Role overview
Our client is a substantial Abu Dhabi-based organisation with an active pipeline of major construction and infrastructure projects. The group is hiring a Senior Legal Counsel to sit at the centre of its projects legal function. The role covers the full life cycle of construction legal work: procurement and tendering, contract drafting and negotiation, project execution support and claims. It suits a construction specialist who wants genuine ownership of a portfolio rather than a narrow slice of it, working close to the commercial, technical and delivery teams on projects of real scale.
Key responsibilities
- Draft, negotiate and advise on the full range of construction and engineering contracts, including FIDIC-based forms, EPC and EPCM structures, O&M agreements, design and build agreements, consultancy appointments and subcontracts
- Advise project teams through procurement and tendering, including bid documentation, evaluation and contract award
- Support live project delivery: variations, extensions of time, payment issues, performance security and interface risk between packages
- Manage claims strategy and early-stage dispute avoidance, and instruct and manage external counsel where formal proceedings arise
- Advise on appointment and management of contractors, consultants and suppliers, including prequalification and framework arrangements
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of contract templates, playbooks and internal processes
- Provide clear, commercial advice to senior stakeholders, translating legal risk into practical recommendations
Candidate profile
- Around 8 or more years' post-qualification experience with a substantial construction and projects focus
- Common law qualified, with training or significant experience at a respected international or regional practice, or in a comparable in-house projects role
- Deep working knowledge of FIDIC forms and their amendment in the Gulf market
- Experience advising across the project life cycle, from procurement through delivery to claims
- GCC experience preferred
About Meyssa Legal
Meyssa Legal places lawyers across private practice and in-house roles in the UAE, with deep experience in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. We work consultatively with leading firms, in-house teams, and senior counsel across banking and finance, disputes, corporate, regulatory, and TMT.
Our approach prioritises judgment over targets and discretion over volume. We brief every role in confidence, submit only candidates we genuinely believe fit, and treat every conversation as the start of a long-term relationship.
