United Arab Emirates: Contracts and Commercial Law

When a business partner vanishes, a borrower goes silent or an investor suspects funds might have been diverted, the first question is often simple: What happened to the assets?

The UAE Cabinet has declared a Financial Emergency under the Bankruptcy Law in response to regional conflict, fundamentally altering the landscape for creditors and debtors. While creditors are temporarily barred from initiating bankruptcy proceedings, debtors facing hardship from the declared emergency gain access to flexible restructuring mechanisms.

Under UAE law, a reservation form signed in a Dubai off-plan property purchase can create binding contractual obligations for both buyer and developer, regardless of its label. The legal nature depends on substance: if the form identifies parties, specifies the unit, records price and payment terms, it becomes enforceable long before any formal sale and purchase agreement is executed.

Selecting the right legal assistance in the UAE can be confusing, especially for expats, business owners, investors, employees, landlords, tenants, and families navigating unfamiliar rules.

The UAE has transformed its dispute resolution landscape through comprehensive legal reforms, institutional restructuring, and alignment with international standards. This article examines how Federal Law No. 6 of 2018, the DIFC's common law framework, and Dubai Decree No. 34 of 2021 have created a dual legal system that balances onshore civil law courts with offshore common law jurisdictions, establishing the UAE as a leading center for commercial arbitration in the Middle East.

The United Arab Emirates has introduced a comprehensive new Civil Transactions Law that fundamentally reshapes the country's civil and commercial legal framework. Federal Decree Law No. 25 of 2025 replaces legislation that has been in place since 1985, introducing statutory duties around pre-contractual conduct, expanded grounds for challenging contracts, and material changes to corporate structures and assignment rules.

Cheque bounce and debt recovery still remain very common in commercial transactions in the UAE. As businesses often depend on cheques, invoices, credit facilities and payment commitments, delays or failures in payment...

In our previous updates, we summarised the key changes introduced by Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2023 on the Regulation of Competition (the New Law) and the notification thresholds established by Cabinet Decision...

Off-plan property disputes in the UAE can derail your investment through delayed handovers, quality defects, and payment conflicts. This comprehensive guide reveals your legal rights under UAE property law and provides...