2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

Message from the Managing Director We are pleased to publish our fourth annual GCC In-House Legal Salary Survey. We had a record 451 responses this year (30% more than last year) including 199 Heads of Legal. This is a firm indication that the survey is gaining in popularity and traction and has enabled us to access more data than ever before. This year’s bonus information is much more accurate as it is based on actual bonuses most recently paid rather than anticipated bonuses as in previous years. The survey shows that the GCC is still a hugely popular destination for lawyers – for professional, quality of life, financial and a host of other reasons. This is despite the fact that the last 12 months revealed a very real downward pressure on salaries. We were perturbed to find that the pay gap between male and female lawyers is very real even though it is not something that EWS encounters when taking new instructions from clients. We hope you find this survey useful and welcome any feedback or questions you have on it. For more information on EWS please do not hesitate to get in touch, or visit our newly re-designed website which we hope you like. On a personal note, EWS is proud to continue to sponsor All As One, the children’s charity in Sierra Leone. For every survey completed, EWS fulfilled its pledge to contribute AED 10/- to the charity. EWS and All As One thank you for your support.

Elizabeth Williams

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Managing Director

T +971 55 211 1189 elizabeth@ews–search.com

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

The EWS Annual Salary Survey Grows in Popularity This year a record number of lawyers took part in this survey – 451 lawyers including 199 Heads of Legal.

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

Contents Summary of Tables and Charts

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Definitions

5

1. Highlights of Findings

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2. Compensation Data (Monthy USD) 2.1 Head of Legal Compensation

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2.2 Head of Legal Compensation as Influenced by Industry Sector

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2.3 Compensation 21+ PQE

13

2.4 Compensation 16 – 20 PQE

14

2.5 Compensation 12 – 15 PQE

15

2.6 Compensation 9 – 11 PQE

16

2.7 Compensation 6 – 8 PQE

17

2.8 Compensation 3 – 5 PQE

18

3. Bonuses for Year Ending December 2013 3.1 Overview

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3.2 Bonuses and Industry Sector

21

4. Non–Compensation Data 4.1 Lawyer Satisfaction 22 4.2 Legal Recruitment 24 4.3 Pay Reviews

24

4.4 Job Satisfaction: Reasons that would Influence a Lawyer to Change Jobs 24 4.5 General Mood amongst Lawyers 25 4.6 Commitment to the GCC 26 Thank You

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Don’t just take our word for it...

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Our Track Record

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

Summary of Tables and Charts Tables 1. Head of Legal Pay as Influenced by Team Size

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2. Head of Legal Pay as Influenced by Jurisdiction of Qualification

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3. Head of Legal Pay as Influenced by Language Skills

10

4. Head of Legal Pay as Influenced by Residency

11

5. Head of Legal Pay as Influenced by Industry Sector

12

6. 21+ PQE Pay as Influenced by Gender and Language Skills

13

7. 16 – 20 PQE Pay as Influenced by Gender and Language Skills

14

8. 12 – 15 PQE Pay as Influenced by Gender and Language Skills

15

9. 9 – 11 PQE Pay as Influenced by Gender and Language Skills

16

10. 6 – 8 PQE Pay as Influenced by Gender and Language Skills

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11. 3 – 5 PQE Pay as Influenced by Gender and Language Skills

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12. Bonuses for Year Ending December 2013

20

13. Bonuses for Year Ending December 2013 as Influenced by Industry Sector

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Charts 1. Compensation Satisfaction

22

2. Job Satisfaction

22

3. Reasons that would Influence a Lawyer to Change Jobs

24

4. Economic Outlook: Mood amongst Lawyers

25

5. Length of Time Lawyers would Like to Remain Working in the GCC

26

6. Factors Influencing a Lawyer’s Decision to Leave the GCC

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

Definitions Jurisdictions

General Terms

Asia Pacific Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Singapore

Average The total of the values supplied divided by the number of responses

Canada Canada only

Compensation/Pay/Remuneration Includes base salary, transport and housing allowances but excludes bonus and other benefits

England and Wales England, Wales and Scotland

Fluent Professional spoken, written and/or drafting capability

Europe Europe including Ireland and Turkey but excluding England and Wales

Median The middle value that separates the higher half from the lower half of the data

Middle East Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the UAE

Western Qualified Lawyers qualified in Australia, Canada, England and Wales, New Zealand, US, Europe (excluding Turkey) and South Africa

North Africa Egypt, Sudan and Tunisia

Conversion Table 1 US Dollar (USD) = 3.67 United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)

South Africa South Africa only

Currency

USD equivalent

1 United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)

0.272

1 Bahraini Dinar (BHD)

2.653

1 Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD)

3.545

1 Omani Rial (OMR)

2.597

Industry

1 Qatari Rial (QAR)

0.275

Banking and Finance Banks and financial institutions, investment companies and sovereign wealth funds

1 Saudi Riyal (SAR)

0.2666

1 British Pound (GPB)

1.697

1 Euro (EUR)

1.361

South Asia Bangladesh, India and Pakistan US The United States of America only

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

The majority of participants have worked in the GCC for over five years

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

1. Highlights of Findings Participant Profile

Time in the GCC

451 lawyers including 199 Heads of Legal took part in this year’s survey. This is a 24% increase on last year. Of these 451 lawyers: ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

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32% qualified in England and Wales. 21% qualified in the Middle East. 15% qualified in the US. 14% qualified in Europe. 13% qualified in Asia Pacific. The remaining is spread across Canada, South Africa, North Africa and South Asia.

