Senior Corporate / M&A Lawyer

MENA Recruit; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm in the UAE is seeking a qualified corporate lawyer to lead on M&A transactions and provide strategic legal advice to senior leadership. The ideal candidate has 7–12 years of PQE in corporate law and experience with a top-tier international law firm. This position offers a dynamic work environment with competitive salary negotiable based on experience.

Qualifications

• 7–12 years of Post-Qualified Experience (PQE) in corporate law.
• Proven experience in mergers and acquisitions and private equity.
• Ability to work closely with executive stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead on corporate and M&A transactions.
• Advise senior leadership on corporate structuring.
• Manage external counsel on complex transactions.

Skills

Mergers and acquisitions

Drafting and negotiation skills

Corporate law consulting

Cross-border corporate structuring

Strategic legal advice

Education

Qualified lawyer (UK, US, Commonwealth)

Job description

Overview

The Role

We are recruiting for the in-house legal team for a leading real estate and destination development firm headquartered in the UAE. It operates across multiple business verticals, including real estate, hospitality & tourism, sports & leisure, and commercial / leisure destinations. This role will focus on complex M&A, private equity, and cross-border corporate transactions across major infrastructure and development projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead on corporate and M&A transactions, including drafting and negotiating SPAs, shareholder agreements, and joint venture documents.
• Advise senior leadership on cross-border corporate structuring, private equity investments, and strategic transactions.
• Provide commercial and legal insight to ensure alignment of business objectives with legal risk management.
• Manage external counsel on complex transactions to ensure quality and cost efficiency.

Requirements

• UK, US, or Commonwealth qualified lawyer with 7–12 years of Post-Qualified Experience (PQE) in corporate law.
• Proven experience in mergers and acquisitions and private equity, ideally with a top-tier international law firm or a major corporation.
• Exceptional drafting and negotiation skills in English, with strong attention to detail and commercial judgment.
• Ability to work closely with executive stakeholders and provide clear, strategic advice in a fast-paced environment.
• Salary is negotiable depending on experience and current package #MENARecruitStrength #CorporateLaw #M&A #LegalJobsAbuDhabi

About the company

MENA Recruit came to fruition in response to a growing need for international legal talent in London and Dubai. Its initial focus began in the Legal sector, evolving as a service provider for other sectors such as Administration, Marketing, Business Development, HR, IT, Finance and C-Suite positions. Over the last two decades, with roots firmly planted in the Middle East and operations expanding into the APAC region, MENA Recruit has gained intuitive industry knowledge and expertise. With its unique, people-focused approach, the firm has yielded competitive advantage for its clients and rewarding careers for the professionals it has supported throughout the years. The company is dedicated to delivering the highest quality of talent and service to its clients while working tenaciously towards helping them achieve higher retention rates. For this reason, MENA Recruit is considered by both candidates and clients as a consultant in the truest sense of the word, offering guidance to both people and organizations on how to adapt to the constant change in market conditions and how to anticipate present and future challenges. Presently, MENA Recruit provides services to organizations and professionals in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and the United Kingdom. With such an extensive global reach, strong brand value, decades of expertise, and an innovative approach towards business challenges, its clear why MENA Recruit is the partner of choice for both in-house recruiters and candidates internationally.