Legal Counsel

Fortes Investment

Job Title: Legal Counsel

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Employment Type: Full-Time

Position Overview

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced In-House Legal Counsel to join our headquarters in Dubai. The successful candidate will provide strategic legal guidance across the group s diverse business operations, which may include sectors such as education, real estate, property management, hospitality, school transport, engineering, facility management, technology and investment. This role requires a proactive legal professional who can balance risk management with business enablement, ensuring compliance while supporting growth.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Advisory & Strategy

• Provide expert legal advice to senior management and business units on corporate, commercial, regulatory and contractual matters.
• Develop and implement legal strategies aligned with the group s business objectives.
• Advise on legal risks and propose mitigation strategies across jurisdictions.
• Deal with correspondence, collate information and write reports, ensuring decisions made are communicated to the relevant stakeholders

Contract Management

• Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of commercial contracts including but not limited to joint ventures, NDAs, service agreements, leases, contracting and sub-contracting agreements and procurement contracts.
• Ensure contracts are legally sound, commercially viable and aligned with internal policies.

Corporate Governance & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with UAE laws and regulations, as well as international legal standards where applicable.
• Support corporate secretarial functions including board resolutions, shareholder agreements, transfer pricing documentation and regulatory filings.
• Maintain registers of shareholders, directors and secretaries, organise board meetings and AGMs, prepare agendas and record minutes.
• Draft all legal documents for new company set-ups including Memorandum and Articles of Association, Service Agreements, Power of Attorneys, etc.
• Register properties at the Lands Dept. and follow up to obtain the title deeds and take handover of the property
• Monitor changes in legislation and assess their impact on the group s businesses.

Dispute Resolution & Litigation

• Manage and oversee litigation, arbitration and other dispute resolution matters. Attend case hearings with the Groups lawyers at Dubai Courts, RERA and Dubai Lands Dept., etc.
• Draft notices and plaints pursuant to the executed contracts
• Liaise with external counsel and regulatory bodies as needed.

Cross-Border & Domestic Transactions

• Support M&A activities, joint ventures and strategic partnerships across multiple jurisdictions.
• Conduct legal due diligence and assist in structuring transactions.

Stakeholder Engagement & Government Liaison

• Collaborate with internal departments including but not limited to Finance, HR, Marketing, Purchasing, Engineering, Operations and Compliance.
• Build strong relationships with external legal advisors, regulators and government entities.
• Build relationships with key influencers in the Government across primary and secondary stakeholders; expand government interaction network and reporting.
• Conduct feasibility study for new partnerships, prepare draft proposals and facilitate partnerships as required.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

Bachelor s degree in law with an active license to practice; Master s degree or Company Secretary qualification will be preferred

Experience

Minimum 7 10 years of post-qualification experience, with at least 3 years in an in-house role within a multinational or diversified group in the UAE

Jurisdictional Knowledge

Strong understanding of UAE laws and regulatory frameworks; GCC experience is a plus

Language

Fluent in English; Arabic proficiency is an advantage

Industry Exposure

Experience in sectors such as real estate, hospitality, logistics, or investment is desirable

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking with sound commercial judgment
• Excellent negotiation and drafting skills
• High ethical standards and integrity; Discreet and trustworthy with sensitive information
• Strong interpersonal and communication abilities
• Ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure

What We Offer

• Competitive salary along with other benefits
• Opportunity to work with a visionary leadership team providing exposure to high-impact projects across multiple industries
• A collaborative and inclusive work environment

Interested candidates can apply on our website http://fortes.co/Careers