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Number of Hours Worked ♦♦ ♦♦

Gender ♦♦ ♦♦

♦♦

71% are male. 29% are female (up from 22% last year).

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23% work on average an eight hour day. 29% work on average a nine hour day. 27% work on average a ten hour day (the percentage for Heads of Legal is 31%). 10% work on average an eleven hour day.

School Fees

Languages ♦♦

16% have lived in the GCC for more than 10 years. 63% have lived in the GCC for more than five years. 25% have lived in the GCC for between three to five years. 10% have lived in the GCC for less than two years. 34% indicate that they will stay in the GCC for as long as they are financially and/or professionally happy. 13% have indicated that they will stay in the GCC until retirement.

55% have no Arabic language capability. 23% are fluent in Arabic (a big drop from last year’s 39%). 13% are fluent in Arabic and French.

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38% of lawyers receive no help with school fees. 33% of lawyers receive a partial reimbursement. 29% of lawyers are fully reimbursed for their children’s school fees.

Residency ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

49% reside in Dubai. 20% reside in Abu Dhabi. 10% reside in Qatar. 9% reside in Saudi Arabia. 4% reside in Kuwait. 3% reside in Bahrain and the remainder reside in Oman and in one of the other Emirates.

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

2. Compensation Data (Monthly USD) 2.1 Head of Legal Compensation Overview ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

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199 Heads of Legal took part in this year’s survey (of which 100 work in Dubai). 74% are male and 26% are female (a marked increase from last year’s 17%). The average Head of Legal pay is $22,417, marginally higher than last year’s $22,279. 33% of Heads of Legal qualified in England and Wales and their average pay is $24,776. 24% of Heads of Legal qualified in the Middle East (and by definition are therefore bilingual or trilingual) and their average pay is $20,844. 16% qualified in the US, 16% in Asia Pacific and 12% in Europe. A male Head of Legal earns an average of $23,650 compared to last year’s $22,443. A female Head of Legal earns an average of $18,839 compared to last year’s $21,472. Not only has their pay gone down but the gap between female Heads of Legal and male Heads of Legal has widened too.

Reporting Lines ♦♦

61% of Heads of Legal report to their CEO. However many also report into the Board of Directors (20%) or Chairman (19%). A reasonable number have a dual reporting line (e.g. Board of Directors & CEO (16%) or Chairman & the CEO (9%)). Very few (less than 10%) report into the Finance function.

Influence of Team Size ♦♦

Typically the bigger the team, the more a Head of Legal earns. Average salaries have in many instances dropped in the last year as Table 1 below demonstrates.

Table 1: Head of Legal Pay as Influenced by Team Size

Team Size

Replies

2014 Average

2013 Average

2014 Median

2013 Median

Range

Sole Counsel

22%

$16,516

$16,618

$15,942

$15,463

$5,500 – $33,000

1

11%

$16,541

$20,410

$14,702

$20,834

$10,350 – $34,000

2 to 3

25%

$22,283

$20,874

$20,644

$19,966

$7,350 – $38,000

4 to 6

25%

$26,347

$25,270

$24,980

$26,409

$8,700 – $61,000

6 to 10

10%

$28,911

$31,322

$27,500

$27,226

$15,000 – $55,000

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

2. Compensation Data (Monthly USD) 2.1 Head of Legal Compensation continued Influence of Jurisdiction of Qualification Table 2 below reveals that the highest average salaries are paid to Heads of Legal qualified in: ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

England and Wales ($24,776). The US ($24,660). Canada ($24,195). Asia Pacific ($23,899).

As we have seen in previous years, lawyers qualified in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia are paid significantly less. However, Arabic fluency combined with a Western qualification has a positive effect on compensation because: ♦♦ ♦♦

Heads of Legal with Arabic fluency and an England & Wales qualification average $24,174. Heads of Legal with Arabic fluency and a US qualification average $22,846.

Table 2: Head of Legal Pay as Influenced by Jurisdiction of Qualification

Jurisdiction

Percent

2014 Average

2013 Average

2014 Median

2013 Median

Range

England and Wales

33%

$24,776

$26,022

$23,142

$25,449

$10,350 – $55,000

Middle East

24%

$20,844

$18,855

$19,330

$17,697

$5,500 – $61,000

US

16%

$24,660

$25,133

$23,170

$24,503

$10,350 – $39,750

Asia Pacific

16%

$23,899

$23,054

$24,061

$22,870

$11,500 – $49,000

Europe

12%

$20,036

$21,750

$20,146

$22,470

$6,800 – $28,800

North Africa

10%

$15,652

$15,080

$14,974

$10,388

$5,500 – $27,200

South Asia

5%

$14,141

$14,547

$13,835

$16,154

$7,200 – $23,150

Canada

5%

$24,195

$25,289

$20,419

$19,330

$14,400 – $41,200

South Africa

2%

$26,236

$23,247

$26,608

$26,666

Insufficient Data

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

2. Compensation Data (Monthly USD) 2.1 Head of Legal Compensation continued Influence of Language Skills Table 3 below reveals: ♦♦ ♦♦

Heads of Legal with no Arabic language capability earn on average $23,769. Heads of Legal with Arabic and French fluency average $22,750.

