Litigation Lawyer Dubai: How to Choose and What to Expect

Which court: Dubai Courts, DIFC Courts or arbitration

The short answer: the onshore Dubai Courts have general jurisdiction, the DIFC Courts hear cases linked to the Dubai International Financial Centre or where the parties agreed in writing to use them, and an arbitration clause usually takes the dispute out of both. Under Dubai Law No. (2) of 2025 on the DIFC Courts, published on 14 March 2025, the DIFC Courts hear claims involving DIFC establishments or contracts performed in the centre, plus any civil or commercial claim the parties expressly agree in writing to send there. Their official language is English.

The onshore courts sit in three tiers, the Court of First Instance, the Court of Appeal and the Court of Cassation, and Arabic is the official language of UAE courts under the 2022 Civil Procedure Code, as Pinsent Masons summarised when the code took effect on 2 January 2023. In Abu Dhabi, the ADGM Courts play the DIFC role, applying English common law directly.

Forum	Language	When it applies
Dubai Courts (onshore)	Arabic	Default forum unless another applies
DIFC Courts	English	Disputes linked to the DIFC, or any civil or commercial dispute where the parties opt in writing
DIAC arbitration	Per the arbitration agreement	Where the contract has a DIAC arbitration clause
ADGM Courts (Abu Dhabi)	English	Abu Dhabi Global Market's own courts, applying English common law

The Dubai International Arbitration Centre introduced new Arbitration Rules in 2022 and says it has administered nearly 5,000 cases. If your contract has an arbitration clause, read our comparison of arbitration and litigation before anyone files in court.

Who does what: advocates, legal consultants and DIFC practitioners

Only registered advocates can plead before the Dubai Courts, and in most cases an advocate must be a UAE national. The Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department's Administrative Resolution No. (51) of 2022 requires practising advocates to be UAE nationals, with a narrow exception for non-UAE lawyers who have served at least 15 years as a judge or public prosecutor.

Adviser	Typical role	Where they can act
Advocate registered in Dubai	Filing claims, written and oral pleadings, appeals	Court of First Instance and Court of Appeal on registration; Court of Cassation after five years' practice in the UAE
Legal consultant (UAE or foreign qualified)	Strategy, advice, contracts, settlement, arbitration	Arbitration tribunals and other bodies, not advocacy before the Dubai Courts
DIFC registered practitioner	Claims and hearings in English	DIFC Courts, through its register of practitioners
Foreign advocate with a temporary permit	One specific case	Dubai Courts, subject to reciprocity and insurance conditions

So a case prepared by legal consultants still needs a registered advocate to sign pleadings and appear onshore. The DIFC Courts keep a separate register of practitioners licensed to appear before them.

How to choose a litigation lawyer in Dubai

Match the adviser to the forum first, then check licence, language and sector fit:

• Forum fit. Ask which forum applies to your contract and why; strength in DIFC work does not guarantee onshore experience.
• Licence. Confirm who will sign pleadings and appear for you, and that they hold an advocate's licence, or DIFC registration for the DIFC Courts.
• Language. Onshore, check who drafts in Arabic and who reports to you in English.
• Sector experience. For shareholder or deal disputes, check whether the firm works with corporate lawyers in the UAE.
• Enforcement plan. Ask where the other side's assets are and how a judgment would be collected; see our guide to enforcing a foreign judgment.

Dubai court fees and typical timeline

Court fees in Dubai are set by law, while professional fees are agreed with your lawyer, so ask for a written estimate covering both. The onshore scale comes from Law No. (21) of 2015 on Dubai Courts judicial fees, as amended by Law No. (2) of 2019; DIFC figures come from the DIFC Courts schedule of fees, which are exempt from VAT.

Item	Official fee
Dubai Courts, first instance claim	6% of claim value, minimum AED 500; cap AED 20,000 up to AED 500,000, AED 30,000 up to AED 1 million, AED 40,000 above
Dubai Courts, commercial claim up to AED 500,000	6%, of which the claimant pays at most AED 5,000 on filing; the losing debtor pays 6% of the award, capped at AED 15,000
Dubai Courts, appeal	50% of the first instance fee
Dubai Courts, cassation appeal	AED 2,000 flat (AED 1,000 to apply for a stay of execution)
DIFC Small Claims Tribunal	5% of the claim, minimum USD 100 (employment claims 2%)
DIFC Court of First Instance, money claim	5% up to USD 500,000 (minimum USD 5,000); USD 30,000 plus 0.5% over USD 1 million; capped at USD 130,000

Onshore, a judgment can pass through appeal and then cassation; the 2022 code halved the deadline for a cassation appeal from 60 to 30 days, while the Court of Appeal now has 20 working days to reject an appeal in chambers or list it for a hearing. In the DIFC, the Small Claims Tribunal hears claims up to AED 500,000, or up to AED 1 million where both parties agree in writing, and DIFC litigation has two tiers.

