News from DIFC & ADGM

Ajman University and DIFC Academy of Law sign cooperation agreement

• The College of Law at Ajman University of Science and Technology and The Academy of Law for the DIFC today announced details of a newly signed cooperation agreement covering the development of training programmes for the benefit of the UAE legal community. The Academy of Law for the DIFC is part of the Dispute Resolution Authority. The memorandum was signed by Khalid Al Khaja, acting chancellor, Ajman University and Vice-Chancellor for Academic and Administrative Affairs on behalf of the College of Law at Ajman University of Science and Technology, and by David Gallo, director, the Academy of Law for the DIFC. It was witnessed by Abdul Haq AL Nuaimi, vice-vhancellor for community service and students affairs, Deans of College of Law and College of Information, Mass Communication and Humanities, along with Ahmed Al Kamali, manager, Government and International Relations at the DIFC Courts. The two institutions will jointly organise seminars, conferences, training and research, and will support the marketing of each other’s academic programmes. The agreement will also provide a platform for the exchange of innovative ideas and academic prowess.
• Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), an international financial centre in the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, was established by Federal Decree in 2013 and opened for business on October21, 2015. As foreshadowed in December 2015, the chief justice, Lord David Hope of Craighead, has also enacted the ADGM Court Procedure Rules and Conduct Rules and issued supporting Practice Directions. The ADGM Court Procedure Rules and Practice Directions detail the Courts’ practices and procedures, including providing streamlined and simplified procedures for parties involved in claims before the Small Claims Division. The Conduct Rules provide members of the legal profession who will appear before ADGM Courts with clear guidance on their duties and obligations to ADGM Courts. Compliance with the Conduct Rules is mandatory in order to ensure fairness between the parties and is essential for the interests of justice to be served. The enactment of ADGM Courts’ fees and the additional sets of Rules and the Practice Directions marks the completion of ADGM Courts’ foundational regulations and rules. With the implementation of the framework for the operations of ADGM Courts, the global business community will be assured that ADGM has met its commitment of providing clear, transparent and robust regulations and rules according to the standard of courts of a leading international financial centre.The ADGM Courts Fees, Rules, Practice Directions and a selection of essential