Deadlock, a partner suing you, minority oppression or a director who will not go: company documents decide most disputes, and we read them the way a court would.
Tell us what is happening in your own words. We will explain where you stand and what the sensible next step is.
If you are in a dispute with a business partner, a co-shareholder or a fellow director, a shareholder dispute lawyer in Dubai can tell you where you stand before you take a step that is hard to undo. MBM advises majority and minority shareholders, partners, directors and joint venture partners, and we start from the company's own documents, because they decide most of these disputes. Your first consultation is free and confidential. You do not have to work this out alone: we take the legal work off your shoulders, explain each step in plain English and make sure you always know where the matter stands.
Pick the situation that is closest to yours. Each card says what we look at first.
A business partner or co-shareholder has started a claim against you. First we check: what the claim says, who filed it and where, and the date you received it. See first steps when you are being sued, or talk to us about a claim against you.
You are regularly outvoted, left out of decisions or refused information about the company. First we check: your rights under the articles and any shareholder agreement, the voting record and what you have been refused. See minority shareholder oppression, or talk to us about being outvoted.
Two equal partners cannot agree and the business is stuck. First we check: any deadlock or buy-out clause, how decisions are meant to be made and what the business needs to keep running. See deadlock, or talk to us about a deadlock.
You want someone out, or someone wants you out. First we check: who appoints and removes directors under the documents, the votes needed and the conduct relied on. See how to remove a business partner or director, or talk to us about a removal.
The JV is not working and the partners disagree about money, control or the way out. First we check: the JV agreement, the funding and governance terms and the exit and dispute clauses. See joint venture disputes, or talk to us about a JV.
You want to leave, or you are being pushed out, and the terms are in dispute. First we check: the transfer and pre-emption terms, how shares are to be valued and what each side has said in writing. See exit disputes, or talk to us about an exit.
A disagreement about a director's conduct, authority or position. First we check: the appointment terms, the board minutes and what powers were actually used. See director disputes, or talk to us about a director.
A disagreement between owners, managers and the company that does not fit the boxes above. First we check: who the parties are, which documents bind them and what you want to achieve. Talk to us about your dispute.
UAE companies operate within the Commercial Companies Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021), which sets out shareholder rights, governance mechanics and minority-protection principles. But most shareholder and partnership disputes turn on the company's own memorandum and articles of association and on any separate shareholder or partnership agreement. These documents typically govern exit, deadlock, valuation and dispute resolution in more specific terms than the statute itself.
Whether a dispute is heard in court or in arbitration depends on what those documents provide. No two companies are alike, and the options open to you depend on the type of company, what its documents say and what has actually happened, so we do not promise a remedy in advance. This page describes the general framework. It is not advice on your dispute.
| Dispute | What usually decides it | Where it is usually decided |
|---|---|---|
| Deadlock between equal partners | Any deadlock or buy-out clause in the agreement, then negotiation | Negotiation first, then arbitration or the courts, depending on the dispute clause |
| Minority shareholder outvoted or excluded | The articles, any shareholder agreement and the minority protections in the Commercial Companies Law | Court or arbitration, depending on the documents |
| Removing a director or manager | The articles, shareholder resolutions and the process the documents set out | The company's own process first; a contested removal may go to court or arbitration |
| Shareholder exit | The transfer and valuation terms and whether the other shareholders agree | By agreement where possible; otherwise the forum the documents name |
| Joint venture breakdown | The JV agreement: governance, funding, exit and deadlock terms | Arbitration or court, as the JV agreement provides |
| A claim already filed against you | The claim itself and the documents it relies on | The court or tribunal where the claim was filed |
Most disputes between owners fall into one of the situations below, and this is the range of matters MBM advises on. If yours is not listed, it is still worth a call, because many disputes are a mix of two or three.
Disagreements between shareholders about strategy, distributions, management or the direction of the company.
What we handle:
People often search "company oppression of minority shareholder UAE" when they are being consistently outvoted, excluded from decisions or denied information. Whether it gives rise to a claim depends on what the company's documents and the Commercial Companies Law provide, and on the facts, so we look at the record before we advise on options.
