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Civil and commercial lawyers in the UAE

Civil and commercial law: checking and lifting a travel ban, filing claims and defending civil and commercial cases, settling construction disputes, disputes with banks.

Price
On request
Timeline
1–4 weeks
Tax
—
Format
Remote and in person
About the practice

What civil and commercial lawyers do

This is the bulk of disputes: contracts not performed, work done badly, advances not returned, losses. In the UAE such cases are heard by the emirate's courts under the codes, or by the courts of the financial centres under common law.

The outcome is often decided before court — by how the contract was drawn up and what evidence was kept. Correspondence, acceptance certificates and proof of payment weigh more than oral arrangements.

How it works

The two legal systems of the UAE: why this decides the outcome of a dispute

Two incompatible legal systems operate in the UAE at the same time. The main territory runs on civil law set out in codes, proceedings are held in Arabic, and the emirate's courts decide.

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Inside the financial centres — DIFC in Dubai and ADGM in Abu Dhabi — common law of the English type applies, with their own courts and their own procedure. Proceedings there are conducted in English.

The practical conclusion: jurisdiction is determined by what the contract says and where the parties are registered, not by where you live. A jurisdiction clause signed without reading sets the language of the proceedings, the cost of representation and the rules the case will be judged by.

Only a lawyer admitted to practise in the DIFC itself may represent a party before the DIFC courts. Admission to the emirate's courts does not apply there, and vice versa.

What we handle

Which civil and commercial disputes are taken on

  • Non-performance and termination of contracts
  • Recovering damages and contractual penalties
  • Disputes with contractors and suppliers
  • Challenging transactions
  • Pre-action settlement

What the service includes

Scope: a tick means included in the price, a cross means billed separately
Legal strategy
Preparing documents
Ongoing support
Government duties and court fees— billed separately

How the process runs

1–4 weeks
  1. Шаг 1Разбираем документы и оцениваем перспективу: подсудность, применимое право, сроки давности.
  2. Шаг 2Досудебная стадия — претензия и переговоры. Часть споров закрывается здесь и дешевле.
  3. Шаг 3Подготовка позиции и подача иска в компетентный суд или арбитраж.
  4. Шаг 4Разбирательство: заседания, обмен доказательствами, экспертизы.
  5. Шаг 5Решение суда.
  6. Шаг 6Исполнительное производство — взыскание по решению.

What we need from you

  • 1A description of the situation
  • 2The documents you have

Frequently asked questions

What language are proceedings held in?
In the emirate's courts, Arabic; documents are filed with a certified translation. In the DIFC and ADGM courts, English.
Who can represent me in court?
In the emirate's courts, an advocate admitted in the UAE. In the DIFC courts, only a lawyer admitted to practise in the DIFC itself: the admissions are not interchangeable.
Do I have to be present?
No: representation runs on a power of attorney. It is executed before a notary and legalised if it was issued outside the UAE. You attend in person where the court requires it — at questioning in a criminal case, for example.

Advocacy and litigation in the UAE: comparison

The difference is not the price — it is who each option suits. The “Best for” column is the business profile the option is built around.

OptionBest forTimelinePrice from
Civil and commercial lawyers in the UAEyou are hereBusinesses, individuals with a complex case1–4 weekson request
Corporate lawyers in the UAEBusinesses, start-ups, crypto1–4 weekson request
Family lawyers in the UAEExpats, marriages and divorces1–9 weekson request
Debt recovery in the UAEBusinesses, expats1–6 monthson request
Criminal defence lawyers in the UAEUrgent cases1–12 monthson request
Arbitration in the UAE — DIFC, DIAC, ADGMBusinesses, international transactions3–18 monthson request
Property lawyers in the UAEBuyers, tenants1–3 monthson request
Employment lawyers in the UAEBusinesses, individuals with a complex case1–4 weekson request
Maritime law lawyers in the UAEBusinesses, individuals with a complex case1–4 weekson request
Insurance and aviation lawyers in the UAEBusinesses, individuals with a complex case1–4 weekson request
Lawyer consultation in the UAEBusinesses, individuals with a complex case1–4 weekson request

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