When Voyage Becomes Unsafe: Allocating Risk Under Charterparty

The Strait of Hormuz has become a stark reminder that geopolitical risk can quickly become contractual risk for the shipping industry. A dangerous route does not however, by itself, determine whether an owner may refuse…

The Coupon Trap: A Practical Guide to the Risks of High-Yield “Bond-Like” Investments

Products marketed as offering bond-like certainty — a fixed coupon, a defined maturity date, a headline yield well above prevailing market rates — have proliferated across private markets in recent years. Generally referred to as…

Fichte & Co Secures USD 50 million Worldwide Freezing Order from the DIFC Courts in Support of Foreign Arbitration

We are pleased to announce that Fichte & Co has secured a USD 50 million worldwide freezing order from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts in support of confidential foreign arbitration proceedings concerning an…

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

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…

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

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…

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

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…

Avoiding Tax Fines in the UAE: Why Compliance Starts Before Filing

Tax compliance in the UAE is no longer just a filing exercise. It is a business discipline that affects cash flow, audit readiness, financing, and the ability to respond when the Federal Tax Authority asks…

Major Changes Ahead for DIFC Prescribed Companies

The Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC”) is considering significant reforms to its Prescribed Company regime. If adopted, these changes would further expand access to DIFC holding structures and shift the regulatory focus from entry requirements…

DIFC COURTS VS. DUBAI COURTS: Resolving the Jurisdictional Divide in the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards

The Emirate of Dubai operates two legally distinct court systems: the onshore Dubai Courts, constituted under UAE federal and local law, and the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts (“DIFC Courts”), which administer a common-law framework…