Legal Counsel – UAE (In‑house)

About the role

PAX is looking for an experienced, commercially‑minded Legal Counsel to support its expanding operations in the United Arab Emirates. The role is in‑house and covers commercial contracting, distribution and agency arrangements, employment compliance, corporate governance, intellectual property, regulatory matters and dispute resolution. The successful candidate will work closely with Sales, Finance, HR, Compliance and senior management.

Key responsibilities

• Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of English commercial agreements, including distribution, agency, reseller, supply, procurement, marketing, service, consultancy, NDA and partnership contracts.
• Advise on UAE Commercial Agencies Law, distribution structures, exclusivity, distributor protection, termination rights and contractual risk.
• Support Sales and business teams on customer, supplier, distributor and channel‑related contracts, develop standard templates and ensure proper contract execution and record‑keeping.
• Provide employment and labour law advice, draft employment contracts, consultancy agreements, confidentiality agreements, restrictive covenants, warning letters and termination documents.
• Assist HR with employee relations, disciplinary matters, investigations, grievances and disputes, and review HR policies for legal compliance.
• Support corporate governance and regulatory compliance for UAE mainland and free‑zone entities, manage licence renewals, shareholder and board resolutions, UBO declarations and economic substance filings.
• Liaise with government and free‑zone authorities, external counsel and service providers, and monitor legal developments affecting the business.
• Offer day‑to‑day legal advice on business operations, marketing activities, commercial practices, product matters and corporate governance.

Required profile

• Strong experience practising UAE law, particularly in commercial, employment and corporate matters.
• Excellent English drafting and negotiation skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast‑growing business environment.
• Proven track record of providing practical legal advice to cross‑functional teams.

Required skills

• In‑depth knowledge of UAE Commercial Agencies Law and related commercial legislation.
• Expertise in drafting and negotiating commercial contracts.
• Familiarity with UAE Federal Labour Law and employment compliance.
• Understanding of corporate governance requirements for mainland and free‑zone entities.