Legal Counsel

We are looking for an experienced, commercially focused Legal Counsel to join a regulated financial services organization in the UAE. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in banking, fintech, payment services, or other regulated financial institutions, with hands-on experience in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial agreements, particularly merchant agreements and payment services contracts. Key Responsibilities: • Draft, review, and negotiate merchant agreements, payment processing agreements, and other commercial contracts. • Provide legal advisory support on financial services regulations, commercial transactions, and contractual matters. • Work closely with business, compliance, risk, and operations teams to ensure contractual and regulatory alignment. • Support corporate governance, regulatory requirements, and general legal matters. • Identify and mitigate contractual and commercial legal risks. Requirements: • Minimum 5 years of relevant legal experience, preferably within a regulated banking, fintech, or payments organization. • Strong understanding of financial services regulations and the regulatory environment in the GCC, particularly the UAE. • Demonstrated hands-on experience in drafting and negotiating merchant agreements and payment-related contracts is highly preferred. • Strong commercial contracting, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills. • Qualification to practise law in a common law jurisdiction (UK, US, or equivalent) is preferred. Location & Availability: We are specifically looking for candidates currently based in the UAE. Preference will be given to candidates who are immediately available or able to join at short notice. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply with their updated CV. All applications will be handled confidentially. Show more Show less

Minimum 5 years of relevant legal experience, preferably within a regulated banking, fintech, or payments organization. Strong understanding of financial services regulations and the regulatory environment in the GCC, particularly the UAE. Demonstrated hands-on experience in drafting and negotiating merchant agreements and payment-related contracts is highly preferred. Strong commercial contracting, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills. Qualification to practise law in a common law jurisdiction (UK, US, or equivalent) is preferred.

Draft, review, and negotiate merchant agreements, payment processing agreements, and other commercial contracts. Provide legal advisory support on financial services regulations, commercial transactions, and contractual matters. Work closely with business, compliance, risk, and operations teams to ensure contractual and regulatory alignment. Support corporate governance, regulatory requirements, and general legal matters. Identify and mitigate contractual and commercial legal risks.