FAMILY LAW SINCE 1998
FOUNDING PARTNER
Founder and Managing Partner of ALGHARIB & Partners Advocates and Legal Consultants LLC. Specialised in family law since 1998, his practice encompasses UAE personal status law, complex matrimonial disputes, child and parentage matters, cross-border family cases and private-client advisory.
Sr. Adv. Mukhtar Gharib is the Founder and Managing Partner of Algharib & Partners LLC. He has specialised in family law since 1998, developing a practice that encompasses UAE personal status law, complex matrimonial disputes, child and parentage matters, cross-border family cases and private-client advisory.
His practice combines courtroom advocacy with international family-law work. He advises local and international clients on matters involving divorce, custody, maintenance, guardianship, inheritance, settlement agreements and disputes extending across more than one jurisdiction.
He also serves as an international UAE legal expert whose independent opinions and expert reports on UAE law have been sought in proceedings before courts and judicial authorities in multiple jurisdictions.
Alongside his legal practice, he has contributed to international publications, legal education, professional dialogue and family-law forums in the UAE and abroad.
Mukhtar Gharib provides independent legal opinions and expert reports in matters requiring foreign courts and judicial authorities to understand, interpret and apply the laws and legal principles of the United Arab Emirates, with particular experience in family law and personal status matters.
His expertise has been sought in proceedings involving courts and judicial authorities in Brazil, the United States of America, France, the United Kingdom and Canada, as well as in other international jurisdictions.
In matters involving conflicting expert opinions on UAE law, he has also been specifically engaged to provide a third independent legal opinion. His role is to conduct his own examination of the relevant legislation, judicial decisions and legal principles rather than endorse the position advanced by either party or by an existing expert.
His role is to serve as a professional bridge between UAE law and the international judiciary, presenting UAE legal principles before foreign courts with independence, objectivity and professional responsibility.
A selection of significant family and personal-status matters forming part of Mukhtar Gharib's professional record before the UAE courts.
Secured a judgment recognising a mother's entitlement to compensation for breastfeeding together with related maintenance claims. The judgment was upheld on appeal and cassation.
Successfully pursued recognition of the parentage of two children in a matter involving a non-Muslim father and Muslim mother. After rejection at first instance and on appeal, the Dubai Court of Cassation overturned the earlier judgment and established parentage.
Acted in proceedings concerning the custody rights of an adoptive father in a non-Muslim personal-status matter. The proceedings ultimately resulted in recognition of his custody rights by the Dubai Court of Cassation.
Secured a judgment establishing shared custody between both parents in a non-Muslim personal-status matter. The Dubai Court of Appeal ordered joint custody, and the judgment was subsequently upheld by the Court of Cassation.
Obtained a judgment validating and giving effect to the will of a deceased non-Muslim foreign national and overturning an earlier determination under which the estate had been distributed according to Islamic inheritance principles.
Successfully challenged a family agreement under which a mother had relinquished custody and financial rights in connection with obtaining a divorce. The Court of Cassation overturned the earlier judgment, invalidated the relevant provision, restored custody to the mother and ordered child maintenance.
Acted in proceedings challenging an earlier custody judgment where service had been effected at a location at which the mother was not present. The challenged judgment was invalidated because the originating proceedings had not been validly served.
Acted for a mother seeking to challenge an arrangement under which custody had been exercised by the father. Although the claim was rejected at first instance, the Court of Appeal overturned that decision and ordered an extension of the mother's custody.
Successfully challenged an inheritance certificate issued under Muslim personal-status rules on jurisdictional grounds in a matter involving foreign parties. The Court of Cassation held that the applicable framework was Abu Dhabi's civil personal-status regime for non-UAE nationals and invalidated the inheritance certificate and its resulting effects.
Commenced specialist legal practice in the UAE with a particular focus on family and personal status law.
Established the legal practice that developed into Algharib & Partners LLC.
Creator and General Supervisor of The Lawyers legal programme, supporting accessible professional legal dialogue and education.
Founder of the Virtual Council for UAE Lawyers, developed to encourage professional exchange, knowledge-sharing and discussion within the legal community.
United Arab Emirates · 2026
International family-law network.
International legal professional association.
United Arab Emirates.
International Family Law.
UAE professional legal community.
Mukhtar Gharib serves as the main host of Lawyers Majlis, a weekly Friday forum bringing together lawyers and legal professionals for discussion of legal developments, professional practice and issues affecting the legal community.
Panelist: Division of assets on divorce — why jurisdiction matters.
Panelist on parenting time, guardianship and the best interests of the child.
Speaker: Divorce Nomads and Expatriates in Asia and the Middle East.
Law Degree
Alexandria University, Egypt
Graduated with honours, 1995.
Forensic medicine, toxicology, drugs, counterfeiting and forgery — Egypt.
Specialist study in human rights — Bahrain.
Licensed advocate before UAE Federal Courts at all levels.
DIFC Courts
Arabic
English
Farsi
An examination of the historical development of Sharia, schools of jurisprudence and the continuing evolution of personal and family law.
VIEW PUBLICATION →UAE trends and developments affecting child relocation, custody, parental rights and cross-border family matters.
VIEW PUBLICATION →UAE jurisdiction contribution to the International Academy of Family Lawyers' 2025 international SOGI Guide.
VIEW PUBLICATION →Commentary addressing modern approaches to joint custody, parental responsibility and child-maintenance obligations.
VIEW PUBLICATION →Co-authored with Hassan Elhais, examining the growth of international family-law practice across the Middle East and the IAFL's role in the region.
VIEW PUBLICATION →Creator and General Supervisor of the legal programme, alongside the Virtual Council for UAE Lawyers, supporting professional legal dialogue and education.
EXPLORE →Since 2002, Algharib & Partners LLC has grown from a UAE-based legal practice into a firm with an increasingly international outlook. Our ambition is not merely to preserve what we have achieved, but to continue building a strong and enduring institution for future generations—combining deep legal expertise, global collaboration and modern technology.
The future belongs to those who can combine deep legal expertise with modern technology.
Speak with our team about a family or personal status matter.
