Legal Manager

Confidential Company; Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman; On-site; AED 234,000 - 279,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Visa

Medical insurance

Annual leave

Air ticket

End-of-service benefits

Direct access to owners

Job summary

Confidential Company in the UAE seeks a Senior Legal Manager to lead the in-house legal function across real estate, acquisitions, and corporate structuring, working closely with owners and senior management. The role requires fluent Arabic and strong English, with a hands-on, high-trust approach to protect family assets and support cross‑border transactions.

You will oversee due diligence, drafting and negotiating MOUs, SPAs, leases, and JV agreements, manage registrations with Dubai Land

Qualifications

• LLB from a recognised university; LLM preferred.
• 10–15 years post-qualification UAE real estate and corporate law.
• Fluent Arabic incl. drafting for courts and authorities.
• Professional English, spoken and written.
• Proven experience in property transactions, development and structuring.
• In-depth knowledge of UAE Civil Transactions Law, Commercial Companies Law, real estate and land laws, Labour Law and corporate tax regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead legal due diligence on property purchases and land acquisitions.
• Draft and negotiate MOUs, Sale and Purchase Agreements, leases and JV documents.
• Advise on master developer agreements, permits, NOCs and regulatory compliance.
• Support project financing, buyer/seller agreements and owners associations.
• Manage disputes: litigation/arbitration and external counsel oversight.
• Oversee corporate governance, restructurings, board matters and secretarial work.

Skills

Legal drafting

Negotiation

Analytical skills

Judgement

Integrity

Confidentiality

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Multitasking

MS Office

Contract management

Education

LL.B

LL.M

Job description

Role SummaryWe are a diversified family-owned group with interests in real estate property management development hospitality and other sectors We are looking for a Senior Legal Manager to act as the group s in-house legal lead protecting the family s assets and supporting acquisitions sales developments and corporate structuring across all business lines This is a hands‑on high-trust position that works directly with the owners and senior management Fluent Arabic is mandatory

Key Responsibilities

Real Estate Acquisitions Sales

• Lead legal due diligence on property purchases
• land acquisitions and portfolio deals
• title
• encumbrances
• zoning
• developer and seller standing Draft
• review and negotiate MOUs
• Sale and Purchase Agreements
• leases
• and joint venture and co-investment agreements
• Manage registration and transfer processes with Dubai Land Department
• Abu Dhabi DMT and other land authorities
• and handle mortgage and financing documentation with banks
• Advise on RERA
• escrow
• off‑plan sales
• title deeds
• ownership structures and freehold
• usufruct rights

Development Projects

• Advise on land plot agreements
• master developer arrangements
• construction and design contracts
• FIDIC and bespoke
• consultant and contractor appointments
• Manage permits
• approvals
• NOCs and regulatory compliance throughout the project life cycle
• Handle construction claims
• delays
• variations
• snagging and handover disputes
• Support project financing
• buyer agreements and owners association matters

Hospitality Hotel Operations

• Negotiate and review hotel management agreements
• franchise and brand license agreements
• lease and operator agreements
• Ensure compliance with tourism
• licensing
• food safety
• health
• and civil defense requirements
• Support vendor
• supply
• F B and service contracts
• and guest
• employee and insurance claims

Company Structuring Corporate Governance

• Design and implement group structures
• holding companies
• SPVs
• mainland
• free zone
• DIFC and ADGM entities
• Handle incorporations
• amendments
• license renewals
• shareholder agreements
• board and shareholder resolutions
• and corporate secretarial work
• Ensure compliance with UBO
• Economic Substance
• corporate tax
• AML KYC and data protection requirements
• Support family governance
• family charter
• ownership and succession planning
• asset protection
• and wills and inheritance matters under UAE law
• Experience in Company structuring framework is required

Disputes Risk Compliance

• Manage litigation
• arbitration and settlements in courts
• rental committees and arbitration centers
• and instruct and oversee external counsel
• Prepare legal notices
• memoranda and pleadings in Arabic and English
• Handle tenant disputes
• debt recovery
• and employment and labour matters across the group
• Maintain legal risk registers
• contract templates
• a central contract repository and approval procedures

Stakeholder Team Management

• Advise the family owners and executive team on legal risk and commercial options
• Coordinate with government authorities
• banks
• notaries
• brokers
• consultants and law firms
• Manage the legal budget and external counsel fees and supervise legal staff or PROs as required

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in law (LLB) from a recognized university; Master's (LLM) preferred.
• 10 – 15 years of post-qualification experience, with a strong UAE background in real estate and corporate law.
• Fluent Arabic (spoken and written) is mandatory, including legal drafting and correspondence with courts and authorities.
• Professional English, spoken and written.
• Proven experience in property transactions, development projects and company structuring.
• In-depth knowledge of UAE Civil Transactions Law, Commercial Companies Law, real estate and land laws, Labour Law and corporate tax regulations

Preferred

• Experience with hotel or hospitality contracts (management, franchise, operator agreements).
• Prior experience in a family-owned group, developer, hotel owner or real estate law firm.
• Knowledge of DIFC and ADGM frameworks, and arbitration (DIAC, ADCCAC, DIFC-LCIA).
• Eligibility to appear before UAE courts.

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent legal drafting, negotiation and analytical skills
• Sound judgement, integrity and absolute confidentiality when dealing with family and business matters
• Ability to balance legal risk with commercial and family objectives
• Strong relationship-building skills with senior stakeholders and government entities
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines across different sectors
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and contract management tools

What We Offer

• Monthly salary of AED 22,000 – 25,000
• Visa, medical insurance, annual leave, air ticket, end-of-service benefits – as per UAE Labour Law
• Direct access to the owners and a central role in a diversified, growing group.