Private Client
Dubai’s wealth is founded upon the family business, both Emirati and international. The city’s phenomenal growth has led to it now holding over $500 billion of private wealth. Some 30,000-dollar millionaires hail from every country in the world and across almost every industry sector. The attraction is not just the low tax regime but the existing security, lifestyle, and networking opportunities.
We proudly represent some of those families, from long-established Emirati businesses to newly arrived entrepreneurs.
We help people set up their new life in the UAE and help those who have never known anywhere else as home. Our experienced Family Lawyers in Dubai can assist you in navigating the complex legal system and advising the best possible outcome for your case.
Within the UAE, many family businesses are currently undergoing generational transitions and the associated significant structural transformation. Those who have arrived more recently also want to ensure that their structures are private, allow for succession planning, and are tax-efficient.
We provide our clients with the full range of services needed to ensure the successful evolution and protection of their business interests, often working with partner firms from overseas, including firms in offshore jurisdictions (Jersey, Guernsey, Cayman, and so on) and those from established onshore wealth centres, including London, Geneva, Moscow, and New York.
Our family business law offering includes devising formal legal structures and corporate restructuring that accommodates family transitions. We also ensure we manage risks and allow for clear set future family stewardship and sustained growth. For Muslims, we ensure their structures are Sharia-compliant, while for non-Muslims, we guide them on the options available for different rules to apply to their situation.
- Corporate structuring – working with corporate services providers to design and implement an appropriate business holding structure and maintain it. This may include the use of trusts and foundations formed in the UAE or overseas.
- Family disputes – we work with clients seeking to avoid a family dispute becoming unwanted formal litigation, and where it does, we represent them.
- Divorce – a number of our clients are foreign nationals who have encountered marital difficulties whilst residing in the UAE and are unsure about their legal position. Such situations often require consideration of multi-jurisdictional strategies, together with overseas law firms. We aim to provide clear, practical advice and guidance. Our aim is to help clients reach a negotiated settlement whenever possible.
- Tax – our tax team works with overseas partners to maximize the benefit of a client’s UAE residency.
- Succession planning – for both Muslims and non-Muslims, sometimes using a multi-will strategy. When a family member passes away, we work with clients to navigate UAE-based issues, including the local court’s process.
As with our other practice areas, we look to our network of relationships in the UAE and across the world. We work with leading law firms, private banks, trust companies, corporate services providers, and many others to offer our clients a seamless service.
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