What we handle:
The typical case is deadlock: two equal partners cannot agree and the business cannot be run effectively. The first place to look is the agreement: a deadlock or buy-out clause, or a dispute resolution step, may already show the way through. As we understand it, Federal Decree-Law 20/2025 (an amendment to the Commercial Companies Law) allows the licensing authority to appoint independent directors for up to one year to break a deadlock, and adds drag and tag rights.
What we handle:
These disputes are about a director's conduct, authority or position, whether you are seeking a removal or defending against one. If you have searched for a "director removal lawyer Dubai", the first thing to check is whether the process in the documents was followed, because a removal that skips a step may be open to challenge.
What we handle:
We look at what the JV agreement actually says about control, funding, deadlock and exit, and at what has happened between the partners. JV disputes are often arbitration matters, so the dispute clause matters early.
What we handle:
We advise where the terms, valuation or mechanics of a shareholder's exit are in dispute, whether the exit is wanted or forced. Exit generally runs through a share transfer, a buy-out or, in some cases, a restructuring, depending on what the documents allow and whether the other shareholders agree.
What we handle:
In a dispute with a partner, co-shareholder or director in Dubai? Send us the company documents and we will tell you where you stand. Your first consultation is free.
If a business partner is suing you, the most useful thing you can do is stop, read the claim and have it reviewed against the company documents before you answer. When a business partner is taking you to court in Dubai it is natural to react quickly, and a rushed reply or a unilateral move can weaken a position that was stronger than it felt.
Write down when and how you received the claim, and whether it came from a court, an arbitral institution or the other side directly. Papers from a court or tribunal carry deadlines for a response, and they can be short, so do not wait to find out.
Gather the memorandum and articles, any shareholder or partnership agreement, resolutions and minutes, and the accounts. Include side letters and amendments.
We read what is alleged, on what basis and in which forum, and whether the dispute clause means the claim has been filed in the right place. If the claim is in court, see our page on civil litigation.
Agree who can sign, who can access the bank accounts and how day-to-day decisions are made while the dispute runs. Avoid unilateral moves that the other side can point to.
Defend, counterclaim, negotiate, or a mix. Many disputes settle once each side understands its actual legal position.
If you have searched "my business partner is suing me Dubai", this is probably your first question. Often it can, but it depends on what the documents say and what each side wants, and no outcome is guaranteed. A settlement can be reached at any stage if both sides are willing. First we check: whether the agreement has a negotiation or dispute resolution step you should follow, and what a settlement would have to cover (price, control, release of claims).
Behind a search such as "business partner taking me to court Dubai" there is usually a more useful question: is the court the right place at all? The shareholder or partnership agreement may send the dispute to arbitration instead, and that can change how you respond. First we check: the dispute clause, the forum named on the papers and who has signed or served them. See also civil litigation and arbitration.
What not to do. Do not withdraw company funds, lock your partner out of systems or accounts, transfer assets or sign commitments the other side has not agreed. Do not delete messages or files. These steps can turn a dispute you could defend into one that is much harder to explain.
How to remove a business partner in Dubai depends first on whether everyone agrees, and second on what the company's documents say about who can remove whom and how. Do not assume that a majority vote alone is enough, or that a partner can simply be pushed out: the answer depends on the type of company and its documents.
An agreed exit or removal is the simplest route. It usually means a written agreement on the price and terms, shareholder or partner resolutions, a share transfer or other change to the ownership, and recording the change in the company's registered documents where that is required. A voluntary exit is completed by a partners' resolution and an amendment to the licence with the licensing authority. We draft and check each step so that the exit closes the dispute and does not leave a new one behind.
A contested removal needs a closer look. As we understand it, the Commercial Companies Law is silent on expelling a partner from an LLC, and courts fall back on Civil Transactions Law principles and have differed, which is one reason the documents matter so much. We check the grounds relied on, whether the process in the articles was followed, what the other side is likely to say and which forum would decide it. Sometimes the strongest option is a negotiated buy-out rather than a fight about removal, and a clear shareholder agreement would have prevented many of these disputes.
The articles and the shareholder resolutions usually say who can appoint and remove a director or manager and by what vote. If a removal is wanted, we check that the process was followed. If a removal is threatened against you, we check the same thing from the other side. See also corporate and commercial law for how company governance fits together.
