Disputes (Construction) Senior Associate

A&O Shearman; Dubai; On-site; AED 294,000 - 661,000; Full time

Job summary

A&O Shearman in Dubai seeks a Senior Associate with 5+ years PQE in disputes, focusing on construction work. The role is full-time and based in Dubai, offering exposure to cross-border matters and an international client base.

You will work within a dynamic disputes team, engaging in high-stakes litigation and arbitration, while benefiting from secondment opportunities and extensive professional development.

Qualifications

• Common Law qualified lawyer with 5+ PQE in disputes.
• Senior level construction disputes experience.
• Strong drafting and analytical capabilities.
• Excellent client relationship and commercial acumen.
• Ability to operate in a cross-border, international firm.

Responsibilities

• Handle high-stakes construction disputes for a leading international law firm.
• Collaborate with multiple offices across the UAE and globally.
• Participate in secondments and dedicated training programmes.

Skills

PQE 5+

Construction experience

Drafting

Analytical skills

Client relationships

Commercial acumen

Education

Common Law qualified

Job description

We are currently recruiting for a Senior Associate to join our Disputes team in Dubai.

Department purpose

A&O Shearman’s disputes practice in the Middle East has deep expertise in handling high-stakes, complex and business-critical matters that are frequently cross-border in nature. Our goal is to provide our clients with holistic, practical advice and innovative solutions to their most challenging problems.

The team is noted for its ‘high professional approach and collaboration between offices’ and has a considerable international reach that sees them advise states, public bodies, and financial and corporate clients on a range of disputes, with a particular specialism in infrastructure and construction disputes, commercial arbitration, offshore court litigation, investigations and advisory matters.

We support our clients through every stage of a dispute, from assessing their position to formulating legal strategy and tactics, discovery, resolution negotiation, court proceedings, and, where strategically advantageous, settlement. We are trial-ready and trial-tested.

Success can take many forms, and our priority is to resolve disputes quickly and effectively with as little disruption to our client’s business as possible. We can handle any contentious issue, wherever in the world it occurs.

Our lawyers are recognized for the breadth and depth of their experience, having represented many of the world’s leading organizations in some of their most challenging, high-profile and sensitive disputes.

Role purpose

We are looking for a qualified lawyer with 5+ years of post-qualification experience to join our Disputes team in Dubai, on a full-time permanent basis to focus on Construction work.

Role & responsibilities

We offer:

• A dynamic work environment and the opportunity to be a part of a leading international law firm.
• A variety of intellectually exciting work and the opportunity to work with other practice groups in an interdisciplinary way, in the UAE, regionally and globally.
• Opportunity to be a part of a dynamic, high-performing team with a friendly and supportive culture.
• Secondment programmes to allow our lawyers to work with other departments, other people and to be exposed to the different cultures that the firm encompasses.
• Dedicated local and global training programmes and professional training on communication, IT skills, management and business development skills.

Key requirements

• Common Law qualified lawyer
• 5 PQE+
• Senior level Construction experience
• High level drafting and analytical skills
• Intellectual curiosity and versatility
• Self-starter with the desire and ability to continuously acquire, build upon and share knowledge
• Detail-focused and self-motivated approach
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines
• Excellent client relationship skills
• Sound experience of operating at associate level within a complex international organisation
• Strong commercial/business acumen with the ability to deliver creative and pragmatic solutions and advice
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interface at all levels and particularly to win the respect of the partner and fee-earner community, building strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders
• Collaborative team player with the ability to develop and work in a fast paced, intellectually rigorous environment
• A person of sound judgment, able to establish a high level of credibility

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 offices in 29 countries worldwide. Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

Whether you're helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to an inclusive environment, and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimise your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.