Financial Services Regulatory Senior Associate – Abu Dhabi or Dubai

We are currently recruiting for a Senior Associate to join our Financial Services Regulatory team in Abu Dhabi or Dubai.

Department purpose

Our lawyers offer clients extensive regulatory experience, and they lead thinking on regulatory developments, helping clients in advocacy efforts, planning for and implementing changes as they occur. Areas we advise on include bank structuring, securities and derivatives regulation, capital and liquidity requirements, marketing and selling restrictions, clearing and settlement, custody and prime brokerage and recovery and resolution planning. As an international team we are very experienced in providing international comparative advice on regulatory matters that helps our clients decide where best to conduct their business and gives them a competitive advantage. We are currently advising on the global reform agenda around derivatives and bank resolution.

Our Financial Services Regulatory team is comprised of lawyers across our office network, covering all of the world’s principal financial markets. We are able to offer our clients expertise in the key regions, from a full-service coverage of the key European jurisdictions, including London and Frankfurt, to our U.S. regulatory practice led from our New York and Washington D.C. offices. We also have well established offices in the Middle East and Asia Pacific region that have been involved in setting up many of the regulatory systems that exist in those regions today.

Role purpose

The Financial Services Regulatory team in the Middle East is recognised as a market-leading practice, acting as a strategic partner to the world’s most prominent financial institutions, new market entrants, fintech start-ups, government entities, and regulators. The team is uniquely positioned to advise across the full spectrum of financial services regulation in the region, including the UAE (and its financial freezones, the ADGM and DIFC), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the QFC, as well as providing comparative advice drawing on UK, EU and other international frameworks.

Due to our success within the sector, we are looking to recruit an ambitious and enthusiastic senior associate. An excellent work record is essential. As a senior associate, you will play a pivotal role in delivering innovative, practical, and commercial advice on a wide range of regulatory matters. This includes advising on and drafting legislative and regulatory frameworks for governments and regulators, supporting clients with regulatory licensing, compliance, and corporate governance, and guiding both established institutions and new market entrants through complex and evolving regulatory landscapes. You will be at the forefront of advising on cutting-edge issues and will have the opportunity to work on mandates that are often highly confidential and strategically significant at a sovereign and industry level.

You will be expected to lead on client matters, manage complex projects and contribute to the development of the practice’s market-leading offering. The role will also involve supporting business development initiatives, mentoring junior team members and collaborating with colleagues across the firm’s global network to deliver seamless, cross-border solutions. This is an opportunity to work with an enviable client base, including leading financial institutions, sovereign wealth funds, regulators, and innovative fintechs, and to contribute to the continued growth and success of the region’s pre-eminent financial services regulatory practice.

In return we offer a compelling benefits package coupled with first-rate training and development, all within a dynamic and supportive environment.

Role and responsibilities
Advising on the Full Regulatory Spectrum: Provide strategic, technical, and commercial advice to a diverse client base—including global financial institutions, fintechs, sovereign wealth funds, government entities, and regulators—across the full range of financial services regulation in the Middle East, as well as on comparative UK, EU, and international frameworks.
Legislative and Regulatory Drafting: Lead and support the drafting of new legislative and regulatory frameworks for governments and regulatory authorities.
Regulatory Licensing and Market Entry: Advise clients on regulatory licensing and authorisation processes, including structuring, preparing, and managing applications for new market entrants and established institutions seeking to expand or upgrade their activities in the region.
Compliance, Governance, and Risk Management: Develop and implement compliance programmes, risk management frameworks and governance structures for clients, including the design of board and management structures, policies and procedures to ensure regulatory compliance and best practice.
Securities Law and Regulation: Advise on all aspects of securities law and regulation, including the structuring, offering, and listing of securities, compliance with capital markets rules, and the development and implementation of new securities products. Provide guidance on regulatory requirements for market infrastructure providers, broker/dealers, and exchanges, as well as on cross-border marketing and selling restrictions and disclosure obligations.
Asset Management Regulation: Advise asset managers, sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and institutional investors on the full spectrum of asset management regulation, including licensing and authorisation processes, ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements, and the structuring and distribution of investment funds (both traditional and alternative).
Fintech, Payments and Virtual Assets: Advise on cutting-edge issues in fintech, payments, stored value, digital assets, and artificial intelligence, including the interpretation and application of rapidly evolving regulatory frameworks and the operationalisation of new business models.
Client Relationship Management: Act as a trusted advisor, building and maintaining strong relationships with clients at all levels, including acting as an intermediary with regulators and representing clients in regulatory discussions and negotiations.
Project and Matter Leadership: Lead on complex, high-value, and often confidential mandates, managing project delivery, coordinating multi-jurisdictional teams and ensuring seamless service across the firm’s global network.
Business Development and Thought Leadership: Contribute to the growth of the practice by supporting and leading business development initiatives, preparing client pitches, participating in industry events, and producing thought leadership on regulatory developments.
Mentoring and Team Development: Supervise, mentor, and develop junior team members, fostering a collaborative and inclusive team environment and supporting the ongoing development of the practice’s technical and market expertise.
Training and Knowledge Sharing: Deliver internal and external training sessions, contribute to the development of know-how, and share insights on regulatory trends and best practices with colleagues and clients.
Innovation and Technology: Engage with the firm’s legal technology and innovation initiatives, including the use of AI-driven tools and platforms, to deliver efficient, high-quality solutions for clients and to support the practice’s market-leading position in legal technology.
Key requirements
Qualified lawyer – (10 PQE+)
Experience in securities and derivatives law and regulation
Strong technical knowledge with regards to capital markets and asset management transactions
Intellectual curiosity and versatility
Self-starter with the desire and ability to continuously acquire, build upon and share knowledge
Detail-focused and self-motivated approach
Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines
Excellent client relationship skills
Strong commercial/business acumen with the ability to deliver creative and pragmatic solutions and advice
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interface at all levels and particularly to win the respect of the partner and fee-earner community, building strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders
Collaborative team player with the ability to develop and work in a fast paced, intellectually rigorous environment
A person of sound judgment who is able to establish a high level of credibility

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with nearly 50 offices in 28 countries worldwide. Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.
 
We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work,  helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.
 
Whether you’re helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed an inclusive environment, and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimise your wellbeing.
 
What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.