Legal Drafting Services in Dubai for Clients in the USA, UK and Europe

Yes, in general. The UAE Civil Transactions Law does not require contracts to be written in Arabic, and most contracts are concluded by the exchange of consent unless the law requires a specific form for that type of contract. However, Arabic is the language of legal proceedings in the UAE, so an English contract used in a dispute must be submitted with a certified translation.

It depends on what the MOU says, not on its title. Under the UAE Civil Transactions Law, a contract is concluded once the parties agree on its essential elements, even if secondary details are left for later, unless they agree that no contract exists until those details are settled. An MOU that records the essential terms can therefore be binding. An MOU meant only to record negotiations should say so clearly.

In most cases, yes. Under the UAE Federal Decree-Law on Electronic Transactions and Trust Services, a contract does not lose its validity, evidential weight or enforceability merely because it is made electronically. Some transactions are excluded from this rule, so the signing method should be confirmed for each document.

At minimum, it should include the full legal names and trade licence details of both parties, the scope of work or goods, payment amounts and due dates, the governing law, the dispute-resolution method, termination and breach provisions, confidentiality terms, and a clause stating which language version prevails if the contract is in Arabic and English.

Federal Decree-Law No. 25 of 2025 replaced the Civil Transactions Law of 1985 and came into force in June 2026. It requires good faith during pre-contractual negotiations, makes a party who negotiates in bad faith liable for the actual damage caused, and requires both parties to disclose information of decisive importance to the contract. This disclosure duty cannot be limited by agreement. The law also recognizes framework agreements for long-term business relationships.

Yes, bilingual drafting can be arranged. Let us know your requirement at the brief stage, so the contract can also state which language version prevails if the two texts ever differ.

Yes. Contract review before signing is one of the most common requests we receive. We check the obligations, risks and unclear provisions in a document prepared by another party and propose changes before you sign.

A straightforward agreement can often be turned around within a few working days. More complex or negotiated documents take longer, depending on how many revision rounds are needed.

We can handle that negotiation directly on your behalf, or brief you on the points to hold firm on and where there is reasonable room to compromise. Under the UAE Civil Transactions Law, negotiations must be conducted in good faith, and confidential information shared during negotiations may not be used or disclosed without permission.

Under the UAE Commercial Transactions Law, which took effect on 2 January 2023, claims between merchants relating to their commercial dealings generally lapse after five years, down from ten years under the previous law. Contracts should therefore record payment dates clearly, and overdue amounts should not be left unaddressed.