Dubai Courts: Potential Conflict of Jurisdiction Between Onshore and DIFC Court

Bradley Hope over at The National reports on the case between Taleem versus Deyaar and National Bonds.  In September the DIFC ruled that the case could be heard in its system.  Earlier National Bonds had sued Taleem in Dubai Civil Courts. 


Justice Chadwick of the DIFCC wisely did not issue an order to the DCC to stay their proceedings preferring sensibly to wait until he sees their ruling.  At that point if it is contrary to the DIFCC's then it will be time no doubt to seek the intervention of a higher power.  And hopefully this case will lead to a mechanism for co-ordination between the two courts on future such situations.

It seems this is all about a failure in precision to specify the governing law and judicial forum.  And so I'd mark this down to a lapse in one of the most routine matters of contract drafting.  As the episode of Shuaa's convertible securities, those of Citi Group, and those of  National Bank of Umm AlQaiwain show, it really does pay to pay attention.

And as with the examples cited above, the amount involved is no small beer -- AED236.6 million.  

Hard to understand this.  The parties to the examples mentioned above consider themselves sophisticated firms.  The amounts are substantial.  Yet they fall down on rookie mistakes?