The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts today announced the launch of a mediation centre and a notary service. The ancillary services have been established following a law issued by the Ruler of Dubai earlier this year.
Dispute resolution can be a sensitive matter for businesses and individuals in the Middle East, and in many cases, a more confidential forum is preferred.
Alternative dispute resolution, otherwise known as ADR, has grown in popularity across the region, and includes mediation.
With the help of mediators registered with the DIFC Courts, the new service offers an alternative option for parties to resolve disputes.
They will be able to choose the mediators and agree fees and terms in advance, as well as whether to conduct meetings online or in-person at the courts’ premises.
The notary service authorises the courts’ notary officers to administer, witness, and attest oaths, affidavits, affirmations, or declarations, and certify and attest documents for businesses and individuals. It will use distributed ledger technology (DLT).
In March, a new law issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, provided the legislative foundation for the new services. A new resolution, issued by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in his capacity as president of the DIFC, launches the new services, outlining their implementation and operational framework.
“The DIFC Courts continues to pioneer advanced court and legal services, in close cooperation with Dubai’s leadership, as well as our public and private sector partners,” said His Excellency Wayne Martin, chief justice of the DIFC Courts. “Both the DIFC Courts Mediation Service Centre and the Notary Service will widen the suite of services, broadening access to justice, as well as providing greater flexibility for business and individuals seeking efficient, cost-effective solutions.”
His Excellency Justice Omar Al Mheiri, director of the DIFC Courts, said:Â “The establishment of the Mediation Service Centre and the Notary Service serves to support our role by complementing federal and local strategic goals by building further confidence among growing domestic businesses, investors and the international business community.”
Established in 2004, the DIFC Courts are English language courts that apply with exclusive jurisdiction in the DIFC, an economic free zone in Dubai. They are independent from, but complementary to, the UAE’s Arabic language civil law system.
