Head of Litigation (Barrister)

About the role

A globally regulated financial services group, one of the largest providers of online trading and financial derivatives solutions, headquartered in Dubai and serving clients in over 100 countries, is hiring a Head of Litigation (Barrister). The role joins the in-house Legal team and acts as a strategic legal advisor across the group's regulated brokerage, payments and digital asset operations. It suits a commercially astute lawyer who can navigate complex, multi-jurisdictional regulatory environments while supporting business growth and protecting the organisation from legal and regulatory risk.

Key responsibilities

• Provide legal advisory support on financial services regulations, brokerage (FX/CFDs), payments and digital asset activities
• Draft, review and negotiate commercial agreements, including client agreements, liquidity provider contracts, PSP agreements and technology/vendor contracts
• Support licensing applications and regulatory submissions across global jurisdictions
• Advise on corporate governance, board documentation and cross-border structuring matters
• Manage disputes and coordinate with external counsel when required
• Review and update internal policies, terms of business and legal documentation to ensure regulatory alignment
• Work closely with Compliance, Risk, Operations and Product teams on legal risk mitigation and regulatory interpretation

Required profile

• Qualified lawyer or barrister from a recognised common law jurisdiction (UK preferred)
• 6-12+ years of post-qualification experience
• Proven experience in financial services, brokerage, fintech, payments or capital markets
• Strong understanding of regulated environments and cross-border operations
• Experience engaging with financial regulators is highly advantageous

Required skills

• Advanced drafting and negotiation skills
• Commercial mindset able to balance legal risk and business priorities