Legal Counsel | Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, MENA)
by CBRE in Real Estate Development & Property Management
The Legal Counsel is a pivotal member of CBRE's legal and compliance function for the Middle East, with primary responsibility across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and extending to the broader MENA region. This role provides comprehensive legal advisory services to safeguard the company's operations, rights, and interests across a wide array of business activities, including real estate brokerage, property management, valuation, and consulting transactions. The Counsel is accountable for drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and finalizing contracts and commercial agreements to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and corporate policies. Responsibilities also include providing strategic guidance to senior leaders on complex transactional, regulatory, employment, and dispute resolution matters, while ensuring adherence to governance standards and risk mitigation frameworks. The role demands active monitoring of evolving local and international laws, regulations, and industry best practices, including the creation and dissemination of legal bulletins and internal guidance to maintain compliance and raise legal awareness within the organization. The Counsel also coordinates with external legal advisors, supervises litigation and dispute management processes, and facilitates the resolution of contentious issues through settlements or strategic interventions. In addition, the position supports corporate actions such as mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and restructuring, while assisting in the administration of legal entities and corporate secretarial obligations. The Legal Counsel ensures alignment between business objectives and legal requirements, provides training on emerging legal trends, maintains up-to-date knowledge of MENA regulatory developments, and serves as a trusted legal partner across business units, ensuring effective risk management and operational compliance. Fluency in English is required, Arabic is highly advantageous, and proficiency in Microsoft Office tools is essential to support documentation, reporting, and communication within the legal function.