However, Heads of Legal with Arabic fluency and only a Middle Eastern qualification average $20,844 (Table 2). Table 3: Head of Legal Pay as Influenced by Language Skills

Influencing factor

Replies

2014 Average

2013 Average

2014 Median

2013 Median

Range

Overall

100%

$22,417

$22,279

$21,000

$21,119

$5,500 – $61,000

Male

74%

$23,650

$22,443

$22,767

$21,236

$5,500 – $61,000

Female

26%

$18,839

$21,472

$17,697

$20,692

$6,800 – $39,500

No Arabic

51%

$23,769

$24,514

$22,870

$24,503

$7,200 – $54,500

Fluent Arabic

40%

$20,728

$20,494

$19,603

$19,058

$5,500 – $59,000

Fluent French

25%

$22,564

$23,281

$20,510

$24,150

$6,770 – $59,000

Fluent Arabic and French

16%

$22,750

$21,796

$20,310

$19,565

$7,400 – $59,000

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

2. Compensation Data (Monthly USD) 2.1 Head of Legal Compensation continued Influence of Residency ♦♦ ♦♦

We see one off high salaries in most GCC countries particularly the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. In a number of instances however, the average Head of Legal pay has decreased since last year as Table 4 below demonstrates.

Table 4: Head of Legal Pay as Influenced by Residency

Residence

Replies

2014 Average

2013 Median

2014 Median

2013 Median

UAE – Dubai

50%

$22,240

$23,139

$21,781

$21,781

UAE – Abu Dhabi

18%

$24,534

$27,158

$24,367

$25,592

Qatar

11%

$24,106

$22,984

$22,800

$21,564

Saudi Arabia

7%

$19,625

$16,053

$21,332

$17,826

UAE – Other Emirates

5%

$21,180

$20,587

$20,419

$20,995

Bahrain

4%

$16,000

$16,701

$14,588

$14,589

Oman

4%

$18,204

$19,417

$17,206

$17,790

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

2. Compensation Data (Monthly USD) 2.2 Head of Legal Compensation as Influenced by Industry Sector ♦♦

♦♦

Heads of Legal account for 50% of participants and Table 5 below sets out the average salaries in industry sectors where there are 11 or more responses. Any industry sector that had fewer than 11 responses is grouped under ‘Other’. The highest salaries are seen in Real Estate/Construction ($25,801), Banking & Finance/Investment ($24,287) and Oil & Gas/Heavy Engineering ($23,885).

Table 5: Head of Legal Pay as Influenced by Industry Sector

Industry

Replies 2014 Average 2013 Average 2014 Median

2013 Median

Range

Real Estate / Construction

13%

$25,801

$23,173

$23,142

$23,686

$11,999 – $59,000

Banking and Finance / Investment

20%

$24,287

$25,056

$23,142

$24,795

$9, 300 – $54,500

Oil and Gas / Heavy Engineering

12%

$23,885

$22,733

$21,332

$19,673

$9,900 – $50,000

FMCG / Retail

6%

$23,689

$24,139

$22,870

$21,781

$8,700 – $47,650

Aviation / Maritime / Transport / Logistics 9%

$21,392

$21,734

$21,372

$21,508

$10,500 – $35,750

IT / Telecoms

6%

$21,343

$18,786

$21,781

$18,319

$12,500 – $27,500

Other

26%

$19,626

$21,008

$17,697

$19,058

$5,500 – $39,500

Energy and Utilities

7%

$18,432

N/A

$17,697

N/A

$10,350 – $28,000

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2. Compensation Data (Monthly USD) 2.3 Compensation 21+ PQE Overview ♦♦

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Influence of Residency

Sixty-seven participants (15%) are 21+ PQE of which 70% are Heads of Legal. The average salary is $22,913, a drop from last year’s $23,839. In every category shown in Table 6 below, salaries are down from last year. 30% qualified in England & Wales. 28% reside in Dubai, 22% reside in Qatar, 16% reside in Saudi Arabia and 13% reside in Abu Dhabi. 27% are fluent in Arabic and 9% are fluent in both Arabic and French. The average salary for male lawyers has decreased from $24,019 in 2013 to $23,258 this year. The average salary for female lawyers has also decreased from $22,363 in 2013 to $21,716 this year.

♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

The highest average salary is in Abu Dhabi and is $25,396. The average salary in Qatar is $24,230. The average salary in Dubai is $22,966. The average salary in Bahrain is $22,287. The average salary in Saudi Arabia is $20,987. he average salary in Kuwait is $17,269.

Influence of Language Skills ♦♦

♦♦

♦♦

Western qualified lawyers with Arabic fluency average $26,679. Lawyers with no Arabic language capability average $23,360. Lawyers who qualified only in a Middle Eastern jurisdiction average $22,242.

Influence of Jurisdiction of Qualification ♦♦

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Lawyers who qualified in the US earn the highest average salary $28,622. Lawyers who qualified in Canada average $24,616. Lawyers who qualified in England & Wales average $24,294. Lawyers who qualified in Europe average $23,763. Lawyers who qualified in Asia Pacific average $23,244. Lawyers who qualified in the Middle East average of $22,242. Lawyers who qualified in North Africa average $16,071.

