Dr. Laura Voda, Author at Fichte & Co

October 19, 2021

Approaching Deadline: Amendments to Constitutional Documents of Mainland Companies

The Federal Law by Decree No. 26 2020 (“Decree Law”), issued on November 23, 2020, introduced new provisions amending various aspects of the Federal Law No.2 2015 regarding Commercial Companies (“Commercial Companies Law”). The Decree Law did not only abolish the general requirement for Emirati Majority participation but also introduced new and amended provisions for…

September 22, 2021

Dissolution of EMAC and its effects on the business community

On September 14 2021, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, issued Decree No. 34 of 2021 (“Decree”) regarding the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC). The Decree dissolves Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre (EMAC) and replaces it with the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC),…

August 9, 2021

ADGM announces its new Data Protection Regulations 2021 – Here is what you need to know

Introduction The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) recently issued the ADGM Data Protection Regulations 2021, “Regulations”, which will replace the prevailing ADGM Data Protection Regulations 2015 (as amended in 2018) the (“Former Law”). The new amendments provide a business-friendly approach for entities whilst offering a high-level benchmark of security towards personal data in line with…

June 24, 2021

Changes in the Consumer Protection Legislation in UAE: everything you need to know

Introduction Offering an augmented revising to the legal structure bordering consumer protection, Federal Law No. 24/2006 on the Consumer Protection (the “Former Law “), has been rescinded and replaced with Federal Law No. 15/2020 on Consumer Protection (the Consumer Protection Law). The new law alterations offer additional fortification towards the consumer entitlements within the United Arab Emirates (“UAE“). As this new…

June 16, 2021

New regulation on Bounced Cheques and its Implications

Introduction The UAE being a commercial hub with an expanding economy, cheques are one of the common forms of payments, regardless of the size of the transaction, and they are also used as a method of security. However, with cheques comes challenges such as bounced or dishonored cheques due to various reasons that can be…

March 29, 2021

New Visa options in the UAE

The last months have witnessed significant new visa reforms in the United Arab Emirates. The coronavirus pandemic has seen an exponential rise in the number of people switching to remote work. While working from home is becoming the new normal, the United Arab Emirates have started to give the opportunity to live in one of the most beautiful and safe…

February 2, 2021

The kerfuffle of apps terms of use: can they change anytime?

Online Apps (such as WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc.) generally follow a similar two-tiered contracting pattern: a clickwrap agreement (which ends with “I Agree…”) and / or a browse wrap agreement, whereby a user agrees to and continues to be bound even if the App reserves the right to unilaterally change its terms of use….

December 22, 2020

Importance of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA) for Startups

In the current times, most startups aim at implementing innovative business ideas, new technologies, and, most probably, unicity. Whereas registering, financing, and making a startup work usually imply a plethora of things to complete, one must not oversee the legalities of it. Innovation and the uniqueness of an idea represent, from a legal standpoint, a...

November 24, 2020

UAE Overhauls Corporate Rules and Allows 100% Foreign Ownership in Mainland Companies

On November 23 2020, the UAE President, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, issued a Decree amending 51 articles and introducing certain new provisions in Federal Law no. 2 of 2015 (Commercial Companies Law). This update aims at analyzing the primary impact of the Decree in the jurisdiction and its relevance for the corporate restructuring...

Direct Executory Force of Notarized Debts

In the UAE, a debt is directly executable before the UAE Courts where it has been notarized and stamped with a stamp of execution by a notary public. This may be an attractive route for settling debts, for debtors and creditors alike, due to the time and cost-efficient nature of the process. In particular, it...