Q: Hi, I wanted to know if I can transfer shares of a UAE company to my children through a will. I am an Indian citizen. Does anything change if my company is a mainland company or a free zone company?

Q: We are Hindu. My brother expired in the UAE recently. A) My brother had registered a civil execution case in Dubai courts. I have applied for a succession certificate. Is this sufficient for me to register my name in the execution court as the person who will make petitions and collect any payments that the debtor makes? Or do I have to mention this existing lawsuit in the inheritance file? B) A company had issued an acknowledgment of debt in the name of my brother, but they refuse to pay. What steps do I need to take at family court for the inheritance so that I can, later on, start a commercial lawsuit to collect the debts that the company owes to my deceased brother? Do I need a letter from the family court that allows me to start a commercial case on behalf of my deceased brother? Thank you!

Q: Hello, I am a Chinese national who came to Dubai for my father's inheritance case after his passing earlier this year. My father owned 2 LLC companies with the same local sponsor, one of which he had a 49% share and the other 25%. I wanted to inherit the shares and exit the companies but was told there's nothing for me and my family to inherit. One of the companies is more than 20 years old and the sponsor refuses to show me financial statements for these companies. What can I do, please?

س: السلام عليكم، لدي سؤال أرجو من حضراتكم الإجابة عليه. ماذا يحدث لأسهم مملوكة لمُساهِم مُتوفى في شركة ذات مسؤولية محدودة؟

The last Will or the testament has been regulated by all the modern and ancient laws worldwide, as an expression of wishes of any person to some actions and decisions that should be taken, and instructions to be followed after their death - either concerning their assets and how it should be distributed or concerning important decisions towards the well-being and future of their minor children.

An interview-format article covering reasons why a non-Muslim expatriate should have a will in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW. Ludmila sheds light in this article on the right time and place to start the procedure based on tested practices in the UAE.

Do you have assets in the UAE? Have you made a will yet? It is highly recommended to register a will soon, otherwise, the drive to asset disbursement can be extensive and expensive. In addition to the option of registering a will in DIFC for Non-Muslim will registration, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) had also introduced a separate office since August 2017, which has made the entire will registration process easier and cost-effective.

UAE Personal Status Law (also known as Personal Affairs Law) governs marriage, divorce, inheritance and other personal affairs in the United Arab Emirates. The law equally applies to citizens of the UAE and non-citizens unless one of them asks for the application of his home country law.