The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts announced today the launch of two services: a Mediation Service Centre and a Notary Service.
Dubai Law No. (2), issued in March 2025 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, provides the foundation for these services.
Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in his capacity as President of the DIFC, in his capacity as President of the DIFC, issued a resolution outlining the implementation framework and establishing the Mediation Service Centre and the Notary Service under the DIFC Courts.
DIFC Courts expands services with Mediation Centre and blockchain-powered Notary System
The Mediation Service Centre will operate from the DIFC Courts and provide an alternative dispute resolution pathway.
Parties can resolve their disputes with the help of mediators registered with the DIFC Courts.
Parties will be able to choose the mediators and agree fees and terms in advance. The service offers the choice to conduct mediation meetings online using the upgraded and AI-enabled Court Management System (CMS), or in-person at the DIFC Courts premises.
“The DIFC Courts continues to pioneer advanced court and legal services, in close cooperation with Dubai’s leadership, as well as our public and private sector partners. Both the DIFC Courts Mediation Service Centre and the Notary Service will widen the suite of services, broadening access to justice, as well as providing greater flexibility for business and individuals seeking efficient, cost-effective solutions,” Wayne Martin, Chief Justice, DIFC Courts.
The DIFC Courts is launching a Notary Service alongside the Mediation Service Centre. This service authorises Notary Officers of the DIFC Courts to administer, witness, and attest oaths, affidavits, affirmations or declarations, and certify and attest true copy documents for business and individuals.
The service will notarise English documents only and is the first service of its kind in the UAE.
The service provides three options for users: an automated self-service, a live virtual system, and an in-person service. Users can utilise an authentication service through DataFlow’s primary source verification (PSV).
An electronic or physical stamp and seal will be issued with each document. Notarised documents will be verified using cryptographic methods, powered by Hedera Blockchain, by logging notarisation events with a timestamp on the blockchain.
“The DIFC Courts’ solutions are purposefully designed to bring confidence, clarity, and certainty to the region’s first English common law system so that businesses can flourish. The establishment of the Mediation Service Centre and the Notary Service serves to support our role by complementing federal and local strategic goals by building further confidence among growing domestic businesses, investors and the international business community. As Dubai and the DIFC continue to lead in trade, investment and governance, our objective at the Courts is to advance transparent, efficient, and future-ready judicial and legal solutions to meet the evolving needs of the region’s economy,” Justice Omar Al Mheiri, Director, DIFC Courts said.
Preservation and integrity of notarised documents will be ensured using Hedera’s distributed ledger technology (DLT) by converting documents to verifiable credentials (VC), in compliance with ERC20 standards.
User privacy will be maintained through encryption methods and privacy-preserving protocols, ensuring that information is protected throughout the process.
The DIFC Courts was established in 2004 as Dubai’s international English language common law judicial system and forms part of the legal system of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
It was established to enable the international community in the UAE to have confidence in the Emirate’s framework and to strengthen investment and trade relations with Dubai and the UAE.
