Director of Legal Engineering, Dubai

About the role
As the Director of Legal Engineering based in Dubai, your primary mission is to establish and enhance Legal Engineering as the commercial and delivery engine for the Middle East. This role transcends conventional boundaries, combining elements of legal practice, product fluency, enterprise change, commercial judgment, and client leadership. You will transform the existing support structure, which currently operates from European hubs, into a dedicated local function that includes managing a team, overseeing operations, and ensuring connectivity and alignment with the company's global standards.

The position requires a senior leader with a genuine management mandate, focusing on the quality, performance, and independence of the team you will build. You’ll spend about a quarter of your time directly interacting with clients to establish quality thresholds and lead where necessary. You won't be managing every project directly; instead, Senior Legal Engineers and program leads will own delivery, allowing you to manage the staffing model, quality expectations, and overall outcomes.

The legal landscape in the Middle East is unique, featuring federal laws, emirate-level systems, and common-law free zones. Arabic proficiency and a strong understanding of local data protection and hosting requirements will be essential for success in this market. You will have the autonomy to shape the Legal Engineering model in this strategically significant region while ensuring alignment with the company's global mission and standards.

What you'll be doing
You will be responsible for:

• Establishing the Legal Engineering function for the Middle East from the Dubai office, including its operational framework, capacity planning, and staffing model.
• Hiring exceptional Legal Engineers and future leaders, overseeing the entire process from sourcing to onboarding, with a particular emphasis on building Arabic-capable teams.
• Developing a manager layer of Team Leads who will oversee groups of Legal Engineers, ensuring decision-making authority and a robust succession plan.
• Managing career development for the hub, including establishing expectations, providing feedback, and preparing individuals for promotions based on merit.
• Providing evidence-based feedback and coaching team members to meet high-performance and values standards.
• Collaborating with regional commercial leadership on priority accounts and connecting Legal Engineering activities to business outcomes.
• Acting as the lead legal architect on key enterprise engagements, particularly in pioneering projects in the region.
• Ensuring governance and management of complex, multi-stakeholder programs through defined processes and clear ownership.
• Building trust with senior stakeholders, including managing partners and general counsels, across the Gulf region.
• Representing regional needs and insights to influence Product development, particularly in addressing local content gaps and legal needs.
• Shaping local discourse around AI and legal work through thought leadership and practical market insights.
• Creating effective handoffs between teams to ensure commercial momentum, quality delivery, and sustained adoption.

What good looks like
Strong performance in this role will include:

• Product knowledge and application: Ability to translate complex legal issues into practical company's workflows and meet quality standards, including in Arabic and across local jurisdictions.
• Communication skills: Ability to convey legal and technical complexities in a way that aligns with business objectives and builds trust with senior leaders.
• Programme judgment: Capability to evaluate delivery plans for risks and quality, holding all stakeholders accountable.
• Stakeholder management: Understanding the underlying motivations of various stakeholders to effectively navigate high-stakes situations.
• Thought leadership: Development of a credible viewpoint on the intersection of AI and law in the region, grounded in actual field experience.

What you bring
The ideal candidate will have:

• Substantial experience in sophisticated legal work within the Gulf region, coupled with a comprehensive understanding of the decision-making processes of international and regional firms as well as large in-house teams.
• A proven track record of building effective teams or operational models from the ground up, including clear accountability for success.
• Experience in managing and developing high-performing teams, with a history of accelerating individuals’ careers.
• Strong skills in career management, including effective expectation setting, promotion readiness assessment, and timely interventions.
• A deep curiosity for generative AI and its applications in legal contexts, with an ability to engage in both technical and practical discussions.
• The capability to connect meaningfully with senior leaders while also remaining grounded with operational teams.
• An understanding of the commercial dimensions of legal services and enterprise software, able to link Legal Engineering to tangible business outcomes.
• The ability to provide structure amidst ambiguity, developing systems that enhance operational efficiency without unnecessary bureaucracy.
• A willingness to navigate the realities of building presence in this competitive market landscape, including regular travel across the UAE and beyond.
• Fluency in English is required; Arabic is preferred and beneficial in this context.
• Must be based in Dubai and able to work from the office five days a week, with travel for strategic client engagements and market development.

A few more things
This is a crucial growth opportunity for the company in the Middle East. You will not be inheriting a completely established system but rather stepping into a dynamic environment with existing customer proof and potential. You will have the chance to build the best in collaboration with the managing partners and operational teams. If you find this challenge exciting rather than daunting, we would love to hear from you.

The company is an Equal Opportunity Employer
The company is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, conducting our operations without discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.