Legal Counsel (UAE & Middle East) - Hybrid, Fluent Arabic

About the role

SoftwareOne, a global provider of software and cloud solutions, is creating a new Legal Counsel position based in Dubai, covering the Middle East. You will be the only legal counsel physically present in the UAE and the main day-to-day legal contact for its local business, reporting to the Group Legal Department. The role suits an early-career lawyer with practical experience who wants a visible in-house counsel position and is comfortable working independently while collaborating with colleagues across EMEA.

Key responsibilities

• Serve as the primary day-to-day legal contact for the UAE business.
• Review, draft and negotiate commercial agreements such as software licensing, IT services, managed services, supplier, customer, partner and framework contracts.
• Provide practical, commercially focused legal advice to internal stakeholders.
• Manage local legal requests from initial assessment through completion or escalation.
• Support regulatory, authority-related and dispute matters, coordinating with external counsel where needed.
• Maintain legal documentation, contract records and follow-up activities.

Required profile

• Completed law degree and strong knowledge of UAE legal principles and procedures.
• Admitted, licensed, registered and eligible to practise law in the UAE, or undertaking relevant UAE advocacy/bar training.
• Professional fluency in Arabic and English.
• Practical experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial agreements; experience with software licensing, technology or IT-services agreements is a plus.
• Ability to work independently, manage priorities and take ownership of matters.
• Sound judgement on when to resolve issues locally and when to escalate.

What we offer

• The chance to help establish and shape a new, locally based legal position in the Middle East.
• Work across commercial contracting, software and IT services, data protection, public-sector matters and regional legal topics.
• A supportive, cross-border legal team with heavy investment in talent and training.