Senior Legal Counsel

Salary

Dubai, UAE

Job Description

• Lead all legal aspects of property acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures, project financing, and off-plan developments, including legal due diligence, transaction structuring, drafting and negotiating SPAs, financing/security documents, and ensuring compliance with DLD, RERA, Oqood, and other regulatory requirements.
• Draft, review, and negotiate construction, consultancy, FIDIC-based, subcontract, and development agreements while advising on contract strategy, commercial risk allocation, variations, delays, liquidated damages, and dispute prevention throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensure compliance with UAE real estate, construction, corporate, and data protection laws, manage corporate governance matters, statutory filings, licenses, trademarks, and maintain legal policies, templates, and governance documentation across the group.
• Manage litigation, arbitration, construction disputes, contractor and purchaser claims, oversee external legal counsel, develop legal risk mitigation strategies, and provide strategic legal advice to support business operations and protect company interests.
• Manage external legal advisors and budgets, standardize legal documentation, deliver legal training to internal stakeholders, and provide day-to-day legal support to commercial, procurement, finance, sales, and executive management teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or Juris Doctor (JD); LLM in Construction Law, Commercial Law, or International Arbitration is highly preferred. Admission to practice in the UAE, UK, Australia, or another recognized jurisdiction is highly desirable.
• Minimum 10–12 years of post-qualification legal experience, including at least 7 years specializing in real estate and construction law in the UAE.
• Proven expertise in high-value real estate development transactions, including land acquisitions, off-plan sales, project financing, and drafting/negotiating FIDIC and bespoke construction contracts.
• Strong hands-on experience in construction disputes, claims management, and arbitration, including proceedings before UAE Courts, DIAC, and international arbitration forums.
• In-depth knowledge of UAE real estate legislation, including RERA regulations, Dubai Land Department (DLD) requirements, and Dubai Municipality regulations; Arabic language skills are an advantage.