Dispute Resolution & Arbitration in Qatar

Dispute resolution work in Qatar

The firm covers Qatar matters in cooperation with an announced partner office in Qatar. That partner office is not a branch owned by the firm, and the firm does not itself hold a Qatar law practice license; local licensing and representation are assessed for each matter in the State of Qatar. Within that framework, we coordinate pre-litigation assessment, negotiation, arbitration support and litigation strategy for Qatar-connected disputes; filings and court appearances in the State of Qatar are handled by locally licensed counsel through the partner office.

Courts and litigation in Qatar

Commercial disputes are heard by the civil and commercial courts of the State of Qatar. Within the Qatar Financial Centre, civil and commercial disputes fall to the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC), an English-language court applying its own procedural rules, with a specialist dispute-resolution centre attached.

Arbitration in Qatar

Arbitration in civil and commercial matters is governed by Law No. 2 of 2017, which follows the UNCITRAL Model Law. Parties registered in the Qatar Financial Centre may also arbitrate under the QFC arbitration regime administered through the QICDRC. Qatar is a contracting state to the 1958 New York Convention, and awards are enforced through the competent Qatari courts.

Before a dispute is filed

We start from the record: the signed contracts, notices, invoices and correspondence, and the jurisdiction or arbitration clause - including any QFC seat - that will control where the case is heard. From that base we assess the claims and enforcement prospects and run negotiation where a settlement serves the client better than a judgment. For related contract work see our General Commercial & Corporate practice and Corporate & Commercial Law in Qatar; to scope a specific dispute, contact our team.

MENA coordination

The firm was founded in Kuwait in 1986 and has a branch in Cairo. It covers MENA matters in cooperation with partner offices in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, and partner offices in Turkey and the United States. Those partner offices are not branches owned by the firm; local licensing and advice are assessed in the relevant jurisdiction.

This page is general information, not advice for a particular entity or transaction.

Frequently asked questions

Which law governs arbitration in Qatar?

Arbitration in civil and commercial matters is governed by Law No. 2 of 2017, which follows the UNCITRAL Model Law. QFC-registered parties may also arbitrate under the Qatar Financial Centre arbitration regime administered through the QICDRC.

Which court hears commercial disputes in the Qatar Financial Centre?

The Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC) hears civil and commercial disputes connected with the Qatar Financial Centre, applying its own procedural rules in English.

Does the firm have an office in Qatar?

The firm covers Qatar matters in cooperation with an announced partner office in Qatar. That partner office is not a branch owned by the firm, and the firm does not itself hold a Qatar law practice license; local licensing and representation are assessed for each matter.

Other markets

Corporate & Commercial Law in Qatar · Dispute Resolution & Arbitration in Egypt · Dispute Resolution & Arbitration in Saudi Arabia · Dispute Resolution & Arbitration in the UAE · Dispute Resolution & Arbitration in Oman · Dispute Resolution & Arbitration in Bahrain