Demand for legal and tax support has risen across Gulf countries, according to research by Dubai-based tax and legal firm Willow. The company analysed Google searches in six states – the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait – and found that queries for legal and tax services have increased.
In Saudi Arabia, searches for “legal advice” have risen by more than 5,700 per cent since 2024, the most significant increase recorded across the six countries studied.
In Kuwait, the same search term has grown by 1,832 per cent, while Qatar has recorded a 250 per cent rise in demand for “legal support.” In the UAE, searches for legal advice have grown by nearly a third.
The research also points to a rise in tax-related searches. In Saudi Arabia, demand for a “tax consultant” has risen by 133.33 per cent. In Kuwait, requests for a “tax consultant” have grown by 54.55 per cent, with searches for “tax advice” up by 200 per cent. In Oman, demand for “tax advice” rose by 30 per cent, while in the UAE the figure stands at more than 60 per cent.
According to Willow‘s managing partner Maria Nikonova, the trend is tied to changes in the regulatory environment. “As regulations become increasingly sophisticated in the region, we often see clients successfully complete transactions from a legal standpoint while overlooking key tax considerations. As a result, they may miss out on available incentives or incur significant financial losses. Our goal is to help clients address these issues earlier by providing integrated advice,” she explained.
Searches combining legal and tax services have also grown. In Saudi Arabia, enquiries for “tax and legal” rose by 65 per cent, while in Qatar the same figure stands at 30 per cent. Nikonova said this reflects the direction in which regulations across the Gulf are moving, with businesses increasingly requiring support that cuts across both disciplines rather than treating them as separate concerns.
Willow attributes the broader shift in part to the UAE’s introduction of corporate tax in 2023, and to the tightening of tax procedures that has followed. Several countries in the region have also joined the global Pillar Two initiative in recent years, adding to the regulatory burden on businesses operating in the Gulf.
Despite the increase in regulation, the region continues to draw foreign businesses. Alexey Myagchenkov, partner at Willow, said the firm is seeing no slowdown in companies looking to establish a presence in the Gulf.
“We see that, despite all the challenges, more companies are looking to establish operations in the region. At the same, they are seeking partners who could provide comprehensive support on both legal and tax matters related to market entry and ongoing operations. Willow was created to meet that demand,” he said.
Reflecting the change in demand, Willow has expanded its range of services. The firm, which previously focused on tax matters including transfer pricing, compliance, and tax disputes, now also provides services in corporate, commercial, and employment law, as well as transaction support across the region.
