Employment Law Solicitor

Law Society; Dublin; Hybrid; EUR 72,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

ESB is seeking a qualified Solicitor or Barrister with a minimum of 5+ years’ post-qualification experience in employment law to join its in-house Employment Law team. The role involves advising on a broad range of contentious and non-contentious matters and supporting policy development.

The position is based in ESB Head Office, Dublin 2, with Smart Working allowing hybrid arrangements and at least two days in the office per week.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor or barrister with a minimum of 5+ years’ post-qualification experience in employment law.
• Strong experience advising on contentious and non-contentious employment, equality and industrial relations law matters.
• Experience appearing before the Workplace Relations Commission, Labour Court and civil courts.
• Excellent analytical, research, technical and drafting skills, including experience drafting and reviewing complex employment law documents such as contracts, submissions and policies.
• Proven ability to deliver high-quality, practical legal advice and services under demanding timelines.
• Sound commercial judgement, with the ability to influence, engage and build effective relationships with clients and colleagues.
• Self-motivated and solutions-focused, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a legal and client team.
• Strong communication, negotiation and influencing skills.
• Additional specialist training in employment law, equality law or industrial relations

Responsibilities

• Provide clear, practical and commercially focused employment law advice to internal clients, including senior management, on a broad range of contentious and non-contentious matters
• Manage an individual caseload, including advising on and conducting cases before the Workplace Relations Commission, Labour Court and civil courts, and briefing and attending Counsel where required
• Advise on the development, review and implementation of employment policies, procedures and guidance to ensure alignment with employment law requirements and best practice
• Advise on employee relations processes, including disciplinary, grievance, performance management, absence management, equality and termination matters
• Draft, review and advise on employment-related documentation, including contracts, settlement agreements, correspondence, submissions and internal legal guidance
• Monitor developments in employment law and support legal risk management through training, briefings and knowledge-sharing across relevant stakeholder groups
• Build effective working relationships with internal stakeholders, external legal advisors and representative bodies to support timely, pragmatic and legally robust outcomes

Skills

Employment law

Drafting

Analytical ability

Stakeholder management

Communication

Education

Qualified solicitor or barrister

Job description

ESB is a purpose-led company striving to create a brighter future for the customers and communities they serve, leading the transition to reliable, affordable, low-carbon energy. They are working to deliver a new energy future based on reliable, affordable, zero carbon electricity. They are building on the work we have done for over a century totransform lives andenable social and economic progress and change. This is ESB purpose. They will continue toharness our capability and resourcesto bring light and energy to communities in Ireland and around the world.They are Driven to Make a Differenceand to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2040.

ESB is seeking a qualified Solicitor or Barrister with a minimum of three years’ post-qualification experience in employment law to join ESB’s in-house Employment Law team. This role will provide practical, commercially focused legal advice on a broad range of contentious and non-contentious employment, equality and industrial relations matters, requiring strong analytical, drafting, communication and stakeholder management skills.

This is an opportunity to join ESB’s in-house Property, Planning & Environment and Employment Law (PPEEL) team as an Employment Law Solicitor, providing advice on a diverse and challenging range of employment law matters across the ESB Group.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide clear, practical and commercially focused employment law advice to internal clients, including senior management, on a broad range of contentious and non-contentious matters
• Manage an individual caseload, including advising on and conducting cases before the Workplace Relations Commission, Labour Court and civil courts, and briefing and attending Counsel where required
• Advise on the development, review and implementation of employment policies, procedures and guidance to ensure alignment with employment law requirements and best practice
• Advise on employee relations processes, including disciplinary, grievance, performance management, absence management, equality and termination matters
• Draft, review and advise on employment-related documentation, including contracts, settlement agreements, correspondence, submissions and internal legal guidance
• Monitor developments in employment law and support legal risk management through training, briefings and knowledge-sharing across relevant stakeholder groups
• Build effective working relationships with internal stakeholders, external legal advisors and representative bodies to support timely, pragmatic and legally robust outcomes

Experience and Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor or barrister with a minimum of 5+ years’ post qualification experience in employment law
• Strong experience advising on contentious and non-contentious employment, equality and industrial relations law matters
• Experience appearing before the Workplace Relations Commission, Labour Court and civil courts
• Excellent analytical, research, technical and drafting skills, including experience drafting and reviewing complex employment law documents such as contracts, submissions and policies
• Proven ability to deliver high-quality, practical legal advice and services under demanding timelines
• Sound commercial judgement, with the ability to influence, engage and build effective relationships with clients and colleagues
• Self-motivated and solutions-focused, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a legal and client team
• Strong communication, negotiation and influencing skills
• Additional specialist training in employment law, equality law or industrial relations

Location

This position will be based in ESB Head Office, 27 Fitzwilliam St, Dublin 2.

Smart Working at ESB is designed to make ‘in-person’ time together as purposeful as possible while also enabling the effective use of digital tools and hybrid arrangements to preserve our commitment to flexibility. The successful candidate may work flexibly within the jurisdiction where they have been employed, with attendance at the workplace for in-person collaboration at least two days per week. All Smart Working arrangements are subject to regular review based on the operational requirements of the role, the team, and the business.

Reporting To

This role will report to Lead Solicitor, Employment Law.

Why Work with ESB?

• Opportunity to lead Ireland’s transition to net zero carbon future
• Career development through mentoring and training
• Corporate Social Responsibility Opportunities
• Sports and Social Clubs
• Networking opportunities
• Credit Union
• Access to staff well-being programmes
• Generous parental leave entitlements
• Strong values-based and inclusive culture
• Strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
• Great team environment working to ESB Core Values: Courageous, Caring, Driven and Trusted

€71,900 - €84,600 per annum, depending on experience.

Closing date for applications is 21 October 2026.

Interview

Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will complete a Behavioural Interview based on each of the following Behaviours, which underpin how we work at ESB and are critical to delivering our strategy:

• Accountable and Ethical
• Collaborative Growing and Adaptive
• Proactive
• Respectful and Supportive

Notes

Your application will be held in reserve for 6 months should you be suitable for the role. The successful candidate will be required to evidence their right to work in the Republic of Ireland prior to commencement of employment.

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