Senior Legal Counsel – Exploration & Production

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Senior Legal Counsel to support TotalEnergies' Exploration & Production (E&P) activities in the United Arab Emirates. The role focuses on minimizing legal risk, optimizing commercial positions, and delivering pragmatic solutions for high‑value assets and complex contracts.

Key responsibilities

• Advise on existing agreements, interpret terms, and assess contractual risks.
• Lead negotiations with state entities, national oil companies, and joint‑venture partners.
• Draft, review, and validate new agreements and major contracts in compliance with UAE law.
• Support business‑development teams during commercial negotiations.
• Conduct specialized legal research and prepare strategy briefs for upcoming projects.
• Prevent and manage disputes, defending TotalEnergies' interests in threatened or actual litigation.
• Monitor new laws and regulations, perform sanction checks, and advise internal stakeholders.
• Coordinate with central legal functions at headquarters and ensure corporate governance compliance.

Required profile

• LL.B. degree (civil or common law jurisdiction) – preferably with a master’s in petroleum law.
• Minimum 15 years of experience in E&P or energy law.
• Strong knowledge of petroleum law, international business/public law, environmental law, and company law.

Required skills

• Expertise in drafting and negotiating complex oil‑and‑gas contracts.
• Ability to interpret and apply UAE legislation to commercial transactions.
• Proficiency in conducting legal risk assessments and developing mitigation strategies.

What we offer

• Opportunity to work on high‑value, strategic energy projects.
• Collaborative environment with global legal and business teams.
• Commitment to diversity, personal development, and equal employment opportunities.