Buying or merging with a business means taking on whatever it owns and whatever it owes. The legal work in a merger or acquisition is mostly about finding out which is which before you sign, and making sure the deal documents reflect it.
BR Law Firm ( Office of Hassan Tamim Advocates & Legal Consultants ) advises buyers, sellers and investors on mergers and acquisitions in Dubai and across the UAE, including cross-border deals. Clients range from start-ups to multinational corporations, in both the private and public sectors. The firm has more than 38 years of practice in the UAE.
What an M&A Lawyer in Dubai Does
- Due diligence. Checking the legal, financial and business information the other side has shared, so you know what you're actually buying.
- Negotiating the deal. Representing you on price mechanics, warranties and the terms that decide who carries which risk.
- Drafting the documents. Preparing and reviewing the transaction documents and filing what's needed with the relevant authorities.
- Regulatory approvals. Making sure the transaction has the local, and where relevant international, approvals it needs.
- Integration. Handling the legal side of bringing the two businesses together once the deal completes.
How a Deal Usually Runs
- Initial terms. The parties agree the outline of the deal, usually in heads of terms or a letter of intent.
- Due diligence. The buyer's advisers review the target's contracts, liabilities, disputes, employees and licences.
- Negotiation and documents. What diligence turns up shapes the price, the warranties and the protections in the final agreement.
- Approvals. Regulatory and third-party consents are obtained.
- Completion. Ownership transfers and the price is paid.
- Integration. Contracts, staff and licences are brought across into the new structure.
Buying Shares or Buying Assets?
It's one of the first structural choices, and it decides what comes with the business.
| Share purchase | Asset purchase | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | The company itself, with everything it holds | The specific assets you choose |
| Liabilities | Come with the company | Can be left behind |
| Complexity | Simpler to execute | More complex, since assets and contracts move individually |
Neither is better in the abstract. The right choice depends on what diligence finds and what the seller will accept.
What Due Diligence Should Cover
At a minimum: what the target owns, what it owes, the contracts it's party to, any disputes, its employees and its licences, plus anything that hasn't been disclosed.
Two problems turn up late more often than any others. The first is disputes nobody mentioned. The second is contracts that end automatically when ownership changes. Both are avoidable if diligence looks for them specifically.
How Long a Transaction Takes
It depends on the size of the deal and how organised the target's records are. Poor record-keeping is what usually causes delay, so a seller who prepares early saves everyone time.
What It Costs
Consultation fee: AED 1,050 to AED 5,250, depending on the nature and complexity of the consultation. Transaction work is quoted separately according to the size and scope of the deal. Government and registration fees are separate from legal fees.
For related work, see our corporate lawyers in Dubai, investor agreements and setting up a business in Dubai. To discuss a deal, call +971 54 454 3909 or email info@brlawfirm.ae.
Reviewed by the corporate team at BR Law Firm ( Office of Hassan Tamim Advocates & Legal Consultants ). Last updated September 2026.
