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Nearby political tensions and armed conflicts, alongside cultures that tend to be very different from the West make the Middle East one of the more intriguing locations for expatriates to work. Nevertheless, the region has a great deal to offer foreign lawyers, both personally and professionally. The United Arab Emirates comprises some of the most rapidly developing real estate in the World, with Dubai providing an excellent example of the changes taking place. Recent years have seen it become home to some of the World's finest hotels and most exclusive residential developments. Shopping, dining and other leisure activities are first rate, all of which combine to make it a hugely popular tourist destination and a fantastic place to live. Other societies in the region are somewhat more difficult for some Westerners to live in, but still have plenty of attraction for lots of lawyers who are looking for something a little different. From a legal standpoint, the Middle East is a large and expanding market, which provides a wide variety of roles for overseas lawyers. There is solid demand for a broad range of practitioners, including specialists in energy, corporate, finance, shipping, IP and even, on occasion, litigation. However, the strongest demand is for projects/project finance lawyers and those willing to take the plunge will be rewarded with some of the best quality work on offer anywhere, a reflection of the wealth of large, big money projects currently being undertaken in the region. On the finance side, there is a significant amount of Islamic finance work, a specialty that, for obvious reasons, tends to be focused in Muslim countries. Accordingly, opportunities exist for lawyers with the requisite experience from places such as Malaysia. Until recently there has been little in the way of quality corporate work, but this is starting to change. With the emergence of stock and derivative exchanges in the Gulf States, the demand for corporate specialists is increasing. In general terms, most of the firms are still small and the markets less sophisticated than some of the more established jurisdictions around the globe. Therefore, while firms look to recruit practitioners with a particular specialism, there is every likelihood that lawyers will undertake a broader variety of work than in some of the bigger legal centres. Typical employers include a growing band of international law firms, alongside high quality local law practices and in-house legal teams, although working in-house is more likely to require Arabic language skills. Salaries at international firms are normally based on rates paid to equivalent lawyers in the London market, while the best local firms usually pay a little less, although their offers still tend to be attractive to a lot of overseas lawyers. Of course, the added attraction of the Middle East is that most packages are tax free and therefore worth a great deal more than in most Western jurisdictions. The fact that the UAE is currently booming provides obvious upsides, but also the odd problem. In particular, the huge influx of workers from overseas has created a shortage of accommodation, notably in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The inevitable result has been a rise in housing costs, of around 40% during the course of the last eighteen months. Similar problems are being experienced with office space. Prime floor space in the best office blocks has doubled in price during the course of the last twelve months or so. As a result, most tenants are now expected to pay a year's rent in advance, although bigger firms will generally take care of this either by way of a housing allowance or a loan subsequently recovered from an employee's monthly salary. However, while housing is not cheap, it is still eminently affordable, particularly bearing in mind the packages paid to lawyers. Cars on the other hand are very cheap, with typical prices being less than for an equivalent car in the United States. Moreover, as one would probably expect, petrol is very reasonably priced, with the cost being subject to government control. Due to the spread out nature of the region and the stifling heat, owning a car is essential for most expatriates and therefore it is quite common for firms to provide a car allowance for professional staff. The Middle East is a big and relatively diverse place. Therefore, the lifestyle and working conditions one can experience in one place can differ very significantly from what one will find in another. Nevertheless, each of main destinations have their own charm and attractions. Increasingly, for overseas lawyers, it is easy to find good work, good packages and a good quality of life. Moreover, your children will never be short of a sand pit. |
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