A Dubai real estate developer is expanding its UAE operations and is looking for a Legal Counsel to report directly to the CEO. This is a hands-on role providing commercially focused legal support across the full real estate development lifecycle, including development, transactions, construction, property sales, corporate, regulatory and disputes.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice across UAE real estate development and commercial matters.
• Draft, review and negotiate SPAs, development agreements, JV agreements, shareholder agreements and commercial contracts.
• Support land acquisitions, project structuring, legal due diligence and development transactions.
• Review and negotiate construction, consultancy, procurement and FIDIC-based contracts.
• Advise on property sales, off-plan transactions, purchaser defaults, cancellations, settlements and handover matters.
• Provide guidance on DLD, RERA, escrow, off-plan sales and other UAE/Dubai real estate regulations.
• Support corporate governance, UAE entities and project SPVs.
• Manage pre-litigation matters, claims and disputes, including liaison with external counsel.
• Identify legal and contractual risks and provide practical, commercially minded solutions.
• Develop legal templates, precedents and processes and support contract governance.

Requirements

• LLB or equivalent Law degree from a recognised university.
• 5+ years' relevant legal experience.
• Strong UAE legal experience is preferred.
• Hands-on experience within UAE real estate is essential, ideally gained within a developer, real estate business or law firm.
• Strong experience drafting and negotiating commercial and/or real estate agreements.
• Knowledge of UAE corporate and commercial law, DLD/RERA regulations and off-plan real estate.
• Exposure to construction contracts and FIDIC is an advantage.
• Experience with disputes, claims and external counsel management is desirable.
• Excellent written and spoken English. Russian and/or Arabic language skills are advantageous.

Ref: TH210160