Global Legal Counsel - Litigation - Associate Director

EY; Secaucus (NJ); On-site; USD 211,000 - 417,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical & dental

401(k) plan

Pension

Flexible vacation policy

Paid time off

Job summary

EY in Secaucus, NJ, seeks an experienced litigator to join the Global General Counsel’s Office. You will defend EY in claims including malpractice, contract, and securities suits, manage regulatory responses, and advise on risk and compliance across service lines.

You will coordinate with outside counsel, prepare briefs, and guide discovery while shaping EY policy on legal issues. A top law degree and 6+ years of practice are preferred.

Qualifications

• Significant autonomy in handling litigation, criminal, and regulatory matters.
• Attorney with substantial litigation, including trial experience.
• Strong analytical ability to synthesize facts and law.
• Knowledge of laws and regulations applicable to EY and industry.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with stakeholders.
• Ability to plan and execute projects with tight deadlines.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to manage outside counsel.
• Bachelor's degree; top of class preferred.
• Law degree from a top law school; top of class preferred.
• 6+ years practicing attorney.
• Active license to practice law where EY office is located.

Responsibilities

• Handle all aspects of various litigation, enforcement matters and investigations, and internal investigations.
• Advise on cross-border matters with potential financial or reputational impact.
• Consult with partners on potential or threatened litigation to avoid exposure.
• Coordinate responses to regulatory subpoenas and preservation notices.
• Advise on professional responsibility and risk management issues.
• Formulate defense strategies and coordinate with stakeholders.
• Manage outside counsel spend and leverage effectively.
• Conduct interviews of potential expert witnesses and personnel.
• Participate in mediations and settlement negotiations.
• Prepare key litigation documents (briefs, pleadings, discovery).
• Prepare witnesses for testimony.
• Develop EY policy positions on legal issues.

Skills

Autonomy

Litigation

Trial experience

Analytical ability

Regulatory knowledge

Communication

Project management

Client management

Education

Juris Doctor (top law school)

Bachelor's degree (top of class)

Job description

At EY, we’re all in to shape your future with confidence.

We’ll help you succeed in a globally connected powerhouse of diverse teams and take your career wherever you want it to go. Join EY and help to build a better working world.

The Opportunity

We are looking for an experienced litigator to join our Global General Counsel’s Office (“GCO”) team. The successful candidate will help defend claims made against EY, including claims alleging professional malpractice, breach of contract claims, and securities class action litigation. This role actively manages and participates in the defense of litigation, mediations, arbitrations, and other civil proceedings. This role will also respond to subpoenas, inquiries, and investigations by regulators. This position serves a critical advisory and risk management function, addressing compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and firm policies governing all service lines compromising EY’s business.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Handle all aspects of various litigation, enforcement matters and investigations, and internal investigations
• Advise and assist on matters involving cross-border issues or which could have a significant financial or reputational impact to EY
• Consult with partners and other stakeholders on potential or threatened litigation to avoid significant civil, criminal, or regulatory exposure
• Coordinate responses to regulatory subpoenas and preservation requests by determining the appropriate custodians, drafting the preservation notice, and ensuring compliance
• Advise on issues of professional responsibility and risk management, such as client acceptance and continuances, conflicts of interest, document retention, independence, professional standards and guidance, restatements, special investigations, and discovery of financial statement errors or potential client fraud
• Formulate defense strategies and other tactical decisions in potential or active litigation matters involving EY and consult on defense strategies with relevant stakeholders
• Work with outside counsel and actively manage outside counsel spend to ensure resources are appropriately spent
• Conduct interviews of potential expert witnesses and current or former personnel in connection with litigation or other matters
• Participate in mediations and other settlement negotiations to resolve disputes in a cost-effective manner
• Participate in preparing key documents in litigation, including legal briefs, pleadings, and discovery requests
• Participate in preparing witnesses for testimony
• Develop and recommend EY policy and positions on legal issues

To Qualify for the Role You Must Have

• Significant level of autonomy in making difficult and often nuanced decisions involving litigation, criminal, and regulatory proceedings
• Experience as an attorney with significant litigation, including trial and related experience.
• Exceptionally strong analytical abilities to synthesize facts and law to determine actions
• Understand laws, rules, and regulations applicable to EY and its industry.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to interface and communicate effectively and diplomatically with all levels of EY personnel, including firm leaders and managing partners
• Demonstrated ability to create, plan, and successfully execute projects; the ability to meet multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to manage outside counsel effectively
• A bachelor's degree from an accredited 4-year college; top of class preferred
• Law degree from a top law school; top of class preferred
• 6+ years of experience as a practicing attorney, preferably in a law firm or corporate legal department
• Requires active license as an attorney to practice law in the location where the resident EY office is located

Skills And Attributes For Success

• Strong team player with excellent negotiation and communication skills and cultural awareness.
• Proactive attitude and positive mindset, high degree of emotional intelligence, and demonstrated aptitude for resilience, flexibility, and ability to adapt to changing circumstances and dynamics.
• Interest and ability to positively team and collaborate effectively across geographic locations.
• Ability to grasp, understand, and effectively articulate and document complex legal and contractual principles.

What We Offer You

The compensation ranges below are provided in order to comply with United States pay transparency laws. Other geographies will follow their local salary guidelines, which may not be a direct conversion of published US salary ranges. At EY, we harness our collective strength to empower you to shape your future with confidence through professional growth, personal fulfillment and an inclusive culture. Learn more at ey.com/us/careers.

• We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to the business. The base salary range for this job is:

• New York City, Boston, and Washington DC Metro Areas, Washington State, and Southern California offices – $252,900 to $455,100
• Bay Area California offices – $263,400 to $474,100
• All other offices locations in the US, including Sacramento – $210,700 to $417,200

• Individual salaries within these ranges are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, skills and geography. In addition, our Total Rewards package includes medical and dental coverage, pension and 401(k) plans, and a wide range of paid time off options.
• Under our flexible vacation policy, you’ll decide how much vacation time you need based on your own personal circumstances. You’ll also be granted time off for designated EY Paid Holidays, Winter/Summer breaks, Personal/Family Care, and other leaves of absence when needed to support your physical, financial, and emotional well-being.

EY | Building a better working world

EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets.

Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.

EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories.

All in to shape the future with confidence.

EY provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy, genetic information, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other legally protected basis, including arrest and conviction records, in accordance with applicable law.

EY is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities including veterans with disabilities. If you have a disability and either need assistance applying online or need to request an accommodation during any part of the application process, please call 1-800-EY-HELP3, select Option 2 for candidate related inquiries, then select Option 1 for candidate queries and finally select Option 2 for candidates with an inquiry which will route you to EY’s Talent Shared Services Team (TSS) or email the TSS at [e-mail].

At EY, we use artificial intelligence (AI) tools as one element of our recruitment process to enhance efficiency and improve the candidate experience. While AI supports us in our process, human judgment and decision-making remain integral in our candidate experience. We are committed to the responsible use of AI, and our practices are continuously reviewed and refined to ensure they align with the highest ethical principles and regulatory requirements

To all recruitment agencies: EY does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies. Any resumes submitted without a prior agreement or request from our hiring team will not be considered. EY is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.