Personal Status Law
Marriage, family, inheritance, custody and long-term wealth protection touch the most personal parts of life — and in the UAE's multicultural environment, the interplay of civil law, Sharia-based principles and cross-border rules makes them legally complex. We support individuals, couples and families at every stage, combining UAE Personal Status Law with multi-jurisdictional experience and a measured, confidential approach.
Across the family's legal life.
The UAE's Personal Status Law has been significantly reformed, with clearer, more modern procedures for residents of all nationalities. We guide families through the intersections of civil law, Sharia-based principles and cross-border rules — from marriage to succession.
Wills registration
- Drafting & registration — drafting, reviewing and registering Wills across the DIFC and ADJD.
- Full protection — securing your assets, guardianship choices and succession preferences.
Probate, inheritance & succession
- Court process — probate filings, sworn statements, succession certificates, estate liquidation, distribution and guardianship across the major UAE courts.
- Coordination — working with banks, property registries and corporate bodies for smooth execution and timely release of assets.
Civil marriage registration & pre-/post-nuptial agreements
- Registration — full compliance with procedural requirements, document preparation and online filings, and registration before ADJD or the Dubai Courts.
- Nuptial agreements — pre- and post-nuptial agreements tailored to multinational families, protecting assets, clarifying rights and ensuring enforceability in foreign jurisdictions.
Divorce & family dispute resolution
- Routes to resolution — no-fault procedures, mediated settlements or contested litigation, as the situation requires.
- The full process — initiating divorce applications, drafting settlement agreements, handling custody and visitation, managing financial settlements, and advising on recognition of foreign divorce orders.
Child custody, guardianship & relocation
- Arrangements — custody, guardianship, visitation, relocation requests and parental-responsibility arrangements.
- Representation — before the Family Guiding Centres and the courts.
Corporate structures for family wealth protection
- Structures — foundations, trusts and holding structures designed and implemented under the ADGM, DIFC and RAK ICC frameworks.
- Purpose — complementing Wills, protecting family businesses, streamlining inheritance and ensuring long-term governance aligned with your family’s objectives.
In a globally connected UAE, clients often have assets, children, businesses or spouses in more than one country. We advise on conflict-of-law, enforceability abroad, treaty obligations and the reconciliation of different legal systems — and, for families with an Indian connection, coordinate the UAE and India arrangements so they hold together.
A sample of recent matters.
Cross-Emirate estate administration. Represented the family of a European expatriate with assets in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi — coordinating parallel probate applications before the Dubai Courts and ADJD to ensure seamless recognition of orders, avoid conflicting rulings, and allow the estate to be distributed efficiently.
Civil marriage & prenuptial planning. Facilitated a fast-track civil marriage for a mixed-nationality couple under the expat-friendly marriage laws — all filings, legalization and ceremony arrangements — and drafted comprehensive pre-nuptial agreements for high-net-worth couples to ring-fence assets and ensure cross-border enforceability.
High-conflict divorce resolution. Represented clients in contested divorce involving asset division, child custody, financial maintenance and protective orders — a negotiation-first strategy reaching dignified settlements while reducing litigation time and strain.
Clarity, confidentiality, foresight.
A consistent, empathetic approach — whether drafting a Will, mediating a custody dispute, or establishing a family foundation.
Understand
The family, the assets and the jurisdictions involved, and which regime applies.
Document
Wills, nuptial agreements and structures registered with the DIFC, ADJD or the right framework.
Resolve
Probate, divorce and custody handled with a negotiated, conflict-minimising approach.
Protect
Foundations and trusts under ADGM, DIFC and RAK ICC for long-term governance.