Senior Legal Counsel

We are looking for a Senior Legal Counsel to support the full lifecycle of media content, from acquisition and production to distribution and regulatory compliance. In this role, you will be responsible for drafting, negotiating, and advising on a wide range of agreements (including license, production, option, and assignment agreements), as well as providing legal guidance on intellectual property, content rights, and contract law.

You will also work closely with regulatory authorities in the GCC region (including the UAE), contribute to the development and implementation of compliance frameworks and internal policies, and monitor legal and industry developments in media and IP. This role involves close collaboration with business teams and active participation in key initiatives related to content creation and commercialization.

You will be responsible for:

• Drafting, negotiating, and advising on a wide variety of media content agreements, including term sheets, license agreements, assignment agreements, option agreements, and related matters such as rights and clearance issues.
• Drafting, negotiating, and advising on a broad range of production and development-related contractual documentation and legal matters relating to audiovisual and other content.
• Providing legal advice on substantive areas of law, including contract law and intellectual property law.
• Representing the business, as required, before regulatory authorities in the GCC region, particularly the National Media Office (NMO) and the Media Regulatory Office (MRO) in the UAE.
• Assisting in developing, updating, and implementing compliance and regulatory policies, as well as best practice guidelines relating to media content production, acquisition, and exploitation, and monitoring regulations and industry practices regarding intellectual property and media laws.

You might be a fit if you have:

• A qualification to practice law in the UAE, or a common law qualification with a significant understanding of UAE laws.
• A minimum of 4–5 years of experience at a law firm or in a comparable in-house position.
• Extensive knowledge of intellectual property and media laws, as well as related regulations in the GCC region, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
• A solid understanding of business and legal issues pertaining to streaming media and entertainment services, as well as experience drafting a variety of licensing agreements.
• Fluent written and spoken English and very strong oral communication skills.
• Excellent writing and drafting skills in English.

It’d be a plus if you:

• Have extensive knowledge of English common law, including contract law.
• Have a demonstrated ability to think analytically and articulate legal risks to senior lawyers and clients to help shape their decisions.
• Are able to work efficiently both independently and as part of local and regional teams.
• Have strong organizational, prioritization, and time management skills, with the ability to work under deadlines while handling multiple high-priority projects.
• Have advocate registration in the UAE and knowledge of Arabic (preferred).
• Have an LL.M. or other foreign legal education (considered an advantage)