# Salary Package - is this good?



## Mark Kelly (Feb 6, 2009)

Thanks for all your advice


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

A car allowance of AED 18K is OK, but not great. Likewise a housing allowance of AED 84K will just about get you a one bed apartment in certain areas now prices have fallen. What matters is the overall package, so without knowing your salary I really cannot say.

Bear in mind that it is better to have a higher salary and lower allowances as your end of service gratuity is only based on salary.

If you are to be based in Media City you are in the new end of town and can get relatively cheap accommodation in places like JLT and Discovery gardens. Not my first choice but fairly popular with younger people on a budget.

As for lawyers income, that very much depends on experience and specialisation. It could be anything from AED 25k to AED 80k per month.

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## dash567 (Nov 5, 2008)

Mark Kelly said:


> I am currently negotiating a package to move over to Dubai in the next month or so and have been told that my car allowance will be 18k AED and living allowance will be 84k per year.
> 
> Are these good allowances? What sort of thing could I get for them, I will be working in Dubai Media Centre?
> 
> ...


Mark, You may wish to have a look at Charterhouse's recent survey (2009) to get an idea about in-house counsel salaries here - something I wish I had been able to do 

Also, how many years PQE are you; in what field, and what's the sector in which you will be working here? 

_RE:_ housing allowance, I think you can get away with 84k (if alone and not too fussed about where you live) but considering the prices (still) in the nicer and more convenient areas, I believe you'll have to top up by 30-40k for a decent one bed!? 

_RE:_ car allowance, note that a small car (yaris-esque) may set you back approx. 22 - 27k per annum if rented/leased.

Lastly, do make sure to check that the various allowances are on top of your salary rather than included since many organisations (including those which previously didn't) have started packaging everything in one sum adding that x% is basic; x% is toward housing, etc...etc... 

Anyway, good luck negotiating and make sure that you gather as much info as possible, and get as close to market rates before closing - plenty of sharks dressed as guppies in this jurisdiction.

Cheers


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## Tortfeasor (Aug 24, 2008)

dash567 said:


> Mark, You may wish to have a look at Charterhouse's recent survey (2009) to get an idea about in-house counsel salaries here - something I wish I had been able to do
> 
> Also, how many years PQE are you; in what field, and what's the sector in which you will be working here?
> 
> ...


Right now in-house salaries are all over the board. For senior roles you might see 40,000 a month and upward, if you are junior it will probably be 20 to 25,000. What is your PQE?


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## klaus3974 (Dec 8, 2008)

Mark Kelly said:


> Thanks for input so far I purposely left it vague as possible as want general advice when starting discussion, but have now received a total offer. The situation is that I have 3 years PQE and will be working as in-house legal counsel for a major multi-national telecommunications company.
> 
> The offer is
> 
> ...


I think you should be able to have a comfortable life with that salary if you are only two (remember Dubai is expensive). Maybe the salary is in the low side so you could try to push for a little bit more. Of course, it also depends on how much you are making now.

Good luck!


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## Hamish (Dec 8, 2008)

For in house legal 3 PQE at a telco I would push for maybe 10% on top of that.


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