Table 6: 21+ PQE Pay as Influenced by Gender and Language Skills

Influencing factor

Replies

2014 Average

2013 Average

2014 Median

2013 Median

Range

Overall

100%

$22,913

$23,839

$23,142

$22,077

$7,200 – $45,300

Male

78%

$23,258

$ 24,019

$23,262

$22,017

$7,200 – $45,300

Female

22%

$21,716

$22,363

$21,275

$22,870

$13,600 – $34,300

No Arabic

60%

$23,360

$ 24,880

$23,396

$24,503

$7,200 – $45,300

Fluent Arabic

27%

$21,226

$22,596

$20,510

$19,102

$9,600 – $41,000

Fluent French

22%

$24,249

$ 29,519

$23,325

$27,226

$14,700 – $41,000

Fluent Arabic and French

9%

$24,178

$35,563

$21,849

$34,662

$15,700 – $41,000

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2. Compensation Data (Monthly USD) 2.4 Compensation 16 – 20 PQE Overview ♦♦

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Influence of Residency

Eighty-four participants (19%) are 16 to 20 years qualified of which 69% are Heads of Legal. The average salary has increased from last year’s $21,663 to $23,237 in 2014. The largest number qualified in the Middle East and England & Wales (both 27%) followed by the US (21%). 56% reside in Dubai, 19% reside in Abu Dhabi and 6% reside in each of Qatar and Saudi Arabia. 38% are fluent in Arabic and 15% are fluent in both Arabic and French. The average salary for male lawyers has increased from $22,111 in 2013 to $24,326 this year. The average salary for female lawyers witnessed a slight increase this year at $19,753 from $19,683 in 2013.

♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

The highest average salary is in Abu Dhabi and is $25,768. The average salary in Saudi Arabia is $23,337. The average salary in Dubai is $22,566. The average salary in Qatar is $19,263. The average salary in Oman is $13,505.

Influence of Language Skills ♦♦

♦♦

♦♦

Lawyers with no Arabic language capability average $24,926. Western qualified lawyers with Arabic fluency average $23,163. Lawyers who qualified only in a Middle Eastern jurisdiction average $22,614.

Influence of Jurisdiction of Qualification ♦♦

♦♦ ♦♦

♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

Lawyers who qualified in England & Wales earn the highest average salary $27,819. Lawyers who qualified in the US average $26,158. Lawyers who qualified in the Middle East average $22,164 (an increase on last year’s $19,630). Lawyers who qualified in Asia Pacific average $22,714. Lawyers who qualified in Europe average $19,033. Lawyers who qualified in North Africa average 12,698.

Table 7: 16 – 20 PQE Pay as Influenced by Gender and Language Skills

Influencing factor

Replies

2014 Average

2013 Average

2014 Median

2013 Median

Range

Overall

100%

$23,237

$21,663

$22,359

$18,954

$5,500 – $61,000

Male

76%

$24,326

$22,111

$24,163

$18,954

$5,500 – $61,000

Female

24%

$19,753

$19,683

$17,697

$17,561

$5,500 – $39,500

No Arabic

57%

$24,926

$24,305

$23,482

$21,332

$5,500 – $50,000

Fluent Arabic

38%

$21,269

$20,178

$18,730

$18,267

$5,500 – $59,000

Fluent French

20%

$22,565

$24,019

$19,058

$24,150

$5,500 – $59,000

Fluent Arabic and French 15%

$23,749

$24,450

$19,058

$24,327

$5,500 – $59,000

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2. Compensation Data (Monthly USD) 2.5 Compensation 12 – 15 PQE Overview ♦♦

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Influence of Residency

One hundred and three participants (23%) are 12 to 15 years qualified of which 32% are Heads of Legal. The average salary is $19,654, a decrease from last year’s $20,705. Most qualified in England & Wales (40%) followed by Middle East (20%). 53% reside in Dubai, 17% reside in Abu Dhabi, 13% reside in Qatar and 6% reside in Saudi Arabia. 36% are fluent in Arabic and 13% are fluent in both Arabic and French. The average salary for male lawyers has increased slightly from $21,382 in 2013 to $21,566 in 2014. The average salary for female lawyers decreased considerably from $18,261 in 2013 to $14,530 this year.

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Influence of Language Skills ♦♦

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Influence of Jurisdiction of Qualification ♦♦

♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

The highest average salary is in Saudi Arabia $21,310. The average salary in Abu Dhabi is $20,711. The average salary in Qatar is $20,777. The average salary in Dubai is $20,267 (ranked first in 2013). The average salary in Oman is $17,703. The average salary in Kuwait is $12,269. The average salary in Bahrain is $11,052.

♦♦

Lawyers who qualified in the US earn the highest average salary $24,305. Lawyers who qualified in Asia Pacific average $24,171. Lawyers who qualified in England & Wales average $21,522. Lawyers who qualified in Europe average $16,903. Lawyers who qualified in the Middle East average $14,717. Lawyers who qualified in North Africa average $13,423. Lawyers who qualified in South Asia average $11,336.

Western qualified lawyers with Arabic fluency average $21,265. Lawyers with no Arabic language capability average $21,000. Lawyers who qualified only in a Middle Eastern jurisdiction average $14,546.

