For many years I worked in Dubai as a Legal Recruiter and have a huge amount of experience helping people land legal jobs in the UAE.
I know for a fact that Dubai offers fantastic opportunities for Lawyers looking to gain international experience. Dubai is the legal hub of the Middle East, boasting a wide choice of top UK and US law firms.
In Dubai you'll find leading Magic Circle and White Shoe legal firms.
Over the years I have placed lawyers across top international and local law firms. I also helped people into in-house legal positions in Dubai.
In this article, I’m going to share everything that you need to know about embarking on a legal career in Dubai.
I'll explain where to apply for legal roles in Dubai and how to find legal recruiters in Dubai. Plus, I'll tell you what kind of salary you can expect to earn as a lawyer in Dubai.
If you would like to talk about your Dubai Legal career, or you'd like professional Legal CV for Dubai, reach out to Hannah Mason, here.
Let's explore the kinds of legal roles that you can expect to find in Dubai.
Private practice law firms fall into 3 categories in Dubai:
UK and US-based international firms such as Allen & Overy, Clyde & Co, Linklaters, White & Case and Latham & Watkins have long held offices in the UAE.
You’ll find a full range of Legal 500 firms in the region covering all practice areas. These firms work with corporate clients covering M&A, real estate, DCM, oil & gas, disputes, projects, construction, finance law and more.
To land roles at these firms, you'll need direct experience in a similar law firm in another jurisdiction. Ideally you should hold a legal qualification in the UK or the US (or equivalent). You should also have relevant experience in the practice area you are applying to.
These top-ranking firms want to hire top talent, even when they don’t have roles advertised. They will often be open to speculative applications if you are currently working at a top global firm.
• Trainees rarely qualify in Dubai. This causes a lack of qualified candidates at the junior end of the market.
• Dubai is a transient market. Lawyers move more often and sometimes out of the country. Firms need to attract lawyers from other markets to fill these gaps.
A newly-qualified lawyer, associate or senior associate in a top international law firm will find lots of opportunities in Dubai.
This is a bit trickier. Legal firms will look for you to have contacts in the region and a book of business of $1m+. They will rarely consider senior hires who don’t have regional experience as most Partners are also expected to be rain-makers.
However, if you are looking to be made-up to Partner in the mid- to long-term then Dubai offers plenty of opportunity to build a book of business and seek out promotion to partnership.
There are lots of locally-headquartered legal firms in Dubai. These legal firms specialise in advising clients on Middle East matters. Some of these have offices accross the Middle East. Others have a more boutique offering.
The most well-established regional firms include Al Tamimi & Co, Hadef & Partners and Afridi & Angell.
Unlike the international firms, there are wider-ranging opportunities at these regional firms. Lawyers with more diverse backgrounds will find it easier to land a job at these companies.
You will need to have strong experience within the relevant practice area. The region that you qualified in holds less importance.
You’ll find lawyers working at these firms from across the world. Examples include Indian Lawyers, Egyptian Lawyers, Lebanese Lawyers, European Lawyers and more.
It is worth noting that many roles advertised at such firms require Arabic. This is especially true if you will be dealing with the local courts or involved in local company set-up.
Where Arabic is a requirement, you will need to be able to draft legal documents in Arabic to a high standard.
The majority of lawyers in Dubai work for corporate clients. However, there are a growing number of firms that handle private client work (including family law, wills and probate).
This work is generally governed either by local shariah law or by the DIFC courts (based on UK law). Depending on the requirements of the role, you will need to have relevant experience.
It’s worth noting that only UAE nationals have right of audience before the courts. As such the opportunities for in-court litigators or UK barristers are almost non-existent.
If you are an in-house lawyer, or your experience is very commercial, there are lots of opportunities in Dubai. The largest legal teams are at local companies with headquarters in Dubai.
• Regional banks
• Media companies
• Free zones
• Oil & gas companies
• Diversified local groups
Some international companies also have Dubai legal teams. But these tend to be smaller and report into a Head of Legal or General Counsel in another country.
