized area like ad tech is unique. Not only do we negotiate and execute various commercial contracts, but we also get to brainstorm creative solutions to address industry issues that may have legal implications.

As an in-house attorney, I see each team at Magnite as my client, working to meet their needs—whether that means reviewing redlines on a commercial contract or joining a call to talk through a legal concern.

How did you first break into ad tech?

I began my legal career at NFL Films and later worked with several entertainment companies, primarily as a production and media attorney. I was always intrigued by the intersection of media and tech and knew one day that I would transition into more of a tech role. At a former job, I learned about programmatic advertising and discovered that it was a big revenue-generating avenue for the company. 

Programmatic advertising piqued my interest, and when an opportunity at Magnite presented itself, I threw my hat in the ring. My transition into ad tech has allowed me to grow and exercise new legal muscles in a fast-changing, complex industry. I think it’s important in life to know how to pivot and be willing to embrace new opportunities.

How does your team support Magnite? Who are your closest collaborators in other departments? 

One of the most interesting aspects of being on the legal team is that we interact with every department at Magnite in some capacity. While we work most closely with the revenue teams, we also collaborate regularly with marketing, product, people and facilities, sales operations, engineering, IT, and finance. Beyond helping revenue teams close commercial transactions, the Magnite legal team handles Magnite’s corporate matters, reviews marketing collateral, provides legal guidance on product development and launches, and negotiates third-party vendor agreements for teams such as people and facilities, IT, and engineering. With team members spread across New York, Los Angeles, London, and Sydney, we’re well-positioned to cover everyone’s needs across regions and time zones.

What does a typical day at Magnite look like for you?

After I wake up and express gratitude for another day to grace this earth, reality sets in that my breath stinks, so I brush my teeth right after. Then, I usually check my Slack to see if there are any questions or concerns I can quickly address before I get to my emails. I’m very responsive on Slack and encourage people to reach out, especially if we’re in the middle of a pending deal.

Depending on the day, I’ll meet with the demand facilitation (DF), DV+, and CTV team leads to discuss current and upcoming deals, share updates, and stay abreast of any new programs or incentives they’re considering. Periodically, I also check in with our Canadian and LATAM team leads. Outside of standing meetings, I typically check the legal queue in Salesforce to see if any new assignments have been assigned to me and note any deadlines.

From there, I draft new seller or supply path optimization (SPO) agreements, work with my business counterparts to review new redlines received from clients, put together pricing amendments, and review press releases, announcements, and blog posts from the marketing team. 

In the late afternoon, if I’m in the office, I’ll take a walk around Madison Square Park, and if I’m home, I go to the neighborhood park across the street from where I live. It’s nice to get a breath of fresh air. I usually end my day by making a to-do list for the next day. 

Talk about a recent project that you’re proud of yourself and your team for accomplishing.

Over the past two years, we’ve dedicated more team resources toward assisting the DF team with SPO deals. Each deal has been so unique, often including different incentive offerings, territories, revenue tiers, and payment schedules. I’m proud of how we’ve focused our attention on each deal to customize the terms, provide illustrative examples of how the incentive offerings work, and proactively address questions clients may have about language within the contract. We’ve seen tremendous growth in the number and success of SPO deals, and I’m happy that the work we’re doing along with the DF team is impactful. 

What do you enjoy most about your role?

I love learning from and collaborating with my team. There’s really not a day that goes by that I don’t learn something new. My coworkers are truly brilliant people and are so down to earth. They have an endless bank of knowledge and are so willing to share. I enjoy the exchanges of ideas and passionate debates we have during our team calls, especially when strategizing on how to deal with a new legal challenge, such as a privacy-related concern. We lean on each other often to solve problems and share contract language. 

What’s your go-to hobby to unwind and recharge outside of the office?

Kickboxing! It’s a great stress reliever and something I really enjoy doing. When I was in law school, I picked up boxing. Over the years, I downgraded to kickboxing when I realized I wasn’t about to be the next Laila Ali. It’s more sustainable. I also recently started cooking Sunday dinners for my family and loved ones who live close by. They get fed, and I get to try new recipes. Everybody wins. It feels good to know they enjoy my food.