Family Business

Family-owned businesses represent a large part of the UAE business community and contribute significantly to the growth of the economy of the UAE and the GCC. Many of these businesses have grown quickly with wide-ranging and often very ambitious investment goals and opportunities at their disposal.  The logical plan for many is to expand across the Middle East and into the international arena.

For many years, Hadef & Partners has been, and continues to be, the trusted adviser to many of the largest and most successful family businesses in the UAE and the GCC, supporting their diversification into major sectors. We have helped guide and advise many of these companies throughout the entire lifecycle of their businesses, attending to their structuring and expansion needs, and navigating them through some of the challenges of succession planning to unlock their potential for growth.

Drawing on a combination of local and international expertise, our clients have access to over 35 years of knowledge and best practice that ensures any legal structuring or transition is a seamless process. Hadef & Partners has devised innovative corporate structures which enable UAE and GCC families to achieve their objectives, such as enabling and facilitating a smooth succession between current and future generations of bloodline family members without negatively affecting the performance and success of the business of the operating companies.

Our team consists of experienced corporate, commercial, banking and regulatory lawyers in addition to litigators who have full rights of audience in all UAE courts and tribunals.

We offer a comprehensive, entry to exit service which includes advising on:

  • Family corporate structuring and restructuring including corporate structuring options
  • the assessment of the main objectives of the family restructuring
  • the preparation and review of any family protocol documentation
  • DIFC and trust related matters in connection with the family restructuring
  • Shariah Law aspects which may be relevant to the family restructuring
  • corporate governance systems
  • succession planning
  • shareholder and management disputes
  • changes to ownership and management structures
  • shareholder rights issues and director’s duties
  • regulatory strategies and compliance
  • formation of legal entities
  • commercial joint ventures, agencies, sponsorship and related arrangements
  • UAE corporate laws and regulations

  • “Hadef & Partners is a professional firm to deal with on the other side of transactions, and practical and commercial in negotiations.”

    Legal 500, 2023

  • “Hadef & Partners is a business partner to clients rather than a service provider. They understand clients’ businesses very well and they appreciate the business relationship.”

    Legal 500, 2023

  • “The team is knowledgeable about local laws and delivered thoughtful advice in the context of our broader global transaction.”

    Chambers Global, 2023

  • “They're professional lawyers with deep knowledge of the law and local sensitivities.”

    Chambers Global, 2023

  • “Hadef & Partners is a one stop shop firm with deep knowledge of the local market.” “The team has good connections and expertise with a business mentality which help clients to achieve good results.”

    Legal 500, 2022

  • “Superior service and responsiveness as well as its business-oriented, practical advice.”

    Chambers Global, 2022

  • “very commercially aware of what's happening in the marketplace and plugged in on legislative changes.”

    Chambers Global, 2022

  • “Top-class lawyers with deep knowledge in local laws, regulations and culture.”

    Chambers Global, 2022

  • Clients praise Hadef & Partners' “extremely wide-ranging and extensive knowledge in the international field,” pointing to the firm as a “stellar leader in the legal field in the UAE.”

    Chambers Global, 2022

  • ‘The Hadef team handling our company profile are professionals, have the needed business mentality, prompt and always bring great results on time.’

    Legal 500, 2021

  • Hadef & Partners continues to be a leading UAE independent firm with particular expertise in thorny questions of 'onshore' UAE law.

    Legal 500, 2021

  • Hadef & Partners continues to be a leading UAE independent firm with particular expertise in thorny questions of 'onshore' UAE law.

    Legal 500, 2021

  • Leading domestic firm with considerable longevity and depth of experience throughout the UAE.

    Chambers Global, 2021

  • Interviewees describe Hadef as "one of the go-to offices for international law firms who don't have a presence in the region," with clients adding that working with the firm is "a very positive experience."

    Chambers Global, 2021

  • One client enthused: “They take great pains to understand our requirements. They're always accessible and explain their opinion well.” Another client stated of the firm: “They're good-quality people, from the managing partner down.”

