A New Decade, A New Era In Dispute Resolution In Dubai

Five years since their establishment, the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts have become a prominent feature of the legal landscape in Dubai. This article explores the ground breaking developments and major issues that have dominated the DIFC Courts agenda during the past year.

The DIFC is the world's fastest growing international financial centre. The brainchild of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE, Ruler of Dubai, the DIFC stands today as the embodiment of his vision to establish a gateway to financial markets in the Middle East. The establishment of the DIFC Courts was seen as pivotal to the development of the DIFC as a global financial centre and to date has played a critical role in attracting business to the DIFC, and therefore to Dubai. The laws establishing the DIFC Courts are designed to ensure the highest international standards of legal procedure, which in turn creates a legal and