The 5 Best Property Lawyers in Dubai
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Owning properties is great security for the future, but it also comes with a lot of responsibilities. From arranging legal documents and selling properties to transferring land titles and handling property disputes, some of these responsibilities can only be done with the help of an excellent property lawyer.
If you’ve been on the search for a property lawyer who can help you with managing all the legal responsibilities that come with being a property owner, or if you need to stake your claim on a particular property, check out our list of the best property lawyers and firms in Dubai!
But before we continue with our list, let’s talk about how much it costs to hire a property lawyer in Dubai.
The Cost of Hiring A Property Lawyer in Dubai
Property law is a broad field and lawyers regularly take on a wide range of jobs and clients. Because of this, payment schemes and rates are decided on a case-to-case basis.
When you’re hiring a lawyer, there are 2 available payment schemes: payment per hour or lump sum payment. The payment scheme applied depends on the scope of the job you need your lawyer to do.
Hourly Payment Scheme
When you’re paying on an hourly basis, this usually involves one-time legal consultations, drafting simple contracts like lease contracts and contracts of sale, or when the scope of work remains unpredictable to the lawyer.
Each lawyer has a different hourly rate. This depends on their expertise, the years they’ve been practising, and the law firm they represent.
In Dubai, well-experienced property lawyers charge around AED 1,200 to AED 4,000 per hour. In practice, even when your consultation takes less than an hour, lawyers still bill you for the full hour.
Lump Sum Payment Scheme
If you need to file a case against someone or if you are being sued, lawyers can easily predict the scope of work involved and the number of hours they’ll likely spend working on your case. For this reason, lawyers will apply the lump sum payment scheme.
Through this payment scheme, you make a single payment at an agreed-upon time. This will cover all the stages of the case until its resolution.
There are no fixed rates because each case involves different parties, issues, claims, and damages. When a case has a higher claim amount, the rate charged will likely be more expensive because of the case’s complexity.
The Best Property Lawyers in Dubai
Now that you know more about how much you’ll spend on a property lawyer in Dubai, it’s time to choose one from our picks of the best property lawyers and firms in Dubai!
1. HHS Lawyers
| WEBSITE | https://hhslawyers.com/ |
| ADDRESS | Office Entrance 5th Floor, Office No. 5008 IBIS Hotel Building, Rigga Road Dubai, UAE |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +971 55 370 1232 [email protected] |
| SERVICES | Real estate disputes, Real estate registration, Drafting contracts for buying and selling of properties, Providing advice in formation of real estate business, Obtaining real estate license, Financial and securities, Drafting tenancy contracts, Litigation and arbitration, Acquisition and disposition of property, Mortgage advisory, Owner association advisory, Real estate broker registration |
HHS Lawyers is a full-service law firm specializing in several kinds of legal services. On top of Property Law, they offer litigation services for other fields of law, including Trademark and Intellectual Property, Family Law, Labor Law, and Corporate Law.
With over 30 years of experience and more than 550 clients, HHS Lawyers has become one of the most trusted law firms in the UAE. They’ve successfully handled more than 1,000 cases and have multiple awards under their belt.
While HHS Lawyers provides a wide range of services under Property Law, the firm’s property dispute attorneys are best known for their work on boundary disputes that involve the replacement or removal of boundaries, professional negligence of property solicitors, and inaccuracies in legal documents.
One of the things we particularly like about HHS Lawyers is that they have offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. This makes it more efficient to provide legal services involving property.
If you’re wondering why this is important for Property Law, if you have many properties spread throughout the UAE, these properties fall under different jurisdictions. This means that taking on property dispute cases or securing legal documents will likely call for a lot of travelling and appointments with government offices in different cities.
Pros
- Offices in multiple UAE cities
- Live website chat support available
- Multi-awarded firm
Cons
- Firm’s top specialty is Marriage and Family Law
- No free consultation
Client Reviews
HHS Lawyers’ clients have left them rave reviews.
Darpan Goyal, a former client, said: “Highly recommended for property dispute services and other legal services as well.”
Another client, Angel Mcdale, said: “One of the best law firms in Dubai. Their lawyers are professional and have helped me time and time again.”
2. Al Safar & Partners
| WEBSITE | https://alsafar.dubailawyers.ae/ |
| ADDRESS | Saaha Offices 401A Block D, Old Town Downtown, Near Palace Hotel, Dubai, UAE |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +971 4 4221944 [email protected] |
| SERVICES | Legal Strategy and Implementation, Representation in property sale and purchase, Due Diligence, Property Leasing and Rental Disputes |
Having been around for almost 40 years, Al Safar & Partners has built and maintained its reputation as one of the most respected law firms in the UAE. As a full-service law firm, their team of lawyers are capable of handling a diverse set of fields of law and clients.
Compared to other law firms, Property or Real Estate Law is their top-performing department. They’ve handled more than 2,600 cases involving property in the past decade and boast of a client list that includes some of the UAE’s biggest property developers.
