Legal Counsel

Job description

About the Role We are seeking a commercially astute Legal Counse l (circa 1–3 years’ PQE) to join our in-house legal team at a rapidly growing engineering consultancy operating across the Irish, UK and European markets. This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated lawyer to gain broad, hands-on exposure to a dynamic in-house environment supporting a business that is expanding both organically and through acquisition. Responsibilities Mergers & Acquisitions As Legal Counsel you will support the Legal team and wider business on the full lifecycle of M&A transactions, from initial screening through to completion. Assist with legal due diligence on acquisition targets, including reviewing corporate, commercial, employment and property records and preparing due diligence reports. Help coordinate input from external advisers and other internal stakeholders (finance, tax, HR) during transactions. Support post-acquisition integration, including onboarding of acquired entities into group policies, contracts and governance structures. Help maintain group corporate structure charts and ensure entities remain in good standing and compliant with statutory obligations. Compliance & Risk Support the development, implementation and monitoring of group policies and compliance frameworks. Help identify, assess and manage legal and contractual risk across the business. Assist with training and awareness initiatives to embed good compliance practice across the organisation. Commercial & Contract Support Provide day-to-day commercial legal support to the business, including drafting, reviewing and negotiating a range of contracts. Advise internal stakeholders on contractual and legal risk in a clear, practical and commercially focused manner. Support the management of disputes and claims as they arise, liaising with external counsel where required. Negotiate disputes and settlements under contracts as required Develop and maintain strong relationships with clients and vendors, and act as the main point of contact for any contract-related queries Support various strategic projects across the wider management and legal team Provide training and guidance to internal teams on contract-related matters Essential Requirements Qualified Solicitor or Barrister in Ireland and/or the UK. Circa 1–3 years' post-qualification experience gained in-house and/or in private practice. Experience of, or strong exposure to, M&A, due diligence, corporate governance, compliance or commercial contracts. Commercially astute, with the ability to translate legal risk into practical, business-focused advice. Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to negotiate effectively, build relationships and communicate with stakeholders at all levels. Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage a varied workload, competing priorities, and ability to succeed in a physically dispersed team. High attention to detail and strong drafting and analytical skills. Excellent verbal and written communication skills An accurate, pragmatic approach to advising the business Continuous improvement mindset with the ability to develop and streamline processes and implement best practices Desirable Requirements Prior experience in, or exposure to, the engineering, construction or consultancy sector. Experience working within a lean, in-house legal team supporting a growing business. Additional information For this position you can expect occasional travel up to 10% of the time What We Can Offer You Being part of ORS means more than just a job, it means joining a company that invests in you and your ambitions with transparency, structure and support. We are delighted to offer a suite of benefits when you join ORS, which include: Competitive salary Performance-related bonus Pension scheme with matching contributions Remote-first hybrid model – use your home as a base and any of our office locations as you see fit Work from abroad Flexible working hours Access to over 60 health disciplines through our Kara Connect Platform Continuous Professional development (CPD) programme & funding Paid maternity, paternity and fertility leave Company and birthday annual leave days Death in Service benefit Tax saver - travel and bike to work Culture, social, wellness and CPD committees Talent Development Programmes Access to leading career coach Gerry Duffy About ORS ORS is a world-class multidisciplinary building consultancy with more than 30 years of delivering technical excellence across the built environment. Our mission is simple but powerful: We endeavour to make the lives of our team, clients, partners and communities happier and better in the ways that really matter every single day. Don’t just take our word for it! ORS has won numerous awards, recognising our Great Place to Work culture. Awarded Consultancy Firm of the Year at the Irish Design & Build Awards 2026 Great Place to Work certified 27th Best Small & Medium Workplace in Europe 2026 Winner of the Workplace Excellence Awards Best Workplace for Remote & Distributed Teams 2026 Winner of the Workplace Excellence Awards HR Team of the Year 2026 Winner of the Workplace Excellence Awards Best Workplace for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 2026 Winner of the Engineering Consultancy of the Year at the Engineering Excellence Awards 2025 Winner of the Graduate Programme of the Year at the Engineering Excellence Awards 2025 Winner of the Best Company to Work For at the Irish Design & Build Awards 2024 & 2025 Winner of the Best People Development of the Year at the Engineering Excellence Awards 2024 Winner of the Recruitment & Retention Strategy at the Workplace Excellence Awards 2024 Great Place to Work certified consecutively since 2017 Top 3 Company Best Workplaces in the medium-sized category at the Great Place to Work awards 2025 Best Workplaces for Health & Wellbeing 2025 Great Place to Work Engineers Ireland CPD Accreditation since 20217 Silver Accreditation through Investors in Diversity 2025 Winner of the Engineering Consultancy of the Year at the Engineering Excellence Awards 2025 Winner of the Graduate Programme of the Year at the Engineering Excellence Awards 2025 Winner of the Best Company to Work For at the Irish Design & Build Awards 2024 & 2025 Winner of the Best People Development of the Year at the Engineering Excellence Awards 2024 Winner of the Recruitment & Retention Strategy at the Workplace Excellence Awards 2024 Great Place to Work certified consecutively since 2017 Top 3 Company Best Workplaces in the medium-sized category at the Great Place to Work awards 2025 Best Workplaces for Health & Wellbeing 2025 Great Place to Work Engineers Ireland CPD Accreditation since 20217 Awarded for Hybrid Way of Working at the 2022 Great Place to Work Awards Silver Accreditation through Investors in Diversity 2025 ORS is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive company culture. We foster a culture of inclusion for all employees that respects and supports their individual strengths and experiences.