Legal Counsel

Cygnify is recruiting for a client that sits at the heart of the Emirate’s growth and transformation, a leading publicly listed property developer known for creating integrated, master-planned destinations that fuse lifestyle, sustainability and long-term investment value. The company’s track record includes a strong delivery record, an active development pipeline and strategic partnerships around the globe. This opportunity is aimed at someone who wants a varied legal role in real estate and corporate matters, working onsite in Dubai for a full-time position.

The role is for a commercially-minded Legal Counsel who will handle contract drafting and negotiation, company formation and structuring, governance and company secretarial duties, as well as trademarks and intellectual property. The successful candidate will support the Senior Legal Director and the wider team by giving practical legal advice to management in order to minimise risk across the organisation.

Based on-site in Dubai, the position suits a professional who enjoys applying legal know-how across real estate, construction and corporate matters within a dynamic development environment.

Day-to-day in the legal suite

On a day-to-day basis, you’ll draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements, keeping deals moving and offering business-focused guidance on risk and terms. You’ll provide ad-hoc legal support to internal teams on routine matters and help shape and interpret internal policies so they reflect real-world practice and compliance. The role also requires solving complex issues from a legal angle, conducting focused research on applicable laws and summarising what’s relevant for the business, and building templates and databases to streamline the work of the Legal Department. You’ll stay current with legislation that could affect the company, assist with forming new entities and performing general company secretarial duties, and liaise with external counsel on matters that can include disputes. There will be times when you act as a substitute for the Senior Legal Director and other team members, and you’ll ensure the organisation complies with Health, Safety and Environmental Management policies.

Must-have requirements

• Professional qualification from a common law jurisdiction (for example the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or a similar system)
• Four to six years post-qualification experience with a strong track record in real estate, property development or construction
• Proven experience in drafting and negotiating complex commercial contracts and achieving favorable terms
• Experience advising property, construction or real estate businesses
• Exposure to multi-jurisdictional regulatory environments

Pay, benefits and practical details

This is a full-time, on-site role based in Dubai, AE.

Advice for applicants

Put your common law qualification and your 4–6 years of PQE in real estate up front on your resume so the hiring team sees you fit the must-have profile immediately.

When you describe your experience, highlight complex commercial contracts you’ve drafted or negotiated in property development or construction, and note the outcomes or terms you secured.

Be ready to discuss governance duties, company secretarial tasks, policy drafting, and how you’ve collaborated with external counsel on disputes or contentious matters.

Ask a precise question about cross-border regulatory work and how the legal team partners with external counsel on multi-jurisdictional issues, including how the role integrates with the Senior Legal Director. This shows you’re thinking about how the function operates in practice across jurisdictions.