At some point in our lives, we all need to hire a legal representative to take care of certain issues. Regardless you are seeking legal counsel for yourself or on behalf of your company, there are certain things that you must consider before hiring one of the many law firms in Dubai.
Finding a good lawyer isn’t as easy as you might think it to be. You have to take into account your unique needs and find a firm that can effectively deal with them. On this note, let’s take a look at some of the top factors you should consider while selecting a law firm:
Legal Consultants & Advocates
An important thing you must know is that only the legal firms having the term advocate in their name can make a plea in court in the UAE. Therefore, make sure to select a law firm that has hired advocates along with other legal consultants.
Have Required Experience
Another thing worth considering here is that law firms are required to have a certain experience in order to file a case in higher courts in the UAE. Therefore, before engaging a law firm for yourself or your company, ensure they have the required experience.
Have License of HH The Ruler’s Court or by the Dubai Legal Affairs Department
For any law firm to properly function within the UAE, they have to get a license from the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department. This authority is a regulatory body that deals with the registration of legal firms and advocates in the Emirate of Dubai. Therefore, it’s important to ask about their license before hiring a law firm or advocate in the emirate..
Know-How of Arabic
As per the local rules and regulations, all the submission of documents in the court has to be in Arabic. Therefore, having knowledge of Arabic as well as being an Arabic speaker is essential for pleading court. So, you need to hire a law firm that has qualified and Arabic speaking lawyers on their panel. Doing this will avoid any misinterpretation or mistranslation of documents at the time of submission.
Have in Hand International Associations & Memberships
Select a law firm that has accreditation and association with international networks and bars, such as the American Bar Association, TAG Law, British Law and others. These memberships and associations show that the law firms meet the international standards.
Likewise, having access to international networks helps these firms to seek jurisdiction on foreign legal enforcement issues.
Search Thoroughly
Another important tip that most legal experts give is that you should search thoroughly before engaging a law firm. Don’t settle down for a firm just because they’re charging you less. Remember that legal matters are complicated and to win a case in court, you need to have the best lawyers. Therefore, discuss your issue with the lawyers and only hire them if you’re satisfied with them.
Inquire About their Rates
Almost all the law firms within the UAE charge either as a fixed fee or on an hourly basis. So, before hiring a law firm, you must inquire about their pay rates to avoid any issues later on. The firms that charge a fixed fee usually take a fee for the complete case as a whole.
Relevant Documentation
At the time of appointing a lawyer or law firm, you must inquire about the process of document preparation. Ask about the documents and paperwork they’ll require from your end to prepare your case. Similarly, you should hand over all the relevant paperwork to your lawyer to successfully plead your case in court.
Sound Knowledge of the UAE Laws
Only appoint a legal firm that has sound knowledge of the UAE laws and reputable experience of appearing in the court. For instance, if you’re seeking aid in lieu of labour rights, you must hire a law firm that has hands-on experience with Article 121 UAE Labour Law. Because an experienced law firm in labour matters can help you more easily than someone having experience in family matters.
Also, it is important for you to have a sound knowledge about the laws as well. Having ground knowledge of the laws and regulations prevalent in the UAE will help you to stay safe against getting penalised. Even if you have gotten yourself in trouble, the knowledge of the law will help you make an informed choice.
Considering the factors discussed above will help you select a professional law firm. And when you have experienced lawyers representing you in the court, you are more likely to win the case.
