Dubai · United Arab Emirates
UAE-focused Contract Lawyers, working remotely for businesses in Dubai and across the UAE. Contracts drafted by international legal team for the forum that will enforce them, onshore UAE law or the common-law courts of DIFC and ADGM.
Get a fixed-fee quote in under 2 hours.
Share a few details about your contract. An attorney from our team will assess your requirement and respond with a precise quote and timeline. No obligation, no automated replies.
Standard UAE contracts drafted in 24 to 48 hours. Complex or multi-forum work in 3 to 5 days.
My Legal Pal drafts and reviews contracts for businesses operating in Dubai and across the UAE. The defining feature of UAE contract work is that the country runs two parallel legal systems at once, and a contract has to be built for the one that will actually enforce it.
Onshore UAE follows a civil-law system, with contracts often required in Arabic or bilingual Arabic and English to be enforceable in the local courts. Inside the country sit the financial free zones of DIFC (Dubai) and ADGM (Abu Dhabi), which run their own English-language common-law systems with their own courts. A contract written for DIFC enforcement is drafted differently from one meant for the onshore Dubai courts.
Whether you need an NDA, a master service agreement, a shareholders’ agreement for a DIFC or ADGM holding company, an agency or distribution agreement, or an employment contract under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, the document is built for your forum and your commercial position. We provide contract drafting with fixed fees and standard contracts in 24 to 48 hours.
Most UAE contract problems trace back to a mismatch between the document and the forum. A contract drafted in English alone can run into trouble in an onshore court that works in Arabic. A clause that is standard in DIFC can be unfamiliar to the onshore system, and the reverse is also true.
For enforceability in the onshore UAE courts, contracts are commonly required in Arabic or as a bilingual document, with the Arabic version often prevailing. We draft bilingual contracts so there is no gap between what you agreed and what a court reads.
These free zones apply English common law with their own courts and rules. For a holding company or investment vehicle set up in DIFC or ADGM, the documents should be drafted to that standard, not to onshore civil law.
Onshore employment runs under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, with end-of-service gratuity and fixed-term rules, while DIFC and ADGM have their own employment regimes. The contract has to match where the employee is based.
Payment terms and security in the UAE carry their own practical realities. We draft payment and recovery provisions with enforcement in mind, not just on paper.
From brief to signed contract, with a lawyer review at every stage.
Tell us the deal, the counterparty, the forum (onshore, DIFC, or ADGM), and your priorities.
An attorney confirms scope, the governing forum, and a fixed fee before any work begins.
Drafted by a lawyer with experience in this contract type and the relevant UAE forum, bilingual where needed.
A second review for legal accuracy, commercial fit, and enforceability in the chosen forum.
A clean contract with a plain-language note on the key clauses and likely negotiation points.
Adjusted until the contract reflects exactly what you need, ready to sign.
Every contract type we draft for the UAE, onshore or free zone.
Mutual or unilateral, protecting confidential information before a negotiation or partnership goes further.
The standing framework for a B2B services relationship, with individual work orders issued underneath it.
DIFC and ADGM ready, governance, exit, and dispute terms drafted for the forum your company actually sits in.
Appointing a distributor or agent for UAE market entry, with exclusivity and territory terms that hold up.
Onshore or free zone, drafted to the regime that actually applies to where your employee is based.
Terms for B2B or B2C software, scope, liability, and data handling defined clearly from the outset.
Vesting, IP ownership, and exit terms settled before there’s a reason for co-founders to disagree.
The most overlooked document, making sure IP created by anyone on your team actually belongs to the company.
The clauses and choices most often missing from template contracts. Tap to expand each.
An English-only contract filed in an onshore court that works in Arabic.
A bilingual Arabic and English contract, with a clear prevailing-language clause, drafted for onshore enforceability.
“Neither party shall be liable for any damages.” Often too broad.
A cap tied to fees paid, with carve-outs for IP infringement, breach of confidentiality, and indemnities, drafted to the chosen forum.
