Litigation Counsel - EMEA

HP; Sant Cugat del Vallès; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Job summary

HP seeks an experienced litigation lawyer based in Barcelona to manage a broad portfolio of disputes and investigations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The role is hybrid, requiring on-site presence several days weekly, and involves coordinating with regional counsel and outside teams.

The candidate should have 5+ years of post-qualification experience, strong English, and a proven ability to handle complex matters in multinational environments.

Qualifications

• Law degree and professional qualification to practice law in a relevant jurisdiction.
• Five years of post-qualification experience handling litigation and investigations.
• Experience leading strategy, outside counsel, and major matters across multiple jurisdictions.

Responsibilities

• Lead litigation and dispute strategy across EMEA, from threatened claims to resolution.
• Manage a broad portfolio of disputes, including IP, competition, privacy, employment, and regulatory matters.
• Direct outside counsel, manage budgets, and coordinate cross-border matters with regional teams.
• Advise business leaders with clear, practical risk assessments and options.

Skills

Analytical skills

Written advocacy

Negotiation

Communication skills

Education

Law degree and bar admission

Job description

Litigation Counsel - EMEA

Description -

Litigation Counsel, EMEA

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Function: Worldwide Litigation and Government Investigations

This is a hybrid position, requiring at least three days per week on-site work.

About the role

HP seeks an experienced litigation lawyer to manage a significant portfolio of litigation and investigations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Based in Barcelona, the Litigation Manager, EMEA will manage a diverse portfolio of disputes, advise on significant legal and business risks, and develop strategies that protect HP’s interests and support its business objectives. The role involves a broad range of litigation and investigations, which may include commercial, intellectual property, competition, consumer protection, privacy, employment, securities, and regulatory matters. It requires strong litigation judgment, experience handling complex disputes, and the ability to work across jurisdictions, legal disciplines, and business functions.

As a member of HP’s Worldwide Litigation and Government Investigations team, this lawyer will partner closely with regional and country counsel, legal subject matter experts, business leaders, and outside counsel to deliver coordinated, effective representation.

This is an individual contributor position with substantial autonomy and responsibility for litigation strategy, outcomes, and budgets. The lawyer will lead matters, direct outside counsel, and coordinate cross-functional teams, while escalating significant risks and strategic decisions as appropriate.

Candidate must have the right to live and work in Barcelona.

Key responsibilities

• Lead litigation and dispute strategy. Take responsibility for EMEA matters from threatened claims and early case assessment through proceedings, trial, appeal, settlement, and implementation of outcomes. Develop and execute strategies grounded in the facts, applicable law, business priorities, and potential financial and reputational exposure.
• Manage a broad portfolio. Handle disputes across substantive areas, including commercial and contractual claims, intellectual property and licensing disputes, competition, consumer, privacy, employment, securities, and regulatory matters, working with relevant specialists.
• Lead investigations and responses to government inquiries. Direct or support internal and government investigations, regulatory inquiries, competition and other enforcement matters, including preparation for and response to dawn raids and compulsory information requests, in coordination with Ethics and Compliance, Employment, Privacy, and other relevant teams.
• Provide substantive litigation counsel. Assess claims and defenses, identify evidentiary strengths and gaps, evaluate procedural options, and guide decisions on litigation posture, settlement, and escalation. Review and shape significant submissions, witness preparation, and advocacy.
• Coordinate cross-border matters. Work with litigation colleagues and local counsel to align strategy across jurisdictions, address related proceedings, and anticipate the broader implications of regional decisions.
• Advise business and legal leaders. Communicate clear assessments of exposure, likely outcomes, available options, and recommended actions. Translate complex issues into practical advice and elevate significant developments promptly.
• Direct outside counsel. Direct outside counsel. Select and manage external legal teams, establish strategy, staffing, budgets, and performance expectations, critically evaluate advice, and ensure high-quality, efficient representation.
• Manage financial exposure and spend. Develop and oversee matter budgets, maintain reliable forecasts, evaluate settlement economics, and provide timely assessments to support reserves, disclosures, and internal reporting.
• Lead factual and evidentiary development. Work with business teams, witnesses, Discovery and Solutions, and outside counsel to develop the factual record, preserve and collect relevant information, prepare witnesses, and ensure that litigation positions are supported by the available evidence.
• Prevent and reduce disputes. Identify recurring issues and lessons from litigation and investigations, and recommend changes to business practices, contracts, policies, or training.
• Strengthen the global litigation function. Contribute to knowledge sharing, consistent matter management, process improvements, and the effective use of legal technology and AI.

Required qualifications

• Law degree and professional qualification to practice law in a relevant jurisdiction.
• At least five years of post-qualification experience handling litigation and investigations at a law firm, global company, or both, including meaningful responsibility for strategy, major case decisions, outside counsel direction, and resolution of complex matters.
• Demonstrated experience leading or playing a substantial role in litigation strategy and handling matters through multiple stages of contested proceedings, including significant written submissions, hearings, trial, appeal, or settlement, with sound judgment about when to defend, negotiate, or resolve a dispute.
• Experience managing matters across EMEA jurisdictions and coordinating local counsel and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to handle a varied docket, develop command of unfamiliar subject matter, and work effectively with specialist lawyers.
• Strong analytical, written advocacy, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to advise senior stakeholders with clarity, exercise independent judgment, and make practical recommendations under uncertainty.
• Experience managing outside counsel, legal budgets, forecasts, and financial exposure, while balancing competing priorities.
• Excellent written and spoken English and the ability to work effectively in a multinational environment.

Preferred qualifications

• In-house experience with a global technology or other multinational company.
• Experience with intellectual property and licensing disputes, including patent or competition-related matters.
• Experience with government investigations, regulatory enforcement, and complex cross-border disputes.
• Familiarity with litigation reserves and disclosure processes, electronic discovery, and legal matter management systems.
• Proficiency in additional European languages.

Job

Legal

Schedule

Full time

Shift

No shift premium (Spain)

Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO)

HP, Inc. provides equal employment opportunity to all employees and prospective employees, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, age, disability, or status as a protected veteran, marital status, familial status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic predisposition or carrier status, uniformed service status, political affiliation or any other characteristic protected by applicable national, federal, state, and local law(s).

Please be assured that you will not be subject to any adverse treatment if you choose to disclose the information requested. This information is provided voluntarily. The information obtained will be kept in strict confidence.

For more information, review HP’s EEO Policy or read about your rights as an applicant under the law here: “Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal”