UAE LOCATION

Find a Lawyer in Abu Dhabi

Looking for legal assistance in Abu Dhabi? LEXNOVA Legal Connect helps individuals and businesses describe their requirements and explore potentially suitable legal professionals from our network.

LAST REVIEWED 30 SEPTEMBER 2026

Researched and maintained by the LEXNOVA Content & Research Team · Editorial policy

Reviewed for legal accuracy by LEXNOVA's team of lawyers. General information only — not legal advice. LEXNOVA is not a law firm.

Find a Lawyer
Illustration of the Abu Dhabi skyline with a grand mosque silhouette and a red sun

The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department and its courts

Abu Dhabi runs its own local courts. The emirate is one of three, with Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah, that keep an independent local judiciary, and in Abu Dhabi that judiciary is the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD). Its own guide explains that, under Article 104 of the UAE Constitution, local judicial bodies decide every judicial matter the Constitution has not given to the federal judiciary.

A case can pass through three levels. It starts in a Court of First Instance, can usually be appealed to a Court of Appeal, and can then reach the Court of Cassation, the highest judicial body in the emirate. First-instance and appeal courts sit in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region; the Court of Cassation sits only in the capital. Law No. 23 of 2006 reorganised the Judicial Department and set up the emirate’s Public Prosecution.

Inside that structure ADJD runs specialised courts. The Abu Dhabi Commercial Court, set up in 2008, includes a bankruptcy chamber. The Abu Dhabi Labour Court, created by Decision No. 22 of 2018 and based in Mussafah, decides disputes between private-sector employers and workers, including government and semi-government companies and domestic workers. The Abu Dhabi Criminal Court was established in 2018. Dedicated chambers also hear contracting and construction, banking and finance, securities, insurance, intellectual property and child-visitation cases.

Family law runs on two tracks. The courts of first instance have personal status chambers, but most personal status cases, such as alimony, custody and fault-based divorce, cannot be filed there directly: they must first go to ADJD’s Family Guidance Department. Founded in 1998, it helps couples and parents reach a legally binding agreement on custody, visitation, maintenance and housing, and refers unresolved requests to the court. The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court, created in 2021 under Law No. 14 of 2021, decides family disputes of expatriates on civil, non-religious principles, and registers civil marriages and wills. Foreign lawyers can apply to join ADJD’s Roll of Foreign Lawyers to represent parties there. A separate guide explains how divorce works at the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court.

Many disputes meet a mediator before a judge. ADJD’s Reconciliation and Mediation Centres must first receive civil and commercial money claims below AED 10 million and family and civil disputes between spouses or relatives up to the fourth degree; government-party claims, urgent and interim matters, rental and labour cases, and personal status cases of Muslims are among the exceptions, although most personal status cases must still go to Family Guidance first. Cases are generally registered on the ADJD website, through law firms licensed by ADJD or at registered typing centres, and most hearings are held remotely by video.

Arabic is the official language of the courts, and ADJD arranges interpreters for parties who are not fluent in it. Its Judicial Support Sector receives lawyers’ registration applications and supervises their work, and its public services include a Legal Aid Office.

Police, prosecution, rental committees and the ADGM Courts

Criminal matters start with a report. Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022 on criminal procedure counts police officers among the judicial police officers who gather evidence, requires anyone who learns of a crime that the Public Prosecution can pursue on its own to report it to the prosecution or to such an officer, and sends those officers’ reports on to the prosecution. In Abu Dhabi that means Abu Dhabi Police and ADJD’s Public Prosecution, which investigates, refers a case to court or dismisses it, and argues it before the court. Abu Dhabi Police also offers a service through which disputing parties can ask its Social Support Centres to look into a problem and help them reach an amicable solution.

Landlord–tenant disputes have their own forum. The Rental Dispute Settlement Committees work under the ADJD umbrella and apply Law No. 20 of 2006, which regulates the relationship between landlords and tenants in the emirate. They consider rental disputes as a matter of urgency, together with interim applications from either side, and each committee has at least three judges: a chair and two members. The same law provides for an appeal committee.

Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the emirate’s international financial centre, is a separate jurisdiction with its own courts. The ADGM Courts have a Court of First Instance and a Court of Appeal, are modelled on the English judicial system, apply English common law directly and conduct all proceedings in English. Their Court of First Instance hears civil and commercial cases under ADGM’s own regulations and rules, together with any claim the parties ask it in writing to decide, but the ADGM Courts cannot hear criminal cases, family cases or disputes over estates and inheritance.

ADGM sets its own rules for work and arbitration too: the ADGM Employment Regulations 2024 have applied to ADGM-registered entities and their employees since 1 April 2025, and ADGM’s Arbitration Regulations 2015 are based on the UNCITRAL Model Law. If your matter sits inside the financial centre, finding a lawyer for an ADGM matter is the better starting point.

Common matters people bring in Abu Dhabi

ADJD describes its main caseload as commercial, employment, family, civil and criminal disputes, and rental disputes have committees of their own. Here is where each kind of Abu Dhabi matter starts, and where to go next on Legal Connect.

Employment. On the mainland, workers and employers can file a labour complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), which first tries to settle it amicably. MOHRE itself decides claims of up to AED 50,000, and either party can challenge that decision before the Court of Appeal within 15 working days of being notified of it. Disputes that MOHRE does not decide itself and cannot settle within 14 days of the application are referred to the competent court, here the Abu Dhabi Labour Court. See employment lawyers, or start from the situation: salary that has not been paid, a dismissal without a real reason or a gratuity your employer will not pay.

Family. Expatriates can use the Civil Family Court, which grants no-fault divorce to eligible applicants and applies joint custody after divorce unless a parent waives it or the court orders otherwise. Other family disputes are heard in the personal status chambers, and most of them, such as alimony, custody and fault-based divorce, must go to ADJD’s Family Guidance Department before they can be filed in court. See family lawyers, when an ex-partner is keeping you from your children and, after a death, whose law applies to an estate and wills and estates lawyers.

Tenancy. Onshore landlords and tenants take disputes to the Rental Dispute Settlement Committees, which apply Abu Dhabi’s own leasing law, Law No. 20 of 2006, so advice written for Dubai’s rental system does not carry across automatically. See tenancy and rental dispute lawyers, or a specific problem: a landlord trying to evict you, a rent increase you think is not allowed, a deposit that has not come back or, for landlords, a tenant who has stopped paying. Buying, selling and owning property is covered by real estate lawyers. The property guide for the two emirates sets out what changes when the property is in Abu Dhabi rather than Dubai.

Criminal matters. Arrests, police complaints and charges run through Abu Dhabi Police, the Public Prosecution and the ADJD criminal courts. See criminal lawyers, what happens after an arrest, a police complaint filed against you and finding out you have a travel ban.

Money and business disputes. Onshore, unpaid invoices, broken contracts and partner disputes go to the ADJD courts, including the Commercial Court and its specialised chambers, after compulsory mediation where the claim is below AED 10 million. A contract with an arbitration clause, or a written agreement to use the ADGM Courts, can point to a different forum; see arbitration lawyers. See debt recovery lawyers for a client who will not pay, litigation lawyers if you have been served with a court claim, and corporate and commercial lawyers for a dispute with a business partner. If a cheque you wrote has bounced, see what can happen after a bounced cheque. Disputes with banks and financial institutions have dedicated ADJD chambers; see banking and finance lawyers.

How matching works for an Abu Dhabi request

The Find a Lawyer button on this page opens the Legal Connect request form with Abu Dhabi already chosen as the location. The form has five short steps: the type of legal help, where the matter is, a brief description, how soon you need help, and your contact details. ADGM is listed as a location of its own, separate from Abu Dhabi, and a ‘Not Sure’ option covers both the location and the type of help if you cannot tell yet.

Once you submit, the team reviews the request. LEXNOVA Match™, our internal framework for reviewing requests, looks at your legal matter, practice area, location, jurisdiction, language, urgency and availability, whether you are an individual or a business, and relevant professional experience. Jurisdiction is one of the factors it weighs, so choose ADGM rather than Abu Dhabi on the form if your matter belongs to the financial centre. The framework informs a human reviewer and never picks the lawyer on its own; every potential match is checked by a person.

