Legal Counsel - Wholesale Banking (UAE National ONLY)

Role Overview

Legal Counsel - Wholesale Banking at Mashreq, based in the UAE. This role is open to UAE Nationals only.

Role Purpose

Provide comprehensive legal support on banking and finance transactions, including bilateral and syndicated loans, structured finance, cross-border and multi-jurisdictional matters, and specialist banking products. The role involves drafting, reviewing, and negotiating financing documentation while advising on regulatory and legal risk issues across the bank's Corporate & Investment Banking and International Banking Group.

Key Responsibilities

Documentation & Drafting

• Draft and review various financing documentation, including LMA-based agreements and security packages, in line with UAE and international banking laws and best practice, under supervision of senior legal counsel.
• Review documents to establish customer's capacity and due authority, including Powers of Attorney, articles and by-laws, board and shareholders resolutions, commercial license, certificate of incumbency and related documents.

Transaction Support & Advice

• Assist and support senior lawyers in various banking and finance transactions, advice and research.
• Assist in negotiations with counterparties, obligors, and third parties.
• Provide sound legal advice on a wide range of wholesale banking financial products and services, transactions, and matters, under supervision of senior legal counsel.

Risk Management & Compliance

• Identify legal risks, ensure compliance with applicable banking and financial regulations, and support implementation of risk mitigation strategies.
• Ensure legal advice complies with internal Bank policies, applicable laws and regulatory requirements.

Research & Knowledge Management

• Undertake legal research on banking and finance laws and financial services regulations, cases, and topics.
• Proactively update legal knowledge and technical skills through training, seminars, and other resources.

Policy & Strategic Initiatives

• Contribute to the development and implementation of legal policies, procedures, and templates.
• Contribute to Bank-wide initiatives and wholesale banking legal projects, including digital transformation, innovation, banking and financial products and services, initiatives with active engagement across the Bank's international offices.
• Provide legal input on new products, services, operational strategies, and governance.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Collaborate with colleagues, business teams, and stakeholders to contribute to innovative, commercially sound, and legally robust solutions.
• Collaborate effectively with colleagues in a team-oriented environment.

Administration

• Manage own matters and deliverables, maintaining accurate records of advice and documentation through practice management tools.

Qualifications & Experience

• Emirati national.
• Law Degree from a reputable university.
• Minimum 3 years' post-qualification experience in banking and finance law, preferably with a top-tier law firm.
• Admission to practice law in a recognized jurisdiction.
• Knowledge and experience in Banking & Finance, Corporate Finance, Corporate and Commercial, Financial Services & Financial Services Regulation, Cross-border financial transactions, and LMA documentation.

Skills & Competencies

• Fluent in English and Arabic.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in drafting legal documents and interacting with clients, stakeholders, and colleagues.
• Proficient in a range of computer applications.
• Ability to deliver under pressure in a dynamic, multicultural environment.
• Expertise in UAE and international banking laws and financial services regulation.
• Experience working with varied financing structures and regulatory frameworks.