This document discusses career options for law graduates in the UAE. It outlines the requirements to become a practicing lawyer through legal practice firms in Dubai, DIFC, the federal level, RAK, and Ajman. It also discusses options to become corporate counsel, pursue a career in the judiciary, or work for legal academia or organizations. The key requirements include obtaining a law degree, completing practical training periods, and passing relevant exams to be licensed and registered with the appropriate legal authorities.

1. HOW TO PURSUE A CAREER IN THE
FIELD OF LAW IN THE UAE?
Dr. Omar Alhyari
Faculty of Business and Law
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2. Outline of Presentation
Introduction.
Career options for a law graduate.
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3. Introduction
Why to study law?
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4. •Law is a fundamental aspect of society.
•Law education promotes critical thinking,
analytical reasoning, and problem-solving skills.
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5. •Personal and Professional Prestige.
•A law degree opens up diverse career paths.
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6. Career options for a law graduate
A law graduate has a wide range of career
options available. Here are some common
career paths for law graduates:
1. Legal Practice.
2. Corporate Counsel.
3. Judiciary.
4. Legal Academia.
5. Local and international Organizations.
6. Alternative Dispute Resolution.
7. Other paths.
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7. 1. Legal Practice
•Many law graduates choose
to become practicing lawyers
or legal consultants in law firms.
•Law firms of various sizes.
•Specialize in different areas.
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8. •To be registered by the Government of Dubai
Legal Affairs Department as an advocate you
must meet the following requirements;
1- Be a UAE national;
2- Be of full legal capacity;
3- Be of good character
and conduct, and have not
been convicted of an offence involving a breach
of honour or trustworthiness, unless the
applicant has been pardoned or rehabilitated;
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9. 4- Obtained an undergraduate university
degree in law from an educational
institution recognised by the competent
authority in the Emirate or the UAE;
5- Passed the relevant training period
required for registration at the UAE
Ministry of Justice; (However, a UAE National who falls within
one of the following categories may be registered: 1- Anyone who has previously
worked as a judge or a member of the public prosecution for at least one (1) year;
2- Faculty members of any legal discipline who hold a doctorate degree in law; and
3- Anyone who has worked in the legal field and been employed by public
institutions federal or local in the UAE, or any other entities recognised by the
Department for at least two 2 years.)
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10. (Certificate issued by the Institute evidencing that the
applicant has passed the advocacy course (theoretical
part); Certificate of practical training, for a period of 6
months, from an advocacy firm, and an attendance
sheet evidencing that the applicant attended 60
hearings as a trainee advocate. So 6 months theoretical
plus 6 practical).
(Institute of Training and Judicial Studies, Abu Dhabi &
Sharjah)
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11. 6- Work through a licensed firm in the Emirate or any
of the Emirates of the UAE pursuant to the rules set by
the Department in this regard;
7- Work full time in the firm and not to practice any
other professional activity except for teaching or
training in one of the legal professions;
8- Not to practice any commercial activity in addition to
working in the firm, pursuant to the criteria, conditions
and rules set forth by the Department in this regard; &
9- Any other requirements set by the Department
pursuant to the bylaws, resolutions and instructions
issued by the Department.
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12. •Registration of Non-UAE Advocates:
The Department may, upon application by a firm operating in
the Emirate, register a non-UAE national legal consultant in the
category of practicing advocates provided that he/she meets
the following additional requirements:
1- The applicant must have worked previously as a judge or a
member of public prosecution or a lawyer for a minimum of
fifteen (15) years;
2- The applicant must hold a valid residency in the UAE, and
an employment contract with the firm through which he/she
practises the profession;
3- The Firm must provide grounds for the application to
register a non-UAE national legal consultant, such as an
increase in workload and the specific skills and experience the
non-UAE national legal consultant has; and
4- Any other requirements set by the Department.
