Senior Legal Counsel - Wholesale Banking

Description:

- Lead and provide expert legal support on complex banking and finance transactions, including bilateral and syndicated loans, structured finance, and cross-border/multi-jurisdictional matters.

- Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of financing documentation, including LMA-based agreements, security documentation, intercreditor arrangements, and guarantees.

- Advise on regulatory, legal, and reputational risk issues affecting wholesale banking activities, ensuring compliance with UAE and international laws and financial regulations.

- Support specialist banking products and structured solutions, providing commercially sound legal advice.

- Represent the bank in high-level meetings with clients, regulators, and industry bodies, ensuring alignment with legal and regulatory expectations.

- Manage and supervise external counsel to ensure cost-efficient and high-quality service delivery.

- Contribute to legal policy development and participate in strategic bank-wide initiatives, including digital transformation, innovation, and emerging technologies.

- Provide guidance and mentorship to junior legal team members, fostering professional growth and promoting best practices in legal documentation and risk management.

- Collaborate with internal stakeholders (Risk, Compliance, Treasury, Operations, and Business teams) to mitigate legal and regulatory risks effectively.

- Keep abreast of legal and regulatory developments impacting wholesale and investment banking, and advise management on potential implications.

Qualifications, Skills & Experience:

- Bachelors degree in Law (LLB); Masters degree or postgraduate legal qualification (e.g., LLM) preferred.

- Admission to practice law in a recognized jurisdiction.

- Minimum 8 years of post-qualification experience, with substantial exposure to banking and finance law, preferably gained in a leading financial institution or top-tier law firm.

- Strong understanding of UAE banking laws, international finance regulations, and LMA-based documentation.

- Demonstrated expertise in corporate and investment banking transactions, including structured, leveraged, and trade finance.

- Excellent negotiation, drafting, and communication skills.

- Proven ability to operate autonomously and deliver high-quality legal support under pressure.

- Commercially astute, with a strong ability to balance legal risk with business objectives.

- Experience in managing teams, mentoring juniors, and collaborating across multicultural environments.