What is Al Tamimi & Company (UAE law firm)?

Al Tamimi and Company: What You Should Know

If you're researching Al Tamimi and Company because you've been referred to them, or you're weighing your options among UAE law firms, here's a plain-English breakdown of who they are and what they do. No fluff, no marketing spin.

Quick answer

Al Tamimi and Company is the largest law firm in the Middle East, headquartered in Dubai with 17 offices across nine countries. Founded in 1989 by Essam Al Tamimi, the firm handles corporate, litigation, real estate, employment, banking, IP, and dispute resolution work across the region. They're a full-service firm, not a boutique — meaning they cover most practice areas you'd need for business or personal legal matters in the UAE, from DIFC company setup to family disputes.

Who they are

Al Tamimi and Company started in Dubai in 1989. It's grown into the largest law firm in the region, with offices in the UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah), plus Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt. ^[1]

The firm employs over 450 lawyers. It's the go-to for cross-border corporate work in the GCC — mergers, capital markets, project finance, that sort of thing. But they also run substantial disputes, employment, and family practices.

Honestly, if you're a multinational entering the UAE market, they're on the shortlist almost by default. For smaller matters, they may or may not be the right fit — more on that below.

What they actually handle

Al Tamimi and Company organises around practice groups. The main ones:

• Corporate and Commercial — M&A, JVs, company formation onshore and in free zones (DIFC, ADGM, DMCC)
• Litigation — civil, commercial, criminal appearances in UAE courts, arbitration under DIAC and ICC rules
• Real Estate — off-plan disputes, RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Agency) matters, developer disputes
• Banking and Finance — Islamic finance, syndicated lending, regulatory work with the Central Bank
• Employment — MOHRE (Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation) disputes, DIFC and ADGM employment law
• Family Business and Private Client — succession, wills registered at DIFC Wills Service Centre, family governance
• IP — trademark filings with the UAE Ministry of Economy, enforcement
• Tax — VAT and corporate tax under Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022

They're also known for regulatory work with the DFSA (Dubai Financial Services Authority) inside DIFC and the FSRA in ADGM.

Fees and when they make sense

Al Tamimi and Company is not cheap. Frankly, they're at the higher end of the UAE market — hourly rates for partners typically sit between AED 3,500 and AED 6,500, with associates ranging from AED 1,200 to AED 2,800 depending on seniority and practice group. These aren't published rates; they're indicative of the top-tier UAE market as of 2024–2025.

They make sense when:

• Your matter is complex, cross-border, or high-value
• You need regulatory sign-off from the DFSA, FSRA, SCA (Securities and Commodities Authority), or Central Bank
• The other side has hired a top-tier firm and you can't be outgunned
• You're a fund, listed company, or multinational with recurring UAE work

They may be overkill when:

• You have a straightforward Ejari (Dubai tenancy registration) dispute at the Rental Dispute Centre
• Your labour claim at MOHRE is under AED 100,000 and factually simple
• You need a basic will or POA
• Your matter is a traffic file or a simple criminal complaint

That's not a knock on the firm — it's about matching cost to complexity. Most people get this wrong and either overpay for a Ferrari to buy groceries, or underpay and lose a case that mattered.

How to engage them

You reach out via their website (tamimi.com) or through a referral. Expect an initial conflict check — standard at any large firm — then a scoping call. For litigation, they'll want copies of the underlying documents (contracts, court filings, correspondence) before quoting.

Engagement letters at Al Tamimi and Company will typically specify:

• Scope of work
• Fee basis (hourly, fixed, or capped)
• Disbursements (court fees, translation, expert witnesses)
• The partner supervising your file

UAE court fees are separate and can be significant — Dubai Courts charge 6% of the claim value for civil cases, capped at AED 40,000 under the current fee schedule. ^[2] That's on top of legal fees.

Watch out: For any UAE court litigation, all documents must be translated into Arabic by a Ministry of Justice–certified legal translator. Translation costs for a document-heavy file can easily hit AED 15,000–50,000. Ask upfront whether this is included in the quote.

Alternatives worth knowing

Al Tamimi and Company is one option among several full-service regional firms. Others in the same tier include Hadef & Partners, Al Sharif Advocates, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem, and international firms with strong UAE benches (Clifford Chance, Baker McKenzie, Dentons, Herbert Smith Freehills).

For lower-cost work, mid-sized UAE firms and licensed sole practitioners often deliver strong results on routine matters — MOHRE labour claims, rental disputes, family court files, minor criminal complaints. The UAE lawyer directory maintained by the Ministry of Justice lists all licensed advocates. ^[3]

Choose based on the matter, not the letterhead.

Need this checked for your situation? Talk to a UAE-licensed lawyer →

---