Corporate M&A Lawyer

Progressive legal careers
Peerpoint is A&O Shearman’s global platform for self-directed consultant lawyers who want to access the best work, clients, resources and bespoke support, while undertaking assignments of typically six months or more, either within A&O Shearman’s practice groups or directly with clients. Typical assignments based in Abu Dhabi or Dubai are 6 months in length and full time. There can also be opportunities that allow for flexible working arrangements. To find out more, please visit www.peerpoint.com.

Join us
We are currently looking for lawyers with 5+ years’ top-tier post-qualification experience in Corporate and M&A, including drafting and negotiating share purchase agreements, asset purchase agreements, shareholders’ agreements and joint venture documentation; advising on corporate governance, restructuring and foreign ownership regimes; coordinating regulatory approvals with the DFSA, ADGM FSRA, SCA and CBUAE; leading and managing buy-side and sell-side due diligence; structuring complex cross-border and Shari’a-compliant transactions; and supporting organisations on pre- and post-completion integration, reorganisations and corporate secretarial matters across free zones and onshore regimes.

Examples of opportunities include:

6 months – Sovereign wealth backed portfolio company in the UAE. Embedded within a dynamic corporate development team in Abu Dhabi, supporting bolt on acquisitions, carve-outs and strategic minority investments across healthcare, logistics and technology, taking the lead on due diligence workstreams, drafting core transaction documents, and coordinating regulatory filings with the ADGM FSRA and SCA, including economic substance and UBO considerations.

6 months – Diversified conglomerate headquartered in Dubai. Acting as an in-house corporate M&A lawyer, advising on joint ventures and majority acquisitions in the GCC, negotiate SPAs and shareholders’ agreements, oversee completion mechanics and conditions precedent, and liaising with the CBUAE and sector regulators on change of control approvals in financial services and payments, as well as managing integration steps and corporate secretarial updates across multiple UAE free zones.

3 months – Regional financial institution pursuing inorganic growth. The Dubai-based legal team required support for the structuring and execution of share acquisitions and asset transfers, ensuring compliance with DFSA requirements for authorised firms, delivering governance advice to the board and executive management, and coordinating multi-jurisdictional counsel on cross-border transactions involving DIFC, ADGM and onshore entities.

Our Criteria
Successful candidates will:

• Have a minimum of five years’ post-qualification experience at a law firm ranked as top tier for Corporate/M&A work.
• Ideally have recent in-house experience supporting M&A execution or corporate development matters.
• Preferably have experience in the Middle East and fluency in Arabic.
• Have a desire to take ownership of their career and be responsible for their own professional development and network, proactively making use of any support and resources available.
• Have researched the personal and financial factors that you need to consider when commencing a career as a legal consultant and be comfortable with the ways in which it differs from permanent employment.
• Have a consultant mindset, including a highly professional, flexible and adaptable outlook and approach.
• Have a practising certificate (or equivalent) which entitles them to practise as a lawyer in the region.

What makes consulting with Peerpoint different?
A career with Peerpoint is unmatched in the market. Over the last decade, we’ve helped lead the transformation of legal consulting as a truly credible option alongside private practice and in-house legal careers. We also have one of the most supportive offerings around, all with the full backing of A&O Shearman.

Empowering your development – you’ll be fully supported by our experienced team and will have access to A&O Shearman’s training, development and networking events, including opportunities to grow your skillset with A&O Shearman’s Advanced Delivery & Solutions businesses.

Only the best for you – with access to the world’s leading businesses and most progressive roles, we’ll find you a role that’s the perfect fit. On assignment, you’ll have access to A&O Shearman partners and professional support lawyers as well as extensive knowledge resources.

Let your priorities lead – it’s never been more important to find the right balance. That could mean more flexibility over the time you spend between your personal and professional life, whether that's to pursue a passion, spend time with family or take breaks to travel the world.

Futureproof your career – if you need coaching or mentoring, our team can guide you on the range of diverse paths to help you grow your experience. By understanding your needs and supporting you at every step, we’ll help you succeed so you can flourish both today and tomorrow.