A good thing to note about the firm is that Al Safar & Partners comprises lawyers and legal consultants who are also members of the Bar in countries such as the UK, Spain, Russia, Italy, India, and Egypt.
If you have properties beyond the UAE, this is definitely an advantage as you can be sure that the firm will have lawyers who are knowledgeable in Private International Law and the property laws of other countries.
We also recommend availing of their free 30-minute consultation! This is a rare opportunity you won’t find in other firms and you also get to consult with their Managing Partner, Kavitha Panicker.
Pros
- Free 30-minute consultation
- Website chat support available
- Local and international clients
- Consultation via Zoom or phone available
Cons
- Mixed reviews
Client Reviews
Many clients have commended Al Safar & Partners for their responsiveness and professionalism.
Gabi Rez, a former client, said:
“I needed urgent legal advice on 26th of September 2019. I was escorted to see my adviser right on time, who was one of the managing partners, Ms. Kavitha. All the details that I previously submitted were reviewed by her and she was completely prepared with the answers and the details on how to proceed. All along I experienced that the focus was on providing help and NOT taking money.”
Another client, Pramod Agarwal, said: “We have been associated with Ms Kavita for a long time now. The firm has delivered results everytime we expected them to. I would be happy to recommend them to my friends. They have a big team of lawyers specializing in almost all fields of practice.”
However, some previous clients seem to have encountered problems with the firm as well.
Ahmed Saleh said: “In Nov 2017, I paid for a case which they did not file until now. They are now just avoiding meeting with us also. Worst experience of my life. The case was taken with the promise that it will be solved in a week.”
Lisa Batkina said: “Worst law firm. Liars and cheats that will make elaborate promises but can uphold none of them. Very rude relationship managers with absolutely 0 communication skills.”
3. Al Reyami Advocates and Muhyealdeen International Legal Consultants
| WEBSITE | https://alriyamiadvocates.com/ |
| ADDRESS | Suites 2408|2401|2402 Al Shafar Tower 1, TECOM Dubai, UAE |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +971-4-4534188 [email protected] |
| SERVICES | Commercial Leasing, Commercial Real Estate, Homeowners Association Law, Landlord and Tenant Law, Neighbor’s and Pets, Residential Real Estate |
Established more than 18 years ago, Al Reyami & Muhyealdeen Law is a full-service law firm with an extensive list of practice areas, which includes Banking Law, Corporate Law, and Labor Law. Taking pride in their team’s versatility, the firm’s advocates take on both criminal and civil law matters.
Al Reyami & Muhlyealdeen’s track record is quite impressive with a 97% case success rate amounting to over AED 20 billion worth of judgment claims—a feat not many law firms are able to accomplish.
As their lawyers have been active in a number of landmark cases involving property and have experience going up against major developers, Property Law is one of the firm’s strengths.
Similar to Al Safar & Partners, one of the best features of their firm is their diverse team, with most of their lawyers practising both local and International Law.
This essentially means that on top of being licensed to practice in Dubai and other countries, their lawyers have also been certified by international bodies and organizations to appear before international courts or practice international arbitration.
We also think it’s great that they have offices in other major cities around the world like New York, Moscow, and Istanbul. Other than being beneficial for clients who already own properties in other countries, it’s also an advantage if you’re looking to invest in real estate or purchase properties beyond the UAE in the future.
Pros
- 97% success rate
- Offices in major cities around the world
- Specializes in UAE law and International Law
- Website chat support available
Cons
- No free consultation
Client Reviews
Clients are happy with the quality of service they get from Al Reyami & Muhyealdeen Law.
Andreu Mountney said: “I highly recommend Al Reyami Advocates to my friends in UAE and to other people who are looking for legal assistance. I once had a case after leaving Dubai, but even though I am back in the UK, they kept sending me updates as regards to my case status.”
Saad El Hage described their team as “very supportive and professional.”
He added: “I did a core search three months ago on which legal company can handle my legal battle and found Al Reyami Advocates as one of the best.”
4. RAALC
| WEBSITE | https://raalc.ae/ |
| ADDRESS | Suite 201, 2nd floor, Bldg. No. 06 Business Square, Business Bay Dubai, UAE |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +971 456 933 70 [email protected] |
| SERVICES | Landlord and Tenant Disputes, Lease Renewals, Tenancy Disputes, Delayed Construction, Rental Disputes Committee |
In 2013, three of the UAE’s top legal companies, Sughra Salem Bin Sarm Partners, Abd Alaziz Al Khemeiri Advocates, and RAALC Consultancy came together to form a conglomeration working towards the same purpose of excelling in the field of law.
As Property Law is one of their areas of expertise, they deal with both commercial and residential lawsuits. Most of the property cases they’ve handled over the years involve multinational construction companies and developers.