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13. •Requirements for Registration of a Legal
Consultant:
An applicant must
meet the following
requirements;
1- Be of full legal capacity;
2- Be of good character and conduct,
and not have been convicted of an
offence affecting honour or
trustworthiness, unless the applicant has
been pardoned or rehabilitated;
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14. 3- Have obtained one of the following
qualifications:
a. An undergraduate university degree in
law from an educational institution
recognised by the competent authority in
the Emirate or the UAE.
b. An academic qualification in law and a
valid professional membership in the
jurisdiction in which the applicant is
authorised to provide legal services.
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15. 4- The applicant must have a minimum of one (1) year
of continuous practical legal experience if the applicant
is a UAE National, and the same period shall apply if the
applicant is a non-UAE National who graduated from an
academic institution in the UAE, and three (3) years of
practical legal experience if the applicant is a non-UAE
National who graduated from an educational institution
outside the UAE. These requirements shall apply only to
holders of a bachelor degree in law, or equivalent, from
any educational institution recognised by the
competent entity in the Emirate or the UAE. In all cases,
the Department may require that the applicant passes
the requirement of the qualification programmes set by
the Department in this regard;
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16. 5- The applicant must work through a licensed
firm in the Emirate;
6- To work full time in the firm and not to
practice any other professional activity except
teaching and training in one of the legal
professions;
7- Not to practice any commercial activity in
addition to working in the firm, pursuant to the
criteria, conditions and rules set forth by the
Department in this regard;
8- Non-UAE national applicant must have a
valid residency in the UAE and an employment
contract with the firm through which they
practise the profession; & 16

17. • What if you want to own?
- Administrative Resolution No. (52) of 2022 Adopting
the Bylaws Concerning the Licensing of Advocacy Firms
and Legal Consultancy Firms in the Emirate of Dubai.
-Applicable to firms which provide legal services in the
Emirate, including the free zones such as the Dubai
International Financial Centre.
-An advocacy firm operating in the Emirate must take
the legal form of either a sole establishment or a
company established in the Emirate.
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18. - An applicant for a license for an
advocacy firm which is in the form of a
sole establishment must:
1- be a UAE National;
2- be registered as a practicing advocate;
3- have a minimum of two (2) consecutive
years of practical legal experience in the UAE;
4- submit a professional business plan, in the
form approved by the Department in this
regard;
5- be the managing partner of the advocacy
firm for the duration of the license; &
6- meet other requirements set by the
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19. - Applicants for a license for an advocacy
firm which is in the form of a company
established in the Emirate must:
1- be UAE Nationals. Notwithstanding this, the
Department may exempt certain partners from
this requirement pursuant to the rules set by
the Department in this regard;
2- be registered as practicing advocates;
3- Each have a minimum of two (2) consecutive
years of practical legal experience in the UAE;
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20. 4- appoint among themselves the managing
partner of the advocacy firm;
5- submit professional business plan, in the
form approved by the Department in this
regard; and
6- meet any other requirements set by the
Department.
(If the applicant for a license is the owner of an advocacy firm in
another Emirate, the following requirements must be met to
license the advocacy firm in the Emirate: 1- In the case that the
advocacy firm is in the form of a sole establishment, an advocate
with permanent residence in the Emirate must be appointed as the
managing partner of the advocacy firm under an employment
contract for that purpose. 2- In the case that the advocacy firm is
in the form of a company established in the Emirate, a partner with
permanent residence in the Emirate must be appointed as the
managing partner of the advocacy firm).
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21. -Legal Consultancy Firms operating in the
Emirate must take one of the following
legal forms:
1- A sole establishment;
2- A company established in the Emirate; or
3- A branch of a foreign firm.
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22. - An applicant for a sole establishment
legal consultancy firm license must meet
the following requirements:
1- The applicant must be a UAE National;
2- The applicant must be registered as a legal
consultant;
3- The applicant must have a minimum of two (2)
consecutive years of practical legal experience in the
UAE;
4- The applicant must submit a professional business
plan, in the form approved by the Department in this
regard;
5- The applicant must be the managing partner of the
legal consultancy firm for the period of the license; and
6- Any other requirements set by the Department.