Table 8: 12 – 15 PQE Pay as Influenced by Gender and Language Skills

Influencing factor

Replies

2014 Average

2013 Average

2014 Median

2013 Median

Range

Overall

100%

$19,654

$20,705

$17,697

$20,001

$5,500 – $55,000

Male

73%

$21,566

$21,382

$18,699

$20,419

$9,820 – $54,000

Female

27%

$14,530

$18,261

$14,566

$18,377

$5,860 – $25,500

No Arabic

56%

$21,000

$22,620

$18,322

$21,881

$8,520 – $54,000

Fluent Arabic

36%

$16,682

$17,611

$15,959

$14,646

$5,500 – $35,700

Fluent French

20%

$20,884

$20,077

$20,419

$20,195

$5,860 – $34,000

Fluent Arabic and French

13%

$19,197

$17,050

$19,058

$19,058

$5,860 – $30,000

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2. Compensation Data (Monthly USD) 2.6 Compensation 9 – 11 PQE Overview ♦♦

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Influence of Jurisdiction of Qualification

Ninety-four participants (21%) are 9 to 11 years qualified of which 32% are Heads of Legal. The average salary is $15,828, a drop compared to last year’s $16,654. 30% qualified in England & Wales. 49% reside in Dubai, 26% reside in Abu Dhabi and 6% reside in each of Qatar and Saudi Arabia. 36% are fluent in Arabic and 14% are fluent in both Arabic and French. The average salary for male lawyers has decreased from $17,973 in 2013 to $16,077 in 2014. The average salary for female lawyers has increased by 15% to $15,344 this year from last year’s $13,668. This is nevertheless markedly lower than what male lawyers are earning at this level.

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♦♦ ♦♦

♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

Lawyers who qualified in the US earn the highest average salary $20,018. Lawyers who qualified in England & Wales average $17,571. Lawyers who qualified in Asia Pacific average $17,488 (after ranking first last year). Lawyers who qualified in Europe average $15,561. Lawyers who qualified in the Middle East average $13,810. Lawyers who qualified in South Asia average $11,210. Lawyers who qualified in North Africa average $8,802.

Influence of Residency ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

The highest average salary is in Saudi Arabia $19,129. The average salary in Abu Dhabi is $17,847. The average salary Qatar is $16,649. The average salary Dubai is $15,209. The average salary Kuwait is $8,067.

Influence of Language Skills ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

Lawyers with no Arabic language capability average $16,929. Western qualified lawyers with Arabic fluency average $17,674. Lawyers who qualified only in a Middle Eastern jurisdiction average $13,810.

Table 9: 9 – 11 PQE Pay as Influenced by Gender and Language Skills

Influencing factor

Replies

2014 Average

2013 Average

2014 Median

2013 Median

Range

Overall

100%

$15,828

$16,654

$15,812

$16,834

$5,500 – $33,300

Male

66%

$16,077

$17,973

$15,540

$17,242

$5,500 – $33,300

Female

34%

$15,344

$13,668

$15,859

$13,885

$6,770 – $25,900

No Arabic

53%

$16,929

$17,904

$16,733

$17,152

$5,590 – $32,7000

Fluent Arabic

36%

$13,792

$15,674

$18,650

$14,021

$5,500 – $20,700

Fluent French

24%

$16,111

$16,852

$15,246

$15,110

$6,770 – $25,900

Fluent Arabic and French

14%

$15,240

$16,799

$14,974

$13,613

$7,100 – $20,700

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2. Compensation Data (Monthly USD) 2.7 Compensation 6 – 8 PQE Overview ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

♦♦

♦♦ ♦♦

♦♦

Influence of Residency

Seventy-one participants (16%) are 6 to 8 years qualified. 41% qualified in England and Wales. The average salary is $13,486, approximately 5% lower than last year’s $14,294. 49% reside in Dubai, 25% reside in Abu Dhabi, 11% reside in Saudi Arabia and 8% reside in Qatar. Approximately 40% are fluent in Arabic. The average salary for male lawyers has decreased from $14,221 in 2013 to $13,980 in 2014. The average salary for female lawyers witnessed a big drop from $14,516 in 2013 to $12,386 this year.

♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

The highest average salary is in Abu Dhabi and is $14,687. The average salary in Qatar is $14,434. The average salary in Dubai is $13,706. The average salary in Saudi Arabia is $11,479. The average salary in Kuwait is $6,737.

Influence of Language Skills ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

Western qualified lawyers with Arabic fluency average $15,349. Lawyers with no Arabic language capability average $13,949. Lawyers who qualified only in a Middle Eastern jurisdiction average $12,564.

Influence of Jurisdiction of Qualification ♦♦

♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

Lawyers who qualified in England and Wales earn the highest average salary $15,237. Lawyers who qualified in the US average $14,803. Lawyers who qualified in Europe average $13,112. Lawyers who qualified in the Middle East average $12,564. Lawyers who qualified in South Asia average $9,900. Lawyers who qualified in North Africa average $8,503.

