Global Legal Counsel - Litigation - Associate Director

Location: London

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.
• 8+ 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

At EY, we’ll develop you with future‑focused skills and equip you with world‑class experiences. We’ll empower you in a flexible environment, and fuel you and your extraordinary talents in a diverse and inclusive culture of globally connected teams.

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.

Join us in our team‑led and leader‑enabled hybrid model. Our expectation is for most people in external, client serving roles to work together in person 40‑60% of the time over the course of an engagement, project or year.

Are you ready to shape your future with confidence? Apply today.