The dispute clause in your documents usually decides whether a shareholder dispute goes to court or to arbitration, so check it before anything is filed. Many corporate agreements include an arbitration clause, and if yours does, the dispute proceeds there and not before the ordinary courts. Where the documents are silent, the court with jurisdiction over the company decides.
| Forum | When it is likely to apply | What to look at |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai Courts | Where the documents name the courts, or say nothing about arbitration | The claim form, the company's licence and any jurisdiction clause. See civil litigation |
| Arbitration | Where the shareholder, partnership or JV agreement has an arbitration clause | The wording of the clause, the seat and the rules. See arbitration |
| Negotiation or mediation | At any stage, and often the most cost-effective route | What each side really needs and what the documents already provide |
| Licensing and registration authorities | When a change to ownership, management or registered details has to be recorded | What the authority requires for the change |
A company based in a financial centre or a free zone may have its own rules and its own forum. If that may apply to you, we explain it at the first consultation. MBM acts for companies in free zones, the DIFC and the ADGM, and for matters before the DIFC Courts; for the court route in the financial centre, see DIFC Courts matters. We explain which forum applies and why before any step is taken, because starting in the wrong place wastes time and money.
Every dispute starts with a conversation, and we agree the scope and fee in writing before paid work begins. These are the steps in the order they usually happen.
You tell us what has happened and we ask what the documents say. We give you a first view of your position, in plain English. The first consultation is free and confidential.
We read the memorandum, articles, agreements, resolutions and the record of how decisions were made. This usually decides which remedies are open.
We set out the realistic options, the forum, the steps and the fee, in writing, before paid work begins.
Where a commercial settlement is realistic, we pursue it first, and we tell you plainly when it is not.
Where the matter proceeds, we prepare and present the case in whichever forum the documents specify. Litigation and arbitration are handled by the same team.
A settlement, an award or a judgment is only the end of the dispute once the changes are made: transfers, resolutions, payments and registered records.
You do not need any of this to call us, but having it ready makes the first conversation more useful. Photographs sent by WhatsApp are fine.
Shareholder and partnership disputes are decided on the documents and the governance record, so what matters is a team that reads them closely from the start.
Rated 4.9 on Google reviews. MBM is a founder-led team under Mohamed Badr, who has 17 years of legal experience, with litigation and arbitration handled by the same team and offices in Dubai and Sharjah. Founder-led means your matter is not handed down a long line, and you will always know where it stands. MBM works with group companies in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and the Gulf, which helps when a matter has an international side. That is useful when a partner, an investor or a parent company sits outside the UAE.
MBM advises majority and minority shareholders, partners and directors, though never both sides of the same matter. That gives us a practical understanding of how each position is argued.
We read the constitutional documents and the governance record before we advise. If a claim is weak on the documents, we say so early.
If your matter has to be argued, it stays with one team from the first call to the decision. See our arbitration lawyer page and our page on commercial contracts and shareholder agreements.
MBM has offices in Dubai (Dubai Media City) and Sharjah (Al Khalidiya). You can meet us at either office, speak by phone or send the company documents by WhatsApp. If your company is licensed in Sharjah or another emirate, tell us at the first consultation.
Your first consultation with MBM is free and confidential. If you decide to instruct us, we give you a scope and a fee position in writing before paid work starts, so you know what is covered.
The cost of a shareholder dispute depends on the value and complexity of the dispute and on whether it is resolved by negotiation, litigation or arbitration. Court, tribunal and translation costs are separate from legal fees and depend on the matter. Because every dispute is different, we do not publish a price list. Ask at your first consultation and we will answer directly.
Ready to talk about a dispute with a partner or co-shareholder? Your first consultation is free and confidential.
Your free first consultation is with a member of MBM’s legal team in Dubai or Sharjah. Disputes between owners are personal as well as commercial, and they are handled in confidence from the first call.
Founder & Managing Partner
Mohamed Badr leads MBM and has 17 years of legal experience. His career has included roles at law firms and multinational corporations in the UAE, advising businesses on high-stakes disputes, corporate restructuring and commercial litigation.
Names and titles as published on mbm-co.com. Your first consultation is with a member of MBM’s legal team in Dubai or Sharjah.
General information, not advice on your dispute. Positions and procedures can change and depend on your specific facts and documents.
