What does a career in legal look like when your work spans countries and continents?
For Seán, it means looking beyond one jurisdiction or one type of challenge. As a Junior Legal Counsel in BDO’s Global Office, he works across different legal questions, countries and teams, helping colleagues navigate complexity and find practical ways forward.
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The Legal & Privacy team works well together because we combine different areas of expertise but share the same practical mindset and positive approach.
It’s not about analyzing why we cannot do something but providing practical guidance and suggested approaches to how we can!
The global nature of the role was one of the things that first attracted Seán to BDO. His work isn’t limited to one jurisdiction or one type of issue, which means there is always something new to learn.
Working across legal, governance and strategic initiatives also gives him the chance to see how individual decisions connect to the bigger picture.
It is easy to say that BDO is global, but it is another thing to see that in practice: colleagues in different countries working through different legal, cultural and business environments, while still trying to deliver a consistent and trusted BDO experience.
Working at the Global Office means that any one task can have far-reaching potential and connect you to many countries, firms, teams and strategies.
This network-wide point of view is a unique strength of working at the Global Office, as you not only get to work on a wide variety of tasks but also are able to contribute to the wide network of BDO member firms and colleagues.
A big part of Seán’s work is taking something that might initially seem complicated and making it easier for others to navigate.
One example is Legal Beyond Words, a series created by the Legal & Privacy team to give colleagues practical guidance on topics such as contracting and the BDO network structure, making processes clearer and easier to understand.
I shape what matters by helping turn complex legal challenges into practical solutions that enable my colleagues to move forward with confidence.
I consider myself very fortunate to work in a collaborative environment with colleagues across the network. This mutual trust makes dealing with daily challenges surprisingly easy. There is almost never a problem so unclear, nor any topic so intricate that it cannot be resolved using basic principles.
When providing legal advice, I take the view that it’s about staying positive and providing clear, business-orientated solutions to help colleagues find the right path forward.
While the global nature of BDO first caught Seán’s attention, something else has made him stay.
What has kept me here is the people!
My colleagues have always provided me with support, trust and guidance throughout my journey. This sense of being your best self and encouragement to succeed has been immensely helpful in my professional development and daily work life.
More than two years into his BDO journey, Sean’s advice to someone considering joining is simple: jump in, ask questions and take initiative.
For him, some of the most valuable opportunities have come from looking beyond the boundaries of his own role and being open to different people, perspectives and challenges.
BDO is a place where you can learn a lot if you are open to asking questions, understanding the wider context and stepping into opportunities when they come.
And that curiosity doesn’t stop when the working day ends. Outside work, Seán enjoys travelling, running and skiing. Living in Belgium has also given him plenty to explore, from castles and canals to cycling routes, waffles and frites. His tip for anyone visiting? Don’t forget the andalouse sauce.
Whether he’s navigating a legal challenge or discovering somewhere new, Seán’s approach is much the same: stay curious, look at the bigger picture and be open to where the experience takes you.