Compliance Counsel

Thomson Reuters is hiring a motivated and commercially minded employment lawyer as Employment Counsel for its Employment and Labor Group (ELG) on the Litigation Team within the General Counsel's Office (GCO) (the legal department) to provide strategic, practical labor and employment support (advisory and litigation) across Continental Europe, UK, Middle East and Africa. This role will counsel HR, Employee Relations, and business leaders across the company on a broad range of employment and labor issues in a fast-paced environment, including complex employee relations matters, investigations, reorganizations, legal disputes, and compliance initiatives, as well as provide strategic oversight of all employment and labor litigation in the applicable regions. It is a hybrid role split between office and remote work in accordance with the Company's Flexible Work Policy (3 days in office, 2 remote). The role will support Thomson Reuters leaders and employees across multiple jurisdictions, partnering closely with HR (including the new HR Director in Barcelona), Compliance, Privacy, Finance and the broader GCO team. The role also will partner closely with Reuters GMs and other key Reuters stakeholders co-located in Barcelona, and is an exciting opportunity to support Reuters in this growing and key location for Reuters global operations. Act as a trusted advisor to HR and business leaders globally, balancing legal risk with commercial objectives to enable business outcomes. Advise on union and works council issues, negotiations and dispute resolution. Oversee and coordinate multi-jurisdictional legal strategy aligning internal stakeholders and supervising local counsel to ensure consistent, scalable approaches. Develop and execute litigation and pre-litigation strategy, including early case assessment, budgeting, and oversight of outside counsel in line with outside counsel guidelines. Provide guidance on employee performance management, discipline and terminations, as needed. Conduct legal reviews of proposed reductions in force and reorganizations, and advise on severance eligibility in accordance with local law and practice. Advise on compensation issues/plans and compliance with local wage and hour laws. Advise Reuters on best practices related to non-staff contributors (freelancers). Advise on employment aspects of M&A transactions, including diligence, transaction structuring, employee transition planning and post-closing integration. Advise on vendor/customer contract requirements impacting our employees. Advise on employee/independent contractor classification issues. Advise on pay equity laws and initiatives. Advise on HR and management training for various employment issues. Provide rapid, practical legal guidance in high-risk or crisis situations, including employee safety, workplace incidents, and sensitive reputational matters. Ensure compliance with the Trust Principles, which reflect Reuters commitment to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias. Leverage legal technology and AI tools to enhance efficiency, consistency, and insight in advisory and litigation work. Certification/Education: Law degree and currently licensed/qualified to practice law in Spain. Substantial (5-10+ years) relevant employment law experience, with in-house experience strongly preferred Ability to think strategically and creatively, to identify and resolve legal issues while mitigating risk and minimizing impact or disruption to the business. Possess strong work ethic, sound judgment, cultural fluency, and the ability to deliver practical advice across multiple jurisdictions, in fast paced environment often under tight timelines. A solutions-oriented self-starter who independently manages complex matters, anticipates legal and business risks, engages stakeholders proactively and drives initiatives end-to-end with minimal supervision. Ability to convey complex legal concepts and considerations in a concise, easy to understand manner. Ability to give clear, practical, and commercial legal advice that empowers the business. Ability to perform multi-jurisdictional legal research thoroughly and efficiently. Fluent in English. Understanding of copyright and intellectual property laws a plus. Written and verbal communication skills in additional languages besides English a plus.#Hybrid Work Model: We've adopted a flexible hybrid working environment (2-3 days a week in the office depending on the role) for our office-based roles while delivering a seamless experience that is digitally and physically connected. Flex My Way is a set of supportive workplace policies designed to help manage personal and professional responsibilities, whether caring for family, giving back to the community, or finding time to refresh and reset. This builds upon our flexible work arrangements, including work from anywhere for up to 8 weeks per year, empowering employees to achieve a better work-life balance. Industry Competitive Ben