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Insights

Insights

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.

Copyright Broadcast

EdTech Content Pirates: How Indian Online Educators Are Fighting Course Theft

The Gold Rush of Digital Education  India’s EdTech revolution has created unprecedented opportunities for both learners and educators. From competitive exam preparation to niche skill development, thousands of creators are building scalable education businesses online. What was once confined to physical classrooms has now transformed into a thriving digital marketplace powered by video lectures, downloadable […]

Hemakshi Prabhu · 30 Apr 2026 · 7 minRead →
News

CBUAE Issues Comprehensive New Guidance on AML, CFT, and Proliferation Financing Compliance

The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) has issued a significant new regulatory package, fundamentally tightening the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CFT) obligations for all Licensed Financial Institutions (LFIs) and Registered Hawala Providers (RHPs).  The new guidelines represent a pivot toward a more sophisticated, risk-based supervisory model, aligning the UAE’s domestic legal framework with the latest Financial Action Task Force (FATF) international […]

ATB Research Team · 18 Apr 2026 · 3 minRead →
News

Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court Achieves Record Judicial Milestone: 8,886 Transactions in Q1 2026

The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) has released its performance report for the first quarter of 2026, revealing a significant surge in judicial activity within the Civil Family Court for Foreigners. Processing a total of 8,886 transactions between January and March, the court has set a new benchmark for efficiency under the emirate’s progressive legislative framework.  The […]

ATB Research Team · 16 Apr 2026 · 3 minRead →
Corporate and Commercial

Commercial Real Estate, Corporate Leasing, and Co-Working Operations within the RERA Regime 

Most people associate RERA with residential projects, but many are still unsure about its application to commercial projects. Does RERA really cover commercial spaces such as shops, offices, and malls? The answer is yes, but with specific conditions.  Commercial real estate in India has transformed with the rise of corporate leasing and co-working models, while traditionally, it was governed by contract […]

Swathi N · 16 Apr 2026 · 3 minRead →
Copyright Broadcast

Bollywood vs South Indian Cinema: The Regional IP Protection Wars Remake Rights, Dubbing Disputes, and Regional Content Protection

The film industries of India are among the most prolific and culturally influential in the world. At the heart of this expansive landscape are Bollywood (the Hindi‑language film industry based in Mumbai) and the South Indian cinema industries (encompassing Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam film sectors). While all these industries are united by a shared […]

Hemakshi Prabhu · 14 Apr 2026 · 7 minRead →
Contracts

Force Majeure in an Age of Conflict: What UAE Contracts Actually Say vs. What Parties Expect

The world has changed dramatically since 2020. First the COVID-19 pandemic, then the Russia-Ukraine war, and now the cascading effects of conflicts across the Middle East — including Red Sea shipping disruptions triggered by Houthi attacks — have pushed force majeure clauses from boilerplate obscurity to the centre of commercial disputes. Parties across the UAE and the broader region are […]

Milen Zachariah John · 14 Apr 2026 · 14 minRead →
Legal Help Desk

When ‘Just an Update’ Becomes EDD and Your UAE Bank Wants ‘One More Document

Enhanced Due Diligence isn’t the problem—unclear stories are. Here’s how to stay ahead before your bank starts asking questions you weren’t ready to answer. Question  “Banks sometimes say a simple company update has moved into ‘Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD)’, and suddenly timelines stretch, more documents are requested, and account activity may be restricted. What kinds of changes typically trigger EDD for […]

Legal Help Desk · 13 Apr 2026 · 4 minRead →
Legal Help Desk

Why Your Perfect Paperwork Keeps Getting Rejected and How One Small Miss Delays UAE Deals

It’s rarely the deal that fails—it’s the details. Here’s how to stop “just one small requirement” from derailing your entire process. Question “Our company’s UAE licence/registry has already been updated (for example: trade name change, updated shareholding, new directors/managers, or an internal group restructure). But the bank still refuses to update the account profile, delays adding/removing signatories, restricts transactions, or […]

Legal Help Desk · 11 Apr 2026 · 5 minRead →
India

Cross Border Digital Challenges: Legal Structures for Protecting Indian Content in a Globalised World

India’s Intellectual Property in the Digital Economy  India has rapidly transformed into a major exporter of creative and digital content, including feature films, series, music, gaming, and social media media assets. Digital distribution and overthetop (OTT) platforms have enabled Indian content to reach global audiences instantaneously. While this international expansion presents significant commercial opportunities, it also exposes rights holders […]

Hemakshi Prabhu · 10 Apr 2026 · 5 minRead →
India

Chinese App Ban Aftermath: What Happened to Indian User-Generated Content IP?

India’s Digital Creator Economy and the Sudden Disruption  The ban imposed by the Government of India in June 2020 on multiple Chinese applications, including TikTok, marked a turning point in the country’s digital and intellectual property landscape. Exercised under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the decision was driven by concerns relating to […]

Hemakshi Prabhu · 9 Apr 2026 · 6 minRead →