FACT SHEET 2017

ENFORCEMENT TOTAL VALUE OF CLAIMS FILED

AED 3.4 BILLION

2017 Jan.-Dec.

85%

SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL

OF SCT CASES ARE RESOLVED IN LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS AFTER SUCCESSFUL SERVICE

TOTAL VALUE OF CLAIMS FILED

AED 36.2 MILLION

FACT

SHEET FULL YEAR

2017

2017 Jan.-Dec.

49

PRO BONO CLINICS IN 2017

677

INDIVIDUALS SERVED

@difccourts

difccourts

www.difccourts.ae

@difccourts

difccourts

JUDICIAL BENCH

FACTSHEET 2017

• Combined experience spans more than 300 YEARS • Judges from 5 countries, Including first female judge from Singapore

UK 3 3 UAE

DIFC COURTS TEAM 60% WOMEN

1 Malaysia Singapore 2 1

40%

Australia

MEN

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

Quarterly Newsletters

Social Media

eREGISTRY

Regular Events: Quarterly Lecture Series and Annual Legal Gala Dinner

Media Relations

Annual Review

An actively managed website

News Alerts

The DIFC Courts operate a full registry service on-line. This enables remote 24/7 secure case progression and administration, e-payments and practitioner registration facilities.

Registered Legal Practitioners in 2017

Law Firms: *120

Individual Lawyers: *814

Courtroom The state-of-the-art courtroom communications equipment plays a key role in supporting the increasing international caseloads in 2017. Parties are able to contribute to hearings via video conference or have access to their cases online, as well as use e-bundling.

DEVELOPING EMIRATI TALENT

KEY HIGHLIGHTS • Feb. 2017: Launch of DIFC Courts “Commentaries on the DIFC Laws” • Mar. 2017: MoU with the Federal Court of Malaysia • Mar. 2017: Appointment of Singaporean judge, Justice Judith Prakash to DIFC Courts bench • May 2017: MoU with Abu Dhabi Judicial Department • Jun. 2017: Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah endorses DIFC Courts’ General Counsel Forum

50%

• July 2017: DRA and Microsoft sign MoU to prototype commercial court of the future • Sep. 2017: Launch of the new Technology and Construction Division within DIFC Courts

50% of the DIFC Courts team are UAE nationals

*Figures updated as of December 2017

• Sep. 2017: DIFC Courts and Dubai Future Foundation create the Courts of the Future Forum • Oct. 2017: MoU with High Court of Zambia • Oct. 2017: DRA forges alliance with Hangzhou Arbitration Commission • Nov. 2017: Courts of the Future launches global consultation

COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE (CFI) The CFI has exclusive jurisdiction over any civil or commercial case when it relates to the DIFC. It can also hear cases when the contract in question specifies DIFC Courts’ jurisdiction (pre-dispute jurisdiction) or when both parties elect to use DIFC Courts to resolve a dispute which has already arisen (post-dispute resolution). One judge hears proceedings in the CFI.

Total value of claims filed

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

Settlement rate in the CFI

CFI (Including Arbitration)**

96% of visitors said they were happy with the services provided by DIFC Courts

88%

settlement rate

AED 471.2 MILLION

2017 Jan.-Dec.

*Full year figure for 2017

SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL (SCT) The first of its kind in the region, the SCT was set up 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, costefficient manner without the need for lawyers.

The SCT can hear: Claims within the jurisdiction of the DIFC where: • The amount or

OR • The claim relates to the

OR

• In the context of claims which are not employment related,

value of the claims

employment or former employment

the amount or value of the claim does not exceed

does not exceed

of a party and the amount or value

AED 1 million; and all parties elect in writing that it can

AED 500,000;

of the claims exceed AED 500,000

be heard by SCT, such election can be made in

and all parties to the claim elect in

the underlying contract (if any) or subsequently.

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;

Number of claims filed

218 CASES

of SCT cases are resolved in less than four weeks after successful service

363 CASES

36.2

AED

85%

Total value of claims filed

MILLION

SCT 75%

INCREASE 2017 Jan.-Dec. 2016 Jan.-Dec.

2017 Jan.-Dec.

**Settlement rate updated at the end of each financial year. This figure has been taken from full year 2017.

ENFORCEMENT

COURT OF APPEAL (CA)

Total value of claims filed

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.

AED 3.4 BILLION 2017 Jan.-Dec.

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

THE SUPREME COURT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

COMMERCIAL COURT OF ENGLAND AND WALES THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK (SDNY)

THE PARIS CONVENTION

THE TUNISIAN REPUBLIC

THE RIYADH CONVENTION

THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT

HIGH COURT OF ZAMBIA

SHANGHAI HIGH PEOPLE’S COURT

THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA (2004)

RAS AL KHAIMAH

HANGZHOU ARBITRATION COMMISSION

THE NATIONAL COURT ADMINISTRATION OF THE SUPREME COURT OF KOREA

THE GCC CONVENTION

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

THE PRO BONO CLINIC INITIATIVE

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.

Over 677 attendees from the UAE Legal Gala community gathered at the 2017 Legal Gala to support the DIFC Academy of Law Pro Bono Programme.

The Legal Gala Dinner will take place on 8 November, 2018 at the Ritz Carlton Dubai. For booking, contact legal.gala@draacademy.ae

*52 volunteer firms

*Figures updated as of December 2017

*154 individual lawyers

2015 Full Year

2016 Full Year

2017 Full Year

23 Clinics

44 Clinics

49 Clinics

179 individuals served

505 individuals served

*677 individuals served