Legal Counsel - Hotel Development

Legal Counsel - Hotel Development Job Snapshot Role: Legal Counsel - Hotel Development Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates Industry: Hospitality Function: Attorney Experience: Minimum 5 years of relevant legal experience Job Type: Full-time Position Overview Legal Counsel - Hotel Development in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is a senior Hospitality opportunity supporting Marriott International 's hotel, residential, and mixed-use development activities across the Middle East and Africa. The role requires a commercially focused lawyer with strong experience in complex transactions, real estate development, franchise agreements, hotel management contracts, cross-border legal matters, and stakeholder negotiation. Job Details Country: United Arab Emirates City: Dubai Industry: Hospitality Function: Attorney Salary: 40000-60000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer. Gender: Any Candidate Nationality: Any Job Type: Full-time Job Number: 26084643 Language Requirement: English Preferred Languages: Arabic or French Travel Requirement: Regional travel required Position Type: Individual contributor Role Context The Legal Counsel - Hotel Development will provide strategic and transactional legal guidance for Marriott International 's development projects across the Middle East and Africa. The position supports owned, leased, managed, franchised, residential, and mixed-use developments from preliminary structuring and negotiation through closing, post-closing obligations, and project opening. Working closely with development, operations, asset management, owner relations, and regional leadership teams, the Legal Counsel will identify risks, develop practical solutions, negotiate complex agreements, and ensure transactions align with Marriott 's commercial objectives. The role also requires coordination with external counsel and specialist advisers across several jurisdictions. Key Responsibilities * Structure, draft, review, negotiate, and execute hotel franchise agreements. * Prepare and negotiate hotel management agreements for managed properties. * Draft residential licensing, branding, and management agreements. * Review and negotiate guarantees, comfort letters, subordination agreements, non-disturbance agreements, attornment agreements, and lender-related documentation. * Prepare amendments, side letters, waivers, notices, and other development transaction documents. * Advise on legal matters affecting existing hotel franchise and management agreements. * Support pre-opening requirements, hotel conversions, restructurings, financings, sales, and terminations. * Provide legal guidance on proposed hotel, residential, and mixed-use development transactions. * Advise business teams on confidentiality agreements and letters of intent. * Evaluate transaction structures and identify commercial and legal risk considerations. * Provide guidance on trade area restrictions, territorial protections, exclusivity, tortious interference, and related development issues. * Lead legal due diligence for new development projects and proposed transactions. * Identify title, ownership, licensing, regulatory, contractual, and operational risks during due diligence. * Instruct, supervise, and coordinate external legal counsel across multiple jurisdictions. * Review external counsel advice and translate local legal requirements into practical business recommendations. * Manage external legal budgets, fee estimates, scope changes, and project costs. * Partner with Development and Development Asset Management teams throughout the transaction lifecycle. * Coordinate with Operations, Owner and Partner Relations, and Asset Management departments. * Support transactions from initial structuring through negotiation, signing, closing, and project opening. * Lead transaction closing processes and confirm that execution requirements are completed correctly. * Manage closing checklists, signature arrangements, conditions precedent, and document delivery. * Monitor post-closing obligations, outstanding deliverables, and follow-up actions. * Ensure compliance with applicable franchise disclosure and registration requirements. * Advise on franchise relationship laws, agency considerations, antitrust requirements, and related regulations. * Coordinate employment, tax, privacy, compliance, insurance, intellectual property, and regulatory advice when required. * Navigate complex cross-border legal environments across Middle Eastern and African jurisdictions. * Support hotel financing and refinancing transactions involving owners, lenders, and operating entities. * Assist with legal matters relating to hotel sales, ownership changes, and asset transfers. * Develop and update legal templates, precedent agreements, forms, and negotiation guidance. * Promote consistent drafting standards and development transaction best practices. * Prepare concise legal advice for senior business leaders and internal stakeholders. * Maintain accurate transaction records, legal files, approvals, and supporting documentation. * Contribute to regional and global Law Department projects and strategic initiatives. * Protect legally privileged, confidential, and commercially sensitive information. * Maintain the highest standards of professional ethics, integrity, accountability, and legal judgment. Ideal Profile * Strong academic background in law from a recognized institution. * Qualified lawyer from a common law jurisdiction. * Active bar membership in the United States or Canada, or a valid practising certificate from the United Kingdom or another comparable jurisdiction. * Minimum 5 years of experience with a top-tier law firm, either exclusively or combined with relevant in-house legal experience. * Strong transactional legal experience involving complex commercial agreements. * Demonstrated contract drafting and negotiation capability in English. * Experience with real estate development, hotel development, hospitality transactions, or mergers and acquisitions is strongly preferred. * Knowledge of franchise agreements, hotel management contracts, residential licensing, and mixed-use developments is advantageous. * Experience managing cross-border transactions across multiple jurisdictions. * Proven ability to coordinate local counsel and specialist legal advisers. * Strong commercial judgment with the ability to provide practical and business-aligned legal advice. * Ability to manage several complex transactions and legal workstreams simultaneously. * Excellent deal management, project coordination, and deadline control skills. * Analytical and strategic approach to legal and commercial problem-solving. * Creative thinking when developing transaction structures and resolving negotiation issues. * Strong attention to detail and ownership of assigned matters. * Exceptional interpersonal and stakeholder management skills. * Confidence working with senior executives, owners, developers, lenders, advisers, and operational teams. * Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a regional legal team. * High level of professionalism, discretion, ethics, and integrity. * Willingness to undertake regional travel when required. * Fluency in English. * Arabic or French language capability is advantageous but not mandatory. Skills Set * Hotel development law * Franchise agreements * Hotel management agreements * Residential licensing agreements * Mixed-use development * Commercial contract drafting * Contract negotiation * Real estate transactions * Hospitality transactions * Mergers and acquisitions * Legal due diligence * Cross-border transactions * Transaction structuring * Franchise regulation * Franchise disclosure * Antitrust compliance * Agency law * Trade area restrictions * Confidentiality agreements * Letters of intent * Guarantees * Comfort letters * Subordination agreements * Non-disturbance agreements * Attornment agreements * Hotel financing * Hotel acquisitions * Hotel dispositions * Legal risk assessment * Transaction closings * Post-closing management * External counsel management * Legal budget management * Stakeholder management * Contract templates * Legal research * Commercial legal advice Why Join Us This role offers the opportunity to advise on significant hotel, residential, and mixed-use developments across the Middle East and Africa. The Legal Counsel will work directly with regional development leaders, property owners, investors, lenders, operating teams, and experienced legal professionals on complex international transactions. The position provides substantial exposure to hospitality development, franchise structures, hotel management arrangements, real estate transactions, financing matters, and cross-border regulatory issues. Marriott International also offers a strong platform for developing regional legal expertise and building a long-term in-house career within a major global hospitality organization. About the Company Marriott International is a global hospitality company with an extensive portfolio of hotels, resorts, residences, managed properties, and franchised brands. Its legal and development teams support new hotel projects, owner relationships, strategic transactions, and long-term growth across international markets.