Counsel, EMEA

Emerald; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited vacation

Flexible working locations

401(k) plan with company match

Healthcare benefits

Job summary

Emerald is seeking a talented and proactive Legal Counsel – EMEA to serve as our primary in-house legal resource across Europe, Middle East, and Africa. This 100% remote role can be based in the United Kingdom or Germany, reporting to the Deputy General Counsel.

You will lead end-to-end commercial contracting review, oversee regional IP filings, ensure GDPR/EU regulatory compliance, and support investigations, collaborating with cross-functional teams to enable Emerald’s ambitious EMEA growth.

Qualifications

• 3–6+ PQE gained within in-house or law firm.
• Drafting and negotiating complex commercial contracts.
• Strong knowledge of UK GDPR and EU GDPR.
• Experience managing trademark portfolios in UK/EU.
• Excellent English communication; German a plus.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate a high volume of commercial agreements across EMEA.
• Standardize templates and playbooks to streamline contracting.
• Assist with regulatory compliance, data governance, and investigations.
• Oversee regional IP filings and portfolio management.

Job description

Emerald is seeking a talented and proactive Legal Counsel – EMEA to serve as our primary in-house legal resource across the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region. Reporting directly to the Deputy General Counsel, you will manage end to end commercial contract review, oversee regional intellectual property filings, and assist with regulatory compliance and investigations.

This role is 100% remote, based out of either the United Kingdom or Germany. You will partner closely with cross-functional commercial, operations, marketing, and IT teams to deliver practical, business-aligned legal advice across Emerald’s expanding EMEA footprint and integrated business operations (including Questex properties).

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Contracting & Business Support

• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a high volume of commercial agreements across EMEA, including venue contracts, vendor agreements, event sponsorship deals, digital media contracts, Master Services Agreements (MSAs), and

Statements of Work (SOWs).

• Serve as the primary regional legal partner absorbing day-to-day EMEA commercial work and driving contracting efficiency.
• Standardize regional contract templates, playbook guidelines, and fallback terms to streamline commercial operations.

Regulatory Compliance & Investigations

• Assist the Deputy General Counsel with monitoring, assessing, and maintaining compliance with applicable UK and EU regulatory frameworks, including GDPR/ePrivacy, cross-border data transfer mechanisms, consumer protection, and emerging digital technology regulations (e.g., EU AI Act, UK Online Safety Act, NIS2).
• Support internal compliance reviews, risk assessments, and responses to regulatory inquiries or investigations under the direction and supervision of the Deputy General Counsel.
• Partner with the IT and compliance teams to ensure business operations align with enterprise data governance and security frameworks.

Brand Protection & EMEA Trademarks

• Manage regional trademark and intellectual property matters, including supervising outside counsel for UK/EU trademark filings, maintenance, enforcement, and portfolio prosecution.

Qualifications & Requirements

Education & Licensing

• Legal Qualification: Fully licensed solicitor/lawyer qualified to practice law in the United Kingdom (England & Wales) and/or Germany (Volljurist / 2. Staatsexamen or equivalent EU qualification). Dual qualification across UK and EU law is highly preferred.
• Must be legally authorized to work remotely on a full-time basis from either the United Kingdom or Germany.

Experience & Skills

• 3–6+ years of post-qualification legal experience (PQE) gained within an in-house corporate legal department or reputable law firm.
• Proven track record drafting and negotiating complex commercial contracts independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Solid working knowledge of UK GDPR, EU GDPR, cross-border transfer mechanisms, and general European regulatory compliance principles.
• Experience or familiarity with managing trademark portfolios and brand enforcement in the UK/EU.
• Excellent legal and commercial judgment with the ability to balance business objectives against legal exposure.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication in English (fluency in German is a plus).

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary and performance-based bonus structure.
• Comprehensive health, pension, and country-specific employee benefits.
• Flexible, fully remote work configuration (UK or Germany).
• Professional growth opportunities within an expanding international legal department.

About Emerald

At Emerald, we strive to foster a diverse and inclusive community. We actively recruit and champion candidates who bring new perspectives from varied professional backgrounds and experiences, and we are intentional about ensuring a positive hiring experience for everyone. Our job postings don’t contain experience inflation, and most don’t require college degrees. Instead, they’re crafted to focus on outcomes and transferable experiences that are assessed in a structured interview process carried out by trained hiring teams.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Target Compensation:

Please note that this range reflects a reasonable estimate of the target compensation for this position. This range may ultimately vary based on a candidate’s qualifications and may be higher where required by applicable law.

We offer a competitive benefits package designed to strengthen our employees’ physical and mental health, including unlimited vacation for exempt employees, flexible working locations, 401(k) plan with a company match, medical/dental/vision coverage with inclusive provisions including transgender services and fertility benefits, parental and caregiver leave, dependent, commuter and FSA benefits, professional development programs like Toastmasters, and mental wellness tools.

If you need accommodation in our application process or have questions about our posted salary range, please email our Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail].

About Emerald

Emerald’s talented and experienced teams grow our customers’ businesses 365 days a year with products that create connections, deliver content, and drive commerce. We produce over 140 annual events, create and deliver content through print and digital channels, and power commerce through our seamlessly integrated in‑person and digital platforms and channels. For more information, please visit http://www.emeraldx.com.