Legal Director

CC7 International; Dubai; On-site; AED 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

CC7 International in Dubai seeks an experienced Legal Director to lead all legal and contractual matters across the organization, ensuring compliance with UAE laws and international standards. This role oversees corporate governance and project-specific legal support for EPC contracts while mitigating risk and enabling business growth and operational excellence.

Key responsibilities include advising the CEO and board, managing corporate governance, leading EPC project legal management, handling

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Law (LLB) with admission to practice law.
• 15+ years of legal experience with 7–10 years in EPC/Oil & Gas projects.
• Strong knowledge of UAE law, GCC practices and FIDIC contracts; international arbitration experience.
• Proven ability to lead large legal teams and manage external counsel.

Responsibilities

• Act as principal legal advisor to CEO, board and senior management; shape company legal strategy.
• Oversee corporate governance, licenses, regulatory matters and interactions with authorities.
• Lead EPC project legal management from tendering to close-out; negotiate major contracts.
• Provide risk-based contract advice, dispute avoidance and claim management strategies.
• Coordinate with commercial teams; support bid prep and contract negotiations.
• Manage compliance and risk frameworks including anti-corruption and ESG-related requirements.
• Lead and develop in-house legal team; interface with finance, operations and external stakeholders.

Job description

We are seeking for an experienced Legal Director to join our growing team in Dubai UAE The Legal Director is responsible for leading all legal and contractual matters across the organization ensuring compliance with UAE laws and international standards This role oversees both corporate legal governance and project-specific legal support for EPC contracts mitigating risk while enabling business growth and operational excellence

Key Responsibilities

Corporate Legal Governance

• Act as the principal legal advisor to the CEO Board and senior management
• Develop and implement the company s legal strategy aligned with business objectives
• Ensure full compliance with UAE federal laws international regulations and industry standards
• Oversee corporate structuring joint ventures mergers amp acquisitions and shareholder agreements
• Manage corporate governance frameworks policies and procedures
• Handle regulatory matters licensing and interactions with authorities e g ADNOC free zones ministries Supervise external legal counsel and manage legal budgets

EPC Project Legal Management

• Lead legal support for EPC contracts across the lifecycle tendering execution close-out
• Review draft and negotiate major contracts including EPC EPCM contracts Subcontracts and vendor agreements Consortium and joint venture agreements Framework agreements
• Provide legal advice on contract risk allocation liabilities and dispute avoidance strategies
• Support commercial and project teams during bid preparation and contract negotiations
• Ensure compliance with FIDIC and other internationally recognized contract standards commonly used in Oil amp Gas projects

Claims Disputes amp Arbitration

• Develop claims management strategies and oversee dispute resolution processes
• Handle disputes involving delay claims variation orders cost overruns and performance issues
• Represent the company in arbitration litigation and mediation proceedings
• Coordinate with external counsel on complex cases particularly under UAE law and international arbitration forums e g ICC LCIA DIAC ADCCAC

Compliance amp Risk Management

• Establish and enforce compliance programs including anti-corruption anti-bribery and ethics frameworks
• Monitor legal and regulatory changes impacting the oil amp gas and EPC sectors in the UAE and GCC
• Conduct risk assessments and implement mitigation strategies
• Ensure compliance with international sanctions export controls and ESG-related legal requirements when applicable

Contract amp Commercial Advisory

• Provide proactive legal support to project managers and commercial teams
• Review variations claims notices and subcontractor disputes
• Advise on insurance indemnities and liability clauses
• Enhance contract management processes to minimize legal exposure

Team Leadership amp Stakeholder Management

• Lead and develop the in-house legal team Provide training to business units on contract awareness and legal risk
• Act a key interface between legal commercial finance and operations teams Build relationships with external stakeholders including authorities partners and clients

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Law (LLB); Master's degree (LLM) preferred.
• Admission to practice law in a recognized jurisdiction.
• 15+ years of legal experience, with at least 7 10 years in EPC / Oil & Gas industry.
• Proven experience in handling large-scale EPC projects in the Middle East.
• Strong background in FIDIC contracts and international arbitration.
• Deep knowledge of UAE legal framework and GCC business practices.

Key Competencies

Strategic thinking and business acumen. Strong negotiation and drafting skills. Expertise in contract law and construction law. Risk management and problem-solving. Stakeholder management and leadership. High ethical standards and integrity.

Preferred Industry Exposure

• Onshore EPC contracts.
• Large infrastructure / energy projects.
• Joint ventures and consortium operations.