The Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department completes (7134) Applications for Registration and Licensing Services for Advocacy and Legal Consultancy Professions and Firms in 2024

As part of its mandate to register advocates and legal consultants and to license their firms, the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department announced that it successfully processed 7,134 registration and licensing applications for advocates and legal consultants in 2024, leveraging its dedicated online and mobile platform “the Legal Professions System".

Statistics and Figures

The Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department has released figures indicating significant activity in the licensing of advocacy and legal consultancy firms. In 2024, the Department issued 42 new licenses to advocacy firms, renewed 536 existing licenses, and processed 462 modifications to law firm data, totaling 1,040 applications. Additionally, 147 applications related to legal consultancy firm licenses, renewals, and data modifications were completed.

The Department successfully handled a substantial volume of applications for legal professionals in the reporting period. Specifically, 1,764 applications for advocates registrations, renewals, and data changes were completed, alongside 4,101 applications for legal consultants' registrations, renewals, and data changes all in accordance with the approved procedures.

Due to the competitive nature of the investment climate that characterizes Dubai, the Emirate has become a magnet for global legal talent as it now boasts legal consultants from 80 Arab and foreign nationalities, echoing the increasing demand for specialized legal expertise to serve its international investor base.

The Department clarified that according to Administrative Resolution No. (51) of 2022 Adopting the Bylaws Concerning the Registration of Advocates and Legal Consultants in the Emirate of Dubai, the Department may, upon a submitted request, authorize the registration of a visiting consultant to plead in specific lawsuits for a specific period, in accordance with the requirements stipulated in the Resolution. The number of applications accepted by the Department in this regard reached (82) out of (102).

Regulatory Measures

The Department indicated that, in accordance with its tasks to oversee the legal professional sector in the Emirate of Dubai, it conducts rigorous oversight through field inspections under law enforcement powers. Additionally, the Department enhances partnerships that support its role in regulating law practice. These procedures aim to detect any violations related to registration and licensing activities, to deter institutions that provide legal services in violation of the commercial license granted to them by the relevant authorities, and to promptly handle any reports received regarding license violations in order to verify their validity and take the necessary actions.

In 2024, field visits and direct monitoring by the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department resulted in 74 violations related to professional registration and licensing. Enforcement actions safeguard the integrity of the legal profession, which plays a critical role in protecting rights of individuals and bolstering Dubai's image as a global investment hub.

As for professional conduct complaints, the Department, as part of its active oversight of the legal profession and through its dedicated Professional Conduct Committees, processed 370 complaints in 2024. Figures show that 46.4% of cases resulted in findings of guilt, 45.1% were dismissed after review, while 8.3% was determined to fall outside its jurisdiction.

The Voluntary Legal Services

To enhance the role of the advocacy and legal consultancy professions in supporting voluntary work, the Department credits the voluntary legal services provided by its registered legal consultants to members of the community, through their participation in the smart platform for voluntary legal services, as part of the non-mandatory continuous legal professional development activities required for the annual renewal of the legal consultant's registration with the Department. In 2024, (991) voluntary legal services were provided, amounting to more than (247) volunteer hours.

It is worth mentioning that the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department's smart platform for voluntary legal services, which was established in 2018, was granted the 'Innovative Endowment' mark from the Mohammed bin Rashid Global Centre for Endowment Consultancy, a testament to its sustainable and innovative model of giving.

Vital Sector

His Excellency Dr. Lowai Mohammed Belhoul, Director General of the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department, highlighted the Department's unwavering commitment to empowering the legal professions sector. This strategic focus aims to bolster Dubai's sustainable investment environment, a global hub for entrepreneurship, by ensuring access to top-tier legal expertise. The Department acknowledges the legal sector's critical role in upholding justice, establishing the rule of law, and ensuring the protection of individuals and institutions.

His Excellency Dr. Belhoul underlined the comprehensive measures taken by the Department to protect the rights and interests of both clients, legal practitioners and law firms. Through rigorous oversight, the Department ensures legal practice adheres to legislative standards, reinforcing Dubai's proven track record of excellence across all sectors.


The Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department completes (7134) Applications for Registration and Licensing Services for Advocacy and Legal Consultancy Professions and Firms in 2024

The Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department completes (7134) Applications for Registration and Licensing Services for Advocacy and Legal Consultancy Professions and Firms in 2024


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