Legal Manager – Real Estate & Development

About the role

The Legal Manager will lead all legal matters for a UAE real‑estate developer, providing practical advice to senior management, protecting the company's interests and ensuring compliance with UAE laws and regulations.

Key responsibilities

• Provide end‑to‑end legal support for real‑estate development projects, including acquisition, construction, sales, handover and post‑handover phases.
• Draft, review, negotiate and finalise Sale and Purchase Agreements (SPAs), reservation forms, addenda, NDAs, MOUs and other property‑related documents.
• Manage commercial contracts such as construction, consultancy, brokerage, marketing, vendor, lease and partnership agreements, identifying risks and ensuring proper approvals.
• Act as the primary legal advisor to the CEO and senior leadership, delivering commercially focused recommendations.
• Oversee litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution, coordinating with external counsel and preparing case documentation.
• Ensure corporate governance, company incorporation, shareholder matters and regulatory compliance, including AML, KYC and sanctions screening.

Required profile

• Minimum 10 years of legal experience in the UAE, with at least 7–10 years in a UAE real‑estate developer.
• Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) required; Master’s in Commercial, Corporate or Real‑Estate Law is an advantage.
• Proven experience advising CEOs or senior management and managing external counsel.
• Strong knowledge of UAE real‑estate regulations and relevant government authorities.

Required skills

• Sanctions Screening
• Beneficial ownership
• Real Estate Transactions
• Contract Drafting
• Regulatory Compliance
• Legal advisory
• Sale and Purchase Agreements (SPAs)
• Dispute Resolution
• Legal interpretation
• KYC
• Corporate Governance
• Commercial Contracts
• Arbitration
• UAE real estate regulations
• Construction contracts
• AML