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The Middle East - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain & Oman
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| Background Information |
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The Middle East is a historical and political region of Afro-Eurasia with no clear boundaries. The term "Middle East" was popularized around 1900 in Britain; it has a loose definition traditionally encompassing countries or regions in Western Asia and parts of North Africa. |
The history of the Middle East dates back to ancient times, and throughout its history the Middle East has been a major center of world affairs. The Middle East is also the geographic origin of three of the world's great religions - Christianity, Islam, Judaism. The Middle East generally has an arid and hot climate, with several major rivers providing for irrigation to support agriculture in limited areas. Many countries located around the Persian Gulf have large quantities of crude oil. In modern times, the Middle East remains a strategically, economically, politically, culturally, and religiously sensitive region.
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Principal demand is for lawyers in:
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- Corporate/commercial
- Projects/Project Finance
- Energy
- Banking and Finance
- Dispute Resolution
- Commercial Property
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As with any move abroad the majority of opportunities exist in private practice, with both national and international law firms. However, opportunities do exist in-house with international organisations.
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Most positions arise for lawyers with up to seven years' post-qualification experience. The calibre of lawyers moving to the Middle East is high; good academic records and a background with a well regarded international practice are almost essential.
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| In-house
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In-house is becoming an ever more possible proposition for lawyers in the Middle East. Organisations that previously had their EMEA Counsel based in London are taking advantage of the available tax breaks and other advantages to have their Counsel based in the region.
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Given the importance of understanding how business is done in the Middle East, companies usually look to the lawyers who have experience in the region to take as their Counsel and so the majority of roles in-house go to the lawyers on the ground. Both local and international companies are keen to obtain the services of lawyers with a western-style training
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| Remuneration & Benefits |
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Remuneration in the region is varied. In similarity to other jurisdictions (with the exceptions of the financial institutions and energy-related companies), in-house tends to pay less than private practice. There is no income tax.
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| Lifestyle |
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Most regions that have an international business community have large ex-pat communities (particularly Dubai) and there are plenty of recreational activities to cater for most tastes. Sports opportunities are plentiful, with excellent golfing, sailing, rugby, health and fitness facilities on offer. There is also the opportunity to partake in more local activities, such as driving four-wheeled drive jeeps through the desert or shopping in the world famous souks of Dubai. Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE, Muscat in Oman, Manama in Bahrain and Qatar are safe and relatively crime free.
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| If you are interested in working as a Lawyer in the above jurisdiction, please
contact us for a confidential and detailed discussion. |