The majority of in-house roles are generalist in nature. Candidates with experience in commercial contracts and corporate law are in highest demand.
There are sometimes opportunities for more specialised lawyers to find in-house work. Although these positions are less frequently available. The demand for Arabic speakers is greater for in-house roles. Although it’s not essential that you speak Arabic to land an in-house legal role in Dubai.
Here are the best places to source and apply for legal roles in Dubai.
Indeed.ae scrapes the internet and collates job opportunities from lots of sources. When you use Indeed, you should refine your search criteria as much as possible. You should also set up alerts so that you stay up-to-date with new opportunities.
Many law firms will advertise roles directly on their websites. It is always worth checking target firm's career portals for potential roles. However, it's important to know that not all vacancies are advertised and you shouldn't expect the viewable open positions to give you a full picture.
You should register with 2 – 3 recruitment agencies. Dubai recruitment agencies will have access to unadvertised positions. They will also update you on the current market trends. Recruiters with good relationships with Partners will know about what types of CVs they are interested in seeing, regardless of whether there is an official open position.
Dubai is a city of networkers. If you are serious about landing a legal job in Dubai then you should invest in building a network of contacts in the region. Many law firms host free seminars to attract potential clients. Attending these can be a great place to start building some contacts.
Law is a very traditional profession and generally a simple CV format is best for Dubai. It’s important to consider what type of role you are targeting and make this as clear as possible. It can be helpful to include a header with your target job title and also a ‘key skills’ section that highlights your relevant skills/practice areas.
• A two-page CV is typical in Dubai - however, if you have a long transaction list then this can be included as an addendum.
• You do not need to include a photo on your CV for a legal role in Dubai.
• You also don’t need to include all your personal information.
• You should include language skills and your nationality (for visa purposes).
• Make sure your CV is ATS-friendly. Avoid unnecessary graphics and columns as these can make it harder for software to parse relevant details.
Lawyers can earn very good money in Dubai with the added benefit of paying zero income tax.
At a Magic Circle or top UK firm, salaries start at around 30,000 AED per month for a newly-qualified Lawyer. This will rise incrementally to 60,000+ AED per month for Senior and Managing Associates.
US firms pay around 10% more. But you should expect longer working hours for that extra 10%.
Local firms pay around 10% less but typically offer better work/life balance.
In-house salaries are around 10 – 20% lower than those of a UK law firm. They start at around 20,000 – 25,000 AED per month for a newly-qualified Lawyer.
In-house packages can vary a lot. It often depends on how specialised the work is and the nature of the organisation. For example, I placed General Counsels into positions ranging in pay from AED 45,000 - AED 100,000 per month.
Your employer will pay your private medical insurance and visa costs. But extra allowances for housing, travel or school fees are not guaranteed and these added benefits can vary widely between employers.
You might get relocation help, but generally this is reserved for harder-to-fill positions. It's even less likely to be offered if you are interviewing against candidates who are already in the region.
You should prepare to negotiate ever aspect of your salary package. You should negotiate all the terms of your contract before signing on the dotted line.
There are plenty of opportunities for Paralegal and Legal Secretary roles in Dubai. Although there is also more competition. I received 2 to 3 x more applications for these roles than for roles that required qualified lawyers.
There is also less appetite to hire from outside the country for these roles. Arriving on a visit visa will help your chances. This will show employers that you are available to interview in person and to start on short notice.
For newcomers, salaries start at around 15,000 – 20,000 AED per month. Experienced Paralegals with UAE experience can earn up to around 30,000 AED per month.
Dubai is a fantastic city for an international legal career. There is a wide variety of opportunities, top-tier legal work and many top-ranked legal employers in Dubai. Many people that come to Dubai for a short time find themselves making the UAE their home.
Many advance into Partner or General Counsel positions and enjoy great careers!
If you would like to talk about your Dubai Legal career, or you'd like professional Legal CV for Dubai, reach out to Hannah Mason, here.
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