ADGM
Senior Legal Counsel
- Permanent
- Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Experience 10 - 15 yrs
- Urgent
Job expiry date: 07/05/2026
Job overview
Date posted
23/03/2026
Location
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Salary
AED 50,000 - 60,000 per month
Compensation
Comprehensive package + relocation
Experience
10 - 15 yrs
Seniority
Senior & Lead
Qualification
Bachelors degree
Expiration date
07/05/2026
Job description
The Senior Legal Counsel (Financial) at the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) in Abu Dhabi provides high-quality legal services and advisory support to enable FSRA divisions and ADGM authorities to achieve their objectives. The role involves conducting in-depth legal research, drafting legislation and regulatory documents, managing litigation and enforcement matters, overseeing legislative initiatives, and providing guidance on emerging financial technologies including FinTech, digital assets, smart contracts, and AI. The counsel manages relationships with UAE regulators, international regulators, and standard-setting bodies, participates in working groups and committees, and supports senior management in domestic and international forums. The position includes line management responsibilities, mentoring of junior colleagues, and contributing to FSRA and ADGM strategic KPIs.
Required skills
Key responsibilities
- Provide timely, high-quality legal services to support FSRA divisions and ADGM authorities
- Conduct in-depth legal research and analysis on financial services and policy matters
- Draft and review legislation, consultation papers, notices, agreements, and correspondence
- Manage litigation including administrative appeals, tribunal, and court matters
- Oversee legislative drafting for enhancements to the FSRA legal framework and new initiatives
- Monitor and improve internal processes of the Policy & Legal Division
- Raise awareness of relevant legal and regulatory developments in financial services
- Manage relationships with external stakeholders including regulators, standard-setting bodies, and market participants
- Support senior management in domestic and international policy and legislative forums
- Mentor and line-manage junior legal staff, allocating and reviewing work and driving performance improvement
- Participate actively in FSRA and ADGM corporate KPIs and ‘One ADGM’ initiatives
Experience & skills
- 10–12+ years post-admission experience, ideally in a financial services regulator or supervised entity
- Excellent knowledge of financial services law and commercial law in a leading jurisdiction
- Expertise in providing focused and pragmatic legal advice on technical financial services matters
- Strong leadership, communication, and presentation skills, including legal drafting proficiency
- Experience managing direct reports and mentoring team members
- Ability to establish and maintain excellent relationships within FSRA, ADGM, and with external stakeholders
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
- Desirable: Specialized knowledge of asset management, private wealth, AML/CTF regulations
- Desirable: Experience in emerging enabling technologies (digital assets, DLT, smart contracts, AI)
- Desirable: Experience in contentious matters, regulatory investigations, and financial services litigation
- Desirable: Policy and legislative drafting experience
- Desirable: Understanding of Arabic and Arabic culture