Associate - Insolvency & Dispute Resolution - Dubai

Walkers; Dubai; On-site; AED 450,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

Walkers in Dubai is seeking an Associate to join its renowned Insolvency & Dispute Resolution team. The role focuses on contentious and non-contentious financial services matters, multi-jurisdictional disputes and restructuring matters.

The successful candidate will have Commonwealth qualification and 5–7 years PQE, excellent academics, and a commercial mindset, with strong litigation and advisory skills and a client‑facing approach.

Qualifications

• Commonwealth qualified lawyer with 5–7 years PQE in an international law firm.
• England & Wales qualification (via SQE) is essential.
• Excellent academics and strong commercial awareness.
• Ambitious, commercially driven and client‑facing mindset.
• Solid legal skills with market and industry knowledge.
• Experience in business development with new and existing clients.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Collaborative team player with ability to support partners.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Offshore jurisdiction experience preferred but not essential.
• Ability to use legal precedents and timekeeping/billing systems.
• Ability to attract new clients and develop initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Advising on contentious and non-contentious financial services matters, including multi‑jurisdictional disputes.
• Advising on insolvency mandates, restructurings, liquidations and schemes of arrangement.
• Advising banks, financial institutions and corporates on recoveries and directors' obligations.
• Advising on commercial litigation and asset recovery for various clients.
• Providing technically sound advice and responsive client service.
• Managing files per firm requirements and billing norms.
• Developing and expanding client relationships to grow the business regionally.

Skills

Commercially driven

Team player

Excellent communication

Microsoft Office

Education

England & Wales qualification (SQE)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Associate - Insolvency & Dispute Resolution - Dubai

We are a leading international law firm for global corporations, financial institutions, capital market participants and investment fund managers. With a global presence spanning the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we advise on the laws of Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Ireland and Jersey.

We treat everyone as the intelligent professional they are. Our approach is to trust and empower our people to deliver consistently, and enable them to succeed. Diversity is our secret weapon – it’s the sheer breadth of Walkers people that makes us who we are – gathered from across the globe and fluent in languages, jurisdictions and cultures that help us to mirror our clients and keep our own thinking in tune with the world in which we operate.

Overview of role

Walkers is offering a unique opportunity to an ambitious and technically strong lawyer to join its market leading and dynamic Insolvency & Dispute Resolution ("IDR") team.The successful candidate will be based in the Firm's Dubai office, joining a team of leading practitioners in the IDR team.

Duties, Responsibilities & Person Specification

• Advising on a wide range of contentious and non-contentious financial services related matters (including trust, funds, corporate and extensive multi-jurisdictional commercial disputes and dispute resolution matters);
• Advising on a variety of contentious insolvency mandates and restructuring advice. The role will include advising on liquidations, receiverships and schemes of arrangement, as well as assisting with the recovery of debts and advising directors on their obligations.
• Advising a varied client base including insolvency practitioners, banks and other financial institutions, large corporations, directors, shareholders and limited partners on contentious and non-contentious corporate recovery and insolvency matters and company and partnership disputes;
• Advising commercial clients, intermediaries and high net-worth individuals on all aspects of commercial litigation, from pre-emptive injunction and disclosure applications through substantive matters to enforcement and asset recovery;
• Advising banks, lenders and PE funds on security and enforcement of security;
• Advising regulated service providers and individuals in respect of regulatory investigations and related issues;
• Provide technically sound advice and a highly responsive service to clients in all areas of practice.
• Manage files in accordance with the Firm's requirements, expectations and practices from time to time.
• Proactively assist in developing and expanding client relationships important to the Firm’s success, at the same time becoming a valued resource to clients. The desire to grow the business across the region is essential.
• Maintain a sustained record of revenue generation and profitability, following recommended billing rates, managing costs appropriately and ensuring personal utilization meets expectations.
• Adhere to the Firm's values and professional ethics.

Education, Skills & Experience

• Commonwealth qualified lawyer with a minimum of 5-7 years post qualification experience gained in an international law firm.
• England & Wales qualification (can be via SQE) is essential.
• Excellent academics.
• Ambitious and commercially driven.
• Solid legal skills with competent understanding of relevant market and client industries and technical knowledge of the relevant law.
• Experience in participating, as well as instigating business development initiatives with new and existing clients.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work successfully in a collaborative environment, a team player, willing to support others regardless of personal role or task.
• High level of proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Offshore jurisdiction experience preferred but not essential.
• Ability to use legal precedents and timekeeping and billing systems.
• Ability to support the partners and make independent efforts to attract new clients and develop new initiatives.

Walkers global is an equal opportunity employer. Equality and diversity are key to our global identity and an integral part of our goal to continue being an employer of choice. We are committed to a work environment that supports all individuals irrespective of gender, ethnicity, nationality, race, religion, marital status, age, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other applicable legally protected characteristics. We make every effort to ensure that employment opportunities are open and accessible to all purely on the basis of personal ability.