Table 10: 6 – 8 PQE Pay as Influenced by Gender and Language Skills

Influencing factor

Replies

2014 Average

2013 Average

2014 Median

2013 Median

Range

Overall

100%

$13,486

$14,294

$13,613

$13,885

$5,500 – $27,250

Male

69%

$13,980

$14,221

$14,399

$13,613

$5,500 – $27,250

Female

31%

$12,386

$14,516

$12,439

$19,603

$7,220 – $16,350

No Arabic

55%

$13,949

$15,593

$14,399

$15,110

$6,270 – $24,000

Fluent Arabic

32%

$12,352

$11,774

$11,811

$10,482

$5,500 – $24,250

Fluent French

21%

$13,776

$14,607

$13,613

$13,749

$5,680 – $27,250

$12,874

$10,809

$13,870

$11,206

$5,680 – $19,100

Fluent Arabic and French 8%

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2. Compensation Data (Monthly USD) 2.8 Compensation 3 – 5 PQE Overview ♦♦

♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

Influence of Residency

Information at this level is very limited as only 25 participants (6%) are 3 to 5 years qualified. We have not provided 2013 average salaries at the 3 to 5 PQE range because last year we analysed 4 to 5 PQE only. The average salary is $10,904. 32% are Middle Eastern qualified. 28% qualified in England & Wales. The majority (80%) reside in the UAE.

♦♦

♦♦

Influence of Language Skills ♦♦

♦♦

Influence of Jurisdiction of Qualification ♦♦

♦♦ ♦♦

The average salary in Abu Dhabi is $14,157 whereas in Dubai it is a much lower $10,730. Despite this, most lawyers at this level (68%) state a strong preference to work in Dubai.

Lawyers who qualified in England & Wales earn the highest average salary $12,073. Lawyers who qualified in the US average $10,756. Lawyers who qualified in the Middle East average $10,369.

♦♦

Western qualified lawyers with Arabic fluency average $11,490. Lawyers with no Arabic language capability average $10,866. Lawyers who qualified only in a Middle Eastern jurisdiction average $10,369.

Table 11: 3 – 5 PQE Pay as Influenced by Gender and Language Skills

Influencing factor

Replies

2014 Average

2014 Median

Range

Overall

100%

$10,904

$10,890

$5,500 – $20,250

Male

56%

$11,971

$12,546

$5,500 – $20,250

Female

44%

$9,546

$9,576

$6,270 – $12,840

No Arabic

44%

$10,866

$10,074

$6,270 – $15,250

Fluent Arabic

56%

$10,934

$11,571

$5,500 – $20,250

Fluent French

28%

$11,031

$10,890

$5,500 – $20,100

Fluent Arabic and French

28%

$11,031

$10,890

$5,500 – $20,250

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75% of lawyers received a bonus with over one third receiving between 11% and 20% of annual compensation

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

3. Bonuses for Year Ending December 2013 3.1 Overview Table 12 below reveals: ♦♦ 2013 year-end bonuses were paid to lawyers in 75% of cases with over one third receiving between 11% and 20% of annual compensation. ♦♦ 75% of Heads of Legal received a bonus. ♦♦ 79% of 21+ PQE lawyers received a bonus. ♦♦ In general, the results show that the more senior you are the more likely it is that you received a bonus.

Table 12: Bonuses for Year Ending December 2013

Level of Qualification

Percentage of Recipients

Level of Bonus Received 1–10%

11– 20%

21–30%

31–50%

51%+

Overall

75%

31%

34%

17%

10%

4%

Head of Legal

75%

22%

34%

21%

16%

5%

PQE 21+

79%

17%

37%

22%

9%

7%

PQE 16 – 20

75%

20%

34%

19%

17%

6%

PQE 12 – 15

80%

30%

33%

17%

11%

4%

PQE 9 – 11

78%

32%

36%

21%

8%

1%

PQE 6 – 8

66%

51%

30%

13%

4%

–

PQE 3 – 5

60%

67%

25%

–

–

8%

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3. Bonuses for Year Ending December 2013 continued 3.2 Bonuses and Industry Sector Table 13 below reveals: ♦♦ ♦♦

♦♦

The Leisure/Hospitality and Banking & Finance sectors were the most likely sectors to pay a bonus at 91% and 85% respectively. The Oil and Gas/Heavy Engineering sector saw a big increase in bonus pay-outs from 57% receiving one in 2012 to 84% receiving one in 2013. In line with the pickup in the Real Estate/Construction sector, the percentage of lawyers receiving a bonus has increased from 46% in 2012 to 66% in 2013.

Table 13: Bonuses for Year Ending December 2013 as Influenced by Industry Sector NB: Only sectors with a minimum of 10 participants specified, otherwise they fall under ‘Other’

Industry Sector

Percentage of Recipients

Level of Bonus Received 1–10%

11– 20%

21–30%

31–50%

51%+

Overall

75%

31%

34%

17%

10%

4%

Leisure / Hospitality

91%

27%

45%

9%

9%

–

Banking and Finance / Investment

85%

21%

26%

25%

15%

10%

Oil and Gas / Heavy Engineering

84%

49%

32%

14%

5%

–

FMCG / Retail

83%

45%

20%

5%

10%

10%

Energy / Utilities

83%

25%

35%

25%

15%

–

Mining / Metals / Chemicals

81%

13%

44%

13%

13%

–

IT / Telecoms

74%

24%

40%

16%

8%

4%

Aviation / Maritime / Transport / Logistics

73%

37%

19%

15%

11%

4%

Real Estate / Construction

66%

25%

45%

18%

8%

–

Other

58%

18%

27%

9%

3%

1%

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4. Non-Compensation Data 4.1 Lawyer Satisfaction Overview ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

Chart 1 shows that 52% of lawyers are satisfied or very satisfied withRemuneration their pay. Of these, only satisfaction 2% are not happy in their jobs. Conversely, Chart 2 shows that, 66% of lawyers are satisfied or very satisfied with their jobs but of these, 8% are unhappy with their pay. On the whole however, almost half (45%) of lawyers are happy with both their jobs and pay (last year the figure was only 20%).

