Counsel, Offboarding & Litigation

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Counsel, Offboarding & Litigation based in Portugal. As Counsel, Offboarding & Litigation, you will lead complex employment offboarding, pre-litigation, and litigation matters across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). You will ensure that employment terminations, disciplinary proceedings, and workplace disputes are managed in accordance with local labor laws and statutory requirements. Working closely with internal teams and external legal counsel, you will develop effective dispute resolution strategies while minimizing legal and commercial risks. You will provide practical legal guidance on sensitive employee matters, balancing regulatory compliance with business objectives and client needs. You will also collaborate with product and operational teams to translate legal requirements into scalable processes and technology improvements. This role offers the opportunity to shape employment compliance practices in a global, fast-paced, and client-focused environment. The ideal candidate combines strong employment litigation expertise, sound commercial judgment, and the ability to navigate complex, multi-jurisdictional legal challenges.

Lead end-to-end offboarding, pre-litigation, and litigation matters across EMEA, including for-cause terminations, redundancies, collective dismissals, mutual separations, and other contentious employment exits. Manage disciplinary and consultation processes, statutory filings, and employment disputes, ensuring compliance with applicable labor laws and procedural requirements in each jurisdiction. Conduct case intake, fact-finding, and legal risk assessments for employee relations matters, guiding internal stakeholders and clients through statutory procedures from initial notice to final settlement and clearance. Lead or support disciplinary hearings, conciliation, mediation, arbitration, and employment litigation proceedings, advising on appropriate disciplinary measures and resolution strategies. Draft and review termination notices, separation agreements, legal submissions, position statements, and supporting evidence to ensure accuracy, legal defensibility, and alignment with local legislation and jurisprudence. Evaluate litigation exposure, including potential reinstatement, back pay, statutory and compensatory damages, and settlement costs, while developing hearing strategies and providing commercially informed updates to stakeholders. Serve as the primary point of contact for external legal counsel, overseeing case assignments, defining scopes of work, negotiating fees and timelines, and reviewing the quality of legal deliverables. Collaborate with HR Advisory, Customer Success, Sales, Payroll, Onboarding, and Legal teams to strengthen offboarding frameworks, resolve escalations, and improve client outcomes. Partner with product teams to review offboarding, disciplinary, and termination workflows, validate their compliance with local employment laws, and identify regulatory changes requiring product or system updates. Contribute to cross-functional legal initiatives, regional compliance projects, process automation, and other strategic matters that support operational efficiency and risk reduction. Requirements A law degree (JD, LLB, or equivalent) and active admission to the Bar or an equivalent qualifying legal body in an applicable EMEA jurisdiction, in good standing. Between 6 and 10 years of post-qualification experience in employment law within EMEA, including substantial hands-on experience leading employment agency proceedings, tribunal cases, arbitrations, and disciplinary or grievance hearings. A demonstrated employment litigation track record, including drafting legal submissions and pleadings, preparing witnesses, conducting hearing advocacy, and evaluating potential reinstatement, back pay, and damages exposure. Strong working knowledge of EMEA employment legislation, particularly termination procedures, statutory due process, and unfair or wrongful dismissal. Familiarity with employment law and offboarding requirements across multiple EMEA jurisdictions, with the ability to quickly understand and apply regulations in new markets. Proven experience managing employee lifecycle matters, including performance improvement plans (PIPs), disciplinary actions, workplace investigations, dismissals for cause, and redundancy processes. Strong expertise in instructing and managing external legal counsel, including defining case scope, negotiating fees, managing deadlines, and reviewing legal work for quality and effectiveness. Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate across Product, Operations, HR, and commercial teams while communicating confidently with clients and business partners. Outstanding written and verbal English communication skills, combined with sound legal judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, practical business guidance. Additional working proficiency in an EMEA language, such as Spanish, French, German, or Portuguese, is an advantage. The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and make sound decisions in a fast-paced, international, and client-facing environment. Benefits Remote work: Work remotely within the eligible EMEA region, offering flexibility in your working environment. Full-time opportunity: Take on a dedicated legal role with responsibility for complex employment matters across multiple jurisdictions. Cross-functional collaboration: Work closely with legal, HR, product, operations, and commercial teams to influence business processes and compliance standards. Strategic impact: Help shape scalable employment law and offboarding frameworks while contributing to product improvements that support regulatory compliance. Professional development: Expand your expertise in international employment law, cross-border litigation, dispute resolution, and legal operations. Global exposure: Gain experience navigating diverse regulatory environments and collaborating with stakeholders across international markets.