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Natalie Jones

Partner
About
Natalie has been based in the UAE since 2011 and advises clients on all matters arising in the course of the employment relationship. She has extensive experience advising on the employment aspects of multi-jurisdictional corporate transactions, privatisation of public sector entities and other transformations. She has particular expertise in advising on GCC state pension schemes and has been involved in drafting a number of employment laws and regulations. 
Areas of FocusEmployment

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising on the employment aspects of the privatisation of several KSA government entities (in the aviation and transport) including addressing pensions liabilities and ongoing obligations in respect of the employees.
  • Advising various entities involved in the UAE energy sector in respect of a first of its kind transfer of employees from one entity to another and drafting a resolution to enable the transfer without termination and re-engagement.
  • Advising a KSA giga project on the transfer of employees from one entity to another including apportioning ongoing liabilities.
  • Advising a national airline on the restructure of its branch offices in the region which required a significant headcount reduction and preparing all relevant documentation to implement the reduction.
  • Advising on the employment aspects of a first of its kind redomiciliation of a public joint stock company from one GCC country to another.
  • Advising an international law firm on the employment aspects of its establishment in the DIFC.
  • Advising on and overseeing the mass registration of over 100 Saudi nationals with the Saudi Arabian statutory pension scheme on behalf of a national broadcaster.
  • Advising an international law firm on its establishment in the KSA and ongoing compliance with local law.
  • Providing quarterly updates on changes to employment law across the region to a global human resources management software vendor.
  • Advising a multinational beverage company on the establishment of its global employment contracting entity in the UAE.
  • Advising a company on the dismissal of a large number of senior employees following an investigation into inappropriate workplace conduct.
Education
  • College of Law, Postgraduate Diploma in Professional Legal Practice, 2008
  • University of Teesside, LLB, 2007

Publications and media

  • Labor Policies for a Digital Workforce: The Challenges of the Metaverse, 14 February 2023
  • Limited Term Contracts – deadline extension, February 2023
  • Employment Incentives Series blog, February 2023
  • Atypical working – the challenges and oportunities, (podcast) January 2023
  • Navigating employment issues in regional reorganisations & restructures, September 2022
  • UAE: New Labour Law and Associated Changes, December 2021
  • Confused by the GCC state pension scheme? November 2021
  • Incentivise innovatively, December 2020
  • Owner/Operator Model: Whose employees are they anyway? May 2018

Seminars

  • A look at the new UAE Labour Law. Is your business prepared? January 2022
  • HR Expo 2021, September 2021
  • Labour and emploment law in the Middle East: Updates and Future Changes, May 2021
  • Women Entrepreneurs in the Green Economy, March 2021
  • Managing evolving businesses in the UAE, October 2020
  • Employment & Immigration Update: Managing the Return to Work, September 2020
  • Business Continuity Management, April 2020

Prior Experience

  • 2020 – 2024, Legal Director, big 4 consulting firm based in Dubai.
  • 2017 – 2020, Senior Associate, tier 1 law firm based in Dubai.
  • 2011 – 2017, Associate, tier 1 law firm based in Dubai.
  • 2010 – 2011, Associate, law firm based in Newcastle, England.
  • 2008 – 2010, Trainee solicitor, law firm based in Newcastle, England.

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