Senior Legal Counsel

We are seeking a qualified Senior Legal Counsel with strong hospitality sector experience to join a dynamic and fast-growing hospitality business.

This role will act as a strategic legal partner to the Hospitality Division, supporting hotel development, operations, franchising, real estate transactions and corporate governance matters. The successful candidate will play a critical role in enabling business growth while mitigating risk and protecting high-value hospitality assets.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the drafting, review and negotiation of Hotel Management Agreements (HMAs), franchise agreements, lease agreements, technical services agreements, branded F&B contracts, and related hospitality documentation
• Support hotel acquisitions, disposals, leasing, and complex real estate transactions
• Conduct and oversee legal due diligence on hotel assets, operators, and development projects
• Advise on joint ventures, MoUs, shareholder agreements, and group structuring
• Ensure compliance with hospitality regulations, licensing, tourism, consumer protection, and data protection laws
• Manage vendor, OS&E and FF&E procurement contracts
• Provide strategic legal guidance on employment matters within hotel operations
• Oversee dispute resolution including negotiation, mediation, and arbitration
• Develop and enhance contract templates and legal policies to mitigate recurring risks
• Act as a senior legal advisor to Development, Operations, Finance, HR and Procurement teams

Requirements

• Qualified Lawyer (LLB or equivalent) with admission to practice in a recognised jurisdiction
• 7–10 years’ post-qualification experience
• Mandatory experience within the hotel / hospitality sector
• Proven track record negotiating hotel management and related hospitality agreements
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance legal risk with business objectives
• Experience in hospitality-related real estate transactions
• UAE/GCC experience is advantageous

Profile

We are looking for a commercially astute, business-oriented legal professional who thrives in a fast-paced hospitality and real estate environment. You will be solutions-driven, resilient, detail-focused, and confident advising senior stakeholders across multi-jurisdictional projects.

This is an excellent opportunity for a hospitality-focused lawyer seeking a strategic, senior-level role within a growing platform.