Private Credit / Fund Finance Lawyer

Who we are

We are one of the largest international law firms in the world. With over 30 offices across the globe, we strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.

Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly international perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating - full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That’s why we’re so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.

Clifford Chance Dubai is a full service office which is completely integrated with, and supported by, our global network.  We advise clients on major transactions in the Middle East and beyond.

You’ll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. But no matter who they are or why they’ve reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. And that’s possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you’ll find across all of our teams.

Whichever area of the business you join, you’ll become an integral part an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.

 

The role

The work

Our work spans the whole of the MENA region and beyond.  We work on a broad variety of matters under both English and UAE law including:

• Lending – we advise on the full range of banking transactions including secured and unsecured bilateral and syndicated loans, leveraged and acquisition finance, private credit, fund finance, rescheduling and restructuring, loan transfers, participations and loan portfolio acquisitions and disposals. Working with banks, coprorates, SWFs, private capital investors (including private credit providers) and other sponsors.
• Recent awards include:

• Chambers Middle East 2025• Band 1 Banking and Finance practice

• The Legal 500 Middle East and North Africa Awards 2024• Banking and Finance Law Firm of the Year

• IFLR Middle East Awards 2024 • National Law Firm of the Year

• IFN Law Awards 2024• Kuwait Deal of the Year 2024
• Most Innovative Deal of the Year 2024
• Sukuk Deal of the Year 2024

• Bonds, Loans & Sukuk Middle East Awards 2024            • Power Finance Deal of the Year
• Acquisition Finance Deal of the Year

• IFLR Middle East Awards 2024 • Equity Deal of the Year
• Loan Deal of the Year

• IFN Law Awards 2023  • Best Banking & Finance Law Firm of the Year 2023

Key Attractions

We are the world's leading global finance practice.  You will work on ground-breaking deals for top tier clients and across the asset classes.

"Clifford Chance has an impressive team with robust offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi that continue to lead the market in providing professional legal services in banking and finance. The firm advises on a broad spectrum of finance matters and possesses complementary expertise in capital markets and corporate/M&A. The team is also noted for its dedicated Islamic finance practice and extensive experience in aviation finance, where it often works in conjunction with the firm's highly rated asset finance practice in London."

- Chambers 2025

The range, calibre and international scope of our deal flow is unique - and makes us stand out from our competitors.  Recent deal highlights include:

• the arrangers on an Islamic and conventional financing to GEMS Global (Cayman) Limited as part of the acquisition by CVC Capital Partner of a stake of GEM's Menasa business

• the arrangers and lender group on Brookfield’s public to private US$2.8 billion acquisition of Network International

• M42, a subsidiary of G42 Healthcare and Mubadala Health, in connection with the financing for the acquisition of the entire share capital of Diaverum AB from Bridgepoint Group in a transaction that would make M42 the largest healthcare company in the Middle East

• the lenders on the financing of BlackRock-led consortium's US$15.5 billion acquisition of stake in Aramco Oil Pipelines Company

• a UAE based private credit platform in connection with a NAV facility obtained with respect to its partnership with a US credit fund to invest in mid-market European leveraged finance transactions

• a US private credit fund on secured direct lending facilities made available to a technology group operating in the UAE, including a bespoke multi-jurisdiction security package

• We are proud of our reputation for being a very informal, supportive, meritocratic and diverse group and reinforce this with regular social events - both ad hoc and organised

• We are based in one of the most prestigious business developments in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

• We run a sophisticated internal training programme that is unmatched in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, including local courses run by The Academy plus annual residential training courses in Amsterdam or London

• Our remuneration package is one of the most attractive in the market

Key Responsibilities

• Lawyers are given the chance to handle a tremendous variety of work and the partners actively work towards ensuring individual lawyers receive their preferred mix of work. 

• You will be given responsibility for running transactions and working closely with clients.  This means that you should have already developed outstanding transaction management and organisational skills as well as superb technical abilities.

• This role has strong career progression possibilities for the right candidate.

 

Your experience

• You should have 4-6 years post-qualified experience that has been gained at a similarly high profile firm with strong experience working on fund financings and corporate finance

• In all cases, you should have first class legal ability coupled with a practical commercial approach; and excellent drafting, analytical and communication skills

• All candidates should be fluent in English.  Fluency in Arabic language would be advantageous but is not a prerequisite

• You must also have exceptional results throughout your academic history

 

Equal opportunities statement

At Clifford Chance, we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm and society.

We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age.  This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment including pay, promotion, training, transfer and every other aspect of employment.

We have a variety of flourishing employee networks. These networks are a place for colleagues to share experiences and advocate for change wherever they see an opportunity for improvement.

Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm.

Find out more about our inclusive culture here.