Job Responsibilities
- Advising clients on corporate finance and capital markets
transactions with emphasis on the Middle East region (8-9 hours).
- Participating in the firm's business develoment efforts (1-1.5
hours)
- Assisting in recruiting lawyers and staff to the firm's Dubai
office (half an hour to an hour).
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Job Requirements
The program is very comprehensive without, in any way,
jeopradizing the individal quality of courses offered. While
popular classes could not be available in some cases,
international students like myself are often given the
opportunity to attend such popular classes. The workload could be
a little bit overwhelming at first particularly for international
students but a combination of faculty and student support results
in a much better ability to adapt to such workload.
The professions in GW Law, particularly those involved in the
international and comparative law programs, are amongst the best
in their respective fields. In addition, the law school is ahead
of its peers in many subjects: for example, the law school had a
popular comparative law class in the early 90s when not many law
schoold did. Also, the law school picked up on teaching Islamic
law before this became a popular subject in recent years.
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Uppers
The Middle East region is undergoing massive economic and infrastuctural growth
and with it the legal land scape is progressing and developing. This provides
lawyers with a great opportunity as they help shape such legal land scape and
play an active role in the emergence of such market. In addition, with the growth
in amounts of in-bound foreign investment, I, along with my colleagues, are at
the forefront of such efforts to match local investors with foreign investors.
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Downers
Many lawyers with international law firms complain about the long
hours, stress levels and so on. While these factors are present
in my life too, I would not classify them as being downers.
Having said so, the need to juggle a number of assignments and
the limite davailability of well trained and educated bilingual
lawyers and, more importantly are downers at times.
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Lifestyle
Vinson&Elkins LLP's Dubai office offers an excellent life style. Dubai is a
modern city and the office is located in a tower that is ranked amongst the best
in the city. Work hours could be long but are nothing like those in places like
New York and London. Having said so, as the Dubai offices of international law
firms are smaller than their US and UK offices, it is sometimes hard to cope with
a number of big deals at the same time. However, this firm is very helpful and
often sends out associates to Dubai to help when needed.
We travel often on business as the Dubai office serves as the Middle East's
regional office. Having said so, such business travel, though stressful at times,
often takes us to new and interesting places.
Dress code is formal although we have a dress-down day on Thursday (weekend here
is Friday and Saturday). The firm tolerates smart casual dress codes particularly
in the summer months given the heat.
Generally, this is a small office that is fun, vibrant and growing at a fast
pace.
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Compensation
My prefernece is not to share specifics. However, we are
compensated at the same level as our Houston office. Benefits
include health insurance, saving plans and so on.
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Advice to Jobseekers
The legal profession will always be in demand regardless of the
economic activity. However, law firms with international offices
offer more depth. It is important for US law student to know that
a recession in a market like the US will not necessarily mean
that there will be a recession in the rest of the world. High oil
prices, reform in developing countries and other factors
conribute to the boom in such markets as China, India and the
Middle East. As such, an international law firm would given
associates the chance to work in markets other than the US
particularly at times when the legal market in the US is in
recession. In addition, this carries great cultural and social
advantages.
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