Legal Manager, Development & Construction

Blake Anderson; Dubai; On-site; AED 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

Blake Anderson is seeking a Legal Manager for the Projects and Construction Department in the UAE. The role supports the Legal Director and General Counsel on procurement, construction and real estate matters, drafting complex agreements and managing disputes.

The successful candidate will liaise with project managers and commercial partners, oversee external counsel, and contribute to the preparation of templates and playbooks while mentoring junior lawyers.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of legal experience in development.
• Previous private practice in an international law firm or reputable comparable company is essential.
• Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills in English.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Legal Director and General Counsel with day-to-day procurement and construction matters.
• Analyze, prepare and negotiate contracts, leases, licenses and corporate documents as needed.
• Manage disputes, litigation and external counsel under supervision.
• Provide proactive, commercial legal advice to project managers and procurement leads.
• Draft and update standardized templates, guidance notes and playbooks for internal teams.
• Supervise and train junior members of the legal department.

Skills

Contract drafting

Negotiation

Regulatory compliance

English proficiency

Stakeholder management

Education

Bar membership

Bachelor of laws

Job description

My client a leading real estate developer in Abu Dhabi requires a Legal Manager for their Projects and Construction Department to play a pivotal role in the construction legal team, providing expert, high-level legal support to the Legal Director (Projects & Construction) and General Counsel.The role is responsible for driving the day-to-day legal coverage across a broad portfolio of major procurement projects, construction, real estate developments, and strategic joint ventures. This includes taking a leading operational role in drafting and negotiating complex, non-standard agreements as well as company standard contract templates, managing active disputes and litigation, ensuring regulatory compliance, and acting as a trusted legal advisor to key internal project stakeholders.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Assisting the Legal Director, General Counsel and other members of the legal team with company day-to-day legal affairs, with particular emphasis on procurement and projects and construction matters.
• Analyze and help prepare and negotiate contracts (including with consultants, contractors, suppliers and commercial partners), leases, licenses, corporate organizational documents, opinions and other documents as and when needed.
• Managing alternative dispute resolution, prosecuting and defending litigation, and settling outstanding matters under the oversight of the Legal Director.
• Managing external counsel in preparing briefs, complaints, answers and replies as well as ensuring cost-effective delivery and high-quality work product on specialized contentious and non-contentious matters under the supervision of the Legal Director.
• Serving as a key legal business partner to project managers, procurement leads, and business units by providing proactive, commercial legal counsel on project delivery, contract administration, and procurement strategies.
• Representing the construction legal team in project steering committees, risk panels, or cross-functional working groups as delegated by the Legal Director or General Counsel. Identify potential risks and propose solutions to mitigate legal risks.
• Drafting and updating standardized legal templates, guidance notes, and playbooks, and delivering targeted training to internal project and procurement teams.
• Supervising and training more junior members of the legal department.
• Any other task or duty associated with legal work or as directed by the Legal Director and/or General Counsel

Education and Experience

• Bar membership
• Bachelor of laws
• 4+ years of legal experience in a law firm or company that operates in the field of development.
• Previous private practice experience in an international law firm or a reputable comparable company is essential.
• Excellent verbal, written and presentation and communication skills in English.