Legal Counsel, Middle East
Master Builders Solutions Construction Chemicals
مجموع سنوات الخبرة :12 years, 6 أشهر
In-house Counsel to Master Builders Solutions and its affiliates across the Middle East and Egypt, working closely with senior leaders and across business departments, advising on a wide range of legal-related matters while identifying risk and providing real time, pragmatic solutions. Specific responsibilities include: • The negotiation and drafting of transactional project documentation including: o the creation of joint ventures (starting from the appointment of law firms, preparation of the legal due diligence report, up to the execution of the different contractual documents related to the transaction such as Shareholders Agreements, Memorandums of Association) o acquisitions (Share Purchase Agreements, Business Transfer Agreements, related agreements); and o corporate restructurings • The creation of subsidiaries across the MENA region (LLCs, Branches, Establishments, Free Zone companies) with responsibility for all documentation and liaison with relevant public bodies • Drafting, review and negotiation of all day-to-day agreements as required by business departments (and support functions) including supply agreements (short- and long-term), sale of equipment, distribution agreements, framework supply agreements, NDAs, T&C’s • Responsible for all Human Resources-related matters, including labor disputes, employment contracts, advice on labor law provisions • Driving the implementation of Corporate Governance principles and guidelines, ensuring they are adhered to, including organizational documents, GM and Board nominations, limitation of powers, delegations of powers and matrix of authority, etc. • Conducting training sessions on Anti-Corruption / Anti-Trust, contractual guidelines and more generally, ensuring compliance of contracts and activities with applicable laws and regulations • Handling litigation in the ordinary course of business; following up on procedures and filings before local courts; handling administrative claims and disputes • Identifying and escalating - as appropriate - legal risks arising out in the normal course of business
• Assisting the Chief Legal Officer in the daily tasks of the legal department;
• Providing legal assistance and support in the preparation of legal cases, lawsuits and more generally to interact with law firms on various litigation matters;
• Reviewing contracts and legal documents and more generally, to supervise the implementation of the Air Liquide contractual guidelines;
• Reviewing/drafting contracts, briefs, notices, memoranda, circulars, correspondence, reports and other legal forms;
• Supervise the implementation of the Air Liquide corporate governance in the affiliates and subsidiaries of the Middle East & North Africa clusters;
• Carrying out legal research / studies on a wide range of topics with the assistance of external lawyers;
• Providing guidance, advisory and counselling to affiliates on a wide range of matters relating to compliance with local laws, regulations and policies in force;
• Responsible for the preparation, production, translation, legalization of documents in connection with projects, contracts, companies (e.g., forms, letters, extracts of companies, invitations to board and general assembly meetings, extracts of minutes of meetings of boards or general assembly resolutions)
• Handling the creation, restructuring, liquidation of subsidiaries with the various governmental authorities of the zone (ministries, municipalities, Free Zone departments, notary public, courts, embassies, consulates). That includes assisting subsidiaries in matters relating to licensing, restructuring and more generally, on subjects involving interactions with local authorities.
• Conducting legal analysis and research on various legal matters of the client or the organization;
• Providing advice on different legal issues and assist in drafting legal opinions, corporate documents, memoranda and other briefing documents;
• Actively involved in preparing and drafting of different acts and legal submissions and draft the authoritative legal opinions as well;
• Conduct legal research by utilizing various resources and selecting the relevant material to analyze the legal information;
• Assist in reviewing the legal material and any other relevant documents and to identify the most important issues that need to be sorted out on a priority basis;
• Draw up formalities regarding the settlement of disputes and monitor the implementation of the legal clauses;
• Follow up with the concern authorities such as Dubai Land Department and Dubai Economy Development Department;
• Advise whether all the proceedings of the organization are in compliance with the requirements of the legislation;
• Accountable for taking the day to day legal responsibilities and providing legal advice that includes all the aspects of the analysis, investigation and drafting process;and
• Providing support in discrete legal issues by advising the organization, drafting undertakings and structuring remedies for the relevant issues.
occasions if required, support or Admin staff);
- Analyze, interpret and define enquiries and requirements;
- Revert to fee earners to clarify requests;
- Estimate likely time costs for the research;
- Advise fee earners on further questions to ask of clients;
- Present research findings in good English, using a clear structure based on a template;
- Identify solutions to legal queries based on research findings and legal knowledge of the region;
- Identify fee earner awareness requirements;
- As guided by practice areas, ensure a current awareness of new legislation, updates, amendments, key
- judgments and relevant news by scanning press, Official federal and local gazettes and other media
- sources and international law reviews;
- Obtain policy statements from relevant ministerial departments and free zone offices to confirm the application and enforceability of new legislation and policy
- Independently responsible for assisting in legal administrative duties.
