Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is a leading international financial hub operating in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region. It is home to a vibrant business ecosystem of over 25,000 professionals working across more than 2,500 active registered firms that benefit from the centre’s robust independent judicial system and regulatory framework that have been designed to align with international standards and best practice.
DIFC operates as an economic free zone and independent jurisdiction within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) pursuant to constitutional authority and federal legislation that grants the DIFC’s regulatory authorities the power to regulate civil and commercial matters. The DIFC has taken many principles of English common law and codified these principles in the form of specific regulations. In dealing with cases governed by DIFC law, the DIFC Courts may have reference to English Court judgments where English law and DIFC law are consistent. There is also a “waterfall” application of laws that ultimately leads to the application of the princi...