Sector
Real Estate & Construction in Iraq
Etihad Law Firm advises developers, investors, contractors, financiers and public authorities across the full spectrum of real estate and construction matters in Iraq, from large-scale infrastructure and housing developments to commercial property transactions and construction disputes.
Overview
Significant opportunity, significant complexity
Our team provides the legal expertise that enables clients to structure, execute and protect their interests in one of the region's most active and consequential real estate markets.
Iraq's real estate and construction sector presents significant opportunity and significant legal complexity. Sustained demand for housing, commercial space and public infrastructure, combined with growing engagement from international developers and investors, has created a market of considerable scale and ambition. Our role is to ensure that our clients are positioned to capture that opportunity with clarity, confidence and full legal protection at every stage.
Title & registration
Gaps in historical records and competing ownership claims from displacement and past confiscations.
Foreign ownership limits
Direct property ownership by non-Iraqi nationals is restricted, so structure matters.
Investment licensing
Licences and project approvals from the National and Provincial Investment Commissions.
Lending rules
Central Bank of Iraq requirements for real estate lending and mortgage security.
Core services
How we help
Property acquisition & title due diligence
We conduct thorough title due diligence to identify ownership history, encumbrances, registration irregularities and legal risks. Iraq's registration system presents particular challenges, including gaps in historical records and competing claims arising from displacement and confiscation in prior decades, and we give clients reliable, actionable assessments of title risk.
Investment structuring for foreign investors
Because Iraqi law restricts direct property ownership by non-Iraqi nationals, we advise international developers, funds and corporate investors on compliant structures under the Investment Law No. 13 of 2006, including long-term usufruct rights, joint ventures with Iraqi partners and investment licences from the National or Provincial Investment Commissions.
NIC approvals & licensing
We manage the full regulatory process for investment licences and project approvals, from initial eligibility assessment through project documentation, regulatory engagement and final approval, and advise on the conditions attached to licences and how to stay compliant throughout the project.
Development & project documentation
We prepare land agreements, development agreements, joint venture structures, financing arrangements and off-plan sale documentation, working with our clients' commercial and technical teams so that documentation is complete, enforceable and reflects the agreed risk allocation.
Construction contracts & procurement
We advise employers and contractors on FIDIC-based contracts adapted for Iraq, government procurement frameworks, design-and-build, EPC and subcontracting structures, covering risk allocation, performance security, payment mechanisms, variations, delay provisions and dispute resolution.
Real estate finance
We advise lenders and borrowers on financing real estate and construction projects, including mortgage security, facility and security documentation, and Central Bank of Iraq requirements for real estate lending, working alongside our banking and finance team.
Landlord & tenant
We negotiate and draft commercial leases for office, retail, industrial and mixed-use properties, advising on rent reviews, service charges, break rights, assignment and subletting, and the legal framework governing landlord and tenant relationships under Iraqi law.
Construction disputes & claims
We represent contractors, employers, subcontractors and insurers in delay and disruption, defects, payment, variation and termination disputes, from early claims management and negotiation through expert determination, arbitration and litigation before Iraqi courts, with advice grounded in how projects are actually built.
Real estate litigation & enforcement
We act in title disputes, boundary and encroachment claims, enforcement of purchase agreements and claims arising from defective or incomplete transactions before Iraqi courts, and move quickly to obtain urgent relief, including injunctions to prevent unlawful dealing with property.
Across the project lifecycle
From due diligence to dispute resolution
- Title due diligence
- Investment structuring
- Licences & approvals
- Development & financing
- Construction
- Leasing & operation
- Disputes & enforcement
Why Etihad Law Firm
Experienced on Iraq's most significant mandates
We have advised on some of the most significant real estate and construction mandates in the Iraqi market, working alongside international investors, major contractors, financial institutions and government entities. Our lawyers are experienced in the full range of legal instruments and regulatory processes that govern property and construction in Iraq, and we maintain strong working relationships with the National Investment Commission, provincial investment authorities, and the relevant courts and enforcement bodies.
We are trusted by our clients because we understand their objectives, we know the environment in which they operate, and we deliver advice that enables them to move forward with confidence. Whether you are structuring a major development project, acquiring commercial property, negotiating a complex construction contract or managing a dispute on a live project, Etihad Law Firm has the expertise and the commitment to support you at every stage.
Who we advise
Ready to discuss your project in Iraq?
Speak with our real estate and construction team.