Legal Counsel, UAE & Middle East

Job Summary

Job Summary

This pivotal role within Standard Chartered's Middle East legal team centres on providing expert legal counsel and support across business operations in the UAE and wider Middle East region. The successful candidate will serve as a key advisor, ensuring that all legal activities align with the Group’s regional and local business strategies. Working closely with the Head of Legal Middle East and other team members, the role involves navigating complex legal and regulatory frameworks, managing litigation risks, and embedding robust legal governance practices across the business.

Key facets of the role include proactively advising internal stakeholders on legal and regulatory matters impacting banking operations, supporting transactional and contractual documentation processes, and fostering strong relationships with regional regulators to safeguard the Bank's interests. You will also be instrumental in identifying emerging legal risks and implementing strategic solutions to mitigate them.

This position demands a proactive, collaborative approach working across multiple jurisdictions in the Middle East, with a particular focus on the UAE's dynamic legal environment. The role is vital in enhancing legal compliance, managing litigation exposure, and driving operational efficiencies through sound legal frameworks. We seek a candidate who thrives in a fast-paced international banking environment, demonstrates strong commercial acumen, and is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of legal and ethical conduct.

Key Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

Legal Strategy and Risk Management

• Develop and implement legal strategies that align with the Group's business objectives and regulatory requirements in the Middle East, ensuring effective mitigation of complex legal and operational risks.
• Lead the assessment, monitoring, and reporting of legal enforceability risks in accordance with the Group’s Enterprise Risk Management Framework, acting as Risk Owner or support as appropriate.
• Provide timely escalation and resolution of significant legal and regulatory issues, including litigation and compliance challenges, maintaining strong partnerships with internal risk, compliance, and business teams.

Transactional and Advisory Support

• Deliver expert legal advisory services to business units on transactional matters, particularly relating to core banking products including account openings, cash management, trade financing, and related lending instruments.
• Draft, review and negotiate complex legal documentation while ensuring adherence to Group policies, product parameters, and compliance with applicable laws in relevant jurisdictions.
• Streamline contract documentation by promoting the use of standardised legal templates and managing approval processes for non-standard or supplementary documentation effectively.

Process and People Leadership

• Establish and maintain robust legal risk management processes, policies, and procedures to ensure consistent application across the Middle East region.
• Promote a culture of high ethical standards and compliance with legal and regulatory obligations, embedding the Group’s 'Here for Good' values through strong leadership and collaboration.
• Deliver ongoing training and knowledge-sharing initiatives with business and legal teams to enhance understanding and management of legal risks.

Regulatory Engagement

• Build and maintain constructive relationships with regional regulators and legal counterparts to proactively manage legal and regulatory developments affecting the Bank’s operations.
• Collaborate with external counsel when needed to bolster the Bank’s position on legal matters and litigation strategies.

Skills and Experience

Skills and Experience

• Demonstrable expertise in drafting and negotiating a wide range of legal contracts within the banking and financial services sector, with an emphasis on core banking and trade finance products.
• Strong analytical and research capabilities to interpret complex regulatory and legal frameworks across multiple Middle Eastern jurisdictions.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, capable of working effectively with diverse teams and external stakeholders including regulators and counsel.
• Proven ability to manage legal risks pragmatically and provide practical business-focused solutions.
• Experience in managing legal processes and embedding compliance orientations within an international corporate structure.
• Adaptability and resilience in handling high-pressure legal challenges while maintaining integrity and professionalism.

Qualifications

Qualifications

• Law degree or equivalent qualification, with post-graduate or professional legal training as necessary.
• Qualified lawyer with significant experience within an in-house legal team, preferably in the banking or financial services industry.
• Proficiency in Arabic at a professional business level and fluency in English to engage effectively with regional stakeholders and legal documentation.
• Strong ethical standards, integrity, and resilience; an enthusiastic and positive outlook with the capacity to engage constructively across cultural contexts.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly across the Middle East to support regional business needs.
• Excellent judgment in balancing legal considerations with business priorities, complemented by a pragmatic and solutions-oriented mindset.

About Standard Chartered

About Standard Chartered

Standard Chartered is a leading international banking group with over 170 years of history, committed to driving commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity. We are agile enough to respond rapidly while delivering impactful solutions for our clients, communities, and colleagues worldwide.

Our purpose is underpinned by a strong culture of valued behaviours and inclusivity, where differences are celebrated and everyone is empowered to contribute their best. We challenge the status quo, foster innovation, and continuously strive to improve.

We live by core values that guide everything we do:

• Do the right thing: Act with integrity, assertiveness, and a client-centric approach.
• Never settle: Commit to continuous improvement and learning.
• Are better together: Embrace diversity, inclusion, and collaboration to build sustainable success.

Joining Standard Chartered means working for a bank that not only values your talent but also supports your growth and well-being.

What we offer

What we offer

We provide a competitive and fair salary package aligned with our Fair Pay Charter, alongside a comprehensive suite of benefits designed to support your mental, physical, financial, and social wellbeing.

• Robust retirement savings schemes, medical cover, and life insurance, complemented by flexible and voluntary benefits tailored to local requirements.
• Generous time-off policies including annual leave, parental leave (up to 20 weeks maternity), sabbaticals up to 12 months, volunteering leave, and combined public holidays totaling at least 30 days annually.
• Flexible working arrangements encompassing home and office-based work options to promote work-life balance.
• Access to advanced wellbeing resources, including the Unmind digital platform, resilience development courses, Employee Assistance Programmes, mental health first aiders, and various self-help tools.
• A commitment to continuous learning with extensive opportunities for reskilling and upskilling through diverse learning modalities.
• A supportive, inclusive, and values-driven workplace, fostering an environment where diverse talents can thrive and reach their full potential.