Dubai Courts provides 950 pro bono legal advice hours for litigants via ‘Sure'

Legal advice service in co-operation with law firms in Dubai will enhance community confidence in the judicial system

• Dubai Courts ‘Sure' Scheme provides free legal advice for 600 litigants
• Initiative has enhanced the provision of legal community services
• Dubai Courts ‘Sure' initiative enhances community confidence in the judicial system
• Initiative delivers satisfaction rate of 96% within the Emirati community

Dubai, UAE 20th July 2013: Dubai Courts has offered legal advice to 600 litigants – the equivalent of 950-hour legal advice – via its pro bono ‘Sure' service, which is implemented in conjunction with the Courts' strategic partners, the Dubai law firms. The ‘Sure' initiative aims to enhance community confidence in the judicial system by offering free legal advice on a wide variety of cases and lawsuits. The initiative is supported by a raft of volunteer lawyers, and ran during a period from the beginning of October 2012 until the end of June 2013.

“The design of the pro bono legal consultation programme, ‘Sure', resulted from the partnership that combines the Dubai Courts and all law firms in Dubai. The intention of the programme was to provide initial aid for litigants and enable them to properly handle proceedings and lawsuits,” said H.E. Dr. Ahmed Saeed Bin Hazim, Director General of Dubai Courts.

He pointed out that ‘Sure' aims to highlight the role of Dubai Courts and lawyers in the provision of community services, and to strengthen the partnership between the Courts and law firms. This will help distribute legal knowledge among the community at large, and help to facilitate litigation proceedings for all members of society. In future, legal consultations will be offered for free on a wide array of cases and lawsuits, including civil, real estate, labour, and personal status.

Mr.Shamsaldean Abdulmonem Albadawi Head of Litigants Guidance Unit, Dubai Courts, said that the ‘Sure' programme has achieved a satisfaction rate in excess of 96% during the first half of 2013. The programme has provided many benefits to both the public and the Dubai Courts, including exempting customers from the expense of counselling; limiting the phenomenon of exploitation that certain persons might be exposed to by some brokers; saving the customer time and effort caused by incorrect procedures being carried out. The programme also contributed to an easing of pressure on court officials by minimising the number of questions and queries that are sent to them. Finally, it contributed to directing litigants to the most appropriate and efficient methods to access information.

Albadawi added that the total number of law firms collaborating in the ‘Sure' programme reached 55, with the participation of 60 lawyers (males and females). The firms involved offer free legal consultations to indigent litigants who cannot afford the costs of counselling, as well as low-income individuals, the elderly, and some special cases in which individuals have had unsuccessful experiences with lawyers. Pro bono legal advice is offered for individuals only before a case is registered, and for one time for the same subject. The consultation is offered by one of the lawyers or legal advisers employed by Dubai-based licensed law firms.

Albadawi also pointed out that customers may visit the Litigants Guidance Unit to gain access to counselling, or the division can also be contacted by telephone and e-mail. In the future, the division, in partnership with a law firm, will schedule a date to receive consultations and communicate with the person(s) concerned to inform them of the deadline, since the duration of the consultation sessions ranges from 30 to 60 minutes.