Mediation in Dubai and the UAE
A confidential, cost-effective way to resolve a dispute without a full trial, with a settlement you help to shape.
Mediation is a structured negotiation led by a neutral mediator. Nobody imposes a decision: the parties agree their own settlement, which can then be made binding. The UAE has a federal law on mediation for civil and commercial disputes, and courts can refer cases to mediation.
We prepare you for mediation, attend the sessions with you, negotiate on your behalf and draft a settlement agreement that is clear, complete and enforceable.
How we can help
Pre-litigation and court-referred mediation
Mediation can be agreed before any case is filed, or used after a court refers the parties. We advise on timing, the choice of mediator and what to share.
Commercial, family and property disputes
Partnership fall-outs, supplier and customer disputes, family and inheritance disagreements and property disputes are often well suited to mediation.
Drafting binding settlement agreements
A settlement is only as good as its wording. We draft terms covering payment, timing, the withdrawal of cases and what happens if one side does not perform.
Support during mediation sessions
We prepare a clear position paper, help you decide your limits in advance and negotiate alongside you during the sessions.
From first call to resolution
Decide if mediation fits
Mediation works best when both sides have a reason to settle and the facts are not wildly disputed.
Prepare
A short, honest assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of each side, and the range of acceptable outcomes.
Mediate
Joint and private sessions with the mediator, with us beside you.
Record the settlement
We draft the agreement and take the steps to make it binding and to close any related cases.
Why choose mediation
Court cases in any country take time and money, and they put the outcome in someone else's hands. Mediation is private, usually much faster, and lets the parties agree practical terms a court could not order, such as a staged payment plan, a continuing business relationship or the return of documents. For families, it can keep a difficult situation from becoming public.
Preparation decides most mediations. Before the first session we agree with you the outcome you would accept, the points you can concede and the evidence that matters most, so that you can negotiate calmly and make decisions on the day rather than afterwards.
Mediation does not suit every dispute. Where one party will not engage in good faith, or an urgent order is needed, litigation or arbitration may be better. We advise you which route gives the best prospect of a result.
Mediation: your questions
A settlement agreement signed by the parties is a contract, and under the UAE mediation framework it can be given the force of an enforceable instrument through the court. We draft it so that it can be.
Many mediations are completed in one or two sessions, once both sides are prepared. Court-referred mediation follows the timetable the court sets.
Yes. What is said in mediation is generally confidential and cannot be used later in court, which encourages open discussion.
Our fees are quoted after the first consultation and agreed in writing before work begins. The mediator's own fees are separate.
Who you will work with
Related practice areas
Let’s talk about your matter.
In person or by call. We reply within one working day.
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