Legal Counsel

Job description / Role

Role overview

We are looking for an experienced legal counsel to be the dedicated legal lead for a newly established media venture within the group. The successful candidate will handle all legal matters relating to the venture’s operations, content and commercial activities. They will build its legal framework and processes from the ground up and give practical, business-focused advice to senior management. The role reports to the general counsel and sits within the group’s wider legal function.

Key responsibilities

• Set up the venture’s legal processes, templates, approval workflows and internal policies, in coordination with the general counsel.
• Lead licensing and ongoing regulatory compliance with the UAE Media Council and other relevant authorities, covering content standards, advertising codes and child protection requirements. Track regulatory developments across the region.
• Review content, promotional material and advertising for legal risk before publication, managing defamation, privacy, intellectual property and regulatory exposure.
• Draft and negotiate production, content acquisition and licensing, talent and presenter, advertising and sponsorship, and distribution agreements across relevant markets and platforms.
• Protect original content, formats and brand assets, and make sure third-party rights are cleared, including music, archive footage and talent image rights.
• Put in place privacy policies and data handling procedures for audience, subscriber and campaign data, in line with UAE and regional data protection laws.
• Manage legal claims and complaints made by or against the venture, negotiate settlements and oversee external counsel in litigation.
• Respond to requests from courts, prosecution offices and regulators, including takedown and blocking orders, in coordination with the general counsel.
• Advise management and departments (content, production, marketing, finance and HR) on legal matters, and escalate significant or group-level issues to the general counsel.
• Train content, editorial and production teams, and talent, on media law, defamation and content standards.

Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in law from a recognised university. A master’s in media law, intellectual property or commercial law is an advantage.
• At least 7 years of legal experience, including 3 or more years in media, broadcasting, publishing or entertainment.
• Proven experience in a media organisation of a similar nature, preferably in the MENA region.
• Experience setting up legal processes or supporting a business launch from the ground up is strongly preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of UAE media law, cybercrime and data protection legislation, and UAE Media Council regulations, with a regional view of media regulation.
• Solid experience drafting and negotiating complex commercial and content agreements.
• Excellent written and spoken English, with strong legal drafting skills. Arabic is an advantage.

Key competencies

• Strategic thinking and the ability to build systems in an early-stage business
• Sound judgement under tight deadlines and time-sensitive content decisions
• Business-minded legal advice that balances risk against commercial and editorial goals
• Discretion and integrity with sensitive information
• Clear, persuasive communication with management, content teams and external parties
• Ability to work independently while coordinating closely with the general counsel

Working relationships

• Internal: General counsel (direct reporting line), senior management, and the content, production, marketing, finance and HR teams.
• External: UAE Media Council, external law firms, production houses, distributors, talent agencies, advertisers, and regulators across the MENA region and beyond.