Chart 1: Compensation Satisfaction

Chart 2: Job Satisfaction

25%

22%

23%

12%

52%

66%

Satisfied or Very Satisfied Neither Satisfied nor Dissatisfied Dissatisfied or Very Dissatisfied

66%

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Almost half (45%) of lawyers are happy with both their jobs and pay (last year the figure was only 20%)

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4. Non-Compensation Data 4.2 Legal Recruitment ♦♦ ♦♦

♦♦ ♦♦

74 Heads of Legal have recruited so far in 2014 and 89 are planning to recruit in the next 12 months. The most in demand skills will be Commercial with 71% of recruiting Heads of Legal saying this is the area of expertise they will be seeking. 44% will be seeking Corporate/M&A experience. The least in demand skills amongst recruiting Heads of Legal are Capital Markets (7%), Investment Funds (7%) and Private Equity (8%). Arabic is still in high demand with over half of Heads of Legal who are planning to recruit stating that they will require Arabic language capability.

4.3 Pay Reviews ♦♦

♦♦ ♦♦

80% of lawyers have had a pay rise in the last two years and of these, the majority (55%) received an increase of up to 10%. A much smaller number (15%) received an increase of 11%–20%. Last year we saw more frequent and higher pay increases. Over the course of the last two years, 18% of lawyers have had no pay rise at all. 21% of pay rises were as a result of a job move and 13% as a result of a promotion.

4.4 Job Satisfaction: Reasons that would Influence a Lawyer to Change Jobs ♦♦

♦♦

Despite the large majority of lawyers stating that they are satisfied with their jobs and/or compensation, 40% still say they will consider moving jobs in 2014 with the majority of these saying that more money will be the main motivating factor. This is similar to last year. Other factors that would influence a lawyer’s decision to move jobs include a promotion (31%), a better environment (25%), a good opportunity in another country (25%) and more responsibility (24%). What would make you leave y

Chart 3: Reasons that would Influence a Lawyer to Change Jobs

More Money

50%

Promotion

31%

Better Environment

25%

A Good Opportunity in Another Country

25%

More Responsibility

24%

A Good Opportunity Back Home in My Country of Origin

19%

More Stability Clearer Definition of Responsibilities

13%

Better Training

13%

Other

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17%

6%

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

4. Non-Compensation Data 4.5 General Mood amongst Lawyers ♦♦

♦♦

53% of lawyers are feeling optimistic about the 2014 economic prospects of the GCC country that they are living in. This is far fewer than last year (78%) and 2012 (61%). 45% are feeling neither optimistic nor pessimistic.

w optimistic about economic prospects for your GCC country of residence

Chart 4: Economic Outlook: Mood amongst Lawyers

How optimistic about economic prospects for your GCC country of residence

1%

Very Optimistic or Somewh

45%

Neither Optimistic nor Pes

Quite Pessistic or Very Pess 1% 53%

Very Optimistic or Somewhat Optimistic

45%

Neither Optimistic nor Pessimistic Quite Pessistic or Very Pessimistic

53%

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey How much longer do you want to stay in the GCC?

4. Non-Compensation Data 4.6 Commitment to the GCC ♦♦

♦♦

♦♦

♦♦ ♦♦

25% of lawyers want to stay in the GCC for up to another five years (similar to last year). 34% indicate that they plan to stay as long as they are satisfied with their job and/or pay. 13% want to stay in the GCC until their retirement. Only 2% intend to leave the GCC this year. As appealing as the GCC is, about half of the participants state that they would leave the GCC if a better opportunity arose elsewhere in the world or back in their home country.

Chart 5: Length of Time Lawyers would Like to Remain Working in the GCC For As Long As I Am Satisfied With My Job And / My Remuneration

34%

3 - 5 Years

17%

I Don’t Know

9% 14%

Until I Retire

13%

More Than 5 Years

11%

1 - 3 Years Less Than 1 Year

8% 2%

How much longer do you want to stay in the GCC?

Chart 6: Factors Influencing a Lawyer’s Decision to Leave the GCC Clearer Definition of Responsibilites

5%

Other

Less than 1 year

More Job Stability 13%

1 – 3 years

11%

More Responsibility 9%

3 – 5 years

41%

8%

11%

Nothing

14%

14%

More than 5 years

Better Environment

25%

13%

For as long as I am satisfied with my job and/or my compensation

Promotion Until I retire

40%

Children’s Education Higher Salary 0

5

10

A Good Opportunity back in Home Country A Good Opportunity elsewhere in the World

26

32%

8%

I don’t know

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29%

2%

37% 15

20

25

30

35

45% 51%

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2014 GCC In-House Salary Survey

25% of lawyers want to stay in the GCC for up to another five years

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Thank you EWS would like to thank everyone who took part in the survey. We are frequently approached by legal and HR professionals for up–to–date information on pay and conditions for Lawyers across the GCC. Thanks to your time and participation, we are delighted to have published this annual survey for the fourth year running which has again allowed us to sponsor All As One in Sierra Leone. For further information on this survey or for any assistance with your recruitment needs, please contact Elizabeth Williams, Managing Director on +971 55 211 1189 or email elizabeth@ews–search.com EWS Liberty House Office 104 DIFC, Sheikh Zayed Road PO Box 506839, Dubai UAE This survey is dedicated to Salamatu 27.12.2003 to 06.05.2014

