Corporate & Commercial Services
Incorporation, M&A, governance and restructuring to the highest standards.
A complete package of specialised corporate legal services — delivered by dedicated teams on hourly or annual retainer — providing a continuous stream of counsel that strengthens security and reduces risk.
Our services include
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Incorporation of Local & Foreign Companies
Drafting articles of association, shareholder resolutions and board minutes, and completing all registration, notarization and publication procedures.
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Regulatory Legal Opinions
Advice on compliance with companies regulations and related rules, and structuring of relations between partners and managers.
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Legal Correspondence
Professional preparation of legal letters to clients and authorities, and drafting of formal responses.
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M&A Advisory
Legal support throughout mergers and acquisitions, with analysis of the accompanying legal risks.
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Internal Policies & Regulations
Drafting internal regulations and policies that ensure effective governance and disciplined management.
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Restructuring & Governance
Legal solutions for corporate restructuring and stronger governance practice to the best standards.
Entities and Authorities
Entities under the Commercial Companies Law
Limited liability companies (W.L.L.), Qatari shareholding companies, single-person companies and the other forms set out in Law No. 11 of 2015 — with the right form chosen for the activity and ownership structure.
Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Commercial registration, trade licensing and trade-name registration, and the conduct of amendments, renewals and shareholder resolutions before the Ministry.
Qatar Financial Centre (QFC)
Incorporation within the Centre’s jurisdiction, under its own independent legal and regulatory regime, for the activities it covers.
Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA)
Establishment inside the free zones under their own regulations and the incentives available there.
Branches and representative offices
Registration of branches and commercial representative offices of foreign companies, on the conditions prescribed for each form.
Regulators and supervisory bodies
Obtaining the approvals required by the activity, and maintaining ongoing compliance obligations after incorporation.
What We Handle for Companies
- Choice of legal form and ownership structure
- Constitutive documents and articles of association
- Shareholder and partner agreements
- General-assembly resolutions and board minutes
- Mergers, acquisitions and due diligence
- Restructuring and changes to share capital
- Governance, internal regulations and policies
- Ongoing regulatory compliance
How We Work
- 01
Structure before incorporation
We start from the intended activity, the nationality of the owners and the expansion plan, then recommend the form and jurisdiction — incorporating in the wrong place is expensive to undo.
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Incorporation and registration
Drafting the constitutive documents and completing notarisation, registration and publication through to issue of the commercial registration and licence.
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Governing the owners’ relationship
A shareholder agreement covering reserved matters, deadlock resolution, transfer of shares and exit — the most commonly omitted document and the most commonly litigated.
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Operation and compliance
Maintaining resolutions, minutes, renewals and amendments, and reviewing regulatory compliance periodically rather than after a breach.
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Material changes
Supporting mergers, acquisitions, capital changes and restructuring, with due diligence completed before any commitment is given.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a non-Qatari own a company outright? +
Law No. 1 of 2019 regulating the investment of non-Qatari capital permits ownership of up to 100% in most sectors, subject to the exceptions the law sets out and to sectors requiring specific approvals. We confirm the position for each activity before incorporation.
What is the difference between onshore incorporation and the QFC? +
Incorporation before the Ministry of Commerce and Industry is governed by the Commercial Companies Law and the State’s general regime. The Qatar Financial Centre has its own legal and regulatory framework and its own courts, and covers defined activities. The choice follows the activity and the intended clients, not preference.
Which legal form suits my business? +
It depends on the activity, the number and nature of the owners, the level of liability acceptable, and plans for funding and expansion. The limited liability company is the most common form for commercial ventures, but that is not an absolute rule — we recommend a form after reviewing the case.
Do we need a shareholder agreement if we already have articles? +
The constitutive documents set the company’s formal framework; the shareholder agreement governs the relationship between the owners themselves — how decisions are taken, how deadlock is broken, and the terms on which shares may be sold or an owner may exit. Its absence is the most frequent cause of shareholder disputes.
Do you act as standing legal counsel? +
Yes, on an hourly or annual retainer, giving the company continuous support on contracts, resolutions and regulatory compliance rather than intermittent involvement once a problem has arisen.
Need trusted legal counsel?
Get in touch today — law drafted with confidence, results made with professionalism.
Contact Us