TOTAL VALUE OF CLAIMS FILED CFI (INCLUDING ARBITRATION)
AED 10.3 BILLION
JAN-DEC 2018
4
SMALL CLAIMS TRIBUNAL TOTAL VALUE OF CLAIMS FILED
WEEKS
AED 53.3 MILLION
AVERAGE TIME FOR SCT CASES TO BE RESOLVED AFTER SUCCESSFUL SERVICE
FACT
SHEET FULL YEAR
2018
JAN-DEC 2018
49
PRO BONO CLINICS IN 2018
656
INDIVIDUALS SERVED
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JUDICIAL BENCH
FACT SHEET 2018
• Combined experience spans more than 300 years • Judges from five countries, including first female judge from Singapore
UK 5 4 UAE
DIFC COURTS TEAM 67% WOMEN
2 Malaysia Singapore 3
33%
1 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
Media Relations
Regular Events: Quarterly Lecture Series and Annual Legal Gala Dinner
Annual Review
Actively Managed Website
News Alerts
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: 129
Individual Lawyers: 792
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, as well as use e-bundling.
DEVELOPING EMIRATI TALENT
KEY HIGHLIGHTS • Jan 2018: MoU with Dubai Healthcare City Authority • Mar 2018: MoU with Dubai Design & Fashion Council • Apr 2018: MoU with Maastricht University • May 2018: Partnered with Canada’s McGill University Faculty of Law for the first-ever clerkship programme • May 2018: MoU with University of Oxford’s China Centre • Jul 2018: Partnered with Smart Dubai to create the world’s first Court of the Blockchain
61%
• Aug 2018: MoG with the High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the
61% of the DIFC Courts team are UAE nationals
People’s Republic of China (Hong Kong High Court). • Sep 2018: Guidance Note with Nishith Desai Associates • Oct 2018: Held region’s first e-bundling case in Dubai. • Nov 2018: Hosted the ICCE Conference in Dubai.
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.
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AED 10.3 BILLION
Total value of claims filed
97% of visitors said they were happy with the services provided by DIFC Courts
CFI (Including Arbitration)
JAN-DEC 2018
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, 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
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
4
Total value of claims filed
average time for SCT cases to be resolved after successful service
WEEKS
399 CASES
53.3
AED
363 CASES
MILLION
SCT 47%
INCREASE JAN-DEC 2018 JAN-DEC 2017
JAN-DEC 2018
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 10.2 BILLION
JAN-DEC 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 JORDANIAN MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
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
THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA (2004)
HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE RAS AL REGION OF THE KHAIMAH PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA THE GCC CONVENTION
THE HIGH COURT OF KENYA
THE SUPREME COURT OF SINGAPORE
HANGZHOU ARBITRATION COMMISSION
THE NATIONAL COURT ADMINISTRATION OF THE SUPREME COURT OF KOREA
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 700 attendees from the UAE Legal Gala community gathered at the 2018 Legal Gala to support the DIFC Academy of Law Pro Bono Programme.
53 volunteer firms
156 individual lawyers
2016 Full Year
2017 Full Year
2018 Full Year
44 Clinics
49 Clinics
49 Clinics
505 individuals served
677 individuals served
656 individuals served