Head of Legal

Job Description

Key duties and Responsibilities

• Advise on corporate mergers, acquisitions, and share transfers, ensuring compliance with UAE law and international legal frameworks.
• Draft and negotiate shareholders’ agreements, joint ventures, memorandums of understanding, and partnership agreements.
• Provide legal guidance on corporate restructuring, governance, and board resolutions.
• Spearhead legal support for domestic and cross-border M&A transactions from due diligence to integration.
• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial contracts, including licensing, supply, agency, consultancy, and distribution agreements.
• Offer strategic advice to business units on the legal risks and implications of their operations and commercial dealings.
• Draft and review terms and conditions for websites, data protection policies, and other compliance documents to ensure alignment with legal standards.
• Manage the incorporation of entities across various jurisdictions in the UAE, liaising with the Department of Economic Development (DED) and other regulatory authorities.
• Ensure compliance with local and regional regulatory frameworks, particularly within the ADGM and DIFC jurisdictions.
• Regularly review and update internal policies to ensure ongoing legal compliance with local and international laws.
• Play a central role in shaping the corporate governance framework of the group, ensuring compliance with statutory obligations, regulatory filings, and corporate reporting requirements.
• Oversee all litigation and dispute resolution matters, including high-stakes litigation and arbitration cases across various jurisdictions.
• Provide legal advice on real estate and labor disputes, coordinating with external legal counsel to ensure proper resolution.
• Assist business units in managing risks related to legal disputes, ensuring optimal outcomes while minimizing financial exposure and reputational risk.
• Liaise with external notaries, law firms, and regulatory authorities regarding the preparation of powers of attorney, memorandums, articles of association, approvals, and licenses for business operations.
• Develop and implement risk management strategies and legal frameworks that proactively address potential risks related to operations, governance, and compliance.
• Provide legal advice on data privacy and cybersecurity regulations, ensuring compliance with GDPR, UAE data protection laws, and other relevant frameworks.
• Mentor and develop junior legal staff, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and providing guidance on complex legal matters.
• Collaborate with senior management, human resources, finance, compliance, and other key stakeholders to offer legal insights on operational decisions, business models, and new initiatives.
• Manage relationships with external counsel in multiple jurisdictions, ensuring cost-effective and high-quality legal representation.
• Set strategic directions for external legal support and ensure alignment with the group’s business goals.
• Lead legal responses to critical incidents, including regulatory investigations, breaches of contract, corporate scandals, and public relations issues, ensuring timely and legally compliant responses.
• Uphold company values throughout business practices and utilise sound judgment in decision making.
• Any other additional duties as may be required by management based on needs of the business.