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23. - If the legal form is a company;
1- The applicants must be UAE nationals. The Department may
exempt certain partners from this requirement pursuant to the
rules set by the Department in this regard;
2- The applicants must be registered as legal consultants;
3- Each of the applicants must have a minimum of two (2)
consecutive years of practical legal experience in the UAE;
4- The applicants must appoint among themselves the managing
partner of the legal consultancy firm;
5- The applicants must submit a professional business plan, in the
form approved by the Department in this regard; and
6- Any other requirements set by the Department.
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24. - For the purpose of obtaining a license
for a legal consultancy firm which is in
the form of branch of a foreign firm, the
following requirements must be met:
1- The head office of the foreign firm must
apply for a license for a legal consultancy firm
in the Emirate and include a professional
business plan in the application, in the form
approved by the Department;
2- The head office of the foreign firm must
have a good international reputation in legal
practice;
3- The head office of the foreign firm must
have been established for at least eight (8)
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25. 4- The foreign firm must have branches or
partnerships in at least two (2) different
countries, or branches or partnerships in three
(3) states that have different legislative systems
within one country, as per the Department’s
discretion;
5- The partners of the foreign firm must
appoint, from among themselves or otherwise, a
managing partner of the branch of the foreign
firm who must have at least eight (8) years of
practical legal experience; and
6- Any other requirements set by the
Department.
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26. Notwithstanding the above, the
Department may issue a legal
consultancy firm license to non-UAE
national applicants or to a branch of a
foreign firm applicant in the event that
the applicant will provide unique legal
services of a type required in the Emirate,
or will provide specialised legal services
which are not sufficiently well provided
for in the Emirate, provided that the
applicant must have at least eight (8)
years of practical legal experience.
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27. •DIFC
“Dubai’s DIFC Academy opened registration for a new fast-track course to become
a qualified New York or California Attorney. The DIFC Academy has joined BARBRI,
the USA’s market leader in bar exam preparation, to offer a course combining
proven studying, assessment, and revision techniques with the chance for students
to engage with the international legal community of the DIFC Courts. The DIFC
Academy and leading international legal education provider BARBRI International
have agreed to jointly deliver preparatory training for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam
(SQE), paving the way for attorneys to practice and graduates to qualify as a
solicitor in England and Wales. The SQE is comprised of a series of exams that
include mixed subject questions (contract with civil litigation, for example) and
multiple-choice formats.”
“The DIFC Courts' Register of Legal Practitioners is made up of two Parts: Part I - for
Law firms to issue and conduct proceedings before the DIFC Courts, and Part II -
for individual legal practitioners to obtain Rights of Audience before the DIFC
Courts.
Supporting documents required for Part II registration:
copy of current Practicing Certificate or letter of Good Standing from his/her bar
association or law society to at least three (3) months from the date of application
copy of passport
passport size photo
copy of visa page (for UAE Residents)
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28. copy of the Legal Affairs Department Card (if the practitioner is practicing in Dubai)
schedule of oral advocacy experience in courts. The schedule should highlight the
lawyer’s experiences in oral advocacy and outline the current practice of the
practitioner and a list of cases and descriptions of the practitioner’s involvement in
each. The schedule will serve as a basis for the interview which is conducted prior to
the acceptance of the application.
Individuals applying for registration in Part II – the procedure will be as follows:
registration in Part II of the Register will be provisional until the individual concerned
appears before a judge.
the Registrar shall attend the first hearing and either: (i) confirm the applicant’s
registration as permanent; or (ii) refuse the registration.
should the Registrar be minded to refuse registration, they must provide reasons for
the refusal in writing.
in the event of refusal of registration following the first hearing, the individual
concerned may lodge a written and reasoned appeal with the Chief Justice if they are
not satisfied with the decision of the Registrar.
Part II practitioners with limited Rights of Audience may conduct the following
advocacy in the DIFC Courts:
all Court of First Instance (CFI) applications
any application before a Registrar
case management conferences
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29. Part II lawyers with full Rights of Audience may conduct, in addition to the above,
the following advocacy in the DIFC Courts:
CFI Trials
appeal to the Court of Appeal
an application for injunction
application to strike out a claim or a defence (including want of jurisdiction).”
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30. •Federal Level
- Federal Decree No. 34 of 2022 Regulating the
Advocacy and Legal Consultancy Profession.
