Contract Law Archives - Fichte & Co Legal

Impossible, Delayed or Simply More Expensive? Force Majeure and Hardship under the New UAE Civil Code

Florian Herkommer — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 12:21:35 +0000

Commercial disruptions can affect contractual performance in different ways. A government restriction may prevent delivery, a critical asset may be destroyed, or performance may remain possible but become substantially more expensive. These situations are often described generally as force majeure. Under UAE law, however, the legal consequences depend on whether performance has become impossible or …

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Before the Signature: Why Good Faith Now Matters at the UAE Negotiating Table

Galymzhan Alpeis — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 08:29:53 +0000

What if the biggest legal risk in your next deal has nothing to do with the contract itself? Most businesses assume that legal obligations only kick in once a contract is signed. Under the new UAE Civil Code, that assumption no longer holds up. Think about how much happens before anyone reaches for a pen. …

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Force Majeure or Force Mirage? Middle East Conflict, Maritime Disruption and the New Contract Reality

Chakrapani Bodapati — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:31:37 +0000

The current Middle East crisis, particularly the most recent announcement of Yemen’s Houthis declaring a naval blockade and maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia has brought force majeure out of contractual boilerplate clauses and firmly into the boardroom discussions. As pressure grows across key regional shipping routes, parties in the energy, commodities, logistics, maritime trade and …

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Unilateral Arbitration Clauses and How to Draft “Safe” Dispute Resolution Clauses

Anna Mkrtchyan — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 07:49:23 +0000

Unilateral dispute resolution clauses are common in cross-border trading and finance documents, particularly where one party has stronger bargaining leverage. The typical structure is that both parties are directed to one forum (often arbitration), but one party retains an option to sue in court (or to choose between arbitration and litigation). An already well-known 2024 …

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Navigating the Pitfalls of Arbitration in the UAE

Arthur Dedels — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 12:39:06 +0000

While the UAE has positioned itself as a global arbitration hub, conducting arbitration there can be a minefield, especially for foreign parties unfamiliar with the nuances of its legal landscape. The UAE arbitration framework is characterized by distinct regimes. Arbitrations seated in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) are …

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New Amendments To UAE Federal Decree Law No. 33/2021 on Labour Relations

Carola Uva — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 08:19:58 +0000

On 29 July 2024, the new Federal Decree Law No. 9/2024 was enacted and introduced significant amendments to certain provisions of Federal Decree Law No. 33/2021, which governs labor relations. These changes, effective from 31 August 2024, brought notable innovations to Article 54 (on individual labour disputes) and Article 60 (on penalties) of Federal Decree …

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