Photographic portrait of Virginia Allen
Employees are often the biggest asset and the greatest liability in business. I help clients optimise their workforce and thrive through change, with a focus on building a better working world.

Virginia Allen

Partner, Law, UK&I Head of Employment Law, Ernst & Young LLP

Passionate about building client relationships. Enjoys leading and supporting teams. Advocates for inclusion and diversity. Proud mother of four. Keeper of a flock of rescued hens and two dogs.

Virginia is EY UK&I Head of Employment Law. She joined EY in August 2022, having previously led the United Kingdom and Middle East (UKME) People, Reward and Mobility team at Dentons. Virginia trained and qualified with Baker & McKenzie and spent some time working at their office in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

She has over 15 years’ experience in helping employers optimise their workforce. Virginia offers support at every stage of the employment lifecycle and advises on the full spectrum of employment law including transformation projects, multijurisdictional advice, transactional support, employee competition matters, employee relations and employment litigation. Her focus is on collaborating with clients to find commercial and pragmatic solutions.

Virginia is recognised in the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, who describe her as, “A remarkable lawyer who is incredibly committed to her clients”.

Virginia holds a BA in Law and Sociology from Warwick University.

How Virginia is building a better working world

“I believe that teams are best able to serve their clients and are at their most successful when each team member is valued, rewarded and supported in achieving their individual goals.

Creating opportunities for everyone starts with an inclusive and diverse approach to recruitment. This means making sure the opportunity to join EY teams is available to people from all backgrounds. This is an ongoing commitment to valuing difference in our organisation, and something I try to embed in the way that I manage teams.“

Contact Virginia