-Practising lawyers must be licensed to practice
law in the federal courts by the Ministry of
Justice.
-Those whose names are registered in the roll
of practicing lawyers shall be subject to the
following:
1. To be a citizen of the country.
2. Age shall not be less than 21years.
3. Full capacity, good conduct and good
reputation, not convicted of a felony or
misdemeanor breaching honor or trust, even if
he has been rehabilitated.
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31. 5. To successfully pass the training period
specified by the executive regulations of this
Decree.
6. To pass written exams and personal interview
before a committee to be formed by a decision
of the Minister of Justice.
(No restrictions for legal consultants as in
Dubai)
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32. •RAK
-In RAK, the period of legal training is one year,
during which the trainee lawyer joins the office
of a practicing lawyer who has been registered
for a period of no less than five years.
-In the first half of the training period, the
trainee lawyer should assist in the preparation
of memorandums and documents. This period
can be replaced by obtaining a master’s degree
in law, Sharia and law, or a higher academic
qualification, or a certificate of passing a
training course at one of the judicial training
institutes approved in the country. The training
of the lawyer in the second half of the training
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33. period shall be by pleading before the Court of
First Instance, exclusively in the name of the
lawyer who joined his office, in his presence
and under his supervision (Art.4, RAK Law No. 3
of 2012).
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34. •Ajman
-Resolution No. (8) of 2018 Concerning the
Licensing of Legal Consultancy Firms.
-A register called the "Register of Legal
Consultancy Firms in the Emirate of Ajman"
shall be established at the Department to
register legal consultancy firms.
-Central Administration for Legal Affairs of the
Government of Ajman.
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35. - To obtain a license for a legal consultancy
firm;
1. Must be of good conduct, and of good
reputation.
2. Obtained a degree in law or in Sharia and law
from one of the universities, colleges or higher
institutes recognized in the State.
3. The managing director must have practical
experience in the field of legal work or legal
advice for at least (3) years for citizens, and (5)
years or more for non-citizens, of which at least
(3) years are within the state.
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36. 2. Corporate Counsel
•Law graduates can
work as in-house
counsel for corporations
and businesses.
•They provide legal advice and guidance on
various issues related to business operations.
•Pros & Cons.
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37. 3. Judiciary
• Some law graduates pursue
a career in the judiciary.
• Work gradually in different
levels of the court system.
• Article (32) of Law No. 13/2016 (Dubai) (As
amended by Law No. 11/2021, Law No. 25/2021,
Law No. 10/2022, & Law No. 24/2022) provides
that to be appointed as a judge or a member of
the public prosecution in Dubai, you should meet
the following:
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38. 1- Be a Muslim with full legal capacity.
2- Be a citizen of the State. However, the
Judicial Council in the Emirate may exempt any
person from this condition.
3- Have obtained at least a first university
degree in Law or Sharia and Law from an
educational institution approved by the federal
government agency or the concerned local
government agency in the Emirate, whether
the certificate is from inside or outside the
country.
4- Your age shall not be less than 25 years
when you are appointed as a judge at the
Court of First Instance, and 21 years when
appointed as an assistant prosecutor at the
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39. 5- The one who is appointed as a judge in the
Court of First Instance must have an experience of
no less than six years in a judicial or legal
position, and the one who is appointed as an
assistant prosecutor must have an experience of
no less than four years, or that he has passed the
training course at the Dubai Judicial Institute for
appointment as an assistant public prosecutor.
6- Should be of good conduct, and of good
reputation.
7- Be medically fit to perform the job’s duties.
8- To pass the personal interviews successfully.
9- Any other conditions determined by a decision
of the Judicial Council.
Art. 35: Taking into account the conditions
stipulated in Article 32, before commencing work,
a member of the judiciary should complete the
training or qualification program approved by the
Council in this regard. 39

40. 4. Legal Academia
5. Local and international Organizations
Such as those focused on human rights.
6. Alternative Dispute Resolution
7. Other Paths
For example, law graduates can work as legal
advisers to governmental bodies.
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41. Law is the organizing
mind of society
Thank you…
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