Write the description in general terms and leave anything confidential out of it; there is no budget question, and a preferred language or type of professional is optional. Only professionals who have joined the LEXNOVA network and been verified and authorised for publication are introduced, and it is that professional, not LEXNOVA, who gives advice, explains fees and decides whether to take the matter on. LEXNOVA is a lawyer-matching service, not a law firm.

Sources & legal basis

START YOUR REQUEST

Tell Us About Your Matter.

Abu Dhabi is already selected as the location, so begin with the type of legal help you need. LEXNOVA is a lawyer-matching service, not a law firm — any legal advice comes directly from the independent legal professional you are connected with.

Step 1 of 520%

What type of legal help are you looking for?

HOW LEXNOVA LEGAL CONNECT WORKS

Tell us what you need, we review your requirements against practice area, location, and language, and — where appropriate — help facilitate an introduction to a potentially suitable legal professional. The legal advice itself is always provided directly by that professional.

See the full process

FAQ

Overview & Eligibility

ADJD describes its main caseload as commercial, employment, family, civil and criminal disputes, and landlord–tenant disputes go to its Rental Dispute Settlement Committees. Some lawyers also practise before the ADGM Courts, which hear civil and commercial cases under the financial centre’s own regulations and rules. Describe what happened and we will consider which kind of lawyer fits.

Onshore courts belong to the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department: three levels (first instance, appeal and cassation) covering every matter not given to the federal courts. The ADGM Courts have two levels, are modelled on the English judicial system, work only in English, and hear civil and commercial cases under ADGM’s regulations and rules, or referred in writing by the parties.

No. The ADGM Courts cannot hear criminal, family, or estate and inheritance cases. Criminal cases run through Abu Dhabi Police, the Public Prosecution and the ADJD criminal courts; family cases go to ADJD, including its Civil Family Court. The ADGM Courts’ Notary Public and Wills Office does not handle probate: applications go to ADJD’s Wills and Probate Office.

A short dated timeline, your Emirates ID or passport, and the documents at the centre of the matter: the contract, lease or employment contract, invoices and correspondence. Add any reference numbers from MOHRE, Abu Dhabi Police, a rental committee or the courts, and note which court or authority is already involved.

Yes. The form lets you pick Arabic, English, Russian, French, Hindi, Urdu or another language as a preference, and you can describe any sector knowledge you need, such as construction or banking. Preferences are considered in the review but do not guarantee availability. The ADGM Courts conduct all proceedings in English.

Several. ADJD’s Reconciliation and Mediation Centres handle many civil, commercial and family disputes before they reach court, and its Family Guidance Department helps families reach binding agreements. MOHRE first tries to settle labour complaints amicably. For arbitration, ADGM’s Arbitration Regulations 2015 are based on the UNCITRAL Model Law, and ADGM’s Dispute Resolution Hearing Centre is open to any party.

For the onshore courts, ADJD’s Judicial Support Sector receives lawyers’ registration applications and supervises their work, so check that your lawyer is registered with ADJD. Foreign lawyers on ADJD’s Roll of Foreign Lawyers can represent parties before the Civil Family Court. The ADGM Courts have no registration system as a condition of a right of audience.

English. The ADGM Courts conduct all proceedings in English and require all documents to be submitted in English, so anything in another language needs an English version. Hearings are open to the public, and the courts’ regulations allow sittings to take place anywhere in the world, including by video conference.

Experience in the forum your matter is actually in: an ADJD court or chamber, a rental committee, the Civil Family Court or the ADGM Courts. Ask which similar matters they have handled there, who will do the work, which languages they work in and how fees are charged. For onshore court work, confirm that they are registered with ADJD.

Onshore, at the Rental Dispute Settlement Committees of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department. They apply Law No. 20 of 2006, consider rental disputes as a matter of urgency and can decide interim applications from either side. Each committee has at least three judges. Bring the lease, payment records and any notices to a lawyer.

On the mainland, workers and employers file with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), through its website or app. MOHRE tries to settle the dispute and itself decides claims of up to AED 50,000, subject to a court challenge within 15 working days. Other unsettled disputes go to the Abu Dhabi Labour Court in Mussafah.

