The head of the legal department is one of the most sought-after positions in the UAE legal sector for 2020.Robert Halfs, specialist legal advisor for legal recruitment in the UAE, has noticed a significant increase in demand – a natural consequence of the increase in internal recruitment of lawyers over the past year. The remuneration scheme for the Head of the Legal Service should be complemented by one-off benefits such as increased paternity benefits, welfare packages and extended annual leave, the latter being rewarded on the basis of performance. These are offered by 28% of CEOs as they compete for top talent in the UAE recruitment market. The salary of the Head of Legal Operations has good bargaining potential, especially due to the current high demand in the hiring market. Professionals with an LLB or LLM, five years or more of proven experience in a high-level legal role, and a command of English and Arabic are likely to receive the best salary offers. The hiring of in-house legal positions has increased, and the salary of the head of the legal department testifies to this. Professionals can earn a starting salary of about $215,000 and earn up to $350,000 at the upper end of the salary scale. To access more salary forecasts and key recruitment trends impacting your industry, download the Robert Half Salary Guide. Employers are looking for legal professionals with a good knowledge of local laws and procedures. To find the best prospects, professionals should look for roles in government agencies or industries in which they have a strong interest. The UAE is experiencing a push towards global best practices, modernizing approaches and introducing new financial regulations. Professionals with experience in commercial litigation and FinTech regulation can expect many offers from potential employers. A new shift towards hiring appropriate soft skills and cultural fit means that employers are also looking for professionals with specific professional characteristics.
Specifically, those with integrity, high self-confidence and effective communication skills will be the most attractive for open positions. The United Arab Emirates (UAE; Arabic: ٱلْإِمَارَاتُ ٱلْعَرَبِيَّةُ ٱلْمَُّحِدَةُ al-ʾImārāt al-ʿArabīyah al-Muttaḥidah), or simply the Emirates (Arabic: ٱلْإِمَارَاتُ al-ʾImārāt), is a country in Western Asia (Middle East). It is located at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula and borders Oman and Saudi Arabia, while in the Persian Gulf it has maritime borders with Qatar and Iran. Abu Dhabi is the capital of the country, while Dubai, the most populous city, is an international hub. Dubai (, doo-BY; Arabic: دبي, Romanized: Dubayy, IPA: [dʊˈbajj], Gulf Arabic pronunciation: [dəˈbaj]) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populous of the 7 monarchies that together make up the United Arab Emirates. Founded in the 18th century as a small fishing village, the city developed rapidly in the early 21st century with a focus on tourism and luxury, with the second highest number of five-star hotels in the world and the highest.
