Assistant Legal Counsel

Job description

Key responsibilities:

1. Litigation & dispute management

• Manage litigation cases independently from inception through resolution, coordinating all procedural steps and deadlines.

• Handle police cases, criminal complaints, and employee disputes, ensuring timely and well-documented responses.

• Instruct and coordinate external lawyers, monitor case progress, and maintain up-to-date status reports for senior management.

• Prepare and review litigation-related documentation, pleadings, and correspondence in both Arabic and English.

• Advise internal stakeholders on litigation risks, likely outcomes, and recommended courses of action.

2. Contract drafting & review

• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial contracts in Arabic and English across retail, real estate, F&B, and franchise operations.

• Ensure contractual terms adequately protect the Group's interests while remaining commercially practical and enforceable.

• Maintain a structured contract repository and tracking system to support renewals, expirations, and compliance obligations.

• Provide clear and concise legal commentary to business units on contractual risks and proposed amendments.

3. Legal advisory & stakeholder support

• Advise cross-functional teams on day-to-day legal matters including employment, commercial, and regulatory issues.

• Support HR and operations on employee disputes, disciplinary proceedings, and labor law compliance.

• Coordinate with external counsel and regulatory bodies to obtain timely legal opinions and approvals.

• Communicate legal positions clearly and concisely to non-legal stakeholders in both Arabic and English.

4. Regulatory monitoring & compliance

• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments across relevant jurisdictions and assess their impact on business operations.

• Prepare and circulate timely legal updates to keep internal teams informed of new or amended requirements.

• Support the development and maintenance of internal legal policies, templates, and compliance frameworks.

• Assist in ensuring the Group's operations remain aligned with applicable laws, regulations, and licensing requirements.

What you will bring – skills & qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Law (LLB or equivalent) from a recognized institution; postgraduate legal qualification is an advantage.

• Minimum 4 - 7 years of legal experience, with substantial hands-on litigation and dispute resolution practice.

• Proven experience managing police cases, criminal complaints, and employment disputes independently.

• Demonstrated ability to instruct external lawyers, track case progress, and report to senior stakeholders effectively.

• Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills in both Arabic and English across commercial and operational contexts.

• Full professional fluency in Arabic and English, with excellent written and verbal communication skills in both languages.

• Sound understanding of UAE and/or GCC commercial, labor, and regulatory laws applicable to retail and multi-brand environments.

• Ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

• High degree of professional integrity, discretion, and sound judgment in handling sensitive legal matters.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools and legal document management systems.