Legal Counsel – Regional Banking (MEA)

About the role

Join a leading international financial institution as a Legal Counsel focused on the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. You will work from the Dubai hub, providing proactive legal support to senior stakeholders across commercial, transactional and regulatory matters.

Key responsibilities

• Provide legal advice on commercial contracts, vendor agreements, outsourcing arrangements and banking products such as trade finance and corporate lending.
• Conduct legal research on regional laws and regulations, summarising updates for business units.
• Support corporate projects, internal initiatives and process improvements with legal input.
• Manage external counsel engagements, including fee negotiation and cost monitoring.
• Contribute to governance, risk management and regulatory compliance across the regional business.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to mitigate legal and reputational risk.

Required profile

• Qualified lawyer with 4+ years post‑qualification experience in private practice or in‑house within financial services.
• Strong knowledge of MEA banking and finance regulatory frameworks.
• Experience negotiating commercial contracts, outsourcing and vendor management.
• Fluent English; Arabic is a plus.
• Highly organised, adaptable and able to manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines.

Required skills

What we offer

• Opportunity to work in a leading financial services organisation.
• Professional, collaborative environment in Dubai.
• Potential for career growth within the legal department.