Gulf legal and tax demand rises as businesses face tighter regional regulation

Demand for legal and tax advisory support has risen sharply across parts of the Gulf as businesses respond to more complex regulatory and tax requirements, according to research by Dubai-based Willow Tax & Legal.

The firm said Google searches for “legal advice” in Saudi Arabia rose by more than 5,700% between 2024 and 2026, while demand in Kuwait increased by 1,832%. Searches for “legal support” rose by 250% in Qatar and by almost a third in the UAE.

The research covered six Middle Eastern markets: the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.

Willow Tax & Legal said tax-related searches also increased. Demand for a “tax consultant” rose by 133.33% in Saudi Arabia, while Kuwait recorded a 54.55% increase in searches for “tax consultant” and a 200% increase in searches for “tax advice”.

The firm linked the trend to recent regulatory changes across the Gulf, including the adoption of global Pillar Two tax rules, the introduction of corporate tax in the UAE, tighter tax procedures and the UAE’s e-invoicing pilot.

Those developments are increasing compliance requirements for companies operating across the region. Businesses entering the Gulf are also using more sophisticated legal structures, which can create tax exposure if cross-border implications are not assessed early enough.

The rise in demand for integrated legal and tax advice comes as the Gulf continues to attract foreign businesses, family offices and high-net-worth individuals. Many are drawn by growth opportunities, tax competitiveness and regional investment programmes.

Maria Nikonova, managing partner at Willow Tax & Legal, said businesses and private clients can no longer assume that a structure is safe simply because it works legally or operationally.

For corporates, the shift has working capital implications. Tax disputes, e-invoicing requirements, transfer pricing adjustments and late-stage restructuring can affect cash flow, transaction costs and the timing of cross-border payments.

As Gulf tax systems become more developed, businesses operating in the region are likely to face higher demand for governance, documentation and integrated advisory support.