Possibly. The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court grants no-fault divorce at one spouse’s request, without proof of fault or harm. ADJD’s published criteria refer to residence in Abu Dhabi, a marriage concluded through the Civil Family Court, and both spouses being citizens of countries that do not apply sharia law to personal status. A lawyer can confirm eligibility.

To Abu Dhabi Police or directly to the Public Prosecution. Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022 treats police officers as judicial police officers, requires crimes the prosecution can pursue on its own to be reported to either, and sends police reports to the prosecution, which investigates and decides whether the case goes to court.

Possibly. Since changes to ADGM’s founding law announced in 2020, parties can select the ADGM Courts even without any connection to ADGM, by asking in writing for the Court of First Instance to decide their dispute. Proceedings are conducted in English, in courts modelled on the English judicial system, and criminal, family and inheritance cases are excluded.

Non-UAE citizens, whatever their religion, can register a civil will under Law No. 14 of 2021, and ADJD offers an English–Arabic template; a civil will must be registered to be legally valid. If an expatriate covered by that law dies without one, leaving a spouse and children, the spouse takes half and the children share the rest equally.

Through ADJD’s Family Guidance Department, which helps families reach a legally binding agreement on matters such as custody, visitation, child support, housing and spousal maintenance, with sessions by video call. For most personal status cases, such as alimony, custody and fault-based divorce, Family Guidance is mandatory before a court case can be filed; unresolved requests go to court.

Civil and commercial money claims below AED 10 million, and family and civil disputes between spouses or relatives up to the fourth degree, must first go to ADJD’s Reconciliation and Mediation Centres. Government-party claims, urgent and interim matters, rental and labour cases, and Muslims’ personal status cases are exempt, though most personal status cases need Family Guidance first.

Yes. Arabic is the official language of the courts, but ADJD arranges interpretation in most languages, including sign language, and you can request an interpreter before the hearing date. Interpretation costs AED 100 an hour, and labour and criminal cases are exempt. Most hearings are held remotely, so you usually receive a video link.

Each lawyer or firm sets its own fees. Before you engage anyone, ask in writing whether the fee is fixed, hourly or staged, and what it covers. Court fees are separate: ADJD applies the Abu Dhabi Judicial Fees Law, tells you the fee when you register a case, and exempts some cases, such as alimony, labour and family cases.

There is no fixed timetable, and nobody can honestly promise one. A case can pass through first instance, appeal and cassation, and each stage adds time. ADJD has created specialised chambers partly to speed up the settlement of cases. Ask the lawyer you instruct for a realistic estimate for your court and stage.

How LEXNOVA Works

You describe your matter in a five-step form, which opens with Abu Dhabi already selected when you start from this page; ADGM is a separate choice. A person reviews the request and, where a potentially suitable professional from our network exists, we help facilitate an introduction. LEXNOVA is a lawyer-matching service, not a law firm.

No. LEXNOVA is a lawyer-matching service. It does not give legal advice, represent anyone, or appear before the Abu Dhabi courts, the ADGM Courts or any committee, and the request form asks you to confirm that you understand this before you submit. Advice, representation and fees are agreed directly between you and the independent professional you are introduced to.

LEXNOVA Match™, our internal review framework, weighs your practice area, jurisdiction, location, relevant experience, language, availability and whether you are an individual or a business. Pick ADGM on the form for a financial-centre matter. The framework only informs a reviewer’s judgement; it never chooses the lawyer, and every potential match is checked by a person.

The team reviews what you sent, including the location you chose, Abu Dhabi or ADGM, and, where appropriate, identifies potentially suitable professionals from the network; every potential match is reviewed by a person. If there is a fit, we help facilitate an introduction, and the professional discusses your matter, fees and whether they can assist directly with you.

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ELSE?

View all practice areas

LEXNOVA is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, legal opinions, legal representation, or legal services. Any legal advice or representation is provided directly by the independent legal professional engaged by the client.

A connection or introduction does not constitute a guarantee, endorsement, or assurance of outcome. Users should independently confirm the professional's qualifications, authorization, fees, scope of engagement, and suitability.