Featured Insights Overview

Fund manager licensing in the UAE depends on the jurisdiction you choose, with DIFC, ADGM, and mainland regimes applying different capital, governance, and marketing rules. This article compares all three and outlines how fund managers should approach structuring decisions in 2026.

Decennial liability imposes strict ten-year exposure on contractors and consultants in UAE construction. This article explains liability triggers, subcontractor recovery, limitation periods, and key changes under the 2026 Civil Code.

The UAE now operates a mandatory pre-closing merger control regime for notifiable transactions. This article explains when competition clearance is required, how the thresholds work, and what buyers need to build into their acquisition timeline and transaction documents. The turnover and market share thresholds were fixed by Cabinet Decision No. 3 of 2025, and the Ministry of Economy has confirmed the framework’s role in reviewing economic concentration transactions.

Foreign companies can establish a UAE mainland branch without a local service agent, but the process still requires Ministry of Economy approval, local licensing, and full parent company liability. This article explains how branch registration works in 2026, what changed under Resolution No. 138 of 2024, and when a branch may be preferable to an LLC or free zone structure.

Workplace injury liability in the UAE operates across statutory labour compensation, civil damages, and criminal enforcement at the same time. This article explains how MOHRE claims, insurance obligations, and safety failures create overlapping exposure for employers in high-risk sectors.

Construction firms in the UAE operate across an unusually dense regulatory landscape, with two major legislative changes taking effect in 2026 alone. The legal risks are not concentrated at the start or end of a project but distributed across its entire lifecycle, from tender to defects liability and beyond. This article maps the areas where ongoing legal support is not a luxury but a structural requirement for any firm operating at scale in the UAE construction market.

Aircraft registration in the UAE requires compliance with GCAA rules and qualifying ownership structures. This article explains how leasing, security interests, and the Cape Town Convention interact with UAE law for operators, lessors, and financiers.

The UAE overhauled its pharmaceutical regulatory framework in 2025. The Emirates Drug Establishment now issues marketing authorisations and oversees drug registration, taking over functions previously handled by MOHAP. This article explains how the new system works, which authority applies in each emirate, and what pharmaceutical companies need to do to obtain and maintain market access.

The UAE’s capital markets regime changed materially on 1 January 2026 with the replacement of the SCA by the Capital Market Authority. This article explains how public offerings, private placements, and prospectus liability now work on the mainland and how the DIFC and ADGM regimes fit alongside the new framework.

The UAE's Islamic finance sector holds over AED 1 trillion in banking assets and is governed by a framework that changed materially in 2025. This article explains how the three dominant Islamic finance structures work under UAE law, which authorities regulate them, and where the legal risks sit after the Dubai Court of Cassation's binding rulings on interest prohibition.

Subcontracting in UAE energy projects does not transfer liability away from the main contractor, but it can push significant risk down the chain through back-to-back clauses. This article explains how flow-down terms, pay-when-paid provisions, liability caps, and new 2026 Civil Code changes affect contractors and subcontractors.

Gas supply and offtake agreements in the UAE operate within a unique legal framework where the state retains ownership of all gas reserves and ADNOC controls production, processing, and distribution. This article explains the key contractual terms, the regulatory constraints that shape commercial negotiations, and where disputes most commonly arise.

Offshore oil and gas installations in the UAE must be removed or decommissioned in accordance with international treaties and concession obligations. This article explains the legal framework governing offshore decommissioning, including liability risks in asset transfers and contractor disputes.

UAE companies must identify and register their ultimate beneficial owners under federal corporate transparency rules. This article explains the UBO definition, reporting obligations, and how the framework applies across mainland, free zone, and offshore entities.

Abu Dhabi’s upstream sector operates under concession agreements rather than production sharing contracts. This article explains how the concession system works, including fiscal terms, participating interests, and the legal framework governing international oil company participation.

The UAE National In-Country Value Program plays a central role in government and ADNOC procurement. This article explains who needs ICV certification, how the score is calculated, and how it affects tender evaluation for contractors and suppliers operating in the UAE energy sector.

When goods are lost or damaged in storage, UAE law places warehouse operators under a demanding liability framework that many businesses underestimate. This article explains the bailment rules, burden of proof, contractual caps, insurance issues and the practical steps involved in pursuing or defending a warehouse claim.

Joint ownership disputes in Dubai often arise after handover, when service charges, maintenance obligations, defects and governance problems begin to affect occupied buildings and communities. This article explains the rights and obligations of owners, developers and management entities under Law No. 6 of 2019 and how these disputes are enforced.

Off-plan sales in Dubai are tightly regulated and cannot begin until the developer has completed a specific sequence of registration, escrow and approval steps. This article explains the key obligations developers must meet before and during sales, including Oqood registration, advertising controls and buyer default procedures.

Commercial leases in Dubai are heavily negotiated and often expose both landlords and tenants to risks that do not appear in the headline rent. This article explains the clauses that matter most, from escalation and fit-out to reinstatement, assignment, VAT and dispute resolution.