Legal Counsel - Islamic Finance

Overview

This role provides day-to-day Islamic banking legal drafting and advisory support across the organization’s Islamic product suite, covering wholesale, retail, international, and treasury products. The position operates under the supervision of the Senior Legal Counsel – Islamic Banking and does not determine Shariah compliance or provide independent sign-off authority on novel or high-value Islamic structures.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and maintain standard and recurring Islamic banking documentation (including Murabaha and commodity Murabaha, Ijarah, Wakala, and related facility and security documents) using templates and under the direction of the Senior Legal Counsel.
• Provide day-to-day legal support for business-as-usual Islamic queries from business teams, and escalate novel, complex, or high-risk matters to the Senior Legal Counsel.
• Support product updates and amendments driven by Shariah structural changes, AAOIFI standards, regulatory developments, and campaign launches.
• Monitor legal, regulatory, and Shariah developments relevant to the Islamic product suite and flag documentation impacts.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of Islamic legal policies, procedures, precedents, and templates.
• Build and maintain Islamic legal precedent materials, including a template library, clause library, and position papers.
• Maintain matter trackers, documentation logs, and turnaround reporting for Islamic legal work, including App4Legal records.
• Conduct legal research on Islamic finance structures, AAOIFI standards, and comparative market practice to support the Senior Legal Counsel.
• Prepare first drafts of memoranda, product notes, and briefing materials on Islamic legal matters.
• Collaborate with business teams and stakeholders to deliver commercially sound and legally robust Islamic documentation outcomes.
• Coordinate inputs between Business, Shariah Governance, Legal, and external counsel, and follow through to closure.
• Support preparation of instructions to external counsel and assist with the review and quality control of external work product.
• Identify legal risks in standard Islamic documentation and escalate appropriately.
• Support Islamic product development workstreams, including documentation gap analysis and comparison against market practice.

Requirements

Experience

• Minimum 8–10 years’ post-qualification experience in banking and finance law.
• Preferably experience with a leading law firm and/or a financial institution.
• Demonstrable exposure to Islamic banking products and Shariah-compliant documentation.

Education & Professional Credentials

• Law degree from a reputable university.
• Admission to practice law in a recognised jurisdiction covering:
  • banking and finance
  • financial services and regulation
  • corporate and commercial
• A certification in Islamic finance or Islamic banking (e.g., CIFE, AAOIFI CSAA, or equivalent) is an advantage.
• Legal practice certificate or licence.

Core Knowledge Areas

• Islamic banking and Islamic finance
• Banking & finance
• Corporate and commercial
• Retail and consumer banking products
• Transaction banking (trade finance and cash solutions)
• Financial services and financial services regulation

Technical Skills & Market Knowledge

• Working knowledge of core Islamic finance structures, including:
  • Murabaha
  • commodity Murabaha (Tawarruq)
  • Ijarah
  • Wakala
  • Mudaraba
  • Musharaka
  • Sukuk
• Familiarity with AAOIFI Shariah standards and their practical impact on documentation.
• Understanding of conventional banking documentation (including LMA-based facility agreements and security packages) and how Islamic equivalents differ.
• Strong legal drafting skills with accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong legal research skills and ability to produce clear written analysis.
• Experience building or maintaining precedent banks, template libraries, or knowledge management tools.
• Ability to operate in a remote delivery model supporting stakeholders in other jurisdictions.
• Proficiency with legal workflow and matter management systems; experience with Legal-AI tools.
• Effective collaboration with business units, support functions, and multicultural teams across locations and time zones.
• Effective communication skills for explaining legal concepts to non-lawyers.
• Agile ability to perform under pressure with composure and focus.

Languages

• Fluent in English.
• Arabic is a plus.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certification in Islamic finance or Islamic banking (such as CIFE, AAOIFI CSAA, or equivalent).

Location

Delivered from MGN-PAK to business teams located primarily in the UAE and Bahrain.