Legal Counsel

Job title: Legal Counsel

Location: Dublin 4

Position type: Permanent, Full-time

Work location: 2 days in office & 3 days where you work best

About Irish Distillers, a Pernod Ricard company  

Irish Distillers are makers of some of the world’s most well known and successful Irish Whiskeys. Led by Jameson, a top 10 global spirit brand and one of the top 3 global whiskey brand, our brands have led the renaissance of Irish Whiskey and are distributed to over 130 markets across the globe. Irish Distillers are part of Pernod Ricard, a worldwide leader in premium spirits, with a comprehensive portfolio of premium spirits including Absolut, Havana Club, Kaluha, Malibu, Ballantines, The Glenlivet, Martell Cognac, Beefeater Gin and and Perrier-Jouët champagnes.   

About our Global Brands Marketing Legal Hub  

Our Global Brands Marketing Legal Hub is our global centre of excellence, supporting all global Pernod Ricard brands.  Established in 2024, the hub is designed to deliver high-quality legal support across commercial, marketing, digital, and regulatory domains.  This fast paced, dynamic team ensures our marketing activities comply with relevant laws and regulation, providing guidance on areas such as sponsorship contracts, agency agreements, asset review, consumer law with an increasing focus on AI and digital marketing related activations and projects. This role offers exposure to high-profile projects, senior stakeholders, and strategic initiatives across Irish Distillers and broader Pernod Ricard portfolio. 

About the role 

We now have a rare and exciting opportunity for a Global Marketing Legal Counsel (Whiskey ) based out of Dublin, reporting to a Global Marketing Senior Legal Manager based in the UK. This is a unique opportunity to work on exciting, key projects while supporting the commercial and strategic ambitions of our brands, with a focus on the Irish whiskey portfolio (including Jameson, Redbreast and Midleton Very Rare). You will be responsible for providing pragmatic, commercially focused legal advice across a broad range of areas such as Marketing Contracts, Advisory Work, Consumer Law & AI/digital awareness ensuring compliance and risk mitigation.   

An interesting mix of contractual and advisory support for marketing and digital initiatives. including high-profile sponsorships and celebrity partnerships, agency agreements, and global campaigns.  

 What’s involved?  

Working in close collaboration with Senior Legal stakeholder and locally and internationally based marketing, innovation and indirect procurement teams, will be involved in: 

• Marketing related contracts: providing legal support on all brand marketing related contracts including: sponsorships, events, talent acquisition, collaborations, agency engagement for the brand owner, HQ and innovation teams. This includes legal support for disputes and responding to queries from these teams; 

• Brand and product claims: advising on the legal requirements with respect to brand and product claims on packaging and/or in marketing materials, including the use of GI’s (and any associated production requirements), sustainability claims, product classification and brand history claims.  

• Marketing projects: providing legal support in relation to brand marketing and innovation projects; 

• Digital and AI contracts and projects: providing legal support in relation to digital marketing and other digital and AI related projects; 

• External legal service provider management: managing external legal service providers to ensure a high quality and cost-effective services as needed. 

In co-ordination with other members of our global legal team, you and the legal support hub will also be responsible for: 

• Special projects: Helping manage and deliver our ‘special projects’ (such as development of content for our online facilities & digital self-service legal tools); 

• Consulting: Consulting with key stakeholders, in particular the brand company legal directors, on matters of legal risk acceptance and strategy – and otherwise keeping them informed of all relevant activities; 

• Communication & training: Communicating with the wider business (including Pernod Ricard HQ, brand owner companies, external advisers and other departments) and providing training, where required; 

• Records & reports: Keeping accurate and up-to-date records of all contracts, cases and projects and preparing regular reports on legal matters for key stakeholders; and 

• Continuous improvement: Maintaining legal templates and other tools and otherwise supporting a continuous improvement strategy. 

Qualifications & Experience 

• Qualified solicitor (Ireland or UK) with a current practising certificate. 

• 2–4 years PQE in a reputable commercial law firm or in-house legal team. 

• Strong experience in commercial contracts, marketing law, and digital/AI matters. 

• Exposure to consumer law, client advisory , and regulatory frameworks is a plus. 

• Familiarity with common law systems desirable. 

Personal Attributes 

• Technically brilliant with strong commercial acumen. 

• Excellent communicator – confident, articulate, and able to simplify complex legal concepts. 

• Pragmatic and solutions-oriented, with sound judgment on risk. 

• Self-starter with the ability to work independently and collaboratively. 

• Passionate about iconic brands and excited by the opportunity to shape their future. 

What we offer 

We understand our people are our special ingredient.  We understand that employees require different supports at different stages of their working lives and our benefits, perks and programmes look to support your employee journey. Some of offerings include; 

• Hybrid working; a blended working arrangement of up to 3 days a week working from where you work best 

• Profit share: an annual profit share scheme to reward your contribution to the company’s success. 

• Allowance: an annual allowance to spend on our portfolio of products and merchandise, for you to enjoy responsibly. 

• People Development: We enable continuous development for our people at every stage of their careers through our people development, online learning, and leadership training programmes.  

• Family leave: fully paid maternity, parent and paternity leave, allowing you spend precious time with your new family member  

• Parental Support: Our ‘Reconnect’ programme includes access to a workplace parenting coach, a phased return to work and a supportive environment for new parents 

• Health & Wellbeing; Our Wellbeing Programme “THRIVE” supports employees across the three main pillars: Life, Body and Mind 

• Charity Days: up to 2 days paid leave every year to volunteer at a charity of their choice 

At Irish Distillers, a Pernod Ricard company, we know that great spirits are crafted by blending unique ingredients, and we believe the same is true for people. We welcome individuals from all walks of life, including those from the Travelling community, diverse religious backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, abilities, and identities. It’s the mix of our experiences, voices, and cultures that gives us our true character.” 

Learn more – www.irishdistillers.ie/careers 

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