Company formation and shareholder disputes in the UAE

What we cover in the UAE

CounselO Legal advises founders, shareholders and international groups on selecting, forming and operating UAE entities. The analysis distinguishes mainland companies from free-zone entities and financial free-zone vehicles, then addresses governance, beneficial ownership, commercial registration and shareholder risk under the applicable framework.

• LLCs, branches and holding structures

  We assess the activity, founders, capital and management arrangements, then prepare or review formation documents and identify the registration and approval steps.

• Free-zone and mainland setup

  We compare the proposed activity, ownership, premises and operating footprint across mainland and free-zone options, then prepare a setup assessment and formation-document checklist.

• Shareholders’ agreements and joint ventures

  We draft terms for contributions, voting, information rights and transfers, and review the approvals and company records needed to document an ownership change.

• Board, manager and director duties

  We examine constitutional documents, delegations and proposed decisions to clarify authority, conflicts and approvals, and prepare resolutions or governance recommendations.

• M&A, reorganisations and exits

  We review ownership, liabilities, approvals and transaction conditions, organise legal due diligence and draft the agreed acquisition, reorganisation or exit documents.

• UBO and corporate-record compliance

  We trace the ownership and control structure against company records, identify inconsistencies and prepare the resolutions, disclosures or corrections needed for the agreed compliance review.