Legal analysis and practical guidance on cross-border business, disputes, corporate, employment and IP matters across India and the UAE — including the Legal Help Desk, our Q&A column on the problems clients actually meet.
Question: Our company group has multiple UAE entities (mainland + free zone). The paperwork is ready, but filings keep getting delayed because someone says the ‘signatory is not authorised’ or the ‘wrong person signed in the wrong capacity.’ How do we correctly identify who should sign corporate documents (resolutions, applications, MOA amendments, share transfer documents, etc.), and what proof of […]
Question: We’ve been using the brand informally for years (social media, invoices, packaging), but nothing is registered—how do we protect it now without triggering disputes? Answer You can protect it now—but the trick is to lock your evidence + clear the risk + file in a way that doesn’t unnecessarily poke the bear. Here’s the practical playbook. First, build your “prior […]
Question: Copycats are using our name/logo on marketplaces/social media—what enforcement route gives the quickest real-world result (takedowns, customs recordal, court action, settlement)? Answer When copycats appear, speed depends on three factors: Where the infringement is happening • What rights and evidence you already have • What outcome you actually want (removal, deterrence, damages, seizure) In practice, the fastest wins […]
Question: “Someone filed a mark similar to ours after we started using the brand—can we stop them, and what proof of earlier use do we need?” Answer Yes—often you can stop them, but the best route depends on where their mark sits in the lifecycle (filed vs published vs registered) and how strong your prior-use evidence is. […]
Question: “When a bank review is delayed after a company change its name, ownership, management or signatories, real business starts to suffer: payments get stuck, payroll timing becomes risky, cheques/cards stop working, collections bounce because the account name doesn’t match, or the bank temporarily restricts activity. What are the practical steps a business can take—legally and cleanly—to keep day-to-day operations running […]
Question: “In UAE corporate housekeeping, we keep hearing ‘your resolution format is not acceptable’—even when the decision itself is straightforward. Why do board/shareholder resolutions that work for one entity (or one authority) get rejected for another, especially across mainland vs free zones vs DIFC/ADGM? What’s the practical way to choose the right type of resolution (board vs shareholder), […]
Question: “We have a clean cap table and a simple plan on Excel—move shares from A to B, adjust capital (if needed), tidy the structure—and yet the process keeps getting delayed or rejected. Authorities ask for extra approvals, notaries raise execution issues, and banks ask fresh control/UBO questions. In UAE practice, what are the most […]
Question: “Our trademark search shows a similar mark—how do we decide if we fight, tweak the brand, or file smartly to reduce rejection/opposition risk?” Answer When a search shows a similar mark, the decision is not “file or don’t file.” It’s risk triage + the cheapest path to a defensible outcome. Here’s the method that works in practice. […]
Question: “I got a legal notice saying my brand name/logo infringes someone else’s trademark—what should I do first, and what should I absolutely not do?” Answer If you’ve received a trademark infringement notice (cease & desist / legal notice), treat it as a formal legal risk-management matter: avoid reactive responses, avoid replying emotionally, and do not “fix” things in a […]
Q: I’ve been with my DIFC-registered employer for over two years, but they just enrolled us in DEWS this month (November). Now that I’ve resigned, how does DEWS work, and is it different from the End of Service Gratuity? A: Great question—let’s break it down for you! Yes, DEWS (Dubai Employee Workplace Savings) is different […]