News from the Courts

·         The DIFC Courts will hold their Annual Gala Dinner the ‘Cirque de loi’ event on October 9, 2014.  The event promises to be an evening of camaraderie, entertainment, and achievement awards in celebration of the Dubai legal community and for the benefit of the Pro Bono Programme. The event will bring together legal dignitaries, local and international law firms, legal consultants, and in-house counsel of Dubai to celebrate achievements over the past year.  Sheila L. Shadmand, partner-in-charge of Jones Day Dubai, who heads the organising committee of the dinner said,   "This year's Legal Gala Dinner promises to be our biggest yet. We already have over 400 lawyers attending this year, so for those who have not yet booked, they better do so soon before we are sold out.  This is the one night of the year where all Dubai lawyers can come together to celebrate our success as a legal community — and to sit together at the same tables rather than on opposite sides.  The night will be full of fun and glamour — all on the theme 'Cirque de Loi'.  We will have acrobats, stilt walkers, and magicians entertaining us throughout the night.  And the entertainment will continue after dinner, with a live auction of items donated by many of the managing partners and heads of legal departments in Dubai.  Ever wanted to cruise on your managing partner's yacht or drive his car around the autodrome or push each other out of a plane during a skydiving venture?  Well, come to this year's Gala Dinner and you'll have an opportunity to bid on exactly that and many more, with all proceeds going to the DIFC Courts Pro Bono Programme."  To book a place at the event, contact Customer Support Office at these numbers 04-4273333/3368 or email events team at: events@difccourts.ae

·         The DIFC Courts have been shortlisted by the UK’s Law Society for two prestigious Excellence Awards. This is the latest recognition of the DIFC Courts’ focus on service excellence and follows its 2013 accolade of becoming the only court in the world to achieve the high service standards required by The International Customer Service Institute (TISSE), as well as winning the UAE Customer Service Award for four consecutive years.  The DIFC Courts’ Pro Bono Programme, the first of its kind in the Middle East when it was established in 2009, has been shortlisted for the “Excellence in Pro Bono” award alongside leading international law firms and charities. For their work championing high legal standards for international commerce, the Courts are also contenders in the “Excellence in International Legal Services” category of the international awards bestowed by the body representing solicitors in England and Wales.

·         The Lecture Series No.3 on ‘International Best Practices on E-Disclosure’ is on September 7, 2014 at DIFC Conference Centre from 4pm to 8pm. An e-discovery workshop precedes the lecture. Thomson Reuters will host the seminar online via WebEx. The tickets are priced at AED500, email events@difcourts.ae to book your place. Mark Beer, OBE, chief executive and registrar of the DIFC Courts shared, “This event will bring together legal professionals and students studying law in Dubai, providing a workshop and lecture on International Best Practices on e-Disclosure. This event will offer the opportunity to better understand a complex and multi-dimensional area of the dispute resolution process, whether for litigation or arbitration.”

·         The DIFC Courts, Dubai’s established English-language, commercial common law judicial system published an expanded Mandatory Code of Conduct offering greater protection to businesses operating in the Middle East. The revised Code amplifies the provisions already in place and is designed to ensure the increasing number of lawyers using the DIFC Courts maintain the highest standards of professional conduct when representing their clients. These changes have been necessitated by the rapid growth of the DIFC Courts in recent years and their increasingly international workload. Key revisions will be outlined to interested parties at a specially convened seminar on September 8 in the DIFC Courts and via WebEx hosted by Thomson Reuters. The full code is also available on www.difccourts.ae

·         The DIFC Courts Academy will commence the fifth programme from September 15 to December 15, 2014. Hosted in association with Thomson Reuters, the program has been put together for Emirati and expatriate lawyers who are interested to gain familiarity in the DIFC Courts’ laws and procedures. The Certificate in DIFC Courts’ Laws and Procedures will be taught in collaboration with leading common law practitioners who regularly pursue applications and appear before the DIFC Courts. The course comprises a set of 13 sessions recurring weekly for 1 ½ hours, commencing in September. The sessions will be held in English and attendance for 10 out of 13 sessions is mandatory. Mark Beer, OBE, chief executive and registrar of the DIFC Courts shared, “This programme has been specifically put together to meet the needs of today’s local and international lawyers, legal advisors, consultants and partners  looking to enhance their understanding of, and develop their knowledge with, the procedures involved in implementing the DIFC Courts' laws and procedures in their profession. This certificate is unique and has been designed under the DIFC Courts’ Academy – which forms part of HH Sheikh Maktoum’s Initiatives for Legal Excellence. For more information, visit www.info.accelus.thomsonreuters.com/DIFC-Courts-2014.