Senior Legal Counsel (Banking) - Emiratization

Senior Legal Counsel - Banking - Emiratization

Location: UAE

Employment Type: Full-time

About the Role

Our client, a prominent bank in the UAE, is seeking an experienced Senior Legal Counsel to join their legal function. This is a strong opportunity for a commercially minded lawyer with a solid corporate legal background to move into - or deepen their expertise within - the banking and financial services sector.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide end-to end legal support on corporate and commercial matters, including contract drafting, review, and negotiation
• Advise business units on legal risk, regulatory exposure, and governance matters
• Support corporate transactions, financing arrangements, and banking products/agreements
• Liaise with regulators, external counsel, and internal stakeholders across the business
• Draft and review a wide range of legal documentation, including facility agreements, security documents, and general commercial contracts
• Assist in developing and maintaining internal legal policies, templates, and processes
• Provide practical, business-focused legal advice to senior management

Candidate Requirements:

• 8–12 years PQE, with substantial experience in corporate/commercial legal work
• Open to candidates from any industry background (private practice or in-house) - banking/financial services experience is a plus but not mandatory
• Qualified lawyer
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to work independently and manage a varied workload in a fast-paced environment
• Fluency in English and Arabic

Emiratization

This role falls under our client's Emiratization initiative.