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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, Brian Sheehy, Abby Walters and Simon Rolfe 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.