Corporate & Commercial
Establishing or reactivating UAE entities for Qatari owners, updating licences and shareholder records, and structuring joint ventures with UAE partners.
Corporate & Commercial lawyers in the UAEInternational clients · Qatar
Supporting Qatari clients with legal matters in the UAE
This page is for Qatari companies, investors and families who are starting, resuming or expanding business and investment in the UAE, or who need help with a dispute involving a UAE party.
Rahman & Company advises on UAE legal matters. Several of our lawyers have worked on matters connected with Qatar and the GCC, and our team works in Arabic and English. Qatari clients typically come to us about establishing or reactivating UAE companies, contracts with UAE suppliers and contractors, property in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and commercial or construction disputes. We work from our UAE offices and remotely with clients in Doha.
Qatar and the UAE
Business between Qatar and the UAE has been rebuilding since the Al-Ula Declaration of January 2021, which restored travel, trade and diplomatic links between Qatar and its neighbours. For many Qatari companies that has meant reopening supply chains that ran through Jebel Ali and Dubai, reviving dormant UAE entities, or renegotiating contracts that were suspended.
At the same time, both countries have become major investors and project markets in their own right. Qatari investors look at UAE real estate, hospitality and listed companies, while UAE contractors, consultants and suppliers continue to work on Qatari projects. That two-way activity produces familiar legal questions — which entity contracts, which law and forum apply, and how payment risk is managed — that are worth settling before work starts rather than after a dispute arises.
UAE legal services
How we assist clients from Qatar
All practice areasReal Estate & Construction
Residential, commercial and hospitality property in the UAE, including purchase agreements, leases and management arrangements for Qatari investors.
Real Estate & Construction lawyers in the UAEArbitration
Construction and commercial arbitration between Qatari and UAE parties, and the drafting of dispute clauses for cross-border projects.
Arbitration lawyers in the UAEDispute Resolution
Claims and defences before the UAE courts, including recovery of sums owed under supply and services contracts.
Dispute Resolution lawyers in the UAEBanking & Finance
Financing for UAE acquisitions, security packages and guarantees given by Qatari parents or shareholders.
Banking & Finance lawyers in the UAEFor businesses
Legal support for businesses from Qatar
Qatari groups with dormant or long-standing UAE companies often need to bring their records up to date: licences, registered activities, managers, signatories and bank mandates. We help with that clean-up and with any restructuring that follows. For new activity, we advise on entering the UAE through a free zone or mainland company, distribution and agency arrangements, and joint ventures with Emirati partners, with clear provisions on governance, deadlock and exit.
For contractors and suppliers working across both markets, we review contracts for payment security, variations, delay and termination, and agree dispute provisions that reflect where assets are held.
For individuals and families
Legal support for individuals from Qatar
Qatari individuals frequently hold UAE residential property or investments through companies. We advise on purchases, leasing, service charge and developer disputes, and the UAE side of succession arrangements for these assets, working with Qatari advisers where Qatari law governs the family’s affairs.
Typical matters
Common UAE legal matters for clients from Qatar
Reactivating a dormant UAE company
A Qatari family business set up a Dubai trading company years ago and stopped using it. Before trading resumes, the licence status, registered activities, shareholders, manager appointments and bank mandates all need to be checked and updated, and any outstanding obligations identified. We review the corporate records, prepare the resolutions and filings required, and highlight decisions about whether the existing company is still the right vehicle.
A construction payment dispute
A Qatari subcontractor completes work on a UAE project and the main contractor withholds payment, citing defects and delays. We review the subcontract, variations, notices and payment certificates, assess the strength of the claim and any counterclaims, and advise on whether the contract points to arbitration or the UAE courts, together with practical steps to protect the position while negotiations continue.
Buying hospitality property in the UAE
A Qatari investor plans to acquire serviced apartments in a branded residence. We review the sale and purchase agreement alongside the hotel operator’s rental pool or management agreement, focusing on fees, the investor’s control over the units, termination rights and how income is reported and paid.