    Chambers Global, 2020

  • “They cover absolutely everything in a very timely manner. You cannot get a more dedicated, brilliant firm.” Another source commented: “They are our good friends, we trust them and they're always there for us.”

    Chambers Global, 2019

  • “A ‘top-class law firm’ for UAE corporate matters, Hadef & Partners LLC ‘knows the market, the law and the regulations, and is well-connected with the authorities’.”

    Legal 500, 2018

  • “Sources praise the team's local expertise, commenting: ‘They have local knowledge of the region, combined with very strong legal skills and provide sound advice’.”

    Chambers Global, 2018

  • “Peers commend Hadef & Partners as ‘one of the premier local law firms’.”

    Chambers Global, 2017

  • “Clients describe the team's members as ‘first class - very proactive, with superb areas of expertise’.”

    Chambers Global, 2017

  • Clients say "They are pragmatic, can-do lawyers."

    Chambers Global 2015

  • This well-established local firm represents a large stable of domestic as well as international clients, across a range of transactional and advisory instructions.

    Chambers Global 2013

  • Finalist for Regional Law Firm of the Year 2022

    Finalist for Regional Law Firm of the Year 2022

    By : The Middle East Legal Awards

  • Shortlisted for Corporate/Commercial & Commercial Contracts Law Firm of the Year 2022

    Shortlisted for Corporate/Commercial & Commercial Contracts Law Firm of the Year 2022

    By : Chambers Middle East Awards

  • Winner for Managing Partner of the Year

    Winner - Managing Partner of the Year 2020

    By : IFLR Middle East Awards

    Lawyer :Dr. Faraj Ahnish

  • Honourable mention for Regional Law Firm of the Year 2019

    Honourable mention for Regional Law Firm of the Year 2019

    By : The Oath Middle East Legal Awards

  • Highly regarded for Regional Law Firm of the Year 2019

    Highly regarded for Regional Law Firm of the Year 2019

    By : The Middle East Legal Awards

  • GAR100 Selected Firm 2019

    GAR100 Selected Firm 2019

    By : Global Arbitration Review – GAR

  • Shortlisted for Regional Law Firm of the Year – Large Practice 2018

    Shortlisted for Regional Law Firm of the Year – Large Practice 2018

    By : The Middle East Legal Awards

  • GAR100 Selected Firm 2018

    GAR100 Selected Firm 2018

    By : Global Arbitration Review – GAR

  • Corporate Team of the Year 2017, The Middle East Legal Awards

    Corporate Team of the Year 2017

    By : The Middle East Legal Awards

  • Shortlisted for Regional Law Firm of the Year 2016

    Shortlisted for Regional Law Firm of the Year 2016

    By : The Oath Middle East Legal Awards

  • Most Responsive Domestic Firm in the UAE 2016

    Most Responsive Domestic Firm in the UAE 2016

    By : Asian-MENA Counsel – In-House Community Survey

  • Middle East Law Firm of the Year 2016

    Middle East Law Firm of the Year 2016

    By : Corporate Counsel Middle East Awards

  • Shortlisted as Regional Law Firm of the Year 2015

    Shortlisted as Regional Law Firm of the Year 2015

    By : The Oath Middle East Legal Awards

  • Shortlisted for Project Finance Deal of the Year 2015

    By : IFLR MIDDLE EAST AWARDS

    Lawyer :

  • Most Responsive Domestic Firm in the UAE 2015

    By : Asian MENA Counsel In-house Survey

  • Highly Commended for Middle East Law firm of the Year 2015

    By : Corporate Counsel Middle East Awards

  • Middle East Water Deal of the Year 2014

    for Mirfa IWPP

    By : IJ Global Awards

  • Recognised as leading lawyer 2015

    By : IFLR 1000 2015

    Lawyer :Alan Rodgers

Key Contacts