Legal Counsel

Job description / Role

The client is a leading UAE based conglomerate are seeking a highly qualified Legal Counsel to look after their building materials subsidiary.

Reporting Line: Chief Executive Officer of subsidiary and CLO of holding firm

Principal Accountabilities/Key Results Area:
- Maintain the Shareholders’ interests and ensure internal compliance with the Shareholders’ Corporate Governance Policy and the legal guidelines;
- Assist and participate in the decision making process through the provision of legal advice/ recommendations to the Board of Directors, the CEO and senior management on matters of significant impact or risk;
- Take part in high level strategic planning, risk assessment and mitigation and internal consulting activities;
- Ensure the provision, by the legal team, of timely advice and support to the different Business Units and Subsidiaries on (i) general legal, contractual and regulatory matters; (ii) joint ventures, acquisitions and other transactions; (iii) Company Law and incorporations; (iv) dispute resolution and alternative dispute resolution; and (vi) other areas of the law;
- Develop preventative legal strategies and compliance check lists to minimize litigation, third party disputes, avoid legal violations and other potential risks;
- Assist in developing and implementing internal corporate policies and procedures and advise management on relevant legal implications;
- Continuously monitor compliance with statutory obligations and advise management accordingly;
- Direct and oversee the resolution of major litigation cases and internal conflicts, including participating in senior management deliberations, developing and overseeing the legal strategy and objectives of the most complex and important cases;
- Manage the relationship and communication with high level official and governmental bodies and authorities;
- Keep abreast of changes in laws and regulations and disseminate the information to the Business Units and Subsidiaries;
- Provide and/or coordinate training for the Business Units and Subsidiaries to address legal issues that maybe of significance or concern;
- Lead the structuring and high level negotiation of core business acquisitions and transactions and develop and/or oversee the development of integration plans and documentation;
- Ensure protection of the Company’s intellectual property rights and copy rights;
- Ensure and oversee the continuous development, review and update of the standard contracts templates;
- Maintain and update the legal records of the Company and its Subsidiaries;
- Appoint and manage the relationship with external Law Firms, negotiate fees and retainer agreements;
- Ensure that high level secrecy and privacy of all legal data is maintained by the legal team;
- Ensure consistency and alignment of the legal strategy and approach amongst the legal team in the provision of legal services to the Business Units and Subsidiaries;
- Ensure high level quality services through the continuous coaching and professional development of the legal team; and
- Manage the Legal Department’s budget and monitor the spending.

Requirements

- Bachelor’s Degree in Law; and
- Qualified Lawyer/Attorney
- Minimum ten (10) years’ post qualification of diversified profound experience in a corporate legal team or Law Firm, with at least five (5) years experience in an in-house senior position managing and providing legal services for a company with a sizable diversified portfolio (prior working experience in a Law Firm is an advantage); and
- Extensive experience in the legal field in the UAE.

Job Specific Skills:
- High level of commitment and sense of responsibility;
- Team-oriented attitude;
- Strong decision making and analytical skills;
- Strong conciliation and communication skills;
- Strong problem solving skills;
- Handle pressure;
- Proactive and creativity;
- Extensive knowledge of the UAE Legislation and Legal Framework;
- Extensive knowledge in Corporate Governance/Compliance;
- Ability to align with the business needs; and
- Legally bilingual Arabic / English is an advantage

Behavioural Capabilities:
- Inspirational Leadership;
- Developing Self and Others;
- Change Management;
- Strategy and Execution;
- Observe confidentiality obligations;
- Decisiveness;
- Customer Focus;
- Drive For Results;
- Adaptability/Flexibility; and
- Multitasking.

About the Company

AXIZ Consulting is based in the Dubai International Finance Centre and offers a bespoke, highly consultative recruitment service to local and international organisations across the GCC in both professional services and primary industries. Its founding two members come from a blend of executive search and contingent recruitment and they have taken some of the best practices of executive search and applied this to contingent recruitment in order to produce a service which offers maximum value to clients.

In order for us to build a successful company, we identified a core aim: to offer our clients a service that surpasses that of our competition. In order to do this, we have put into place both internal and external processes that ensure clients receive a consistent and professional service which gets the right results, in the right way.