Legal Counsel

Location Dubai
Discipline: Commodities
Job type: Permanent
Contact name: Freddie Ricks

Contact email: freddie.ricks@venturesearch.com
Job ref: 3381
Published: 2 days ago

We are looking for a skilled Legal Counsel with deep experience in the commodities, oil, and gas sector to join our client's high-growth trading startup. This is a unique opportunity to shape the legal framework of a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment. You’ll work closely with trading, operations, and executive leadership to structure deals, manage risk, and guide the business through a complex regulatory landscape.


Key Responsibilities

Contract Negotiation & Management

  • Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial contracts: purchase/sale agreements, supply deals, transportation & logistics contracts

  • Focus on transactions involving fuel oil, crude oil, and refined products

Regulatory & Compliance Advisory

  • Advise on relevant laws and industry regulations: sanctions, anti-corruption, environmental, and export control

  • Work with compliance teams to ensure operational and legal alignment

Transactional Structuring

  • Provide legal input on structured deals including trade finance, hedging, JVs, and acquisitions

  • Balance legal risk with commercial drivers in deal execution

Risk & Dispute Management

  • Identify legal risks across the trading lifecycle and develop mitigation strategies

  • Manage or coordinate dispute resolution and litigation, including external counsel engagement when required

Stakeholder Alignment

  • Act as legal business partner to traders, risk managers, finance, operations, and compliance

  • Ensure contracts and policies support broader strategic objectives

Internal Policy & Training

  • Help build legal processes and frameworks from the ground up

  • Deliver internal training on legal and regulatory topics relevant to the business

Cross-Border Transactions

  • Oversee legal aspects of international trade and ensure compliance with sanctions regimes, customs laws, and import/export controls