United Arab Emirates

Supporting international business, investment and private wealth interests across the UAE, GCC, Middle East and beyond.

With more than 1,000 staff across England and Wales, including London, our international HQ, HCR combines the expertise of an award-winning UK law firm with an established international outlook. We support businesses, investors and private clients from around the world who are investing in, expanding into or doing business through the UAE or the wider GCC.

Whether you are entering or already established in the UAE market, expanding internationally, pursuing acquisitions or investments, protecting assets, managing private wealth or navigating complex cross-border matters, we bring together the legal expertise, commercial insight and international connections needed to help achieve your ambitions.

Meet our UAE team
Dubai
Dubai business district

Supporting international opportunities connected to the UAE

Success in today’s global economy requires more than legal advice. It requires advisers who understand the commercial, regulatory and cultural considerations that influence cross-border growth and investment.

Whether you are already operating in the region, an international business expanding into the UAE, an investor pursuing regional opportunities, or an organisation using the UAE as a platform for wider growth, we bring together the right legal specialists, sector and regional expertise and international connections to support your objectives. Our role is to help clients navigate every stage of that journey, coordinating expertise from across HCR to deliver seamless support across jurisdictions, sectors and disciplines.

Our cross-border expertise includes:

Doing business internationally

Helping clients navigate the legal and commercial arrangements that support international trade and growth. We advise on service, distribution, manufacturing and supply agreements, as well as intellectual property protection, data and technology matters, and the contracts that underpin successful cross-border businesses.

Establishing a presence in the UAE, UK or wider GCC

Supporting businesses and investors establishing, expanding or restructuring operations in the UK, UAE, GCC and other international markets, including acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic growth initiatives.

Cross-border investment and transactions

Advising investors, family offices, businesses and entrepreneurs on acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures, private capital investments, real estate transactions and strategic growth opportunities across the UAE, UK and international markets.

Employing and relocating people

Advising on immigration, employment and workforce issues as organisations grow internationally.

Protecting and growing private wealth

Helping entrepreneurs, business owners and international families on wealth structuring, succession, tax planning, trusts, family governance and the preservation of assets across multiple jurisdictions.

Private capital and family offices

Advising family offices, entrepreneurs, business owners and investors on acquisitions, wealth structuring, private investments and long-term succession planning across multiple jurisdictions.

Resolving disputes

From breach of contract claims to complex international arbitration proceedings, our specialist team help clients avoid, manage and resolve disputes. We have experts in property matters and commercial disputes and can also help with personal matters such as defamation.

UAE, UK and GCC market entry and regional expansion

Supporting businesses, investors and families pursuing opportunities in the UAE, GCC and the UK market. Our team combines significant regional experience, strong local relationships and access to specialist legal expertise, helping clients navigate market entry, investment, growth and cross-border operations, across the UAE, UK and wider GCC with confidence.

Meet our UAE team

Why international clients choose HCR

  • Practical, commercially focused advice
  • Direct access to experienced lawyers
  • Strong relationships across the UK, UAE and GCC business communities
  • Expertise spanning both business and personal matters
  • A collaborative approach that focuses on long-term outcomes.

Many of our international clients are ambitious businesses, investors, entrepreneurs and international family offices whose interests span multiple jurisdictions, sectors and generations. They value access to a full-service law firm that combines deep sector and regional expertise and connections, commercially focused advice and the ability to coordinate support across complex cross-border matters.

As one of the UK’s fastest-growing independent law firms, with an international outlook, we are well placed to support businesses, investors and family offices whose interests span the UAE, UK and GCC market. For many clients, we are a long-term strategic adviser, supporting everything from market entry, acquisitions and investment through to business growth, succession planning and private wealth structuring for future generations.

Abu Dhabi lawyers

International perspective. Relationship-led service.

We invest time in understanding our clients, their ambitions and the commercial objectives that drive decision-making. Our role extends beyond legal advice. We help clients identify opportunities, manage risk, build valuable connections and confidently pursue their long-term goals.

Our team includes lawyers based in Dubai who regularly support clients across the UAE and wider Middle East region. We are active members of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce and maintain strong connections with organisations that support international trade, investment and business growth. Through HCR’s long-established regional connections, we provide coordinated support for clients operating across borders and pursuing opportunities in global markets.

Sector expertise

As advisers to more than 400 UK charities, HCR brings specialist expertise in governance, regulation, philanthropy, donor arrangements and charitable structures.

View our Charities and Philanthropy sector expertise.

We support organisations operating in defence, aerospace, security and controlled technology, advising on commercial contracts, export controls, procurement, regulatory matters and cross-border transactions. We combine sector knowledge with experience of complex and sensitive projects, supported by MOD-cleared specialists within the team.

View our Defence sector expertise.

We work with educational institutions across the UK including independent schools and universities. We help organisations navigate regulation, governance, employment and strategic growth opportunities.

View our Education sector expertise.

Our nationally recognised agriculture and estates team supports businesses across the food supply chain, from landowners and growers to investors, agri-tech innovators and food businesses.

View our Agricultural sector expertise.

Navigating financial services regulation requires both technical expertise and commercial insight. We help you manage risk, stay compliant and keep transactions moving with confidence.

View our Financial Services expertise.

For more than 50 years, we have supported organisations across the healthcare sector, including care providers, healthcare professionals, NHS organisations, independent healthcare businesses and HealthTech innovators. We help clients navigate regulation, compliance, risk management, transactions and strategic growth opportunities.

View our Healthcare sector expertise.

We advise individuals, families, family offices and business owners on wealth preservation, succession planning, trusts, tax and cross-border asset management,  helping clients protect and manage wealth across generations.

View our Private Wealth expertise.

We work with technology businesses at every stage of growth, helping founders, investors and scale-ups navigate commercial, regulatory, investment and intellectual property challenges.

View our Technology and Innovation expertise.

Legal updates and thought leadership from across our International experts

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Read our latest international newsletters

World View

In our global newsletter we discuss issues which can involve complex legal intricacies and how to properly navigate the different regulations that are unique to each country.

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UK View

A look at legislative and regulatory updates from across the globe that may affect your business in the UK if you operate in or trade across borders.

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