Paralegal

About the job

The opportunity

We are looking for a talented and experienced Paralegal to join the Corporate team in our Dubai office.

The roleholder will be responsible for providing efficient and professional paralegal support in both our Dubai and Abu Dhabi offices.

The firm

Bird & Bird opens a world of possible for lawyers and professionals everywhere. Working for a leading international law firm like Bird & Bird means working alongside people who are truly collegiate in the way they work with everyone. We work as one global team, with over 70% of work involving people from across the firm. And that's only increasing! It is this common purpose and shared approach that make it a more productive and collaborative place to work.

Your firm. Your future.

The team

You will be joining our Corporate team in the UAE, working collaboratively with various teams across both offices.

Our 33 international offices have their own professionals providing local expertise and support. Collaborative across the network, the team is focused on driving efficiency, adding value, and profitable growth.

What you'll do

The main duties and responsibilities for the role are as follows:

• Perform legal research using the firm's online subscriptions in addition to other resources.
• Assist with corporate set up and winding up (including preparing and submitting documents).
• Assist with the preparation of ancillary documents in relation to transactions.
• Assist with project management of transactions including preparing and maintaining documents/actions lists and post-transactions actions lists and follow up.
• Act as Superuser for firm's tools and solutions.
• Draft, review and finalise Arabic translations.
• Assist with maintaining drafts/templates databases for practice groups.
• Liaise with other office functions whilst providing support to fee-earners, e.g. the secretarial team, Office Services, Finance, IT.
• Handle and respond to daily queries and requests concerning clients various transactions and matters across all practice groups within the firm.
• Receive, review, analyse requests, and liaise with UAE notaries and competent authorities for the notarisation, attestation and submission of legal documents.
• Keep track of new laws and regulations.
• Assist lawyers in the preparation of transactional closings.
• Assist with legal due diligence review on contracts and documents.
• Assist with the preparation and proofreading of legal documents and reports (e.g. resolutions, articles of association, minutes of meeting, due diligence reports).
• Assist with setting up free zone and onshore entities and manage all related documents.
• Communicate and liaise with government authorities and present applications on behalf of clients.
• Perform and assist with ancillary and general administrative duties.
• Take main responsibility for corporate maintenance and related tasks.
• Deal with and complete internal compliance activities as required such as licensing renewals, filings and responding to notifications and requests.

About you

The successful candidate will have the following:

• Previous experience in a Paralegal role, preferably within a professional services environment.
• Excellent academic achievement – degree and/or post-graduate legal qualification or completion of CILEx Paralegal Studies.
• A can do attitude, willingness to learn and expand knowledge and skills within the role, approachability, flexibility as to hours and the role itself, and a practical sense approach.
• Ability to build and maintain constructive relationships with individuals at different levels of seniority and from different cultures.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Excellent bilingual capabilities (Arabic and English) both written and spoken.
• Ability to prioritise efficiently, work to tight deadlines and communicate progress effectively.
• Ability to maintain patience and objectivity when faced with difficult and often slow systems and infrastructure both within the office and externally.
• Advanced knowledge of Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Document Management systems.
• Ability to communicate clearly and to listen effectively.
• Proven ability to work effectively as a team player.
• Ability to stay calm in often demanding situations and work well under pressure.
• Proactive and adaptive approach to working.

The main responsibilities of this role are outlined above; however, this description is not exhaustive, and the job holder may be required to undertake additional duties from time to time. The role may require some working outside our normal working hours of 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.