Legal Counsel jobs in United Arab Emirates

Here at Pinsent Masons we bring together the best people to get the job done. We’re naturally curious, constantly learning, listening, and growing. We’ll truly value your ideas. You’ll be joining an award-winning, hardworking and commercially minded team, where you’ll have the opportunity to work with leading experts and form meaningful relationships, while making a difference. You’ll get the opportunity to be involved in varied and challenging work. Working in an open and supportive environment, to deliver outstanding results.

Purpose of the role :

The role of the Regulatory Lawyer is to protect the firm by minimising the risks associated with our day-to-day business, offering support and guidance to lawyers and educating them in relation to best practice risk management throughout our business.

The role will primarily focus on ensuring that the firm discharges its compliance obligations with applicable legal and regulatory requirements and acts in alignment with its internal risk / compliance policies. This will involve having an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework in the jurisdictions where we operate and act as an escalation point for junior team members in the Regulatory team. However, the particular focus and expertise will relate to the Middle East and APAC.

You will work closely with our Regulatory Counsel and Head of Regulation and Risk – APAC as part of the global regulatory function, which is managed by our General Counsel.

You will be part of a global function who has responsibility for risk management and regulatory compliance throughout all the jurisdictions that Pinsent Masons operates internationally.

Main Duties and Responsibilities :

• Handle and resolve complex conflicts, AML / KYC and sanctions issues in respect of client onboarding
• Review, approve and (where required) escalate high risk client / matter approval and ensure ongoing monitoring
• Handle internal / external reporting and regulatory filing matters as required – become a subject matter expert in the local regulatory framework and requirements and to support the nominate officers in their roles.
• Lead / assist with audits with regulatory authorities / external auditors and implementing recommendations and any mandatory measures
• Take ownership over local / regional regulatory compliance (identify, define and design compliance framework, implement and maintain)
• Responsible for fostering a robust compliance culture and improving stakeholder engagement and reputation between the global regulatory function and practices (including training and audits)
• Provide regulatory compliance support to other teams within the General Counsel’s office such as client contracts, data protection / privacy, claims and complaints, governance and growth initiatives, as required from time to time.
• Support the General Counsel and Regulatory counsel in key local and global projects.
• Support the General Counsel and Regulatory Counsel in global and local regulatory investigations and reporting requirements.
• Respond to general risk and other ad hoc requests / queries from the business.
• Act as an escalation point for junior team members as appropriate
• Provide training where required
• Other responsibilities will be added over time as the role develops and as business needs require

Candidate Overview :

• Qualified lawyer preferred (2-3 PQE)
• Compliance / regulatory work experience preferred
• Experience of working in a professional services business, ideally an international law firm

Key skills and abilities :

• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
• Proven ability to establish and maintain a high degree of confidentiality, respect, trust and credibility at all levels
• Ability to take responsibility and act autonomously
• Ability to plan, organise and prioritise tasks and projects
• Ability to solve problems creatively and effectively
• Negotiation and influencing skills
• Strong team player
• Ability to remain calm, controlled and resilient in a stressful and pressurised environment
• Enthusiastic and proactive

What happens next?

Once your application has been submitted and reviewed, our Recruitment team will share the outcome with you by email.

We typically hold two interview stages per vacancy providing the opportunity to meet two members of the hiring team at each stage. The first stage is typically conducted virtually and the second stage typically in person at the office in which the role would be based. However, we strive to remain flexible depending on the requirements of the role or the candidate.

Our strength lies in our differences.

We are a Disability Confident and top Stonewall employer, a Valuable 500 member, a founding member of the Mindful Business Charter, signatory of the Race at Work Charter and a proud partner of Neurodiversity in Law. We encourage and value different ideas and styles of thinking. It’s with different perspectives that we’ll find solutions to our clients’ most complex challenges. It’s how we’ll deliver outstanding results today, and tomorrow.We want everybody attending an interview to be comfortable and able to fully demonstrate their experience and talents.

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