Northern Emirates, UAE | Full-time | On-site
Our client is a well-established and growing group of companies in the UAE. The Group is building a lean, modern legal function and is looking for a dynamic, energetic and tech-savvy Senior Corporate Counsel who will report to Senior Management.
You will be the Group’s main in-house legal advisor. You will support the Group on commercial, transactional and governance matters, and work closely with Senior Management on strategic decisions.
Key Responsibilities
- Draft, review and negotiate commercial contracts across the Group’s businesses
- Lead legal work on investments, acquisitions, joint ventures and restructurings, including due diligence
- Oversee corporate governance, including board and shareholder matters, resolutions, delegations of authority and statutory compliance
- Manage external law firms, including scope, quality and fee discipline
- Build legal infrastructure: contract templates, clause libraries, policies and approval workflows
- Drive digital transformation of the legal function, including contract lifecycle management, e-signature and AI-assisted review tools
- Identify and manage legal and regulatory risk, and advise management on compliance in the UAE and wider GCC
- Support disputes and pre-litigation strategy together with external counsel
Qualifications and Experience
- Law degree (LLB or equivalent); licensed or qualified to practise
- 8–12 years’ post-qualification experience, ideally a mix of reputable law firm and in-house roles.
- Proven experience in M&A, investments and complex commercial transactions
- Strong grounding in UAE corporate and commercial law; GCC exposure is an advantage
- Experience supporting a group of companies is highly desirable
- Hands-on experience with legal technology (CLM platforms, legal research databases, AI tools) and a strong interest in modern ways of working
Skills and Competencies
- Commercial judgement: Gives practical, business-focused advice that balances risk with opportunity.
- Ownership: Works independently and hands-on in a lean team without relying on layers of support.
- Digital mindset: Embraces new technology and automation to make legal work faster, smarter and more efficient.
- Energy and drive: Brings pace, enthusiasm and a proactive approach to a fast-moving, growing organisation.
- Stakeholder influence: Builds trust with Senior Management, subsidiary leaders and external advisors.
- Drafting excellence: Produces clear, precise legal documents in English. Arabic drafting is a strong advantage.
- Integrity and discretion: Handles sensitive matters with the highest confidentiality.
