Dragon Oil Hiring for Senior Legal Counsel at Dubai Full Time

Dragon Oil plc is an independent international oil and gas exploration, development and production business. It is based and registered in Dubai and its operations are primarily located in Turkmenistan, and is present in Iraq, Algeria, Egypt, Afghanistan and Tunisia. The company was listed on the Irish Stock Exchange until it was acquired by the Emirates National Oil Company. It is now a wholly owned upstream subsidiary of the ENOC-Group.

Dragon Oil plc is an independent international oil and gas exploration, development and production business. It is based and registered in Dubai and its operations are primarily located in Turkmenistan, and is present in Iraq, Algeria, Egypt, Afghanistan and Tunisia. The company was listed on the Irish Stock Exchange until it was acquired by the Emirates National Oil Company. It is now a wholly owned upstream subsidiary of the ENOC-Group.

Job Purpose

Support all Dragon Oil Departments and in particular the Senior Management, General Counsel, Department Managers and other Dragon Oil personnel on all dispute resolution, procurement and NBV matters throughout the company’s areas of operation.

Job Responsibilities

Duties, Responsibilities, Performance Standards & Percentage of Time:
Percentage of Time Duty or Responsibility
1)  40%    Managing Disputes – Litigation, Arbitration, Mediation and ADR

•  Advises on and opines on all forms of contentious matters affecting all Dragon Oil Departments.
• Where relevant, engages appropriate external legal counsel to handle and advise on large scale disputes before courts or arbitral tribunals, with concurrence from General Counsel.
• Where relevant, seeks to implement the settlement of such disputes and mimization of any of Dragon Oil’s liabilities within the strategy and parameters acceptable to Dragon Oil Management.
• In all cases, seeks to optimize Dragon Oil’s balance sheet and potential liabilities stemming from any legal cases against it.
• Where relevant, advise on any commencing claims against parties who breach contracts or default on their contractual obligations with Dragon Oil.
• Manages and advises on any contentious UAE labor law claims, with support from other members of DO Legal team.
• Post dispute, advises on lessons learnt and assists in implementing new policies and procedures for business teams intended to avoid similar outcomes in the future and to mitigate similar risks.

2) 40% Procurement-related matters

• Assists with the development, revision, roll-out and application of standardized contracting templates across all business sectors in all our jurisdictions of operation.
• Interfaces with Procurement department to advise on the terms and conditions applicable to a wide range of oil and gas supply chain agreements for goods and services.
• Advises Procurement department on certain legal bidder exceptions to tendered terms and conditions.
• Works as a member of the broader contracting team in the Company to foster process efficiency.

3) 10% Assisting in pre-dispute claims handing and dispute prevention with
Procurement / Projects / Non-Operated JV Management business teams

• Assesses potential claims made by contractors, partners and other third parties and advises on strategy and next steps.
• Seeks early amicable resolution of matters to avoid formal court, where possible.
• Drafts and responds to contractual correspondence and pre-litigation exchanges related to claim.
• Considers and advises on extent of risk posed by matters and how best to mitigate risk.
• Considers and advises on potential counterclaims against parties who initiate claims against Dragon Oil.

4) 10% New Ventures, new country contracting policy and procedures

• Manages and advises on confidentiality agreements and other partner / JV
• agreement relating to new business opportunities and collaborations.
• Provides robust, timely and pragmatic legal advice on the joint venture issues.
• Manages the company’s legal risk exposure in new territories by working with the Senior Legal Counsel (Contracts/Procurement) to develop, revise, roll-out and implement a robust and jurisdiction-specific standard contracting policy and procedures.

Education Law degree is required from the UK, Europe, US or Commonwealth jurisdiction Competencies Petroleum Contracts and Agreements Legal Document Management Contract Management – Legal Business Contracts and Agreements Audit Process Internal and External Legal Experts Business Law Financial Compliance – Venture and Operating Agreements and Contracts Agreement and Contract Preparation Business Policy and Ethics – Legal Corporate Governance Arbitration Management Corporate Compliance Legal Support for Joint Ventures Legal Support for Supply Chain Certifications

Minimum Education Level Required:Law Degree

Certificate: Qualified to practice law in UAE.

The minimum experience required : At least 10 years of legal experience to include at least 5 years in Arbitration and/or Litigation, contract management within Oil and Gas sector.

Skills Physical Requirements Years of Experience