Habib Al Mulla & Partners

Habib Al Mulla & Partners is one of the UAE's most prominent law firms, founded in Dubai in 1984 by Dr. Habib Al Mulla, one of the country's best-known legal figures. The firm merged with global giant Baker & McKenzie in 2013, operating for nearly a decade as Baker McKenzie Habib Al Mulla, before the two parted ways and the practice relaunched as the independent Habib Al Mulla & Partners in 2023. Today it runs a multi-office network headquartered at O14 Tower in Business Bay, Dubai, with offices in Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Moscow, Baghdad, Cairo and — since 2025 — New Delhi.

For property owners, investors, developers and contractors, the firm's Construction & Real Estate practice is the relevant entry point. On the transactional side it handles contract drafting and vetting for sale and purchase agreements, sale and purchase management, due diligence research on Dubai property acquisitions, property registration to secure ownership rights, and leasing work from drafting lease agreements through to resolving landlord-tenant disputes. The practice also advises on zoning and land use compliance and on corporate structuring for property ownership — a frequent need for foreign investors weighing freehold, free zone and offshore holding options. Its client base spans developers, subcontractors, investors and Islamic banks, both domestic and international, and the firm highlights its grasp of the multi-jurisdictional laws regulating property ownership across the different Emirates and free zones.

Where Habib Al Mulla particularly stands out is contentious work. Litigation and arbitration sit at the heart of the firm's identity — its local-law litigation strength was a key reason for the original Baker McKenzie tie-up — and the construction and real estate team resolves disputes through negotiation, arbitration and litigation, including complex construction claims for contractors and developers. Beyond real estate, the firm covers 17 practice areas including banking and finance, corporate and commercial, employment, tax, compliance and investigations, and blockchain and cryptocurrency, and it operates private notary services alongside the Habib Al Mulla Academy for legal training.

Key Services

• Real estate sale & purchase — contract drafting, vetting and transaction management
• Due diligence on Dubai property acquisitions
• Property registration and ownership protection
• Lease drafting and landlord-tenant dispute resolution
• Zoning, land use and regulatory compliance
• Corporate structuring for property ownership
• Construction contracts — drafting, assessment and compliance
• Construction and real estate disputes — negotiation, arbitration, litigation

Why Habib Al Mulla Matters for Dubai Property Clients

Dubai real estate disputes ultimately run through UAE courts or arbitration seated in the UAE, and the firms with the deepest local-law litigation benches have a structural advantage there. Habib Al Mulla's four decades in the market, its founder's standing in UAE legal circles, and the international platform rebuilt since the 2023 relaunch make it a natural shortlist candidate for high-value property transactions, off-plan disputes, construction claims and investment structuring where both local-law depth and cross-border capability matter. The firm serves both domestic and international clients across sectors from financial institutions to energy, technology and transport, which is reflected in how it structures property mandates for institutional owners. The Dubai office is on the 14th floor of O14 Tower, Al Abraj Street, Business Bay, reachable on +971 4 423 0000 or [email protected].