Who is the AML supervisory authority for law firms in the UAE?
For law firms, legal consultancy offices and notaries public licensed onshore in the UAE, the Ministry of Justice is the AML supervisory authority. The financial free zones, namely the Abu Dhabi Global Market and the Dubai International Financial Centre, have their own regulators, so firms licensed there answer to those bodies instead.
The Ministry of Justice reviews and approves compliance officer appointments, conducts desk based and on-site inspections, issues sector circulars and guidance, and imposes administrative penalties for breaches. Its supervisory role was reinforced by Ministerial Resolution 248 of 2025, which regulates the procedures and controls for supervising and monitoring law firms, legal consultancy offices and notaries in the AML field. Firms should track circulars issued by the Ministry and align their programmes with them.
Legal Reference (UAE):
· Federal Decree-Law 10/2025, Article 16 — sets out the powers of supervisory authorities over DNFBPs.
· Ministry of Justice, Ministerial Resolution 248/2025 — regulates supervision of law firms, legal consultancy offices and notaries.
For more details, consult the full text of Federal Decree-Law 10/2025 or seek guidance from your AML compliance officer.