EMEA Legal Counsel- Labor and Employment Law

JLL empowers you to shape a brighter way. Our people at JLL are shaping the future of real estate for a better world by combining world class services, advisory and technology for our clients. We are committed to hiring the best, most talented people and empowering them to thrive, grow meaningful careers and to find a place where they belong. Whether you’ve got deep experience in commercial real estate, skilled trades or technology, or you’re looking to apply your relevant experience to a new industry, join our team as we help shape a brighter way forward. JLL es una empresa comprometida con la igualdad de oportunidades entre hombres y mujeres / JLL as a company is committed to equal opportunities for men and women. JLL is seeking an experienced employment law attorney to serve as Senior Counsel - Labor and Employment Law for the EMEA region. This is a high-visibility leadership role at the center of two of the region's most consequential employment law shifts: the transposition of the EU Pay Transparency Directive into national law across EMEA jurisdictions, and the evolving works council and co-determination landscape reshaping how multinationals operate in Europe. The Senior Counsel will set strategy, not just respond to it — shaping JLL's regional compliance roadmap, advising senior business leaders directly, and building the frameworks other markets will follow. This position plays a critical role in supporting JLL's European, Middle Eastern, and African operations by providing sophisticated legal counsel on complex employment matters across multiple jurisdictions. The successful candidate will work collaboratively within our global employment law team while independently leading a diverse portfolio of labor- and employment-related matters spanning the EMEA region — with direct ownership of the strategic priorities that will define the function's regional agenda over the next several years. The role requires a strategic legal professional who can provide practical counsel to business leaders, ensure compliance with evolving employment laws across diverse jurisdictions, and effectively manage complex cross-border employment matters and investigations. This position offers significant growth opportunities within JLL's dynamic legal department and the chance to shape employment practices across a leading global organization's EMEA operations at a formative moment for European labor regulation. ### Strategic EMEA Priorities * Lead JLL's EMEA-wide legal strategy for transposition of the EU Pay Transparency Directive, including gap analysis across member states, coordination with local counsel on divergent national implementing legislation, and design of compliant pay-reporting and pay-equity frameworks * Serve as JLL's senior lead on works council strategy across EMEA, including co-determination and information/consultation obligations, and represent JLL in works council negotiations on organizational change, policy rollouts, and workforce initiatives * Own the regional roadmap for pay transparency and works council priorities, briefing senior legal and business leadership on risk, sequencing, and cross-jurisdictional trade-offs * Build repeatable playbooks and governance models for pay transparency and employee-representation matters that can scale across EMEA markets and inform JLL's global approach ### Key Responsibilities #### EMEA Regional Leadership & Cross-Border Support * Serve as primary contact person for HR and business inquiries related to employment law across the EMEA region and for international projects * Provide cooperation and support to HR and legal teams in individual EMEA countries * Advise and support cross-border issues and projects throughout the EMEA region * Monitor compliance with evolving federal, national, and regional employment laws across EMEA jurisdictions and advise on implementation strategies * Handle employment law matters across diverse EMEA markets with varying legal frameworks * Coordinate with local legal teams to ensure consistent application of employment policies across the region #### Legal Counsel & Compliance * Provide comprehensive guidance on wage and hour matters, working time directives, and compensation structures across EMEA jurisdictions * Advise on leave laws and administration, including statutory leave entitlements, parental leave, and reasonable accommodation requirements under local disability legislation * Draft, review, and revise employee agreements including employment contracts, offer letters, restrictive covenants, secondment agreements, and independent contractor arrangements compliant with local laws * Review compensation plans to ensure legal compliance with local regulations and alignment with business objectives * Conduct comprehensive policy reviews and updates to maintain current compliance standards across multiple EMEA jurisdictions * Lead labor-related proceedings, including works council matters, collective bargaining, trade union negotiations, and employment tribunal proceedings #### Strategic Business Support & External Counsel Management * Provide legal advice to support Culture and Employee Experience initiatives across EMEA * Cost-conscious commissioning and management of external lawyers together with local legal teams * Support sourcing and procurement activities, including review of public institution agreements and RFPs for employment-related considerations * Advise on hiring and recruitment matters, including GDPR compliance, day-to-day pay transparency requirements, and background check compliance within various EMEA jurisdictions * Review commercial contracts and provide employment-related guidance to contracts attorneys * Independent commissioning and management of external lawyers with focus on cost management #### Litigation & Risk Management * Advise on internal investigations of potential ethics and compliance violations, misconduct, and criminal conduct matters * Advise and support in disputes with employees, supporting legal teams in countries with local disputes * Coordinate responses to government audits from various EMEA regulatory agencies and employment authorities * Manage diverse pre-litigation and regulatory proceedings, including alternative dispute resolution mechanisms available in EMEA jurisdictions * Analyze vulnerabilities and patterns and develop cross-country solutions #### Training & Advisory Services * Conduct employment law training sessions for HR and business teams across EMEA region * Review and advise on company-wide training programs related to employment issues * Provide ongoing counsel on performance management, terminations, and workplace investigations * Support and advise during investigations #### Operational Excellence * Collaborate with Human Resources and Culture and Employee Experience teams to align legal requirements with diverse EMEA business objectives * Work within the global employment law team structure while maintaining independent judgment on complex regional matters * Support employment aspects of talent acquisition, benefits administration, and workforce planning initiatives across EMEA markets * Identify weak points and develop solutions for regional employment law challenges ### Reporting Structure & Organizational Context This position reports directly to the Global Head of Labor and Employment Law and works collaboratively with regional Human Resources and Culture and Employee Experience teams across EMEA. The role includes coordination with local legal team members and external counsel as needed to support JLL's comprehensive EMEA employment law strategy. Location: On-site –Madrid, ESP If this job description resonates with you, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all of the requirements. We’re interested in getting to know you and what you bring to the table! At JLL, we harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to efficiently accelerate meaningful connections between candidates and opportunities. Using AI capabilities, we analyze your application for relevant skills, experiences, and qualifications to generate valuable insights about how your unique profile aligns with the specific requirements of the role you're pursuing. JLL Privacy Notice Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading global provider of real estate and investment management services. We take our responsibility to protect the personal information provided to us seriously. Generally the personal information we collect from you are for the purposes of processing in connection with JLL’s recruitment process. We endeavour to keep your personal information secure with appropriate level of security and keep for as long as we need it for legitimate business or legal reasons. We will then delete it safely and securely. For more information about how JLL processes your personal data, please view our Candidate Privacy Statement. For additional details please see our career site pages for each country. Jones Lang LaSalle (“JLL”) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process – including the online application and/or overall selection process – you may email us at HRSCLeaves@jll.com. This email is only to request an accommodation. Please direct any other general recruiting inquiries to our Contact Us page > I want to work for JLL.