What we like about the way they handle cases is that instead of assigning just one lawyer to your case, they dedicate an entire team to your case, depending on its type and category. This really gives you an idea of how important it is for them to thoroughly customize their strategy for every case and cultivate strong relations with their clients.
We also appreciate that getting in touch with their firm is possible through so many channels! Through their website, you can chat with a legal assistant, book a consultation schedule, or ask for a callback.
While RAALC has set up offices in Dubai, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah, it has yet to expand its practice to other countries, which is a bit of a letdown as other firms have managed to do this successfully. This also comes as a surprise given that you’d expect a conglomeration of law firms to have a broader network of advocates.
Pros
- Offices in multiple UAE cities
- Easy consultation booking through website
- Website chat support available
Cons
- Focuses on local property law only
- No free consultation
Client Reviews
RAALC has received positive feedback from many clients.
Jui Dongare said: “Best lawyers in UAE. They have bespoke services.”
Another client, Unnikrishan, said: “An outstanding law firm with a dedicated staff, awesome office, and excellent associates.”
5. Ibrahim Khouri Advocates & Legal Consultants
| WEBSITE | https://khourilawyers.com/ |
| ADDRESS | Awards Buildings, Mezzanine Floor, M-10 2nd December Road, Al Hudaibah Dubai, UAE |
| CONTACT DETAILS | +971 432 66677 [email protected] |
| SERVICES | Property Investigation, Real Estate Disputes, Transfer of Ownership, Owner and Resident Conflicts, Financial acquisitions, transactions, and portfolio management, Commercial and residential development, Property finance issues, Building agreements |
A full-service law firm with over 12 years of experience, Khouri Law Firm deals with both international and domestic clients in areas such as Family Law, Criminal Law, Corporate Law, and Property Law. Claiming that their experience is their strength, the firm promises clients the best preparation and strategy in order to win their suits.
When it comes to Property Law, many approach Khouri Law for help with real estate disputes, specifically rental disputes, which is one of the top legal disputes in the UAE. If you have an issue with an increase of rent, having trouble getting your deposit back, or unlawfully deprived of using a property you’re leasing, then the firm has extensive experience in dealing with these kinds of cases.
If you are a landlord dealing with issues with your tenants such as subletting your property without permission, massive damage to your property, and difficulty in collecting rent, Khouri Firm’s lawyers also deal with these issues regularly.
One of the things that really impressed us is that Khouri Law’s advocates speak several languages, including Arabic, English, Hindi, and Russian. This comes in useful in Property Law if you are in the business of real estate and constantly liaising with partners, buyers, and tenants of various nationalities.
Before you sign on with them, just be wary of some reviews on their failure to communicate with clients in the past. One of the most integral aspects of lawyer-client relationships is the ability to communicate on both ends.
Pros
- Offices in multiple UAE cities
- Practices International Law
- Multilingual lawyers
Cons
- Mixed reviews
- No free consultation
- No website chat support
Client Reviews
Ibrahim Khouri Law Firm has been given excellent feedback by previous clients.
Femar Soliguen, a former client, said: “I highly recommend them. They are the best lawyers in Dubai. Great service, well-experienced, and knowledgeable. They process the cases very well and give good advice that I am grateful for.”
Another client, Fleur Orchidee, said: “One of the best law firms in the UAE. Advisors with a high level of experience in the legal field.”
However, some clients were also unsatisfied with the service that they got.
Malik Dmour said :“One hearing appointment was missed. There was no update of the case status or explanation for the reasons of the judgement.”
Tips on Choosing Bookkeeping Services in Dubai
Set a budget but don’t skimp!
In choosing a lawyer or firm, it’s always best to hire one that’s reasonably within your means. But while we encourage you not to spend too much, don’t hire a lawyer just because he or she gave you the cheapest rates.
Look at their skills and expertise and ask about their experience in cases that are similar to yours. If you feel confident that a lawyer or firm can take on your case well, try to negotiate the rates and invest a little more if you must.
Check how they communicate with you.
As early as your first appointment with your potential lawyer, you can already tell how they’ll treat you as a client. See if they explain things well to you, if they come on time, and if they are organized—these little things matter.
Clarify how available the lawyer will be to tend to your case and how often you’ll get updates. It’s good to set expectations from the very beginning.
Ask about their track record.
Realistically speaking, you’ll want a lawyer who wins a lot. Also, check whether they have experience with dealing with cases similar to yours.
These may not guarantee your case 100% success, but a positive track record and prior experience with certain cases will increase your chances for a positive outcome.
FAQs on Property Lawyers in Dubai
Arrange your property’s legal documents, secure the proper licenses for your real estate business, and settle your property disputes successfully! We hope our list was helpful in your search for the best property lawyer in Dubai!
Can you recommend other excellent property lawyers in Dubai? Shoot us a message and let us know!
Dealing with properties also involves a lot of important documents you’ll have to see a notary public for. If you don’t know where to find one, check out our list of the best notary public services in Dubai!