Senior Legal Counsel (Construction – Front End & Disputes)

To manage legal risk across company and act as skilled and commercially minded Construction Front-End and Disputes lawyer to company and its group entities. This role will support the General Counsel in advising on the group’s construction and master development plans by providing legal advice across the full lifecycle of construction projects — from procurement and contract negotiation and drafting; legal advice during the project to dispute mitigation and resolution and regulatory compliance. The position requires deep expertise in UAE law, FIDIC, international arbitration, and regional regulatory frameworks, with a focus on mitigating legal risks and ensuring compliance with both FIDIC and bespoke contractual arrangements. The role will provide legal advice to internal stakeholders on project development, procurement strategies, and contract negotiations, ensuring robust legal foundations for complex engineering and construction ventures. On the disputes side, the role involves managing and advising on contentious construction matters and managing external counsel (where appropriate) including in respect of claims, variations, delay disputes, and termination issues, across both onshore UAE courts and at arbitration. The role involves providing legal advice across a wide range of different types of construction projects and ensuring compliance with applicable law and regulation

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws degree and a legal qualification from a recognised institute
• Master’s degree in law from a recognised institute (preferred but not essential)

• Active & current membership from a recognized legal association or regulatory body from a common law jurisdiction such as the UK, Canada, Australia or the US.

Experience

• Minimum of 8 years’ experience gained at a credible law firm with additional experience in-house preferred.