About AK Criminal Lawyers
A criminal defence firm in Business Bay, Dubai, with over 25 years of experience and rights of audience before the UAE criminal courts.
- Rights of audienceBefore the UAE criminal courts
- 24/7 emergency lineArrest, summons, urgent questioning
- Emirati lawyers on the teamWorking on every file together
- 25+ yearsOf criminal defence experience
What happens when someone calls us at 2 a.m.?
We find out where the person is, who is holding them and what they are accused of, and we start acting before the next set of questions.
Picture the call. A family member is on the line. Someone was taken from a flat or an airport, nobody has said why, and the phone was taken away. (A representative scene, not a particular client.) The first questions are always the same: which police station, which officer, what was said, did they sign anything. The answers decide what we do in the next hour.
Under the Criminal Procedures Law the police have to send an arrested person to the Public Prosecution within 48 hours, and the prosecutor must question them within 24 hours. Those are short clocks. We would rather be on the phone to the station early than reading the statement later.
What do we believe about criminal defence?
An accusation is not a conviction, and everyone deserves a fair defence.
A summons, an arrest or a complaint can cost someone a job, a residence visa, a family trip and a reputation long before a judge decides anything. We are against people losing their future before they have had a fair chance to defend it. That belief shapes how we work:
- We protect the first statement. What a client says at the police station is read again at the prosecution and in court, so we want to be involved before it is taken.
- We read the file before we form a view. The allegation as the client describes it and the allegation as it appears in the papers are often not the same thing.
- We say the difficult thing early. A realistic assessment on day one serves a client better than comfort that disappears at the first hearing.
Who will actually represent you?
Lawyers with rights of audience before the UAE criminal courts, including Emirati lawyers, who appear for you themselves.
That matters on the day of the hearing. You are not handed to a lawyer you have never met. Our Team page shows the lawyers you may speak to, and our firm acts across Dubai and the wider UAE.
What is the firm's track record, in numbers?
The one number we can stand behind is time: over 25 years of criminal defence experience.
We do not publish win rates or invented statistics. Every case turns on its facts, evidence and stage, and no honest lawyer can promise an outcome. Where a client agrees, we will publish verified case outcomes. Until then we would rather show you the law and how we work than claim results.
What do we handle, stage by stage?
All four: police, prosecution, court and appeal, plus the first consultation and the resolution of the case.
Complaint, summons, questioning, arrest
The police receive a complaint or act on their own, collect evidence and take statements. You may be summoned or arrested. Anything you say is recorded.
First step. Ask for a lawyer and an interpreter before you answer. Do not sign what you cannot read.
See police topicsInvestigation, detention or bail, referral
The public prosecution reviews the file, questions you and witnesses, and decides whether to charge, detain, release or refer the case to court.
First step. Prepare for questioning with a lawyer and ask about bail early.
See prosecution topicsHearings, evidence, judgment
The Court of First Instance hears the evidence from both sides and gives judgment. Several hearings may be needed.
First step. Never miss a hearing. A judgment can be given in your absence.
See court topicsAppeal and cassation where available
A judgment can be challenged within strict time limits, first on appeal and then on points of law before the Court of Cassation.
First step. Confirm the deadline the day you receive the judgment.
See appeal topicsSee the timeline of how the clock runs after an arrest, or read the Criminal Law overview. Where a criminal matter overlaps with a corporate, family or other dispute, we deal with the connected issues together. Our office is in Aspect Tower, Business Bay, Dubai.
What should you have ready when you contact us?
- Your name and a number we can reach you on.
- What has happened and when.
- Any summons, case number or reference you have been given.
- Which police station or prosecution office is involved.
- Your passport and residence details, if you are not a UAE national.
Do not delay the call because you do not have everything. Tell us what you know.
If you or someone close to you is under investigation, speak to us early.
Call or message us at any hour. Tell us what has happened and where the case is. We will explain the next step.