Fact Sheet Full Year 2021

Fact Sheet FULL YEAR 2021

CFI (INCLUDING TECHNOLOGY & CONSTRUCTION DIVISION AND ARBITRATION DIVISION)

TOTAL VALUE OF CLAIMS ACROSS ALL DIVISIONS

6.1

3.8

BILLION

BILLION

Registered legal practitioners in 2021 Law firms

Individual lawyers

159 @difccourts

816

difccourts

@difccourts

www.difccourts.ae

difccourts

Fact Sheet Full Year 2021

KEY HIGHLIGHTS • • • • • • • •

FEBRUARY: Launch of Courts of Space initiative FEBRUARY: Appointment of four new judges FEBRUARY: MoU with Ajman Media City Free Zone APRIL: MoU with Ajman Chamber of Commerce and Industry APRIL: Formation of Courts of Space Working Group MAY: Adoption of Ethaq electronic seal JUNE: Cooperation agreement with Emaar Properties JUNE: MoU with Umm Al Quwain (UAQ) Chamber of Commerce and Industry

• JULY: Cooperation agreement with Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA) • SEPTEMBER: Appointment of the Director, H.E. Justice Omar Al Mheiri • OCTOBER: MoU with American University in the Emirates (AUE) NOVEMBER: Confirmation of 100% fully digital processes • DECEMBER: Launch of Digital Economy Court

DIFC COURTS TEAM

59% FEMALE

JUDICIAL BENCH The DIFC Courts has been able to attract some of the world’s most experienced international judges, as well as retaining leading Emirati judges with trans-systemic expertise across civil and common law.

41% MALE

UK

4

38%

Developing Emirati talent

5

UAE

1

of the DIFC Courts team are UAE nationals

Malaysia

3 Australia

OUTREACH The DIFC Courts is committed to transparency and customer engagement. This requires regular and robust communications with stakeholders conducted via:

Quarterly newsletters

Social media

Media relations

Annual Report

Website updates

Case updates

eREGISTRY Digital services

Among the many technologies the courts have pioneered to increase access to justice, is the region’s first eRegistry in 2009, to the first digitally integrated courtroom and state-of-the-art e-Court system, as well as the region’s first ‘paperless’ e-bundling cloud solution in 2018. These early tech adoptions are now the bedrock that enables the DIFC Courts to maintain uninterrupted operations for court users.

By increasing utilisation of our existing videoconferencing and teleconferencing facilities for applications and hearings, we are enabling court users and the public to access extensive eServices remotely from any smartphone, tablet or desktop device. This enables remote 24/7 secure case progression and administration, e-payments and practitioner registration facilities.

WILLS SERVICE

Total Wills registered

1017

Video conference registration

Digital orders

1063

Physical appointment

Digital judgements

114

Online automated drafting

Fact Sheet Full Year 2021

COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE (CFI) * 100% REMOTE HEARINGS

Total value of claims filed

AED 3.8

BILLION

CFI (Including Technology & Construction Division and Arbitration Division)

SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL (SCT) * 100% REMOTE HEARINGS The first of its kind in the region, the SCT was set up in 2007 to enable access to justice in a swift and efficient manner. The SCT operates with a community approach that promotes settlement. Cases in the SCT are resolved in an expeditious, cost-efficient manner without the need for lawyers.

The SCT can hear:

Claims within the jurisdiction of the DIFC where:

The amount or value of the claims does not exceed AED 500,000;

OR

The claim relates to the employment or former employment of a party and the amount or value of the claims exceed AED 500,000 and all parties to the claim elect in writing that it be heard by the SCT. There is no value limit for the SCT’s elective jurisdiction in the context of employment claims;

OR

In the context of claims which are not employment related, the amount or value of the claim does not exceed AED 1 million; and all parties elect in writing that it can be heard by SCT, such election can be made in the underlying contract (if any) or subsequently.

NUMBER OF CLAIMS FILED

361

CASES

4-6 WEEKS

average time for SCT cases to be resolved after successful service

‘SMART’ SCT Region’s first ‘Smart’ SCT launched in 2016, enabling parties to resolve disputes from any location by participating via smartphone, tablet, or desktop device. Only the judge need be present in the purpose-built facility in Dubai, with screens showing the parties and a control panel making it possible to either open the virtual courtroom to all, or switch to private mode.

36.9

MILLION

Fact Sheet Full Year 2021

ENFORCEMENT * 70% REMOTE HEARINGS Total value of claims filed

2.3

BILLION

COURT OF APPEAL (CA) 100% REMOTE HEARINGS

*

The Court of Appeal deals with a variety of civil and commercial disputes. It comprises a panel of three judges, and deals with:

• Appeals filed against judgments and awards made by the CFI. • Interpretations of any article of the DIFC’s laws based upon the request of any of the DIFC’s establishments, provided that the establishment obtains leave of the Chief Justice in this regard. Such interpretation shall have the power of law.

COOPERATION WITH OTHER COURTS AT HOME AND ABROAD The DIFC Courts have signed many important memoranda with local and international courts. The DIFC Courts’ money judgments can be enforced internationally through treaties and reciprocal arrangements with common law courts overseas.

Commercial Court of England & Wales

The Supreme court of The Republic of Kazakhstan

High Court of Ireland

The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY)

Shanghai High People’s Court

Jordanian Ministry of Justice

The Paris Convention

The Riyadh Convention

Abu Dhabi

The Tunisian Republic The Arab Republic of Egypt

Hangzhou Arbitration Commission

Ras Al Khaimah

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China

The National Court Administration of the Supreme Court of Korea

The GCC Convention High Court of Zambia

The High Court of Kenya

The Supreme Court of Singapore

Federal Court of Malaysia

The Federal Court of Australia

The Riyadh Convention (1983) The GCC convention (1996)

The New South Wales Supreme Court

Treaties

Memorandum of Guidance/Memorandum of Understanding

PRO BONO PROGRAMME Launched in 2009 and the first of its kind in the region, the Pro Bono Programme was created for those who cannot afford a lawyer to receive access to free legal advice. Services range from basic advice to full case management and representation in proceedings. Since 2020, the Pro Bono Clinics have moved to virtual assistance due to the pandemic restrictions.

Volunteer firms

59

Individual lawyers

115

Individuals that received online advice

130