Arbitration Lawyer in Oman
The Law of Arbitration in Civil and Commercial Disputes regulates arbitration proceedings in the Sultanate of Oman and allows parties to agree to refer all or some of the disputes arising between them to arbitration, provided the arbitration agreement meets the legal requirements.
Dr. Sarhan & Dr. Said Al-Risi Law Firm & Legal Consultancy handles arbitration matters at their different stages, from reviewing and drafting the arbitration agreement, to managing the dispute and representation before the arbitral tribunal, through to the procedures for enforcing an arbitral award or an action to annul it, depending on the nature of the file.
Licensed branch: Sohar
Civil law firm — Registration No. 374 | Commercial Registration 1335487 (Active) | Head office: Al Udhaybah North, Bawshar, Muscat Governorate.
When Do You Need an Arbitration Lawyer in Oman?
The need for an arbitration lawyer may arise before a dispute, when preparing a contract that includes an arbitration clause, or after a disagreement arises or an arbitral award is issued. The scope of work is determined by the contract, the content of the arbitration agreement, the body or rules governing the proceedings, the seat of arbitration, and the stage the file has reached.
Reviewing a contract containing an arbitration clause and determining the scope and effects of the agreement.
Drafting an arbitration clause for a commercial or investment contract before a dispute arises.
Concluding a separate arbitration agreement after a dispute arises, when the parties agree to refer it to arbitration.
Preparing the request for arbitration or the response, and the memoranda and documents.
Representing a party in proceedings before an institutional arbitral tribunal or as agreed by the parties.
Examining the enforcement of an arbitral award or the grounds for annulment and the defence in such actions.
Commercial and International Arbitration Services
Drafting and Reviewing the Arbitration Agreement
The arbitration agreement must be in writing under the Omani Arbitration Law (Arabic). It may appear in the contract as a clause preceding the dispute, or in a separate agreement after it arises. The wording is reviewed for the scope of disputes covered, the number of arbitrators, the seat, the language, the chosen institutional rules, and the law governing the relationship according to the contract and relevant circumstances.
For comparison with institutional wording, the Oman Commercial Arbitration Centre publishes a model arbitration clause that includes elements such as the number of arbitrators, the seat and language of arbitration, and the substantive law governing the contract.
Representation in Arbitration Proceedings
Representation covers studying the contract and the arbitration agreement, defining the claims and defences, preparing the request for arbitration or the response, memoranda and documents, matters relating to the formation of the arbitral tribunal, attending hearings, dealing with expert evidence and proof, and following the proceedings until the award is issued.
Arbitration Before the Oman Commercial Arbitration Centre
When the parties’ agreement refers the dispute to the Oman Commercial Arbitration Centre, the rules in force at the start of the arbitration apply unless the parties agree otherwise in accordance with the same rules. The Centre amended its rules by Decision No. 3/2026.
See the Oman Commercial Arbitration Centre Rules 2026 and the request for arbitration page at the Centre for the procedural requirements published by the Centre.
Arbitration or Litigation in a Commercial Dispute?
No single route suits all disputes. The choice depends on whether there is a valid arbitration agreement, the nature of the contract and the dispute, the parties, and the procedural and enforcement needs.
Basis of jurisdiction
Arbitration: based on the arbitration agreement and its scope.
Litigation: established under the rules of judicial jurisdiction.
Who decides
Arbitration: the parties may participate in choosing the arbitrators under the agreement and rules.
Litigation: the competent court hears the dispute under the judicial system.
Procedures
Arbitration: there is wider room for party agreement within the law and applicable rules.
Litigation: procedures are subject to court laws and procedures.
Confidentiality
Arbitration: may be governed by institutional rules or party agreement; the Oman Commercial Arbitration Centre Rules 2026 contain express confidentiality provisions.
Litigation: the case is subject to the judicial system and its procedures, and not all litigation should be described as public without qualification.
Challenging the decision
Arbitration: the award is not subject to the usual judicial means of appeal, but an annulment action is available within the legal grounds.
Litigation: means of appeal depend on the type of judgment and procedural law.
Enforcement and cost
Arbitration: arbitration and enforcement fees and costs vary with the value, rules and file.
Litigation: linked to court fees and the costs of managing the case and enforcement.
How Do Arbitration Proceedings Begin?
Reviewing the arbitration agreement
The existence of a written agreement, its scope, the parties bound by it, the disputes it covers, and the body or rules to which the dispute was referred are verified.
Determining the rules, seat and language
The parties’ agreement is reviewed to determine whether the arbitration is institutional or ad hoc, its seat and language, and the relevant law.
Submitting the request for arbitration or the response
The request or response is prepared under the applicable rules, setting out the nature of the dispute, the claims and the key documents.
Forming the arbitral tribunal
The number of arbitrators and the method of their appointment are determined under the parties’ agreement, the law and the chosen rules.
Memoranda, evidence and hearings
The exchange of memoranda, documents, expert evidence, proof and hearings is managed according to the file’s procedural plan.
The award and what follows
After the award is issued, subsequent matters such as correction or interpretation are reviewed where applicable, followed by enforcement or an annulment action within the limits of the law.
Duration and Costs: What Can Be Said Accurately?
