Principal Associate â Project Development/Construction Lawyer - Dubai/ Abu Dhabi

Gowling WLG; Dubai; Hybrid; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

An international law firm based in Dubai seeks a skilled Project Development/Construction Lawyer with expertise in renewable energy and infrastructure projects. The ideal candidate will lead on contract negotiations, provide strategic legal guidance, and work mostly unsupervised, managing junior associates. Benefits include a hybrid working approach, generous leave, and private medical insurance. Join us in making a significant impact across various projects in diverse sectors.

Benefits

Hybrid working approach

25 days annual leave

Private medical insurance

End of Service Benefit

Maternity, paternity and adoption leave schemes

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer at Senior/Principal Associate level with a focus on renewable energy.
• Experience in project development and construction advisory.
• Proven ability in drafting and negotiating credit support packages.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert legal guidance on project development and construction matters.
• Lead contract negotiations and reviews.
• Offer strategic insight into project financing.

Skills

Renewable energy expertise

EPC contracts negotiation

Power purchase agreements

Strategic legal insight

Project financing

Drafting skills

Risk assessment

Job description

Description

We have a great opportunity for a proficient Project Development/Construction Lawyer with experience in renewable energy water and infrastructure projects to join our team based in Dubai/ Abu Dhabi. This is a fantastic opportunity to work on high-impact projects across domestic and international markets spanning a variety of sectors and jurisdictions.

In this role the successful candidate will:

• Work closely with procurers developers lenders and major international tier 1 contractors.
• Lead on project development and construction matters providing expert legal guidance.
• Review negotiate and draft EPC contracts PPAs and credit support packages with precision.
• Offer strategic legal insight into project financing and risk assessment.
• Contribute to renewable energy and infrastructure projects across domestic and international jurisdictions.

About you:

• Qualified lawyer at the Senior / Principal Associate level with a focus on renewable energy water and infrastructure projects either in-house or in private practice
• Experience in procurer advisory project development and construction (FIDIC experience a plus)
• Proven ability in drafting reviewing and negotiating credit support packages.
• Strong expertise in drafting reviewing and negotiating EPC contracts and power purchase/water purchase agreements (PPAs/WPAs)
• Energy From Waste (EFW) Anaerobic Digestion (AD) and water projects is advantageous.
• Understanding of project bankability with experience in structuring and producing borrower/lender due diligence reports as well as project finance knowledge.
• A strategic and commercially minded approach capable of identifying risks and executing solutions swiftly and efficiently.
• Excellent drafting skills ensuring precision in contracts and correspondence.
• Comfortable running matters largely unsupervised and in managing junior associates

What We Can Offer You:

The opportunity to work for a firm that has been recognised as one of best places to work in the UK and has been ranked by Great Place to Work for 25 consecutive years.

Excellent benefits including:

• A hybrid approach to office and remote working.
• 25 days annual leave
• Private medical insurance
• End of Service Benefit
• Maternity paternity and adoption leave schemes

Equal Opportunities:

Gowling WLG is committed both to promoting equality and diversity in the firm and to Equal Opportunities in employment. The firm believes in equality of opportunity regardless of race or racial group (including colour nationality ethnicity national origins) religion or belief age disability sexual orientation sex gender re-assignment and gender identity marriage and civil partnership and pregnancy maternity and paternity. This also includes any incidents of perceptive or associative discrimination and harassment.

At Gowling WLG we seek to attract and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures to create an exciting and rewarding place to work. Our aim is to fulfil everyone's potential and together to achieve personal and business goals.

If you have any queries in relation to this position or would like to see a full job description please contact Nana Panti-Amoa on

Required Experience:

Staff IC