A court power of attorney in the UAE (a litigation or lawyer POA, «توكيل محامي» or «وكالة قضايا») is the notarized document that lets a licensed lawyer file, defend, appeal and enforce cases in your name. Any party to a UAE case who is not pleading in person needs one. Wordcraft drafts it in Arabic and English from your lawyer's wording and arranges notarization in the UAE or abroad.
We are not a law firm. We do not advise on the dispute or pick the lawyer for you. Our work is the document itself: prepared, translated and signed correctly, so a missing power does not hold up the first hearing.
What a Litigation POA Covers
Court POAs spell out each power separately, because the judge and the other side read them line by line. A typical litigation POA lets the lawyer:
- File claims, counterclaims and complaints, and defend cases brought against you
- Attend hearings, submit memoranda and evidence, and ask the court to appoint an expert
- Appeal to the higher courts and object to orders
- Settle, reconcile, admit or waive a claim (courts treat these as special powers that must be written out)
- Enforce judgments and receive money or cheques for you
- Delegate to other lawyers in the same firm
The POA names the lawyer, and usually the firm, with each lawyer's details as registered. It can cover all your cases or a single case; your lawyer decides which fits. If a formal notice has to go out before filing, see legal notices.
Signing From Abroad: Home Notary, UAE Embassy, Then Arabic Translation
Many clients are outside the country when a dispute starts. The POA can still be signed where you are, in one of two ways.
Route 1: sign before a notary in your country. The chain is fixed, and every link has to be in place:
- You sign before a notary public in your country of residence.
- The notarized POA is authenticated by that country's competent authority, usually its foreign ministry (some countries add a state or regional step first).
- It is then submitted to the UAE embassy or consulate in that country, which now completes the UAE MOFA attestation digitally in the same step. In most cases no separate MOFA visit is needed once it reaches the UAE.
- In the UAE, an MOJ-certified legal translator prepares the Arabic legal translation that the court will read.
An apostille from your country does not replace the UAE embassy step, because the UAE has not joined the Apostille Convention. We send you a bilingual draft before you sign, so the version that goes through the embassy already matches what your lawyer approved.
Route 2: a UAE e-notary video session, where the document and your identity papers are eligible. No courier, no embassy. See online notarization. Your lawyer confirms which route the court hearing your case accepts, whether that is Dubai Courts, a federal court under the Ministry of Justice or another emirate's courts.
Court files are in Arabic, so foreign judgments, contracts and evidence need Arabic versions as well. Our MOJ-certified legal translators prepare them; see court document translation.
When the Party Is a Company
A company signs through its authorized signatory, and the lawyer will usually want a board or partners' resolution approving the case and the choice of counsel. We draft both together, taking names and powers from the trade license and MOA, so the court sees one consistent file. See company power of attorney.
What We Need From You and Your Lawyer
- Your Emirates ID, or your passport if you live abroad, shown in original to the notary
- The lawyer's name and firm details exactly as registered, or the draft wording the lawyer uses
- The court and case number, if the POA is limited to one case
- For a company: trade license, MOA and the resolution naming the signatory
- Any foreign evidence that has to be translated for the file
From the Lawyer's Draft to a Signed POA
Send the lawyer's details or draft on WhatsApp and we reply with a free written quote within 10 to 30 minutes, stating whether you will sign in the UAE, by video or abroad. Once you have paid through the secure link, the bilingual text goes to you and your lawyer at the same time, because the lawyer checks the powers before anything is signed. After the notary appointment, the notarized POA is sent to you or straight to the law firm. How long a lawyer POA stays in force depends on where it was notarized; our POA validity guide sets out the rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a lawyer need a notarized POA to represent me in a UAE court?
In practice, yes. Unless you appear yourself, the court expects your lawyer to hold a notarized power of attorney from you that lists the powers used in the case.
Does the lawyer have to be licensed to appear before the court handling my case?
Yes. A court POA is given to a lawyer who is licensed to appear before the court where the case is heard, and the court checks the lawyer's details on the POA. We copy those details exactly as the lawyer provides them and ask the lawyer to confirm them on the draft before you sign. Choosing the lawyer, and checking their license, stays between you and the lawyer.
Can I sign a lawyer POA while I am outside the UAE?
Yes. Sign at a notary in your country, have it authenticated there and legalized at the UAE embassy (which adds the MOFA attestation digitally), then have it translated into Arabic in the UAE. If you are eligible, a UAE e-notary video session replaces all of those steps.
Is a court POA different from a general POA?
Yes. Powers such as settling, admitting or waiving a claim have to be written out expressly. A general POA that leaves them out may be refused for court work.
Does Wordcraft represent clients in court?
No. We are document specialists, not advocates: we draft, translate and arrange the notary appointment, and your licensed lawyer appears for you.
Can I cancel a lawyer POA?
Yes, usually by a notarized revocation. Tell the lawyer and, if a case is running, the court as well. See cancel a power of attorney.
Last updated: September 2026