A minority stake in a UAE start-up
A Qatari angel investor plans to buy 15% of a Dubai technology start-up. We review the term sheet, the company’s constitutional documents and the proposed shareholders’ agreement, focusing on information rights, protection against dilution, matters requiring investor consent, and how the investor can exit if the founders sell or the business struggles.
These examples describe the kinds of questions clients raise. They are not case studies, and every matter depends on its own facts.
Working together
Working with Rahman & Company from Qatar
- 01
Initial discussion
Tell us who you are, who else is involved and what you want to achieve. A short call or video meeting is usually enough to understand the matter and agree whether we can help.
- 02
Identifying the UAE legal issues
We identify which questions are governed by UAE law, which emirate, free zone or court is relevant, and where advice under the law of Qatar may also be needed.
- 03
Document review and strategy
Once the scope and fees are agreed, we review the contracts, licences, title documents or correspondence and set out the options and the likely next steps.
- 04
Remote consultation where appropriate
Most discussions can take place by video call and email. Where a UAE step requires a signature, registration or attendance, we explain whether a power of attorney can be used and how it should be prepared.
- 05
Ongoing support and coordination
We keep you informed in writing, deal with UAE counterparties and authorities on your behalf where instructed, and coordinate with your advisers in Qatar.
Qatar is one hour behind the UAE, which makes same-day calls easy to arrange. Clients may be able to engage the firm remotely where this is legally and practically appropriate. Every engagement is subject to conflict, identity and compliance checks, and no particular outcome can be promised.
Where to find us
Our UAE offices
All officesHead office
Dubai
115, Al Moosa Building 5Al Ghubaiba
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
42 Tawi Umm Al'atal StreetAl Wathba, Al Nahdah Jadeedah
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Meetings at any office are by appointment. Rahman & Company does not have an office in Qatar unless one is listed here.
Our lawyers
People who can help
Find a lawyer
Egypt · UAE · Qatar · Saudi Arabia
Zain Sabith Mahmoud
Corporate, Capital Markets & Litigation
Languages: Arabic, English
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Egypt · Qatar · Oman · Saudi Arabia
Rashid Abdulla Ali
Corporate Advisory, Litigation & Intellectual Property
Languages: Arabic (native), English (very good; TOEFL certified)
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Oman · Qatar · Egypt · Saudi Arabia
Dr. Fouz Mohammed
Cyber Law, AI, Real Estate & Dispute Resolution
Languages: Arabic (native), English (B1)
View profileProfiles describe each lawyer’s background as published on this website. Languages are listed as stated in their profiles.
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Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can a Qatari national own property in the UAE?
Yes. Qatari nationals, like other foreign buyers, can own property in designated freehold areas, and GCC nationals may have additional options under certain rules. The emirate and the specific area determine what is available.
Can a Qatari company contract with UAE government entities?
Often yes, but government and semi-government procurement may require local registration, specific licences or particular contractual terms. We review the tender documents and the entity’s status before you commit.
Can you advise in Arabic?
Yes. Our lawyers work in Arabic and English, and several have worked on matters connected with Qatar.
Can you advise on Qatari law?
Rahman & Company advises on UAE legal matters. Where advice on Qatari law is required, separate advice from appropriately qualified counsel in Qatar may be necessary, and we can coordinate with them.
Can a matter be handled without travelling to the UAE?
Many steps can be handled remotely, including review, negotiation and drafting. Some registrations and court steps require local formalities or a power of attorney, which we explain at the start.
Can disputes with UAE companies be resolved by arbitration rather than in court?
Yes, if both parties agree to arbitrate, usually through a clause in their contract. Parties can also agree to arbitrate after a dispute arises; otherwise the UAE courts will usually have jurisdiction.
Discuss your UAE legal requirements
If you are based in Qatar or connected with it and need advice concerning a business, investment, property, dispute or other legal matter in the UAE, our team can help you understand the relevant legal considerations and next steps. Please do not send confidential documents until an engagement has been agreed.