Associate - Employment

The Role
We are currently seeking ambitious, energetic and talented Mid-level Associate
to join our Market leading Employment Practice.
Our Employment team work with our clients on the full range of domestic and
international employment issues. We work with a broad range of blue chip and
global clients across a range of sectors, including TMT, financial services,
healthcare, consumer products, and retail.
This is an exciting opportunity to join an expanding and leading Dubai team
working on high quality, varied and interesting work. This will include global
projects and transactions, high profile domestic instructions, complex
litigation and strategic HR advisory work.
If you are passionate about growing and you have an excellent business
development, academics and broad employment experience from a recognised
Employment practice, we would be delighted to hear from you.
The Team
We are known for being commercial advisers with the experience and knowledge
to deliver cost-effective, decisive and pragmatic advice. We are committed to
delivering the best possible results and outcomes for our clients. We achieve
this by investing in development of our team of outstanding individuals,
maintaining our leading edge expertise and working in close partnership with
our clients. We believe our broad client base enables us to bring a different
perspective and give more rounded advice to employers across
different sectors.
Our team in Dubai consists of two dedicated employment lawyers and Paralegal.
We also work closely with our colleagues in Habib Al Mulla & Partners, a
member firm of Baker & McKenzie International local litigation department who
specialise in handling employment disputes and with our employment colleagues
across GCC.

Working with both HR and in-house legal teams on day-to-day employment queries
forms a significant part of our practice. Our lawyers also have excellent
technical capabilities in areas such as workplace change (including mergers
and acquisitions, carve outs, restructurings) and litigation.
We look for excellent academics coupled with evidence of good quality training
and strong employment experience gained from a leading employment practice.
The successful applicants will need a good commercial mind-set, be a strong
team player and have the ability to build excellent relationships with clients
and manage those relationships. The applicant must be motivated in providing
clients with commercial solution driven advice - rather than simply legal
advice. We are looking for an ability to demonstrate high levels of emotional
intelligence and enthusiasm to take on a challenging and varied role within a
busy team.
We are seeking an individual who is highly motivated about helping to grow an
already successful employment practice. They should be committed to delivering
excellent client service and prepared to be actively involved in business
development including drafting articles, attending networking events,
participating in client seminars and marketing events.
You must be able to manage your own workload and adhere to short deadlines.
Further, the candidate must be willing to work flexibly taking into account
that we are an international firm and our lawyers are required to work across
different time zones on urgent time sensitive matters.
The role requires the successful candidate to provide support on HR/employment
and immigration issues for clients operating in the Middle East including:
General advisory
* Advising on a range of day to day queries from clients located across the UAE (including in the DIFC and ADGM), including: disciplinary and grievance procedures, sickness absence, performance management, contract and policy reviews and data protection. This role will also include advising on terminations and the potential for a settlement agreement, drafting and negotiating settlement agreements.
Multi-jurisdictional projects
* Global or multi-jurisdictional projects such as implementing global or regional HR projects and transactions.
* Working closely with corporate, commercial and litigation lawyers in the UAE and worldwide on cross border and multi practice projects.
Transactions
* Proving employment support in the context of transactions including for mergers and acquisitions, reorganisations and carve out.
* Changing terms and conditions
* Drafting and negotiating relevant provisions
Litigation
* Managing local employment litigation
* DIFC and ADGM employment claims including preparing defence pleadings, evidence, considering merits and settlement.
* Advice on restrictive covenants
Excellent English communication skills (fluency in reading, writing, speaking
and ability to translate and/or review translations), Arabic language is an
added value.
Why Join Us?
Baker McKenzie is a truly global law firm. Founded in ‎1949, we advise many of
the world's most dynamic and successful business organisations through our
‎13,000 people in ‎77 offices across ‎47 countries. Yet big does not mean
impersonal. We work hard to ensure that everyone knows their role and has the
support they need to perform it to the highest standard. Our culture
encourages this - how we work, think and behave in a collaborative and
fulfilling way.
In the Gulf region Baker McKenzie has been active for more than three decades
and our practice now boasts over ‎100 lawyers based in our seven offices in the
Middle East - Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Cairo, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, and Riyadh. As a
pioneering firm, we were most notably the first to enter both the Saudi and
Egyptian markets.
The firm has built established and substantial presence in the Middle East &
Africa region, with all offices working in close collaboration to service
clients' needs on a range of matters, including banking and finance, project
finance, Islamic finance, corporate/M&A and dispute resolution. We work
closely with key local players -- including governmental and regulatory
entities, financial institutions, family-owned conglomerates and corporates
across all industry sectors -- as well with global investors and corporations
establishing and consolidating their presence in the region.
Have a look at our YouTube channel to find out more about us!
To Apply
At Habib Al Mulla & Partners, a member firm of Baker & McKenzie
International, we welcome direct applications.
Please click on the Apply button on this advertisement to complete the
application form.
For more information about this position or to discuss any adjustments you may
require during the process please contact, in confidence, Recruitment Manager
on +‎97144230000.
NO AGENCIES PLEASE
Please note Habib Al Mulla & Partners does not accept unsolicited CVs.
Our Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
Baker McKenzie has a culture of diversity and inclusion in its DNA - since our
beginning, the differences of our people have helped us to work fluently
across borders, cultures and practices. This is intrinsic to everything we do
and underpins Baker McKenzie's vision to be the global law firm of choice. We
understand that organisations work best when people with different backgrounds
and points of view are brought together. We also know people perform at their
best when they can be themselves at work. Baker McKenzie is committed to
serving our clients with innovative solutions brought about by a diverse
talent pool and an inclusive community.