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The Middle East

The Middle East is flourishing for a number of reasons. Massive levels of investment, and measures to attract business to the region are working. The region wants the business so that it can continue to diversify and become a more complex economy, less dependent on oil. Business, in return, is attracted to an enterprising environment with a tax efficient profile where employees can enjoy a high standard of living.

The up-shot is that activity levels across many sectors are extremely high and this drives a need for lawyers. With a limited domestic resource, international firms and companies are naturally looking for international talent to meet that need.

For lawyers with the requisite experience there are opportunities in the UAE (mainly Dubai and Abu Dhabi), Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, as well as other parts of the gulf.

The Need for Lawyers

In-house and Private Practice opportunities in the Middle East exist and are opening up for Lawyers from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US, South Africa and Europe. Lawyers with experience in the following areas are in demand:

  1. Acquisition finance
  2. Commercial
  3. Asset finance
  4. Corporate
  5. Project finance
  6. Construction
  7. Energy
  8. Property
  9. Capital markets
  10. Infrastructure
  11. General banking and most other areas of finance
  12. Islamic finance
The Need for Business Support Professionals

As law firms continue to expand and evolve in the region, the importance of business support functions should not be under-estimated. Already roles exist for marketing, finance, HR, IT, risk/compliance, knowledge management and facilities specialists and as practices become even more sophisticated, this need will continue to grow.

First Counsel consultants, Mark Walters, Abby Walters and Shalini Rai are focused exclusively on assisting international candidates take advantage of the opportunities in the Middle East. Based in Dubai at the DIFC, the new hub of finance within the Middle East, Mark and Abby have unrivalled access to the market. They have both moved to live and work there on a permanant basis and are well-placed to advise on relocation in general.

Mark Walters
Direct line: +971 (0)4 363 7245
Mobile: +971 (0)50 2838 026
mark.walters@first-counsel.co.uk
Abby Walters
Direct line: +971 (0)4 363 7244
Mobile: +971 (0)50 2838 027
abby.walters@first-counsel.co.uk
Shalini Rai
Direct line: +971 (0)4 363 7238
Mobile: +971 (0)50 276 9687
shalini.rai@first-counsel.co.uk
Leaving on a jet plane?

Mark Walters and Abby Walters, consultants at First Counsel's Middle East office in Dubai, explore life, work and relocation to the region. More

In-house boom in Dubai

An update on working in-house in the middle east - April 2008 More

View Middle East advertisement examples [2.75MB PDF]

To view examples of some of the advertised work that First Counsel in Dubai have completed for their Middle Eastern clients