Team size: Three

Healthcare is one of the most rapidly growing fields in a complex and highly regulated landscape. Being a general counsel within the healthcare sector requires a mix of healthcare law expertise, business knowledge and staying up to date with the healthcare regulations and all the intricate details relating to the healthcare authorities. In general, healthcare businesses and providers face actual or potential legal issues relating to patients, employees, regulatory bodies, service providers, and counterparties.

With its priorities including adherence to international best practices and supporting the delivery of high-quality medical care to the population, the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention oversees the implementation of federal policies in relation to the provision of comprehensive healthcare; furthermore, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah have established regulatory Health Authorities at Emirate-level — Abu Dhabi Department of Health, Dubai Health Authority, and the Sharjah Health Authority.

Covid-19 has tested public health systems globally and posed dramatic challenges, but the UAE government took various health measures, including preventative, diagnostic care and vaccine development. It was recognised as a global leader in its response to the pandemic.

A general counsel has a multi-faceted key role in healthcare businesses — both manufacturers and providers — which touches on commercial, regulatory, compliance and legal all at once to ensure three main results: patient safety, the organisation’s compliance with the many applicable healthcare regulations, and business profitability.

Looking forward, what technological advancements do you feel will impact the role of in-house legal teams in the future the most?

Legal technology platforms and document-contract automation to help with greater workloads, cost pressures and regulatory overload.

What is a cause, business-related or otherwise, that you care about, and why?

A few years ago, I fell in love with healthcare and, to me, being able to be a lawyer and somehow ultimately contribute to the well-being of patients is very gratifying.

What would you say are the unique qualities required to be successful as an in-house lawyer in your industry?

I would say the counsel needs to be able to make sensible decisions very quickly since they could find themselves in emergencies. They would also need to have health law expertise, be business savvy, and be willing to constantly evolve and master new skills due to the rapid growth and advancement of the healthcare sector.