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Practice
About this area

Real-estate work in the UAE rewards the lawyer who understands the registry as well as the contract.

Our real-estate practice intersects with corporate (lease registration in the context of ADGM visa quota and entity setup), commercial (commission-fee advisory on development projects), and disputes work (tenancy and property-management disagreements). We treat real estate as a connected practice rather than a stand-alone silo.

We advise developers, investors and occupiers on sale and purchase agreements, development agreements, construction interfaces and leasing, with a view throughout to how the legal position affects the numbers the project has to hit.

“Real-estate work in the UAE rewards the lawyer who understands the registry as well as the contract.”

— Pillar I · Corporate & Transactions

Where a matter calls for it, we put a team together across real estate, corporate, financing and disputes, including tenancy claims before the relevant rental committees and property-management disagreements that have stopped being solvable commercially.

The work, in detail

Four matter types we handle in real estate.

Acquisitions and disposals.

Asset and share deals for income-producing and development real estate. We draft sale and purchase agreements that work with UAE registry mechanics, run the diligence on title and encumbrances, and coordinate closing with the relevant land department or free-zone registry.

Development and joint ventures.

Development structuring for master developers and investors: joint-venture agreements, development management arrangements, contractor and consultant interfaces, and phasing structures that decide who carries what risk through build-out and handover.

Leasing and occupancy.

Commercial, retail and office leasing for landlords and occupiers, covering fit-out obligations, service charge mechanics and lease registration with the relevant authority. We also handle the point where establishment card requirements meet the lease documentation, which is often what decides whether a tenant can actually move in.

Off-plan, escrow, and tenancy disputes.

Advisory on developer sale structures, Oqood and Dubai Land Department processes, and RERA and ADREC requirements where they apply. When commercial resolution fails, we act for landlords and tenants in property-management disputes, including challenges to inspection procedures and to alleged unauthorised modifications.

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Corporate Commercial→Cross-Border M&A→Free Zone Structuring→Banking and Finance→Islamic Finance→Intellectual Property→
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We're available to assess your position and advise on the most effective approach. Initial conversations are always without obligation.

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