Associate Director - MENA Legal team - Senior Legal Counsel Litigation - Doha

About the role

EY is hiring an experienced Senior Legal Counsel focused on litigation to join its MENA Legal team in Doha, Qatar. The role sits within EY’s global legal function and reports to the MENA General Counsel.

The position involves handling a varied portfolio of disputes across the MENA region, advising on regulatory and litigation issues, and representing the firm across both civil-law and common-law settings. It calls for strong litigation expertise, sound judgment in complex matters, and the ability to perform effectively in a demanding, fast-moving environment.

Key responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end litigation work, from early strategy and pleadings through discovery, trial preparation, and settlement discussions in commercial, regulatory, and professional disputes.
• Deliver practical legal advice to internal teams while balancing legal exposure, business needs, and wider strategic priorities.
• Assess case strengths and weaknesses, identify risks, and recommend suitable settlement approaches.
• Monitor legal and regulatory obligations, ensure compliance with applicable laws and standards, and stay current on developments that may affect the business.
• Manage outside counsel by tracking quality of work, budget usage, and overall progress.
• Spot legal and dispute-related risks early and put forward mitigation measures.
• Research legal issues thoroughly and prepare, review, and revise legal documents such as pleadings, motions, briefs, and written submissions.
• Partner with cross-functional teams and support junior legal colleagues on litigation tactics and risk reduction.
• Provide broad legal support to service lines and business functions including real estate, procurement, finance, HR, IT, and marketing, and act as legal lead on company-wide initiatives when needed.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor or an equivalent law qualification, with admission to practice in a MENA jurisdiction or a common-law jurisdiction such as the UK or US, plus MENA experience.
• At least 15 years of post-qualification experience in litigation gained in a corporate setting or at a leading law firm.
• Deep knowledge of complex litigation, civil law, common law, and regulatory matters.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and advocacy abilities.
• Credible professional presence with the ability to earn trust quickly.
• Sharp analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the capacity to work independently under pressure and tight timelines.
• Experience handling external counsel and managing legal budgets.
• Fluency in both Arabic and English, spoken and written.
• High ethical standards and a strong sense of integrity.
• Preferred experience in professional services, particularly audit, or in financial services.
• Helpful exposure to international arbitration and cross-border dispute resolution.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and build strong relationships across all levels.
• Willingness to work outside standard business hours when necessary.

What EY offers

• Opportunity to work on high-profile and challenging legal matters.
• Ongoing learning and professional development.
• A flexible environment with room to make a meaningful contribution.
• Access to leadership, coaching, and guidance.
• An inclusive, diverse, and collaborative culture across globally connected teams.
• Occasional travel within the MENA region.
• An office-based arrangement with flexibility to work remotely when needed.

Additional information

Applicants who need disability-related adjustments or accommodations during the hiring process are encouraged to share those requirements.

EY’s purpose is to create long-term value for clients, people, society, and the planet. The organization uses data, AI, and advanced technology to deliver trust and insights across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax, and transactions in more than 150 countries.