Baker McKenzie

The Role

We are currently seeking an ambitious and talented Senior Associate, looking for an exciting and rewarding new role. Interested applicants should be able to demonstrate exemplary technical skills and relish the opportunity to join a truly unique and successful global real estate team.

The Senior Associate will be expected to:

• Lead and support on a broad range of real estate transactions, including: 
  • Acquisitions, disposals and joint ventures
  • Development and mixed-use projects
  • Jointly owned property laws and transactions
  • Hotel and branded residences structures and agreements
  • Leasing, asset management and portfolio transactions
  • Real estate finance and investment structuring
• Advise clients across multiple asset classes, including office, retail, hospitality, logistics and mixed-use developments 
• Manage transaction processes from inception to completion, including due diligence, structuring, drafting and negotiations 
• Deliver clear, commercial and pragmatic advice, taking into account regional legal and regulatory frameworks
• Act as a key day-to-day contact for clients, building and maintaining strong relationships 
• Generate new ideas and fresh approaches for clients, developing innovative and commercially viable solutions
• Proactively communicate trends and developments of interest to client
• Consolidate and enhance external individual and firm profile and engage in profile raising activities
• Lead and support on business development activities, including raising the individual and firm profiles, contributing to pitches, capability statements and client presentations 

• Participate in industry events, thought leadership and market engagement

• Build and maintain long term client relationships, including understanding clients' businesses, economic drivers, markets, and sectors in order to deliver relevant and commercial advice

• Work as part of a team and take an active and leading role in sharing knowledge and experience

The Team

Baker McKenzie’s UAE Real Estate team is a market leading, full service practice forming a core part of the firm’s Middle East transaction platform. The UAE Real Estate team is consistently recognised as one of the leading practices in the market, being named UAE Real Estate Team of the Year at the Chambers Middle East Awards 2026 and Real Estate Team of the Year at the LexisNexis Middle East Awards 2025, alongside multiple firmwide awards for client service and regional leadership. These accolades reflect the team’s track record on high profile transactions and its reputation for excellence in the UAE real estate and hospitality sector.

The Gulf Real Estate team operates seamlessly across key markets, with partners and associates on the ground in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, combining deep local expertise with a truly international outlook to support clients on complex, cross-border transactions. Our “one team” approach ensures that matters are resourced efficiently across jurisdictions, leveraging regional collaboration and global connectivity to deliver commercially focused, practical advice across the full real estate lifecycle.

The team advises a broad client base including sovereign wealth funds, institutional international and regional investors, developers, hotel operators and financial institutions, supporting them across the full real estate lifecycle. The team’s experience spans acquisitions and disposals, large scale developments, joint ventures, hospitality and branded residences, real estate finance and regulatory advisory. The practice is recognised for delivering commercially focused, practical advice on high value and complex mandates, including landmark transactions such as major hospitality portfolio acquisitions and flagship mixed use developments across the region. 

Key Skills and Experience Required:

• A common law qualified lawyer with excellent academics 
• At least 7 years PQE
• Substantial experience of commercial real estate gained within an international law firm in the Middle East
• Excellent written communication and drafting skills
• Initiative and proactivity
• Strong service orientation - a "client first" culture
• Ability to develop strong relationships with clients 
• High work standards and ethics
• Outstanding communication skills and the ability to adapt style as required
• Ability to work well in both a team and individually
• Experience of complex real estate transactions
• Strong analytical skills 
• Demonstrates a willingness to learn - the right candidate will want to continue to develop their key competencies and skills 
• Flexible work practices and ability to adapt style as required 
• Outstanding communication skills and ability to work within a team 
• Open and co-operative attitude with professional outlook
• Willingness to travel in the region and globally
• Respects and enjoys the diversity of cultural, social and academic backgrounds found in the Firm

Why join us?

Baker McKenzie is a truly global law firm. Founded in 1949, we advise many of the world’s most dynamic and successful business organisations through our 13,200 people in 74 offices in 45 countries. Yet big does not mean impersonal. We work hard to ensure that everyone knows their role and has the support they need to perform it to the highest standard. Our culture encourages this - how we work, think and behave in a collaborative and fulfilling way.

In the Gulf region Baker McKenzie has been active for more than three decades and our practice now boasts over 100 lawyers based in our seven offices in the Middle East – Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Cairo, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, and Riyadh. As a pioneering firm, we were most notably the first to enter both the Saudi and Egyptian markets.

The firm has built established and substantial presence in the Middle East & Africa region, with all offices working in close collaboration to service clients’ needs on a range of matters, including banking and finance, project finance, Islamic finance, corporate/M&A and dispute resolution. We work closely with key local players — including governmental and regulatory entities, financial institutions, family-owned conglomerates and corporates across all industry sectors — as well with global investors and corporations establishing and consolidating their presence in the region.

Have a look at our YouTube channel to find out more about us!

Baker McKenzie empowers clients to compete in the global economy. We provide comprehensive and practical legal advice that cuts through complexity with clear, actionable guidance. Our people represent diverse cultures and jurisdictions, combining local know-how with international expertise to ensure your business thrives across borders.

To Apply

At Baker McKenzie we welcome direct applications.

Please click on the Apply icon to start the online application process for this role. We will then be in touch with you once we have reviewed your application. 

For more information about this position or to discuss any adjustments you may require during the process please contact in confidence, Samantha Mann, Recruitment Manager, on 020 7072 5806 or Samantha.mann@bakermckenzie.com

Please note Baker McKenzie does not accept unsolicited CVs.  

NO AGENCIES PLEASE 

Baker McKenzie is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion for all. Our unique international culture is reflected in the drawing together of a worldwide family of individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds in all of our offices. We encourage the best people to fulfil their professional aspirations with us. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible experience for all candidates.