Documents to prepare and the Arabic translation

Before your first meeting, gather the contract and amendments, invoices and statements of account, correspondence and demand letters, company documents for both sides, and powers of attorney. For an unpaid debt, our guide to a customer not paying an invoice explains what to collect first.

For the Dubai Courts, plan the translation early: Arabic is the court language, and since 2023 a claimant must also serve a certified English translation where the defendant's native language is not Arabic, unless the parties agreed another language. In the DIFC Courts, filings and hearings are in English.

Questions to ask a dispute lawyer in Dubai

1. Which forum has jurisdiction over our dispute, and could the other side challenge it?
2. Who will appear in court for us, and do they hold a Dubai advocate's licence or DIFC registration?
3. What will the court fees, translation and expert costs be at each stage, including appeal?
4. Are your fees fixed, hourly, staged or partly success based, and will that be in writing?
5. Can we secure assets or get urgent relief first?
6. Have you checked for conflicts with the other side and its group?

Red flags when hiring a litigation lawyer in Dubai

• Touting through intermediaries. The Legal Affairs Department's Circular No. (1) of 2024 warned firms against soliciting work through representatives and intermediaries in ways that breach professional ethics.
• No verifiable licence. Nobody can say who will appear in court or show a Dubai or DIFC registration.
• Guaranteed outcomes. No honest lawyer can promise a judgment, a timetable or full recovery.
• No written engagement. Refusal to set out scope, fees and costs in an engagement letter.
• Forum silence. Advice to file without explaining why that forum is right for your contract.

When to instruct a local lawyer in Dubai

Instruct a local lawyer as soon as a demand goes unanswered, before you sign any settlement, and well before an appeal deadline, which can be as short as 30 days. Bring one in at once if the other side may move assets, if a partner is diverting money, as covered in our guide to a business partner stealing money, or if you were served with a claim in Arabic. Owners who opened a business in Dubai or hold a UAE golden visa should ask how a dispute affects their licence or residence.

Browse our litigation and dispute resolution lawyers in the UAE, see all advisers in the United Arab Emirates, or compare the wider dispute resolution directory across 150+ jurisdictions. Tell us about your dispute, use the form below and we will put you in touch with a member.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreign lawyer represent me in the Dubai Courts?

Usually not. Practising advocates in Dubai must normally be UAE nationals, save for non-UAE lawyers with 15 years as judges or prosecutors. A foreign advocate can seek a temporary permit for one case, subject to reciprocity and insurance conditions.

How much are court fees in Dubai?

The Dubai Courts charge 6% of the claim value at first instance, at least AED 500 and capped at AED 20,000, AED 30,000 or AED 40,000 depending on the claim's size. An appeal costs half the first instance fee, and a cassation appeal AED 2,000.

Can I take a Dubai dispute to the DIFC Courts?

Yes, if both parties agree in writing, in the contract or after the dispute arises. Disputes linked to the DIFC go there anyway under Dubai Law No. (2) of 2025.

Do I need to translate documents into Arabic?

For the onshore Dubai Courts, yes: Arabic is the official court language, so documents in other languages will need translating, and a claimant must also serve a certified English translation on a defendant whose native language is not Arabic. The DIFC Courts work in English, so English contracts and correspondence can be filed as they are.

Can I file a case against someone who owes me money in Dubai?

Yes. For commercial claims up to AED 500,000 in the Dubai Courts, the claimant pays 6% on filing, capped at AED 5,000, and the losing debtor pays a further fee. Contracts with a DIFC or arbitration clause follow those routes.

Sources

1. Dubai Law No. (2) of 2025 Concerning Dubai International Financial Centre Courts
2. DIFC Courts: Schedule of Fees
3. DIFC Courts: Small Claims Tribunal
4. Law No. (21) of 2015 Concerning Judicial Fees of the Dubai Courts
5. Law No. (2) of 2019 Amending Law No. (21) of 2015 Concerning Judicial Fees of the Dubai Courts
6. Legal Affairs Department of Dubai: Administrative Resolution No. (51) of 2022 on the Registration of Advocates and Legal Consultants
7. Legal Affairs Department of Dubai: Circular No. (1) of 2024 on Solicitation of Legal Services
8. Pinsent Masons: Reforms to UAE's civil procedure law take effect
9. Dubai International Arbitration Centre: About DIAC
10. ADGM Courts

About this article

This guide was researched and written by The Corporate INTL Newsroom, which covers cross-border legal, regulatory and business developments for lawyers, professional advisers and financiers in over 150 jurisdictions. It has been checked against Dubai legislation, the Legal Affairs Department's bylaws and the published fee schedules of the Dubai Courts and DIFC Courts. This article is general information, not legal advice; for advice on a specific matter, consult a qualified adviser. Last reviewed 11 November 2026. For more analysis like this, visit the Corporate INTL newsroom or subscribe to Corporate INTL.