All As One Dubai P. O. Box 509019 Dubai, UAE allasone.org

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Don’t just take our word for it... Zayd Alathari Director and Senior IP Counsel Saudi Basic Industries Corporation Saudi Arabia I first began working with EWS in mid-2012 where she helped us place two outstanding hires for us in 2013, and more recently two more for 2014. Their approach to the whole recruitment process for my team has been exemplary. Elizabeth is extremely interactive, highly responsive, always available and also enjoyable to work with. I genuinely feel that Elizabeth and her team put everything into us as a client and we always feel we are high priority. I have no hesitation in recommending EWS if you want a true recruitment partner who understands your needs, ensures those needs are met and does so with utmost professionalism, honesty, and integrity. For both us and the candidates Elizabeth has been a blessing. Clinton Hermes General Counsel Sidra Medical and Research Center Qatar I first came to know Elizabeth when she recruited for the position I now hold. At the time, I was happily ensconced as the General Counsel of one of the most prestigious children’s hospitals in the US. She worked with me extensively not only to see if I was the right fit for what Sidra Medical and Research Center wanted, but also to help me decide whether Qatar was the right fit for me. A year into my new post, I am thrilled to be where I am and lucky to have met her. But my current position is only part of the reason I am lucky to have met Elizabeth. I have learned both as a candidate and as an employer that Elizabeth is not like any of the large recruiters I have ever worked with (and I have worked with close to a dozen). Elizabeth already knows the industry and marketplace exceptionally well, and she spends an extraordinary amount of energy and time learning the client, the role, and the marketplace for that particular role. I trust her judgment and her understanding of my organization so much that I often rely on her to help me define what I want. Her team’s market research is so thorough. Once she identifies potential candidates for a role, she develops summaries of them based on hours of discussions. These summaries describe a candidate better than what any other HR person I have worked with has done. And ultimately, Elizabeth is not afraid to tell you what she thinks and to give genuine recommendations. On top of all that, Elizabeth is a tireless worker and unbelievably responsive. If you have a legal/risk/compliance position you care about, and if you value your time, do yourself a favor and hire Elizabeth. She will care as much about the position as you do, and she will find you at least three candidates who are all better than your ideal.

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Don’t just take our word for it... Dean Stelfox Senior Legal Advisor Dubai World Central Dubai I used EWS to recruit a junior and senior counsel for DWC in late 2013. The assignment was not easy; I needed candidates with a solid foundation of general commercial experience, first-rate bilingual drafting skills and enough character to quickly establish themselves as trusted advisors for a diverse and demanding commercial team. Elizabeth and Alia spent quite a lot of time with myself and HR at the outset to understand the structure, work-flow and culture of the legal department and the organisation and then fielded a short list of exceptional candidates. EWS’ provided an insightful initial report on each candidate and then continuous feedback throughout the interview, assessment and recruitment cycle. I felt that EWS really put themselves in my shoes and their ultimate recommendations were candidates that Elizabeth would have hired herself. EWS has an excellent reputation in the market and I would not hesitate in recommending Elizabeth and her team to candidates and employers alike. Mazen AbouChakra Chief Legal Officer and Deputy CEO Oger Telecom Dubai and Turkey Oger Telecom has instructed EWS to fill key positions within the legal team in Dubai and in Turkey. Their professionalism, complete understanding of the market, follow up and efficiency was second to none. EWS maintains an excellent reputation in the market and it is well deserved – they have earned it through hard work, a passion about what they do and longevity in the region. As a client I really felt that they cared about our needs and wanted to find us the best possible talent. We have always been extremely pleased with EWS and would not hesitate to highly recommend it to clients wanting a real HR business partner. We look forward to continuing to rely upon EWS’ expertise in the future. Rania Rizk VP and Chief Legal Counsel PepsiCo International MEA Region Dubai I have worked successfully with Elizabeth on a number of occasions during the past five years. As my recruiter of choice, she has delivered on multiple mandates for PepsiCo International including five senior attorneys, three in the more challenging market of Saudi Arabia. Working with Elizabeth, I am confident that candidates will be screened for technical skill and organizational fit. Elizabeth’s reputation for diligent and thoughtful placements is well founded. I recommend her to anyone seeking to source the best talent in the market.

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Our Track Record - Some Examples Heads of Department General Counsel

Sovereign Wealth Fund

UAE

General Counsel

Private equity house

Abu Dhabi

General Counsel

Aviation

Abu Dhabi

General Counsel

Asset manager

Dubai

Deputy General Counsel

Transport and logistics

Dubai

Senior Patent Attorney (4)

Global manufacturing company

Riyadh

Senior Business Counsel

Global manufacturing company

Riyadh

Senior Legal Counsel

FTSE 100 global beverage company

Riyadh

Finance Lawyer

Telecoms

Turkey

Transactional Counsel

Sovereign Wealth Fund

Qatar

Legal Counsel

FMCG

Riyadh

Legal Counsel

Oil and Gas

India

Head of Project Finance

Mining and metals company

Dubai

Head of Credit and Risk

Mining and metals company

Dubai

Director of Human Resources

Industrial major

Dubai

Director of Enterprise Risk Management

Healthcare Sector

Qatar

Senior Legal Counsel

Legal Counsel

Non-Legal

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