- Report writing/typing and assist in following up of matters or issues or instructions related to main decisions, legal instrumentals, pertinent to HBMSU objectives and undertakings. Moreover, provide administrative and secretarial support to the Legal Manager and the Department.
- Prepare and coordinate transactions, including licenses acquisition, training, SLA, purchase and leasing documents, legal Notices, initiate memorandums and other related documents required by legal section.
- Review, analyze and recommend changes in assigned subject matter. Prepare various legal or special reports on pertinent legal aspects and other functions practices. Research and maintain a current directory of precedents, amendments and rectifications of practical regulations and laws of the UAE.
- Monitor compliance with policies, procedures, regulations, and appropriate laws. Maintain the insurance of the HBMSU and assets-maintaining files and follow-up.
- Prepare and manage special projects as assigned, such as report and/or policy writing. Ability to implement and develop what is learned and to prioritize work under tight schedules with basic knowledge of legal terminology and principles.
- Draft rules and regulations, alternatively translate when necessitated relevant texts from English to Arabic and vice versa.
- Review legal documents and assist with research. Analyze, confer and respond to pending legislation and enactments under the guidance of the Legal Manager.
- Assist in maintaining an up-to-date list of administrative orders, directives, instructions, and other related matters concerning the operational and planning aspects of the sections, and follow up as directed by the Legal Affairs Manager.
- Understand the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving.
- Assist in development of division policies, procedures, and guidelines.
- Establish, maintain, and track files for legal and insurance matters in an efficient and effective manner.
- Maintain strict confidentiality of information in accordance with HBMSU policies and contract obligations.
- Update legal publications and participates in the work associated with a law library once applicable.
- Demonstrate continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality seamless service.
- Liaise with local authorities/department, and undertake the process of submission and receiving any certificate, license etc.
Pro bono lawyer at the Law clinic of the Dubai International Financial Courts.
• Preparing lawsuits by researching material and literature required.
• Preparing notes and documenting data relating to lawsuits.
• Researching the background of accused, witnesses and defendant.
• Researching old lawsuits which are similar to the case in hand.
• Laying the groundwork for the lawsuits and gathering base information.
• Preparing legal documents pertaining to filing the case in the court.
• Preparing briefs, appeals, memos, legal documents pertaining to real estate and acquisitions.
• Documenting details of different cases and keeping the law library updated.
• Perform investigatory functions like finding clues regarding the case and collecting other evidence.
• Experience in the Middle East and specializes in litigation and dispute resolution.
• In-depth understanding of UAE laws and extensive experience in Civil, Commercial and Companies laws.
• Handling litigation and cases matters starting from dealing with clients and providing legal advice on the client’s matter mostly in insurance and commercial matters.
• Drafting case writ, defense pleadings, memorandums, and all other required documents in the litigation proceedings.
• Drafting and reviewing of legal opinions, legal notices, sale and purchase agreements amongst other contracts
• Following up and updating clients on their matter and ensuring that the procedure is carried out in the proper manner
1. Reading through original material and rewriting it in the target language, ensuring that the meaning of the source text is retained
2. Studying source text to understand the meaning and convert it into another language to convey the original meaning, spirit and feeling.
3. Using dictionaries and other online and offline reference materials to determine meanings of words and phrases and to establish their closest equivalent in the target language.
4. Using appropriate software for presentation and delivery.
5. Editing and proofreading final translated versions & then providing direct manager with well-expressed final version of the translated text.
6. Ensuring that delivered service matches the company's quality standards.
7. Prioritizing work to meet deadlines.
8. Attending to clients feed backs if any- in the best professional manner.
9. Attending internal and external training courses and sessions as required by the department manager.
10. Meeting semester objectives as set out by the department management.
Professional diploma in legal translation: An advanced program that fine-tunes the skills acquired in the Career Certificate in Legal Translation. The translation project component Arabic/English/Arabic optimizes an end-product that should meet the professional standards in the related field
