FACT SHEET - H1 2018

ENFORCEMENT TOTAL VALUE OF CLAIMS FILED

AED 2.1 BILLION

2018 Jan. to Jun.

80%

SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL

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

TOTAL VALUE OF CLAIMS FILED

AED 30.6 MILLION

2018 Jan. to Jun.

24

PRO BONO CLINICS IN H1 2018

346

INDIVIDUALS SERVED

FACT

SHEET

HALF YEAR

2018 @difccourts

difccourts

www.difccourts.ae

@difccourts

difccourts

FACT SHEET H1 2018

JUDICIAL BENCH • Combined experience spans more than 300 years UK 3 3 UAE

DIFC COURTS TEAM 87% WOMEN

1 Malaysia Singapore 2 1

13% 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

Regular Events: Lecture Series and Annual Gala Dinner

Media Relations

Annual Report

An Actively Managed Website

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

Registered Legal Practitioners in 2018

Law Firms: 134*

Individual Lawyers: 335*

Courtroom The state-of-the-art courtroom communications equipment plays a key role in supporting the increasing international caseloads in 2018. Parties are able to contribute to hearings via video conference or have access to their cases online.

DEVELOPING EMIRATI TALENT

KEY HIGHLIGHTS • Jan. 2018: MoU signed with Dubai Healthcare City Authority • Jan. 2018: Launch of the “Laws of the DIFC” Volume 2 • Mar. 2018: MoU signed with Dubai Design and Fashion Council

38%

*Figures updated as of June 2018

Australia

• Apr. 2018: MoU signed with Maastricht University during hackathon week • May 2018: MoU signed with University of Oxford’s China Centre

38% of the DIFC Courts team are UAE nationals

• May 2018: McGill University- DIFC Courts Clerkship Programme

News Alerts

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 2.2 BILLION

2018 Jan. to Jun.

Full year figure for 2017*

SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL (SCT) The only operating tribunal 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, cost-efficient 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 employment

OR

• In the context of claims which are not employment

value of the claims

or former employment of a party

related, the amount or value of the claim does not exceed

does not exceed

and the amount or value of the

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

AED 500,000;

claims exceed AED 500,000 and

can be heard by SCT, such election can be made in the

all parties to the claim elect in

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

150 CASES

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

240 CASES

30.6

AED

80%

Total value of claims filed

MILLION

120%

SCT

INCREASE

H1 2017 - H1 2018

2018 Jan. to Jun. 2017 Jan. to Jun.

2018 Jan. to Jun.

*Settlement rate updated at the end of each financial year. This figure has been taken for the full year of 2017. The figure for 2018 will be updated in the Fact Sheet Full Year 2018.

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 SHANGHAI HIGH PEOPLE’S COURT

COMMERCIAL COURT OF ENGLAND AND WALES

HANGZHOU ARBITRATION COMMISSION

JORDANIAN MINISTRY OF JUSTICE

THE PARIS CONVENTION THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK (SDNY)

THE RIYADH CONVENTION

THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA (2004)

THE NATIONAL COURT ADMINISTRATION OF THE SUPREME COURT OF KOREA

THE TUNISIAN REPUBLIC THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT

HIGH COURT OF ZAMBIA

RAS AL KHAIMAH 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)

TREATIES MEMORANDUM OF GUIDANCE/MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

PRO BONO PROGRAMME

ENFORCEMENT

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.

Total value of claims filed

AED 2.1 BILLION 52 volunteer firms*

155 individual lawyers*

2018 Jan. to Jun.

THE PRO BONO CLINIC INITIATIVE Over 677 attendees from the UAE Legal Gala community gathered at the 2017 Legal Gala to support the DRA Academy of Law Pro Bono Programme in 2017. This year’s Legal Gala Dinner will take place on 8 November, at The Ritz-Carlton Dubai.

For booking, contact legal.gala@draacademy.ae

*Figures updated as of June 2018

THE NEW SOUTH WALES SUPREME COURT

2016 Full Year

2017 Full Year

2018 Half Year

44 Clinics

49 Clinics

24 Clinics

505 individuals served

677 individuals served

346 individuals served*