LegalAffairs Department of Dubai

Historically, prior to the establishment of the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department the late Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, in the early seventies, recognized the evolving legal practice of the Government of Dubai, and responded to this by creating the Office of the Legal Advisor to the Government of Dubai. The mandate of the Office was to undertake a variety of legal matters relevant to the Government of Dubai.

The Office of the Legal Advisor to the Government of Dubai

The Office of the Legal Advisor to the Government of Dubai, headed by Legal Counsel Hamdi Abdul Rahman Abdul Majeed, contributed to the Government of Dubai legal work. The functions and duties of the Office included:

  1. Reviewing legislation, contracts and agreements to which the Government or any other Government entities were parties.
  2. Licensing the advocacy and legal consultancy profession including foreign legal consultancy firms in the Emirate of Dubai.

The Law to establish the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department

In 2008, and in line with the economic and developmental growth of the Emirate, which necessitated the development of the legal work and to meet the evolving demands of the Emirate, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, enacted the Law to establish the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department attached to H.H The Ruler's Court and appointed His Excellency Dr Lowai Mohamed Belhoul as the Director General.

 

Functions of the Department pursuant to its Establishing Law

The Legislative Legal Framework

The Department's powers were initially derived through the enactment of Law No. (32) of 2008. This legislation conferred the powers to perform various duties including exercising the Department's powers relating to local legislation in the Emirate, issuing bylaws and explanatory notes, and providing legal opinion relating to legal inquiries submitted by Government entities. Moreover, the Department represents the Government in all matters relevant to federal legislations and external treaties and being a member of various relevant federal committees. The Department continued to develop the legislative work in the Emirate until June 2014 when the Supreme Legislation Committee was established in the Emirate of Dubai, presided by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to be the competent authority in all matters relating to legislation.

2-     Judicial Representation of Government Entities

The Department is responsible for managing all matters pertaining to disputes to which the Government or Government entities are parties, by receiving complaints against Government entities with the aim to reach an amicable settlement. In addition, the Department represents the Government and Government entities in all disputes and claims before the competent judicial authorities, reconciliation and arbitration centres, and enforcing final judgments.

3-     Regulating the Advocacy and Legal Consultancy Profession

Pursuant to its establishing law, the Department regulates the advocacy and legal consultancy profession in the Emirate of Dubai. This includes licensing advocacy and legal consultancy firms operating in the Emirate and registering advocates and legal consultants, who provide legal services, on the roll maintained by the Department for this purpose. The Department's responsibility extends to supervising the qualification and training of legal professionals by offering professional training courses, programmes and workshops in all areas of law, as well as monitoring their professional conduct.

4-     Provision of Support and Legal Services

Since its inception, the Department has remained focused on providing various legal support services to the Government and all Government entities in the Emirate, ensuring that all their needs are met and enabling them to be at the forefront of all economic, social and developmental sectors. To carry out this function, the Department is responsible for reviewing contracts and agreements to which the Government and Government entities are parties. Furthermore, the Department provides legal support and assistance on complying with the contractual terms and conditions during the negotiation period to ensure their compliance with the relevant legislation in the United Arab Emirates, to ensure that all Government interests are protected

To view the Law establishing the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department, click here

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