Top Law Schools

Transactional Attorney - Kurdistan- Iraq - MENA
New Frontiers Business Consulting LLC (Erbil, Iraq )

New Frontiers Business Consulting LLC, Iraq, owned and operated by Jorge E. Restrepo, Esq. has an immediate opening for an entry to mid level oil & gas or transactional attorney who is willing to work, live, and grow in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq for at least two years with option to extend. The Kurdistan region is relatively safe and international business is growing rapidly. The assignment location is in a burgeoning city; extremely low crime rate; increasing private sector expat presence; expanding western-style entertainment locations; access to ancient archaeological and other historical sites; accessible regional weekend travel to exotic locations; and more. This position involves occasional travel to Basra, Baghdad and other MENA locations.

This exciting and challenging opportunity entails working initially for a two-year term (including the 90-day trial period), and offers options to extend. The candidate is expected to perform as a dedicated international legal consultant for NFBC's prominent major international and local clients dealing with international contracts on a daily basis. Candidates MUST be passionate about practicing and living in the MENA region; have excellent writing skills; be detail-oriented; have experience in reviewing/analyzing and drafting oil & Gas related contracts, and/or international contracts; must be loyal and self-reliant, have excellent organizational skills; have a good demeanor and enjoy engaging foreign government officials and international companies; former law firm, US Military JAG experience or contracts agency experience is a big plus.

The base salary is expected to start at $40K+ per year depending on experience, and the additional expat support package includes: housing in a secured and modern gated housing complex, utilities, transportation, ten-day vacation periods every three months (airfare included), performance bonus, routine and emergency medical and dental, access to secured workplace location and other perks.

If you are interested and meet the preliminary qualifications, please send a cover letter, resume, a writing sample (5-10 pages concerning any transactional/contractual issues), and a minimum of three references to jrestrepo@newfrontiersbc.com by no later than 31 December to schedule a phone interview. Also, please let me know when would be the soonest to be available for travel.

That sounds interesting, but they are missing a zero in the base salary.

holdencaulfield wrote:That sounds interesting, but they are missing a zero in the base salary.

Why, would you prefer $040,000? How about $40,000.0?


This job actually sounds like a pretty sweet gig to start life anew. I'm sure the risk of injury-by-terrorism is pretty low, and a job in Iraq is better than no job in the States.

I'd definitely advise women and gays to steer clear, though.

So 8 weeks of vacation, plus room and board.... that $40k is starting to look more like $80k. Not amazing, but not horrible.

Citizen Genet wrote:So 8 weeks of vacation, plus room and board.... that $40k is starting to look more like $80k. Not amazing, but not horrible.

lol just lol.

m

Truck drivers who contract with private military corporations make 4 or 5 times as much in Iraq.

worldtraveler wrote:Truck drivers who contract with private military corporations make 4 or 5 times as much in Iraq.

Yeah, but there are a lot fewer people gunning to be truck drivers. You forget that 1) Millennials with JDs have been conditioned by their academic Boomer overseers to think that they *must* be lawyers once they've gone to law school and 2) there are a shitload of unemployed/underemployed JDs who aren't bright (or brave) enough to think outside the box and get a high paying job outside of law.

rad lulz wrote:$40k and you have to live in iraq?

Yeah about that

I'd think of it more like a peace corps opportunity though...cool travel experience. And free rent does make it more like a 55k job

worldtraveler wrote:Truck drivers who contract with private military corporations make 4 or 5 times as much in Iraq.

Iraq≠Iraqi Kurdistan. Erbil and Sulaymaniyah are safe. Mosul, not so much. I was in Kurdistan last year as a tourist, and it was fine. You don't even need a visa to visit. Roads to Iran and Turkey (so long as you don't stop in Mosul) are safe. Turkish Airlines flies multiple times a day between Istanbul and Erbil and Sulaymaniyah. In the streets by the market you see money changers with fat stacks of cash sitting on their little card tables, with no need for security. They'll even go to a shop for a few minutes and leave their tables unattended, without worrying about someone swiping anything.

Pay is still low, and things aren't cheap, but I might apply.

BigRob wrote:

holdencaulfield wrote:That sounds interesting, but they are missing a zero in the base salary.

Why, would you prefer $040,000? How about $40,000.0?


This job actually sounds like a pretty sweet gig to start life anew. I'm sure the risk of injury-by-terrorism is pretty low, and a job in Iraq is better than no job in the States.

I'd definitely advise women and gays to steer clear, though.

Haha. Touche.

Anonymous User wrote:

worldtraveler wrote:Truck drivers who contract with private military corporations make 4 or 5 times as much in Iraq.

Iraq≠Iraqi Kurdistan. Erbil and Sulaymaniyah are safe. Mosul, not so much. I was in Kurdistan last year as a tourist, and it was fine. You don't even need a visa to visit. Roads to Iran and Turkey (so long as you don't stop in Mosul) are safe. Turkish Airlines flies multiple times a day between Istanbul and Erbil and Sulaymaniyah. In the streets by the market you see money changers with fat stacks of cash sitting on their little card tables, with no need for security. They'll even go to a shop for a few minutes and leave their tables unattended, without worrying about someone swiping anything.

Pay is still low, and things aren't cheap, but I might apply.

The first $95k of foreign earned income is not taxed by the IRS, either. So, apart from paying Iraqi Kurdistan taxes, the $40k is net.

ETA: it looks like Iraqi taxes on $40k would be in the range of around 4%.

I was actually considering going to Afghanistan to work as a contractor (chemist) for a year or two before I ultimately decided to go to law school. For those with the right qualifications, it could be an opportunity to save up tuition money and get some work experience between undergrad and law school.

I would 100% do this, but if I went back to Iraq after my career change, I am pretty sure the old lady would Dear John me before I even got on the plane.

After minimal taxes, expenses, and the proper security considerations, you could easily save $25,000 a year. Definitely worth it.

Biglaw_Associate_V20 wrote:

worldtraveler wrote:Truck drivers who contract with private military corporations make 4 or 5 times as much in Iraq.

Yeah, but there are a lot fewer people gunning to be truck drivers. You forget that 1) Millennials with JDs have been conditioned by their academic Boomer overseers to think that they *must* be lawyers once they've gone to law school and 2) there are a shitload of unemployed/underemployed JDs who aren't bright (or brave) enough to think outside the box and get a high paying job outside of law.

I'm guessing there are maybe 50 JDs in the US with CDLs.

TigerDude wrote:

Biglaw_Associate_V20 wrote:

worldtraveler wrote:Truck drivers who contract with private military corporations make 4 or 5 times as much in Iraq.

Yeah, but there are a lot fewer people gunning to be truck drivers. You forget that 1) Millennials with JDs have been conditioned by their academic Boomer overseers to think that they *must* be lawyers once they've gone to law school and 2) there are a shitload of unemployed/underemployed JDs who aren't bright (or brave) enough to think outside the box and get a high paying job outside of law.

I'm guessing there are maybe 50 JDs in the US with CDLs.

They must be dominating the BIGTRACTORTRAILER legal industry.