Corporate & Commercial Lawyers in Dubai, UAE

Full foreign ownership is available for many UAE mainland activities, subject to the licensed activity, the competent authority and any rules applicable to activities with strategic impact. The ownership position should be checked against the intended activity before incorporation or restructuring.

A mainland company is licensed by the competent economic authority for onshore business activity, while free-zone entities are established under the rules of the relevant free-zone authority. Licensing scope, permitted activities, office requirements, regulatory rules and the ability to conduct business in particular markets may differ, so the structure should be selected around the actual business model.

For companies within the federal commercial-companies regime, a principal statute is Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021 on Commercial Companies, as amended by Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2025. Other laws, local licensing rules, free-zone regulations and sector-specific requirements may also apply.

Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2025 amended a number of provisions of Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021, including changes relevant to corporate structuring, financing and reorganisation. The practical effect depends on the company type and transaction, so current consolidated legislation should be checked for the specific matter.

Yes. We draft and review shareholder and joint-venture agreements with particular focus on ownership rights, management powers, voting and reserved matters, funding, transfer restrictions, deadlock, exit, confidentiality, non-compete issues where enforceable, and dispute resolution.

The available forum and remedies depend on the company’s jurisdiction, constitutional documents, contract terms and any arbitration agreement. Matters may be resolved through negotiation, mediation, arbitration or proceedings before the competent UAE court or specialist jurisdiction.

Yes. We assist with legal due diligence, transaction structuring, term sheets, share and asset purchase agreements, disclosure processes, warranties and indemnities, conditions precedent, signing and completion documentation, and post-completion corporate steps.

Yes, where the work falls within our professional scope. DIFC and ADGM have separate legal and regulatory frameworks for many corporate matters, while other UAE free zones apply their own company and licensing rules. We identify the governing framework first and structure the advice accordingly.

Useful documents commonly include the trade licence, memorandum and articles, shareholder or joint-venture agreements, board and shareholder resolutions, relevant contracts, organisational charts, correspondence and any transaction or dispute documents. The precise document list depends on the legal issue.

Yes. We can provide recurring corporate and commercial support for businesses that need regular legal review of contracts, governance decisions, corporate approvals, risk allocation and day-to-day legal issues without maintaining a full in-house legal function.

Last reviewed: 27 September 2026. Corporate and commercial advice should always be checked against the current legislation, the relevant emirate or free-zone rules, the company’s licence and its constitutional and contractual documents.