However, the decision to opt into the DIFC Courts' jurisdiction is one to be approached with caution and knowledge.

A lot has been written about the extension to the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts' jurisdiction following the introduction of Dubai Law No. 16/2011 (the Law). It may come as no surprise that some of the extension's strongest supporters are those, perhaps particularly lawyers, who are familiar with the DIFC Courts' system and have rights of audience to appear before the DIFC Courts. Similarly, some of its strongest opponents may be those who are not as familiar with the DIFC Courts. However, there is no doubt that in certain cases the DIFC Courts will be an excellent choice of dispute resolution forum for contracting or disputing parties and, conversely, there will be cases where the local courts or arbitration are much better suited to hear and resolve the dispute.