Employment Counsel, EMEA (Mid-Senior Level)

About the Role

Core responsibilities include supporting the Chief Litigation & Employment Counsel in handling, and overseeing outside counsel on, employment matters in EMEA and APAC. This covers M&A, performance and risk management, regulatory compliance, and employment guidelines. The Counsel will build cross‑functional relationships with HR teams, draft and review employment agreements, monitor regulatory changes, advise on policies, support employee integration in M&A, manage external counsel relationships and budgets, and enforce corporate governance and compliance policies. Primary metrics for success involve collaborative work with legal colleagues, application of technical expertise and business counseling, development of litigation strategy and risk‑management programs, preparation of claims and litigation reports, analysis of root causes, and delivery of high‑quality work within fast‑paced, time‑sensitive environments. • Provide employment law support for ERM’s EMEA and APAC operations, including the UK, EU, and Australia. • Lead and oversee outside counsel on cost‑effective handling of employment matters and litigation. • Advise HR teams on employee issues, risk management, policy drafting, and M&A employee integration. • Monitor, analyze, and communicate changes in employment regulations across multiple jurisdictions. • Develop and maintain relationships with external counsel and manage related budgets. • Conduct investigations, non‑compete reviews, separations, claims handling, and compliance enforcement. • Collaborate with the Global Litigation & Employment Paralegal and senior legal leadership. • Deliver high‑quality, timely legal work products in a fast‑paced, high‑volume environment. • Track and report on claims, litigation trends, root causes, and recommend mitigation measures.

Key Responsibilities

• ▸legal drafting
• ▸litigation management
• ▸compliance monitoring
• ▸claims reporting
• ▸budget management
• ▸hr advisory

What You Bring

The successful candidate must demonstrate high technical proficiency, excellent written and verbal communication, and a collaborative mindset. Required skills include experience as an employment attorney in multiple jurisdictions (e.g., UK, Germany, France, Australia, etc.), ability to attend calls with Asia outside typical UK hours, strong judgment in ambiguous situations, effective negotiation, risk mitigation, and a value‑add approach to business counseling. Requirements include registration to practice law in the UK and one additional listed country, at least six years of post‑qualification experience, prior work in an international law firm and in‑house legal team, deep understanding of commercial, contract, and risk‑management issues, proven employment counsel experience, excellent client‑relation skills, fluency in English and another language, willingness to travel ad‑hoc, and a suitable home‑office setup for remote work. • Be admitted to practice law in the UK and one additional listed jurisdiction with 6+ years post‑qualification experience. • Possess experience in international law firms and in‑house legal teams, with expertise in UK/EU employment law. • Exhibit strong negotiation, risk‑mitigation, and problem‑solving skills; work independently and collaboratively. • Communicate clearly in writing and orally; fluency in English and another language; attend Asia calls outside UK hours. • Willingness to travel ad‑hoc and maintain a suitable home‑office environment for remote work.

Requirements

• ▸uk qualified
• ▸6+ years
• ▸employment law
• ▸international experience
• ▸negotiation
• ▸bilingual

Benefits

ERM is committed to an inclusive workplace where diversity is valued and accommodations are provided throughout the hiring process and employment journey. The company promotes equal opportunity for all candidates, including those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions.

Work Environment

Hybrid