DIFC Welcomes the Region’s First Legal Chambers from the UK, Outer Temple

• First of its kind barristers’ chambers in the region will solidify the reputation of DIFC as a specialist hub for international business transactions, dispute resolution and contract enforcement through DIFC Courts
• Vote of confidence in the independent legal architecture of DIFC
• Move will encourage growth of bespoke new legal services products

Dubai-UAE: 7 November 2016 – Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading financial hub for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, has today announced the opening of the first specialist barristers’ chambers in the region. The move demonstrates the confidence in the international legal structures of DIFC.

Outer Temple Chambers (OTC), from London, UK, is a leading set of expert, global barristers (lawyers who practise in international and English common law courts and arbitral tribunals). They are specialists in commercial litigation and arbitration, company and employment law-multinational and cross-border law, regulatory issues, Islamic Finance and wealth management, and work in the world’s leading courts, including in DIFC Courts. Their services will benefit the entire regional business community, regardless of whether or not businesses are registered in DIFC, as long as they wish to use the DIFC Courts.

There are many specialist court lawyers and barristers already practising English common law in DIFC Courts, including OTC barristers. They have historically been called on when companies or individuals need representation in Court or on a highly technical legal, niche, issue.

The new Chambers will bring together multiple experts along with a body of legal knowledge, service offerings and knowledge transfer schemes for the benefit of the entire legal profession in the region.

DIFC already hosts more than 1,500 firms and 21,000 professionals, and is home to 56 law firms, mainly solicitors handling commercial transactional law.

This new move from OTC builds on that by providing them, as well as the wider Dubai legal community, with recourse to highly technical and world-leading legal opinion and representation in a court system which is now on a par with the rest of the world.

H.E. Essa Kazim, Governor of DIFC, stated: “Having Outer Temple Chambers opening in DIFC is a testament to the credibility of the Centre’s regulatory and legal infrastructure. To date, no chambers exist in the region with such a wealth of specialist expertise. This will help in driving the growth of the legal services sector as well as increase the attractiveness of DIFC as a place to both do, and resolve business.”

Andrew Spink, QC (Queen’s Counsel), Head of Chambers and Vice-Chair of the Commercial Bar Association, said: “We are delighted to be a part of DIFC, which is paving the way for so many international businesses to operate successfully and securely and to grow in this part of the world. There are enormous and exciting opportunities and of course some challenges involved in developing DIFC as a regional hub. We are looking forward to contributing to the success of this process, not just by providing sound legal expertise, but also by helping to train the next generation of aspiring lawyers for the benefit of the whole sector.”

OTC is also exploring options for the training and development of barristers and other legal specialists from the Emirati community who can practise international standard law in the UAE’s local court system after training and experience in the UK and in DIFC.