Legal Counsel

About BI GroupBI Group is an international real estate developer delivering residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments. As we continue to expand our UAE operations and development portfolio, we are strengthening our in-house legal capability to provide practical, commercially focused legal support across development, construction, sales, corporate, regulatory, and dispute-related matters.Role PurposeThe Legal Counsel will provide day-to-day legal support to BI Group's UAE development business across real estate transactions, project development, construction, property sales, corporate, commercial, regulatory, and dispute-related matters.Working closely with senior management, internal business teams, and senior legal colleagues where applicable, the Legal Counsel will support the business throughout the real estate development lifecycle - from project and transaction structuring through development, construction, sales, handover, and post-completion matters.The role requires strong legal drafting and analytical capabilities, practical UAE legal experience, and a commercially minded approach to identifying and managing legal risk.Hands-on UAE real estate experience is highly preferred. Candidates with strong transactional, corporate, regulatory, or dispute experience related to the UAE real estate sector who are looking to further develop their developer-side and construction expertise will also be considered.Key Responsibilities1. Real Estate Development & TransactionsProvide legal support in relation to real estate development projects and transactions.Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on sale and purchase agreements and other property-related documentation.Support legal due diligence in connection with land acquisitions, development opportunities, joint ventures, and strategic transactions.Review title documents, ownership structures, encumbrances, and other legal matters affecting real estate transactions.Support preparation and review of development agreements, joint venture agreements, shareholders' agreements, development management agreements, and related project documentation.Assist Development and Finance teams with project and transaction structuring from a legal and risk perspective.Identify material legal risks and provide practical recommendations to the business.2. Construction, Consultancy & Procurement ContractsSupport the drafting, review, and negotiation of:Construction contracts.Consultant appointments.Contractor and subcontractor agreements.Supplier agreements.Letters of award and letters of intent.Amendments and supplemental agreements.Guarantees, warranties, and other project-related documentation.Support Project Management, Commercial, Procurement, and Development teams on contractual matters.Assist with contractual issues relating to variations, payments, delays, extensions of time, liquidated damages, claims, termination rights, and contractual remedies.Review contractual correspondence and notices where legal rights or liabilities may arise.Support senior legal colleagues and/or external counsel on complex construction and project-related matters.Practical experience with FIDIC-based contracts is preferred. Candidates with a good understanding of construction contracting principles and the ability to develop this expertise will be considered.3. Property Sales & Customer ContractsDraft, review, and maintain property sales documentation, including:Off-plan and completed property Sale and Purchase Agreements.Reservation and booking forms.Payment plan documentation.Addenda and amendments.Settlement agreements.Assignment and resale-related documentation.Advise Sales, Finance, and Customer Experience teams on contractual matters relating to property sales.Support compliance of property sales documentation and processes with applicable UAE and Dubai real estate regulations.Advise on purchaser defaults, cancellations, refunds, payment disputes, assignments, and other customer-related legal matters.Support legal aspects of property handover and post-handover matters.4. Real Estate Regulatory & ComplianceProvide legal support on matters involving the Dubai Land Department (DLD), Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), and other relevant UAE authorities.Support the business with legal and regulatory requirements relating to:Off-plan property sales.Project and property registrations.Escrow requirements.Marketing and sales activities.Real estate brokerage and transaction requirements.Support resolution of regulatory matters, complaints, and authority-related issues.Monitor relevant developments in UAE and Dubai real estate legislation and communicate their potential impact to the business.Liaise with internal teams, external advisers, and authorities where required.Support compliance matters, including AML/CTF requirements, where relevant to the Company's activities.5. Corporate & Commercial Legal MattersProvide legal support in relation to the Company's UAE entities, subsidiaries, and project SPVs.Draft, review, and advise on:Shareholders' agreements.Joint venture agreements.Board and shareholder resolutions.Powers of attorney.Corporate governance documentation.NDAs.Consultancy and service agreements.Agency and partnership agreements.Other commercial contracts.Support establishment, restructuring, amendment, and maintenance of UAE entities.Assist with corporate governance and delegated authority requirements.Provide legal support to Finance, HR, Marketing, IT, Sales, and other corporate functions.Coordinate with external advisers where specialist legal input is required.6. Claims, Disputes & Pre-Litigation MattersSupport and manage pre-dispute and dispute matters involving customers, contractors, consultants, suppliers, developers, investors, and other counterparties.Review contractual rights, obligations, and potential claims.Prepare legal notices, claims, responses, settlement proposals, and other dispute-related correspondence.Develop commercially practical strategies aimed at resolving disputes while minimizing financial and reputational exposure.Support settlement negotiations and pre-litigation resolution.Coordinate with external legal counsel in relation to litigation, arbitration, expert proceedings, or other formal disputes.Maintain appropriate records of material claims and disputes.7. Legal Risk Management & GovernanceIdentify legal and contractual risks and recommend appropriate mitigation measures.Assist in developing and maintaining standard legal templates, contract precedents, and guidance documents.Support legal review and contract approval processes.Support implementation of the Company's Delegation of Authority and contract approval matrix.Maintain appropriate legal and contractual records.Provide legal input into internal policies and procedures.Provide practical legal guidance to business teams on contractual and regulatory matters.8. External Counsel ManagementLiaise with external legal advisers on specialist or complex legal matters.Assist with preparing scopes of work and instructions to external counsel.Review advice received from external advisers and communicate key conclusions to internal stakeholders.Support monitoring of external legal fees, timelines, and quality of service.Ensure relevant legal knowledge is retained internally where possible. Required Qualifications & ExperienceBachelor's degree in Law (LLB or equivalent) from a recognized university.Master's degree and/or professional legal qualification is an advantage.Minimum 5 years of relevant legal experience.Meaningful professional experience in the UAE is strongly preferred.Experience relating to the UAE real estate sector is highly preferred.Experience gained within a real estate developer, investment company, real estate business, law firm, or consultancy advising real estate clients will be considered.Demonstrated experience drafting and negotiating commercial and/or real estate-related agreements.Good working knowledge of UAE corporate and commercial legal principles.Knowledge of UAE and Dubai real estate laws, DLD/RERA requirements, and off-plan real estate regulations is strongly preferred.Exposure to property SPAs, real estate transactions, development matters, joint ventures, or real estate disputes is highly desirable.Exposure to construction contracts, construction law, or FIDIC-based agreements is an advantage.Experience in dispute resolution, pre-litigation matters, or management of external legal counsel is an advantage.Ability to independently manage day-to-day legal matters while knowing when to escalate complex or high-risk issues.Excellent written and spoken English. Language advantages:Russian language capability is an advantage.Arabic language capability is an advantage.