Employment Counsel

Quick facts£650-£750 per day PAYE | Employment Lawyer | Surrey | Hybrid: Tues-Thurs in office, Mon/Fri remote | 10-12 months Start: July 2026

Are you a qualified employment lawyer ready to step into a senior in-house role with real ownership? Have you advised on complex employment matters across multiple European jurisdictions? Are you available for a 10-12-month PAYE day-rate contract in a fast-paced, international business? Who this role suits This role suits an experienced employment lawyer who enjoys operating at pace in a complex, matrix environment. You will be comfortable taking ownership, exercising judgement, and working closely with senior People and HR stakeholders. This is not a step-down or observational role. You will be trusted to act, influence, and deliver outcomes. You will thrive here if you enjoy variety, ambiguity, and responsibility, and are motivated by working in a creative, product-led, globally connected organisation. The opportunity You will join a well-established in-house employment legal team within a globally recognised technology and digital entertainment business. The organisation operates at scale across Europe and beyond, with a strong emphasis on collaboration, innovation, and people experience. This maternity cover role offers immediate responsibility, international exposure, and meaningful involvement in employment issues with real business impact. What you will be doing You will provide front-line and strategic in-house employment law and employment counsel support across the full employee lifecycle, working closely with People Experience and HR partners on complex employee relations (ER) issues. This will include advising on performance management, exits, investigations, wage and hour issues, and sensitive employee relations matters. You will act as primary employment counsel for Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, and Romania, with additional support across the UK, Ireland, and Switzerland. You will also advise on union and works council matters, employment issues arising from transactions, and employee privacy matters in coordination with specialist teams. Close collaboration with the global employment legal team is central to the role. Essential requirements* Qualified lawyer in the UK or another relevant European jurisdiction, with experience operating as an employment counsel or in-house employment lawyer * Strong in-house employment law experience within a complex organisation * Proven ability to manage investigations and sensitive employee relations issues * Confidence advising senior stakeholders with sound commercial judgement Desirable experience* Previous interim or maternity-cover in-house roles * Exposure to union or works council environments * Experience supporting employment aspects of corporate transactions No sponsorship or relocation offered.