HR Recruitment

HR in an international law firm is not a back-office function. It sits at the centre of how a firm attracts, retains and develops the people who drive its performance. In the Middle East, where firms are navigating a competitive talent market, complex visa and immigration requirements, and the particular pressures of managing a largely expatriate workforce, getting HR right matters more than most firms openly acknowledge.

Barratt Galvin has been placing HR professionals into international law firms across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and Doha since 2007. We understand the specific demands of HR in this environment, what the remit actually involves and what kind of person thrives in it.

HR recruitment in the legal sector requires a recruiter who understands both sides of the equation: the commercial pressures that drive law firm decision-making and the human complexity of managing people in a demanding, partner-led environment. We have spent nearly two decades working within this world, and that experience informs every HR search we run.

We know that the HR function in a Middle East international law firm looks different depending on the size and structure of the office. In larger offices, HR may encompass dedicated recruitment, employee relations, learning and development, compensation and benefits, and visa and immigration support as distinct workstreams. In smaller offices, one HR Manager or Advisor often carries all of these responsibilities, acting as the sole point of contact for everything people-related while working closely with a central HR team based in London or elsewhere.

We know how to find candidates who are genuinely equipped for both environments. And we know how to brief them honestly about what the role involves before they accept an offer, so that the person who joins your firm is prepared for the reality of the job from day one.

Every candidate we present comes with a thorough brief covering their background, the depth of their HR experience within law firms or professional services, their working style and our honest assessment of how well they fit your specific firm and office culture. We do not send high-volume CVs and leave you to sort through them. We do the work, take the screening load off your desk and stand behind every recommendation we make.

Many of the HR professionals in our network have been with us for years, and many of the firms we work with have trusted us with their HR hiring across multiple roles over time. The longer we work with your firm, the better placed we are to understand what your people function genuinely needs and who is most likely to succeed within it.

HR Administrator

HR Coordinator

HR Advisor

HR Manager

HR Business Partner

Head of HR

The majority of our HR candidate pool is already based in the Middle East, which means faster placement timelines and candidates who already understand the regulatory environment, cultural context and pace of working in the region. For HR roles in particular, local knowledge matters. Understanding UAE employment law, visa processes and the expectations of an expatriate workforce is not something a candidate picks up overnight, and we prioritise candidates who already bring that with them.

Where a role requires international sourcing, we are transparent about what that involves. HR professionals relocating to the Middle East from Australia or the UK do so occasionally, and when the right candidate exists outside the region we will find them. We will always give you a clear picture of timelines, likely candidate profiles and what you can realistically expect from the process.

For candidates relocating to the region, we provide the same hands-on settlement support we offer across all our placements. We share accommodation advice, make introductions to people in our network who we think they will connect with, and help them find communities and interests that will make the move feel less daunting. A candidate who arrives feeling genuinely supported is far more likely to perform well and stay long term.