Legal Counsel - Commercial

Ernst & Young Advisory Services Sdn Bhd; Dublin; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid Working

Maternity & Paternity Leave

Pension/Discounted Health Insurance

Travel support

Job summary

EY Ireland is seeking a Commercial Legal Counsel to join its in-house team on a maternity cover basis. The successful candidate will provide pragmatic, commercial legal advice across EY’s Irish business, including client contracts, engagements, and framework agreements, with exposure to technology, IP and outsourcing matters.

The role requires a strong academic record, excellent negotiation and communication skills, and a proactive, trusted partner who can operate effectively in a fast-paced

Qualifications

• Excellent academic record.
• Strong negotiation and communication skills.
• Self-starter with ability to manage deadlines and build relationships.

Responsibilities

• Advising on client contracts, engagement agreements and master framework agreements.
• Advising on technology, software and licensing agreements; IP matters.
• Management of subcontracts, collaboration, outsourcing and government contracts.
• Provide guidance on data privacy, AI, and regulatory matters.

Skills

Negotiation

Communication

Team player

Self-starter

Deadline management

Commercial awareness

Leadership

Job description

Contract Type: Maternity leave starting October 2026

Who are we?

EY is a global leader in Assurance, Tax, Transaction and Advisory services. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential. Our vision is to become the leading global professional services organisation by building a better working world.

At EY our inclusive work environment means that everyone’s opinion is valued. This enables us to provide better advice and ideas to our clients, which in turn helps you develop as an individual to achieve your potential and make a difference.

The EY Ireland Legal team is well established and highly regarded within EY. The Irish team is headed by the firm's General Counsel and forms part of a wider Legal or GCO (General Counsel’s Office) group in UK and Ireland and the Global legal function. The team is situated at the Head Office of the firm at Wilton Terrace, Dublin. EY Legal team enjoy a varied and challenging workload and is responsible for providing legal advice and guidance across EY’s business in Ireland.

About the Position

We are looking for a Commercial Legal Counsel to join our high performing and ambitious in-house legal team as a FTE for maternity cover. Our team benefits from a diverse and challenging workload supporting those at all levels within our business teams with pragmatic, adaptable, solution-orientated and commercial legal advice.

Your key responsibilities:

The work within the EY Ireland Legal team is highly varied and covers all legal issues arising from the running of a professional services business. Much of the legal work is at the cutting edge of business practice as the firm constantly finds innovative ways to help our clients’ businesses.

Commercial:

• Advising on, drafting and negotiating client contracts, such as engagement agreements Master Services Agreements and Global Framework Agreements with our clients as well as other complex contractual arrangements pursuant to which we provide an ever more diverse range of services
• Technology, Software and Licensing agreements
• Advising on intellectual property matters
• Subcontracts, where EY is subcontractor
• Collaboration agreements
• Managed services and outsourcing agreements
• Government and public sector agreements
• Advising on tenders and RFP responses
• Advising on, drafting and negotiating contracts with suppliers

Regulatory:

• Advising on data privacy, AI, DORA and regulatory matters.

General:

• Providing legal advice to the firm’s service lines and its other internal support functions such as real estate and facilities, procurement, finance, HR, IT, knowledge and marketing, providing training and guidance to service line colleagues on legal and contractual issues, developing contract templates, policies and guidance and the opportunity to be the legal lead on firm-wide projects.

What we look for:

The successful candidate will have:

• An excellent academic record.
• Strong team player with excellent negotiation and communication skills.
• Enthusiastic and positive attitude.
• A self-starter, adept at responding promptly/juggling deadlines who actively looks to build relationships based on trust and confidence.
• Demonstrable commitment to the attributes of our highest performing teams – focus on results, accepts accountability, committed, embraces healthy conflict, builds trust.
• Keeps calm and copes well with conflicting and ever-changing deadlines.
• Ability to lead, provide a view, take responsibility and ownership of issues, including an ability to take difficult decisions and provide substantiated arguments.
• Commercial awareness of the business issues facing us as we evolve, coupled with an active desire to get alongside our business, scanning the horizon for new service offerings to provide legal insight and support.

An ability to practice law in Ireland is a requirement. Practicing certificate costs will be met by the firm.

To qualify for the role you must have

• Approximately 5 or more years of post-qualification experience.
• Significant experience gained either in a reputable law firm and/or in-house.
• Ability to provide practical legal advice and support with a high degree of professionalism in a fast-paced environment and to establish a high degree of credibility, respect and trust at all levels.

Salary will be commensurate with experience.

About EY

As a global leader in Assurance, Tax, Transaction and Advisory Services, we’re using the finance products, expertise, and systems we’ve developed to build a better working world. That starts with a culture that believes in giving you the training, opportunities, and creative freedom to make things better. Whenever you join, however long you stay, the exceptional EY experience lasts a lifetime.

What working at EY offers

We offer a competitive remuneration package. Our comprehensive benefits package includes support for flexible working and career development, and with FlexEY you can select benefits that suit your needs: covering holidays, health and well-being, insurance, savings and a wide range of discounts, offers and promotions.

Plus, we offer:

• Support and coaching from some of the most engaging colleagues around.
• Opportunities to develop new skills and progress your career.
• The freedom and flexibility to handle your role in a way that’s right for you.

All our employees are given a benefits package which they can tailor to suit their individual preferences. Our range of benefits include:

• Hybrid Working
• Pension/Discounted Health Insurance
• Web Doctor
• Purchase of Additional Annual Leave
• Free Gym Membership
• Travel Pass
• Maternity & Paternity Leave
• Bike to Work Scheme
• Referral Bonuses & Recognition Awards
• Tech MBA paid by EY

EY is committed to being an inclusive employer and we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. We strive to achieve the right balance for our people, enabling us to deliver excellent client service whilst allowing you to build your career without sacrificing your personal priorities. While our client-facing professionals can be required to travel regularly, and at times be based at client sites, our flexible working arrangements can help you to achieve a lifestyle balance.

• When you join EY, you will be supported to ensure that you are enhancing your skills from day one.
• Continuous learning, where you can develop the mindset and skills to navigate whatever comes next.
• As you grow and develop here, you’ll discover opportunities to help customise your career journey, so that it’s as unique as you are - success is defined by you, we will provide the tools and flexibility, so you can make a meaningful impact, your way.
• Transformative leadership, we will give you the insights, coaching and confidence to be the leader the world needs.
• Diverse and inclusive culture, you will be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs.
• We have embraced Hybrid working at EY adding greater flexibility and autonomy to the roles of our employees.

Inclusion & Diversity

We hold a collective commitment to foster an environment where all differences are valued and respected, practices are equitable and everyone experiences a sense of belonging: Inclusion, diversity, and equity are part of who we are at EY. We believe that the highest-performing teams maximize the power of different perspectives and backgrounds. These teams are both diverse and inclusive and are willing to invite and learn from other perspectives. Our ability to include various viewpoints into our mindsets, behaviours and operations is fundamental to driving innovation, building strong relationships, and delivering the best solutions for our clients.

We recognise the strength that comes from having a diverse workforce and building a culture where we support all our people to achieve their potential. You’ll be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs. As an equal opportunities’ employer, we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. Reasonable accommodations are offered at every stage of our recruitment process.

Join us in building a better working world.That’s Why, EY.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.