Reviewed by Nour Saleem, Registered Trademark & Patent Agent and Dubai Courts IP expert · Last updated September 2026
Trademark Expert Witness in Dubai UAE
Our founder, Nour Saleem, has been a regulated intellectual property expert witness at the Dubai Courts since January 2017 and has also acted before the Ras Al Khaimah Courts.
NAS & Associates provides intellectual property expertise in matters involving trademarks and copyrights before UAE Courts. The court may appoint an expert to assist with technical matters that require specialized knowledge.
Trademark Matters
The expert may be asked to investigate issues such as:
- Priority of use of disputed trademarks.
- Whether a mark may qualify as well-known.
- Similarity between trademarks and potential infringement.
- Contractual matters between disputed parties.
- Counterfeit and infringement issues.
- Assessment of damages arising from infringement.
- Agency and trademark licensing agreements.
- Online use of trademarks in the UAE.
Copyright Matters
Experience includes disputes involving mobile game development and derivative rights, data collection and website/domain-related copyright issues, and biography infringement disputes.
Industrial Designs & Patents
Industrial design disputes may require specialist assessment. For patent matters, external local and international technical expertise may be coordinated where required, while the expert role is managed within the scope assigned by the court.
Q&A About Court Experts
A court expert assists the court on technical matters and is not a judge. An expert opinion is not necessarily binding on the court, which may accept, partially accept or reject a report according to the circumstances and applicable rules.
How the Expert Process Works
- Appointment by the court, with a defined scope of work.
- Expert meetings with the parties or their lawyers, who submit documents and memoranda.
- Investigation and analysis of registrations, evidence of use, market material and contracts.
- Report filed with the court, setting out findings on each question asked.
- Comments and objections by the parties, and clarification if the court requests it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who appoints an IP expert in a Dubai court case?
The court appoints the expert, usually from its roster of registered experts, either on its own initiative or at the request of a party. Parties may also obtain a private expert opinion to support their case.
What does a court-appointed trademark expert examine?
Typically the similarity between marks, priority of use and registration, whether a mark is well known, evidence of infringement or counterfeiting, the contractual relationship between the parties, and the resulting damages, within the scope set by the court.
Is the expert report binding on the judge?
No. The report assists the court on technical matters. The court may adopt it fully or partly, reject it, ask for clarification, or appoint another expert.
Can the parties take part in the expert's work?
Yes. Parties are normally invited to expert meetings, can submit documents and memoranda, and may comment on or object to the report after it is filed.