Paralegal services
Mainland, free zone and offshore companies set up by lawyers, correctly, the first time.
We form companies in the UAE mainland, the free zones and offshore registries such as RAK ICC, and we do it with lawyers rather than a sales desk. The right structure, the right licence and documents that will stand up later.
Many websites offer to set up a company in minutes. More often than not, clients who are investing real money want comprehensive, tailor-made company formation carried out by professionals they can rely on. The choice between a mainland licence from the Department of Economy and Tourism, one of the free zones, or an offshore holding company at RAK ICC or JAFZA Offshore affects where you can trade, what you pay in corporate tax, who can own the company and how easily you can open a bank account. The memorandum of association and the shareholder agreement decide how the owners will live together for years.
Khalifa Al Sada Advocates & Legal Consultants forms companies through its paralegal team under the supervision of its corporate lawyers. Proceeding with lawyers gives clients the certainty that the correct procedures are followed and that the company's legal position is safeguarded in the long run.
We form companies for:
Whether it is a single-owner LLC or a multi-shareholder group, the same lawyers review the documents before they are signed.
We advise on the legal form and the jurisdiction, comparing mainland, free zone and offshore options against your activity, ownership, tax position, visa needs and banking requirements. We reserve the trade name, obtain the initial approval, draft the memorandum and articles of association in Arabic and English, and prepare the shareholder agreement, board resolutions and powers of attorney the company needs. We handle notarisation, the licence issue, the establishment card, the registration with the Ministry of Human Resources and the immigration authority, and the applications for corporate tax, VAT and ultimate beneficial owner records.
For free zone companies we deal with the authority from application to licence and lease, and for offshore companies we act as the registered agent's counterpart. We assist with the bank account opening file, which is often the slowest step, by preparing the corporate documents, the business plan and the source-of-funds explanation the bank will ask for. After formation we handle amendments, renewals and the company secretarial work, or hand over to your own team with a complete corporate file.
Our corporate lawyers see what goes wrong in companies formed carelessly: a memorandum that cannot be amended without a partner who has left, a shareholder agreement never signed, an activity that does not match the licence. We draft to prevent those problems, and if they arise anyway, our litigation team is in the same office.
We work in Arabic and English from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and our Russia, India and Turkey desks assist investors who prefer their own language.
We compare the options against your activity, ownership and plans and recommend a jurisdiction and legal form.
We draft the memorandum, the shareholder agreement and the resolutions, and collect the personal and corporate documents required.
We obtain the approvals, notarise the documents and receive the licence and the establishment card.
We register for tax, prepare the bank file and hand over the complete corporate record.
It depends on where your customers are, the activity, the ownership and the tax position. A mainland licence lets you trade anywhere in the UAE; a free zone offers simpler set-up and possible tax benefits for qualifying income. We advise on your specific case.
A free zone company can be licensed in one to two weeks, a mainland LLC in two to four weeks depending on approvals. Bank account opening can take longer.
Much of the process can be done under a power of attorney. Some free zones and banks require a visit for identification.
The federal corporate tax applies at 9 per cent above the threshold, with a 0 per cent rate for qualifying free zone income and for small businesses under the relief rules. Registration is mandatory for almost all companies.
Insights
7 Sept 2026 7 min read
The differences that matter between a mainland licence and a free zone company: ownership, where you can trade, corporate tax, visas, cost, banking and the new permit routes. A practical comparison for investors and founders.
Read more10 Feb 2025 4 min read
RAK ICC offers nine corporate structures, from a company limited by shares to a foundation. This guide explains what each is for and how we help you choose.
Read moreConsultation
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