The UAE has become the second most active foreign jurisdiction in London’s Commercial Courts, according to a new report, overtaking the US, Russia, and Switzerland for the first time.
A record 68 UAE litigants appeared before the courts in 2025—up from 43 in 2024 and 32 in 2023—marking a 113% increase over two years, according to Portland’s 2025 Commercial Courts Report. The surge places the UAE behind only the UK in terms of litigant numbers.
While other GCC states have seen stagnant engagement with the English courts, the report shows the UAE has charted a steady upward trajectory.
This rise reflects a growing tendency among Emirati businesses and high-net-worth individuals to rely on English law and London’s courts to resolve complex and high-value disputes. UAE v UAE disputes were among the most frequent match-ups in the court, showing that parties from the same jurisdiction are increasingly turning to London to adjudicate their differences.
Legal reforms are also making a difference. Following a 2022 directive from the UAE Ministry of Justice recognising the enforceability of English judgments, courts in both countries have moved to deepen co-operation, giving litigants greater confidence in cross-border enforcement.
Recent high-profile judgments have included Emirates NBD Bank v Almakhawi & Anor, which involved the enforcement of a Dubai court ruling against a former Emirati diplomat in the UK; and Mubadala Capital v Global Foundries, a dispute centred on the transfer of high-tech intellectual property assets governed by English law.
“London and the UAE aren’t competing—they’re converging,” said Simon Pugh from Portland’s litigation team. “The infrastructure, credibility, and cross-border compatibility of English law are reinforcing London’s status as the forum of choice for Emirati litigants.”
“UAE litigants’ growing presence in London courts is testament to the continued strong reputation of those courts and of English law, and reflects growing recognition of reciprocity between the UAE and UK,” said Michael Fletcher, a corporate litigation partner at Pinsent Masons. “However, the UAE is fast developing as a legal hub, with the DIFC playing a key role. Future trends in the number of UAE litigants in London courts will confirm whether the London courts can maintain their importance to those litigants.”
Now in its 13th year, the report analyses judgments from the Commercial Courts to identify key trends each year.