Note the date you received the claim, keep the original and have it reviewed against the company's constitutional documents and any shareholder or partnership agreement before you respond. What you are entitled to, and what remedies are realistically available, depends heavily on those documents and on the facts. Avoid unilateral moves such as withdrawing funds or blocking access. Your first consultation with MBM is free.
It depends on whether the partner agrees and on what the company's documents say. An agreed exit is usually documented by a written agreement, resolutions and a change to the company's records. A contested removal turns on the grounds, the process in the articles and the forum. Do not assume a majority vote alone is enough. See how to remove a business partner or director.
The Commercial Companies Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021) and the company's own memorandum and articles generally provide certain minority-protection mechanisms, though what applies depends on the company structure and the conduct in question. We start by mapping the votes, the resolutions and the information you have been refused.
A director's removal is generally governed by the company's constitutional documents and the Commercial Companies Law framework. Whether a removal is valid, or whether a removal being sought is defensible, depends on the process followed and the grounds relied on.
Deadlock is usually addressed first through the mechanisms in the shareholder or partnership agreement itself, if any exist: buy-out provisions, deadlock-breaking clauses or dispute resolution terms. Where the agreement is silent or the parties cannot agree, the matter may need to proceed to negotiation, arbitration or the courts, depending on what the agreement provides. As we understand it, Federal Decree-Law 20/2025 (an amendment to the Commercial Companies Law) allows the licensing authority to appoint independent directors for up to one year to break a deadlock, and adds drag and tag rights; requirements change, so we confirm the current position at your first consultation.
JV disputes typically turn on the JV agreement itself, covering governance rights, funding obligations, exit mechanisms and deadlock provisions, and on what has actually happened between the parties. MBM reviews the agreement and the facts together before advising on options.
Exit is generally addressed through share transfer, buy-out or, in some cases, a company restructuring, depending on what the constitutional documents allow and whether the other shareholders agree. Where they do not agree, the position becomes a dispute about terms, valuation or mechanics.
This depends entirely on what the shareholder agreement, articles of association or partnership agreement provide. Many corporate agreements include an arbitration clause, in which case the dispute proceeds there rather than before the ordinary courts. See arbitration.
Not automatically. A buy-out usually comes from the agreement itself, from a negotiated deal or, in some cases, as the outcome of a dispute, and it depends on the company's documents and the facts. We tell you honestly at the start whether a buy-out is a realistic aim in your case.
Yes, though not in the same matter. MBM advises shareholders, partners and directors on both sides of these disputes, which gives a practical understanding of how each position is typically argued.
The company's memorandum and articles of association, any shareholder or partnership agreement, board and shareholder resolutions, and the financial and governance record of the company are generally central to these disputes.
Avoid moving company money, changing access to accounts or systems, signing commitments without agreement, deleting records and sending heated messages. Each of these can be used against you later, so ask before taking a step that cannot easily be undone.
As we understand it, WhatsApp messages and emails can generally be used as evidence in a UAE partnership dispute, and they can show how decisions were made and what was agreed, so keep them and do not delete anything. How much weight they carry, and how they can be used, depend on the forum and the facts, which we assess when we review your documents.
A court can order a precautionary attachment to stop a partner moving assets, but whether urgent protective steps are available depends on the forum, the evidence and the facts, and we cannot promise one. If you are worried about money or assets being moved, call us promptly and we will tell you what can realistically be done.
The cost depends on the value and complexity of the dispute and on whether it proceeds by negotiation, litigation or arbitration. MBM gives you a scope and a fee position in writing before you instruct us.
Yes. MBM's first consultation is free and confidential. It is a discussion of your situation and the documents you hold. If you then choose to instruct MBM, we give you a scope and a fee position before paid work starts.
Your first consultation with MBM is free and confidential. Tell us briefly what has happened. A member of MBM’s legal team will review your enquiry and come back to you with the appropriate next step.
If you have received a claim, a notice or a hearing date, please mention the date you received it so we can look at it first. You can also send the company documents on WhatsApp.
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Tell us what is happening in your own words. We will explain where you stand and what the sensible next step is.
Your first consultation is free and confidential. Whether you are defending a claim or thinking about starting one, the earlier the company documents are reviewed, the more options stay open.
