Legal Counsel - Bilingual

Job description / Role

Legal Counsel (bilingual), MENA (QATAR based) - MENA Nationals

We are looking for a motivated, in-house legal counsel to join our General Counsel Office (GCO) team in MENA region and to be based in Qatar (Doha office). This role is within the Core Business Services (CBS) service line and will handle a broad range of responsibilities supporting the EY business in MENA region. The ideal candidate will provide practical and wide-ranging advice on legal issues. They will have the ability to assess legal risks in contracts or commercial approaches and to provide alternative and practical legal solutions for the business. They should have a generalist approach and judgment with the necessary specialist and technocratic ability that best supports and protects the business. Teaming, passion for exceptional service and a personal drive for success are a must.

Your key responsibilities

- Act as focal point of contact in the QATAR to support the MENA General Counsel.
- Handle a wide variety of legal demands that arise in a rapidly growing market and provide business-minded legal advice to the business on the various legal issues which will include agreements, legal negotiations, regulatory matters, legal proceedings including litigation and ongoing corporate projects within EY.
- Independently draft, revise and negotiate complex commercial contracts integral to the business.
- Monitor regulatory changes and provide legal advice and actionable guidance to the business.
- Report directly to the MENA General Counsel.
- Gain a deep understanding of privacy and other data protection laws and regulations impacting the business and the ability to translate that understanding into actionable guidance for business teams.

Requirements

Skills and attributes for success

- Ideal candidate should be a licensed generalist lawyer with at least 7 years of post-qualification experience in commercial and corporate work, with a preference of in-house experience with a growing business and/or private practice - ideally with an international law firm.

To qualify, you must have

- At least 7 years of post-qualification experience (qualification of a bachelor's degree in Law or equivalent).
- A proven level of Arabic and English fluency, both spoken and written
- Effective planning and organizing skills to be able to turn over work in a high-pressure fast paced environment, without compromising on high quality legal advice
- Effective ability to prioritize key areas of responsibility, tasks and projects with conflicting deadlines and provide high quality work.
- Strong legal experience in commercial/ corporate matters and a proven ability to draft and negotiate complex commercial agreements with a solution-oriented approach.
- Excellent business judgment, intellectual curiosity and the ability to balance legal and business requirements with a commercial mind-set and the ability to deal with problems in a practical and intuitive way.
- Proven ability to establish a high degree of credibility, respect and trust at all levels, including working collaboratively within the GCO team and with internal business stakeholders.
- The capability to lead, take responsibility and act autonomously including the ability to take difficult decisions and provide substantiated arguments
- The ability to thrive in a fast-paced changing environment.
- Strong personal communication skills, capable of dealing with wide range of people

Ideally, you'll also have

- Experience in regulatory law and compliance
- Employment law or litigation experience gained in either a reputable firm (or equivalent) and/or in-house function.
- Experience in or demonstrated interest in technology and digital innovation.
- Experience navigating data privacy laws and issues in a commercial corporate context.
- Ability to operate with limited use of external counsel

What we offer

We offer a competitive compensation package where you'll be rewarded based on performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business. Plus, we offer:

- Continuous learning: You'll develop the mindset and skills to navigate whatever comes next.
- Success as defined by you: We'll provide the tools and flexibility, so you can make a meaningful impact, your way.
- Transformative leadership: We'll give you the insights, coaching and confidence to be the leader the world needs.
- Diverse and inclusive culture: You'll be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs.

If you can demonstrate that you meet the criteria above, please contact us as soon as possible.

The exceptional EY experience. It's yours to build.

EY | Building a better working world

EY exists to build a better working world, helping to create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets.

Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate.

Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today.

About the Company

EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available on our site.

The MENA practice of EY has been operating in the region since 1923. For over 95 years, we have grown to over 7,500 people united across 21 offices and 16 countries, sharing the same values and an unwavering commitment to quality. As an organization, we continue to develop outstanding leaders who deliver exceptional services to our clients and who contribute to our communities. We are proud of our accomplishments over the years, reaffirming our position as the largest and most established professional services organization in the region