Factsheet - H1 2017

88%

of SCT cases are resolved in less than 4 weeks after successful service

Total value of claims filed

Settlement rate in the CFI

AED

CFI (Including Arbitration)

83%

7.5

settlement rate

BILLION

2016

JAN. - JUNE

FACT

SHEET

H1 2017

Full year figure for 2016

@difccourts difccourts www.difccourts.ae

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION 97% of visitors said they were happy with the services provided

by DIFC Courts

@difccourts

Difccourts

FACTSHEET 2017

JUDICIAL BENCH

DIFC COURTS TEAM 60%

UK

40% MEN

WOMEN

4 3

UAE

2

Singapore

1

OUR BENCH

Malaysia

1

Combined experience spans more than 350 YEARS

Australia

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

Media Relations

Regular Events: Quarterly Lecture Series and Annual Legal Gala Dinner

Annual Report

An actively managed website

News Alerts

eREGISTRY 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

*409 individual lawyers

*145 law firms

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

DEVELOPING EMIRATI TALENT

KEY HIGHLIGHTS •Feb 2017: Launch of DIFC Courts “Commentaries on the DIFC Laws” •Mar 2017: Cooperation agreement signed between the Federal Court of Malaysia and DIFC Courts •Mar 2017: Appointment of leading Singaporean judge, Justice Judith Prakash to DIFC

50%

Courts bench

50% of the DIFC Courts team are UAE nationals

•May 2017: MoU with Abu Dhabi Judicial Department •Jun 2017: Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah endorses DIFC Courts’ General Counsel Forum •Jun 2017: DRA and Microsoft agree MoU to create commercial court of the future

*Figures updated as of June 2017

2

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 jurisdiction). Proceedings in the CFI are heard by one Judge.

Total value of claims filed

Settlement rate in the CFI

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

AED

CFI (Including Arbitration)

97% of visitors said they were happy with the services provided

by DIFC Courts

83%

7.5

settlement rate

BILLION

2017

* Full year figure for 2016

JAN. - JUNE

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:

Number of claims filed

88% 79

CASES

of SCT cases are resolved in less than 4 weeks after successful service

150

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 be heard by the SCT, such election can be made in the underlying contract (if any) or subsequently.

Total value of claims filed AED

or

• The claim relates to the employment or former employment of a party and the amount or value of the claim exceeds 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;

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

13.9

MILLION

CASES

$

2017

JAN. - JUNE 2016 JAN. - JUNE

54%

SCT

INCREASE

(H1 2016 - H1 2017)

2017 JAN. - JUNE

*Settlement rate updated at the end of each financial year. This figure has been taken from full year 2016. The figure for 2017 will be updated in the Factsheet Full Year 2017

3

ENFORCEMENT Total value of claims filed

RUSSIA UNITED KINGDOM

AED

*USA BAHRAIN

1.4

UAE

BILLION

SINGAPORE Foreign Judgments enforced

by DIFC Courts

AUSTRALIA

DIFC Courts Judgments enforced

by Foreign Jurisdictions

2017 JAN. - JUNE

*2017 saw the first enforcement order from the US to DIFC Courts

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.

Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan & DIFC Courts

Shanghai High people’s court

The Republic of Kazakhstan (2009) LEBANON SYRIA

TUNISIA

PALESTINE JORDAN

MOROCCO ALGERIA LIBYA

MAURITANIA

IRAQ KUWAIT

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

BAHRAIN QATAR SAUDI ARABIA

COURTS The Tunisian The Arab Republic Republic The Riyadh The GCC (1975) of Egypt Convention Convention (2000) (1983) (1996)

OMAN

MAURITANIA SUDAN

The Republic Commercial of China Court of England The ParisMalaysia The National (2004) and Wales Convention Court Administration of (1992) Ras Al Khaimah the Supreme Court of Korea & the DIFC Courts DIFC

YEMEN DJIBOUTI SOMALIA

The High Court of Kenya (Commercial and Admiralty Division)

Malaysia The Supreme Court of Singapore

The Federal Court of The New South Australia Wales Supreme Court

THE RIYADH CONVENTION (1983)

TREATIES

THE GCC CONVENTION (1996)

MEMORANDUM OF GUIDANCE/ MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

PRO BONO PROGRAMME 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.

*50 volunteer firms *Figures updated as of June 2017

*148 individual lawyers

THE PRO BONO CLINIC INITIATIVE Over 632 attendees from the UAE Legal Gala community gathered at the 2016 Legal Gala to support the DRA Academy of Law Pro Bono Programme in 2016. This year’s Legal Gala Dinner will take place on 2 November at the JW Marriot Marquis Dubai.

For booking, contact legal.gala@draacademy.ae

23 Clinics

44 Clinics

24 Clinics

179 individuals served

248 individuals served

*352 individuals served

2015

Full Year

2016

Full Year

2017

Half Year 4