Deloitte & Touche (M.E.)
Job description / Role
The Deloitte Financial Advisory business in the Middle East comprises six diverse business units: Transaction Services, Restructuring Services, Valuation & Modelling, Real Estate, Forensic and Corporate Finance Advisory (which includes Dubai Financial Services Authority and Central Bank of Bahrain regulated services), with offices across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain, together with Cyprus which has recently integrated with the Middle East member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.
An opportunity has arisen to work with Deloitte’s Financial Advisory business, as a lawyer within the Quality & Risk Management (QRM) team based in Dubai, reporting to the Financial Advisory Business Risk Leader (BRL). This is an excellent opportunity to gain broad experience in advising the direct client facing teams on legal matters within Financial Advisory, so the candidate requires to be flexible enough to deal with the different legal and risk considerations arising in each of the business units.
The role involves supporting the QRM team and working with the Financial Advisory business on contractual and commercial negotiations, as well as supporting practitioners on engagement risk management. The role will also involve supporting the business on jurisdictional legislation across the Middle East (including Free Zones), and leading ad hoc QRM projects, including delivering training.
Essential will be the candidates ability to deliver high-quality, business-focused solutions in a challenging, dynamic and demanding marketplace – the candidate is expected to be a business advisor and to partner with the business, and to do this are expected to assess and understand how business risks can be managed and mitigated.
The QRM team has regular exposure to the most senior levels of Deloitte’s management, including high visibility among the senior partners of the business. The QRM team support all Financial Advisory practitioners who work in several Middle East jurisdictions and therefore occasional travel is essential.
• Reviewing and negotiating engagement contracts across Financial Advisory, including Master Service Agreements and Framework Agreements (both Deloitte terms and client imposed terms) including direct discussions with clients and their legal advisers.
• Review of NDAs, hold harmless letters, Deloitte inter-firm agreements, sub-contractor agreements and teaming agreements.
• Review of supplier/vendor contracts to support the Financial Advisory procurement requirements.
• Respond to legal, jurisdictional and regulatory changes, reviewing existing and developing new policies and procedures.
• Answering ad-hoc risk and legal queries from all business units across Financial Advisory.
• Developing practical commercial solutions for Deloitte’s business and client service teams – enabling them to provide excellent client service while managing Deloitte’s risk.
• Supporting the QRM team in its advice to Deloitte’s senior management and practitioners on general legal and risk management issues, based on an understanding and appreciation of the key business risks that need to be managed and escalated to the BRL or the Financial Advisory Managing Partner.
• Manage legal policy changes (including changes to Financial Advisory standard terms and conditions as and when necessary), providing guidance and training to the Financial Advisory team as appropriate.
• Work within an environment where requirements change frequently and therefore this role is also likely to change and expand with time.
