Legal Counsel

Job purpose

Assists senior legal counsel in providing professional consultation and advisory services to senior and line management on all matters that have legal ramifications. Ensure compliance by the company in conducting its business with all applicable UAE and Abu Dhabi laws and regulations and shareholders’ agreements. Provides professional and expert legal advice and performs other legal support services aimed at safeguarding the interests of the company by ensuring the legality of all its transactions. This includes rendering professional legal advice, reviewing legal terms of contracts, procedures and internal regulations, and handling court cases.

Key accountabilities

• Provide professional advice on legal issues and follow up the external litigations (police & labour cases, local courts, pension funds, etc.).
• Manage legal affairs effectively with government departments and local industrial/commercial organizations.
• Monitor, review, and safekeep/archive the official gazette. Highlight and prepare a report on amendments/new laws relevant to the company and employees.
• Review and comment on bidders’ qualifications, contract terms and conditions, bank guarantees, performance bonds, and insurance policies.
• Process various licensing applications for the company and deal with various licensing authorities in this regard.
• Review and prepare feedback reports on cases related to labour law affairs and litigations.
• Support the HC division in the follow-up of company’s legal matters with Abu Dhabi Pension Fund.
• Coordinate the translation and legalizing of the company’s legal documents.
• Ensure the proper archiving of various legal records to maintain history of the company’s cases.
• Create and maintain a comprehensive in-house legal library to contribute to sustaining the department to address various legal issues in a faster and efficient manner.
• Monitor and ensure the orderly disposal of legal records, evaluate continuously, and recommend changes of retention schedules to maintain and improve reliability and effectiveness.

Qualifications, experience, knowledge & skills

• Bachelor’s degree in law or equivalent professional qualification from a recognized university.
• 6 years of experience in successful legal practice and advisory support within a large industrial organization, preferably in the oil and gas industry.
• Proficiency in providing advice on legal matters, corporate/commercial and contractual matters to protect the company's interests.
• Good persuasive and interpersonal skills.
• Familiarity with corporate and commercial law, contract law, and labour law.
• Thorough knowledge about Abu Dhabi and the UAE legal requirements and procedures for corporate companies.
• Knowledge and familiarization with Microsoft Office applications.