What Is Lawyer Attestation in Dubai?

What Lawyer Attestation Means

Lawyer attestation means a lawyer sees your original, compares it with the copy and certifies the copy as a true one. The lawyer is confirming one thing: the copy is the same as the original. The lawyer is not confirming that the content of the document is correct.

People also say “lawyer attested copy” or “attestation by lawyer”. In everyday use these usually describe the same act as a certified true copy. The catch is the wording. Each receiving body has its own words, so check exactly what it asks for before you book.

Lawyer Attestation vs Certified True Copy

For most requests, lawyer attestation and a certified true copy are the same job: a lawyer examines the original and certifies the copy. We say “certified true copy” because that is the clearest name for what we do.

Two other steps are different and are often mixed up with it:

Notarization is a notary public’s function and a different act. Our work is certifying the copy. If the receiving body asks for notarization or MOFAIC attestation, that is a separate step, so ask them what they require. Our guide to certified true copy vs notarization vs attestation compares the three in more detail.

When Lawyer Attestation Is Asked For

So, what is lawyer attestation used for in daily life? Mostly for proof of a copy. A bank, employer, university, landlord or foreign office may ask for a lawyer attested copy when they do not want to keep your original. They want proof that the copy they hold is genuine.

Common documents people bring:

• Passport and Emirates ID copies
• Driving license copies
• Degree and school certificates
• Marriage and birth certificates
• Trade license, memorandum of association and board resolutions

For personal documents see our page on certified true copy services for individuals. For company papers see corporate document certification.

Who Can Provide It

A lawyer provides it. Here, every copy is examined and certified by our own licensed UAE lawyers and legal consultants. A notary public is a different role and does a different act.

Whether a receiving body accepts a certified copy is its own decision. If you are unsure, ask them before you come to us.

How It Works

1. Send us a WhatsApp message with the document name and where it will be used.
2. We confirm what to bring and book your appointment: in person at our office, online or on a home visit.
3. Bring the original and your ID. Do not laminate the document.
4. We check your original and certify the copy.

Timing depends on the document and on appointment availability. If your request is urgent, call or WhatsApp us and see our urgent certification page.

Do You Need Other Attestations After It?

Sometimes. If the copy is going abroad, the receiving country may want more steps. The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so there is no apostille route from the UAE. MOFAIC attests documents in the UAE, and it needs the original in Arabic or English, or with a legally certified translation, and not laminated. Its fees are AED 150 for personal documents and AED 2,000 for commercial documents.

These MOFAIC fees are separate from ours. Ask the receiving body what chain it needs before you start.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Bringing a photocopy only. A lawyer needs to see the original.
• Laminating the document first.
• Assuming a certified copy replaces notarization or MOFAIC attestation when the receiving body asked for those.
• Not checking the receiving body’s wording before you book.