Duration
There is no single practical duration for all arbitration cases. Article 45 of the Omani Arbitration Law (Arabic) provides that the final award is issued within the period agreed by the parties; absent agreement, the default is twelve months from the start of proceedings, extendable by no more than six months unless the parties agree on a longer period. This does not mean every file takes this long, as complexity, the number of parties, expert evidence, documents and institutional rules affect the actual timetable.
Costs
The cost is affected by the value of the dispute, the centre’s fees for institutional arbitration, the number of arbitrators and their fees, expert evidence, translation and other expenses. The Oman Commercial Arbitration Centre Rules 2026 publish the current fee schedule, so readers are referred to the official source rather than fixed figures that may change.
Enforcement of Arbitral Awards and Annulment Actions
Enforcing an Arbitral Award
The Arbitration Law grants res judicata effect to arbitral awards issued in accordance with its provisions, but it sets out procedures and conditions for obtaining an enforcement order. The file requires reviewing the award, the arbitration agreement, the necessary documents and certified translation where needed, then verifying the legal conditions that precede compulsory enforcement.
Action to Annul an Arbitral Award
An annulment action is not an appeal that re-examines the merits of the dispute from the beginning. The Arbitration Law sets specific grounds for it, including matters relating to the arbitration agreement, capacity, the right of defence, the formation of the tribunal, the limits of the agreement, the procedures and public policy. The legal time limit for filing must be observed under the applicable text.
International Arbitration and Enforcement of Foreign Awards
Arbitration is international in the cases defined by the Omani Arbitration Law (Arabic), including where the parties’ principal places of business are in different states or the dispute is connected to more than one state under the legal criteria. The Sultanate of Oman acceded to the 1958 New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards on 25 February 1999, and the Convention entered into force for Oman on 26 May 1999.
Accession to the Convention does not mean that every foreign award is enforced automatically; the procedures and conditions for recognition and enforcement remain linked to the Convention, the applicable law and the facts of each file.
About the Firm and Its Arbitration Practice
Dr. Sarhan & Dr. Said Al-Risi Law Firm & Legal Consultancy operates as a civil law firm in the Sultanate of Oman and includes disputes and arbitration among its practice areas. The firm is led by Dr. Sarhan bin Sulaiman Al-Risi as Chairman and Founder, and the official website presents his professional capacity as “a lawyer, legal consultant and international arbitrator”.
Each arbitration file is handled according to the subject of the dispute and the stage of the proceedings, whether it concerns reviewing an arbitration agreement, a dispute pending before an arbitral tribunal, or an award already issued that requires examining enforcement or annulment procedures.
Civil law firm
Registration No. 374
Muscat · Sohar
Service Locations
Work is managed from the firm’s head office in Al Udhaybah North, Wilayat of Bawshar, Muscat Governorate, with a professional presence in Sohar. Location and contact details are presented on the dedicated pages of the website.
Frequently Asked Questions About Arbitration in Oman
Can arbitration be used if there is no arbitration clause in the contract?
Yes, if the parties agree after the dispute arises to refer it to arbitration. The Arbitration Law allows the agreement to be a clause preceding the dispute or a separate agreement concluded after it arises, provided that in the latter case the matters covered are specified and the arbitration agreement is in writing.
What is the difference between an arbitration clause and a submission agreement?
An arbitration clause usually appears in the contract before any dispute to govern how future disputes are referred. A submission agreement is a separate agreement concluded by the parties after a specific dispute arises to refer it to arbitration, and it must specify the matters it covers.
Is an arbitral award binding in Oman?
An arbitral award issued in accordance with the law has res judicata effect, while enforcement is subject to the procedures and conditions set by the Arbitration Law. A distinction must therefore be made between the issuance of the award and completing the procedures required for compulsory enforcement.
Can an arbitral award be appealed?
Arbitral awards are not subject to the usual judicial means of appeal under the Arbitration Law, but the law permits an annulment action in the cases it specifies and under the prescribed conditions and time limits. An annulment action does not mean re-examining the merits of the dispute as a full appeal.
Are arbitration proceedings confidential?
The scope of confidentiality depends on the law, the applicable rules and the parties’ agreement. For arbitration under the Oman Commercial Arbitration Centre Rules 2026, Article 48 provides that matters relating to the proceedings and the award are treated as confidential, subject to the exceptions in the rules and the law.
What role do Omani courts play in arbitration?
The Arbitration Law gives the courts specific roles to support and supervise the arbitral process within set limits, including certain matters relating to the appointment of arbitrators and interim measures, as well as annulment actions and the enforcement of arbitral awards.
Contact Us About an Arbitration File
If you have a contract containing an arbitration clause, a dispute already referred to arbitration, or an arbitral award that requires examining its enforcement or a related annulment action, you can contact Dr. Sarhan & Dr. Said Al-Risi Law Firm & Legal Consultancy to define the nature of the request and arrange an appointment.
Disclaimer
Disclaimer: the information on this page is general and aims to introduce the nature of the arbitration service and the relevant legal provisions; it does not represent a legal opinion on a specific fact or dispute. Determining the legal position and the appropriate procedure depends on reviewing the facts, the contract, the documents and the rules applicable to each case.