Why a contract with a UAE company deserves extra care
Many of the disputes our clients from Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the EU bring to us start with a contract signed on the partner's template. It often lacks a clear acceptance procedure, a late-payment penalty or a workable dispute resolution clause. When a Dubai distributor stops paying, it turns out the dispute will be governed by UAE law, heard in Arabic and fought without solid evidence.
Contracts and cross-border deals in the UAE should be drafted with an eye on where the counterparty's assets actually are and where any judgment will need to be enforced. That drives both the governing law and the choice of court or arbitration.
Contracts we draft and review
- supply, import and export agreements, including Incoterms-based terms;
- distribution, agency and dealership agreements;
- services, construction and licensing agreements;
- joint venture and shareholder agreements (for share deals see M&A transactions);
- NDAs, loan agreements, guarantees and sureties;
- amendments, settlement agreements and debt restructuring.
We work with documents in English, Russian and Arabic. If a contract may end up before a UAE court, we plan for a certified Arabic translation from the outset.
Governing law and the dispute resolution clause
These are the key decisions we agree with you before drafting:
- Governing law. UAE law, a foreign law or DIFC law. A foreign law can be chosen, but its content must be proved in a dispute, and some mandatory UAE rules (for example on commercial agencies) may apply regardless.
- Court or arbitration. The onshore courts of an emirate, the DIFC Courts or arbitration — for instance DIAC in Dubai. Arbitration is confidential, lets you choose the language, and awards are enforceable across New York Convention states, which include the UAE.
- Enforceability. A judgment is only as good as your ability to enforce it where the debtor's money is. If the assets are in the UAE but the case is heard in Russia, a separate recognition process is needed — see enforcing Russian and CIS judgments in the UAE.
How we allocate risk in a cross-border contract
- payment terms and timing, prepayment, letters of credit or bank guarantees;
- transfer of title and risk, acceptance and quality claims;
- late-payment and late-delivery penalties drafted so they can actually be recovered;
- limitation of liability and force majeure, including sanctions and banking restrictions;
- termination rights and a pre-action dispute procedure;
- the paper trail that will prove a debt later: delivery notes, invoices, correspondence.
If you don't know the partner well, we recommend vetting the counterparty before signing: licence, shareholders, court history.
How the work runs
- Send us the draft or a description of the deal via WhatsApp, Telegram or email — we reply within 30 minutes during business hours.
- Within 1–2 days we review the documents, ask about the deal and quote a fixed fee.
- We prepare the contract, or a marked-up review of the partner's draft with comments.
- Where needed, we join negotiations with the counterparty in English or Arabic.
No need to meet in person: the whole engagement can run remotely.
Fees
A one-off contract or review is charged as a fixed-price project from AED 5,000, depending on scope and complexity. Companies with a steady flow of contracts usually prefer a retainer from AED 3,500 a month — see corporate legal support. You can start with a consultation from AED 750 for 60 minutes, credited if you go on to engage us.
FAQ
Parties can generally choose the governing law, but some UAE rules may still apply on a mandatory basis, and you will still need to enforce where the assets are. The right choice depends on the deal — we discuss it at the consultation.
Not to sign it — English or a bilingual version is common. But any document filed with an onshore UAE court will need a certified Arabic translation.
Arbitration offers confidentiality, a choice of language and arbitrators, and awards enforceable across New York Convention states. Courts can be quicker and cheaper for smaller claims. It depends on the amount, the counterparty and where the assets are.
A standard contract usually takes a few business days once we have the deal details. Complex multi-party contracts and negotiations take longer — we give you a timeline at the diagnosis stage.