Legal Counsel – Construction Disputes & Litigation

• Legal advisory: Provide practical legal advice to management and project teams on UAE construction, commercial, corporate, employment and regulatory matters affecting the Company’s operations.
• Contract review and drafting: Review, draft and negotiate main contracts, subcontracts, consultancy agreements, purchase orders, guarantees, bonds, NDAs, settlement agreements and other project-related documents, including FIDIC-based contracts and UAE-specific amendments.
• Claims and dispute management: Advise on variations, extensions of time, delay, disruption, payment, defects, termination and other construction claims; develop dispute-avoidance and resolution strategies with the Commercial, Contracts and Project teams.
• Notices and project records: Review contractual notices, claims submissions, responses, warning letters and key project correspondence to protect CITIC’s contractual position and maintain complete, reliable records.
• Arbitration and litigation: Manage arbitration, mediation and court matters, including coordination with external counsel, experts and witnesses; monitor pleadings, evidence, deadlines, legal costs and case strategy.
• Negotiation and settlements: Support or lead negotiations with employers, consultants, subcontractors, suppliers and other stakeholders, seeking commercially sound outcomes while protecting the Company’s rights.
• Compliance and governance: Monitor relevant UAE legal and regulatory developments; support corporate authorisations, licences, policies, investigations and compliance requirements, and escalate material legal risks to management.
• Legal reporting: Maintain the legal matters register, dispute tracker and document repository, and provide concise risk assessments and periodic reports to management and CITIC stakeholders.
• Cross-functional support: Deliver legal awareness sessions and work closely with Commercial, Contracts, Procurement, Finance, HR, HSE and project teams across CITIC Middle East Contracting L.L.C.

Skills

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Law; a postgraduate qualification in construction law, arbitration or commercial law is an advantage.
• Experience: Minimum 15 years of post-qualification legal experience, including at least 10 years in the UAE construction or engineering sector, preferably with a main contractor or recognised construction practice rather than only a private law firm.
• Technical knowledge: Strong working knowledge of UAE civil and commercial law principles, construction contracts, FIDIC forms, claims, arbitration and dispute-resolution procedures. Familiarity with DIAC proceedings and UAE court-related case management is preferred.
• Track record: Demonstrated experience handling substantial construction claims and disputes and reviewing complex contractor-side agreements and project correspondence. Arbitration experience (DIAC/arbitrateAD/UAE Courts)
• Drafting and communication: Excellent written and spoken English, with the ability to draft precise legal and contractual documents and advise senior management clearly. Arabic and/or Mandarin is an advantage.
• Professional attributes: Commercially minded, ethical, discreet and resilient, with strong negotiation, analytical, stakeholder-management and organisational skills.
• Professional status: Qualification to practise law in a recognised jurisdiction is preferred; eligibility or registration to practise in the UAE is an advantage where applicable.