Registration of an Advocate in Dubai – Roll of Practising Advocates:

How to register as an advocate in Dubai?

Please submit an application through the Legal Professions System (LPS) if you would like to be registered on the Roll of Practising Advocates.

1. Visit here
2. Login with UAE pass (OR)
3. Login with User and password

Eligibility and Documents required to apply for an advocate registration in Dubai

• The following qualifications must be met before an applicant can submit an application for registration on the Roll of Practising Advocates.
• The applicant must either: 1.1 Have an undergraduate degree in law, or its equivalent, from a college or university approved by the Emirate’s or the UAE’s competent authority; or 1.2 Have an academic law degree in addition to a current professional membership from the country or region where they are authorised to offer legal services.
• These certificates must always be properly legalised.
• Except for teaching or training in any area of law, the applicant may not carry on any other business or practise any other profession while employed by the company.
• The Department may, in its sole discretion, and at any time, request further information and supporting documentation from the applicant in order to evaluate the application’s suitability.

Documents required to provide for UAE Nationals to apply for an advocate registration in Dubai

• Valid Emirates ID card
• Passport
• University degree in law or in Sharia and law combined
• or a certificate of equivalency or academic qualification in law, in addition to a current professional membership from the jurisdiction where the applicant is licenced to provide legal services, for degrees given outside the UAE.
• Certificate of good conduct.
• A certificate from the Judicial Institute attesting to the applicant’s success in the theoretical portion of the advocacy course.
• An attendance sheet showing that the applicant attended 60 hearings as a trainee advocate, as well as a certificate from an advocacy business attesting to the applicant’s six-month practical training.
• a letter from the proprietor of the firm where the applicant will practise law approving the applicant’s registration as an advocate with the firm, or, if the applicant possesses a licence for a firm headquartered outside the Emirate of Dubai, an application to licence an advocacy firm;
• Employment contract legalised by the Ministry of Labour
• a certification indicating that the applicant’s name is not listed on any business licences from the Department of Economic Development in Dubai and the commercial licencing authority in the emirate where the applicant’s passport was issued;
• Curriculum Vitiate (CV).
• For businesses based outside of the Emirate of Dubai, the Commercial Licensing Authority’s licence is required.
• Master’s Degree or PhD (if applicable)
• Ministry of Justice Card (if applicable)
• Recent photo.
• A request to approve the advocate’s firm for companies located outside of the Emirate of Dubai.

Documents required to provide for Non-UAE Nationals to apply for an advocate registration in Dubai

• Valid Passport.
• Valid residency permit sponsored by the business through which the candidate intends to practise law.
• A legalized, active professional membership from the jurisdiction where the applicant is entitled to practise legal services must be accompanied with a university degree in law or in Sharia and law combined, or for degrees awarded outside the UAE, a certificate of equivalency or an academic certification in law.
• a certificate attesting to experience of at least fifteen years in the legal system, the judiciary, or public prosecutors
• Letter from the law firm’s proprietor confirming the applicant’s intention to work there and outlining the applicant’s motivations for requesting registration as a non-UAE national advocate, such as the applicant’s workload and experience.
• Certificate of good conduct
• A certification from Dubai’s Department of Economic Development certifying that the applicant does not have any business licences.
• Recent photo
• Curriculum Vitiate (CV).

What is the advocate/ legal consultant registration fee to be practised in Dubai?

The registration price for attorneys and legal consultants is two thousand dirhams (AED 2,000), plus innovation and knowledge fees of ten dirhams each. A UAE national attorney or legal advisor requesting registration at the Department for the first time shall:

• For a period of three years beginning on the date of registration with the Department, pay 50% of the prescribed annual advocate registration fee;
• For a period of three years, beginning on the date of licensing the firm if it is owned by any such advocate or the date of joining the firm if it is owned by others, each UAE national advocate shall pay fifty percent (50%) of the yearly firm licencing/ renewal fees set by the Department.

How / Where to pay the Advocate Registration Fees?

• E-Pay – You can use the smart system’s e-pay service to pay all of the prescribed advocate registration fees. The payee must use a legitimate credit or debit card to receive payment via e-pay; the Department accepts both personal and business cards.
• Once an application has been accepted, the e-pay feature will become accessible. Applicants will only be allowed to make an electronic payment once they have received an electronic invoice at their registered email address.
• Payment with a check Payments can be made by individual attorneys by check drawn on their personal account, not the business account.
• The original check must be handed to the Department, and it must be made payable to “H.H The Ruler’s Court.” Money Transfer The following information can be used by the applicant to send the fee to the Department’s bank account: H. The Rulers’ Court Account: 1012004074102 IBAN: AE07 0260 0010 1200 4074 102 Emirates NBD-Head Office.

What is the Advocate Oath to be taken in Dubai and when must this be taken?

An advocate may not practise their profession in the Emirate of Dubai unless they have taken the following oath, according to Administrative Resolution No. (105) of 2017 Amending Some Provisions of Administrative Resolution No. (233) of 2015 Approving the Bylaw for the Registration of Advocates in the Emirate of Dubai.

“I swear by God Almighty that I will faithfully and honestly fulfil my duties as required by the legislation in force in the Emirate of Dubai, protect my client’s interests and uphold the morals and traditions of the legal profession.”

• The attorney must swear under oath in front of a court of appeal circuit. – A lawyer who is entitled to an audience before the Federal Supreme Court must take the oath in front of the Court of Cassation.
• The oath is noted in the proceedings’ minutes, a copy of which must be retained in the Department’s advocate’s file.
• Advocates must take the Oath in order to be listed on the Roll of Practising Advocates. Candidates intending to work for a licenced company as “Advocates” must take the Oath in order to do so.

Will you get evidence of the registration as an advocate in Dubai?

• Each practising advocate listed on the Roll receives an identification card from the Department that serves as proof that the holder is entitled to practise law in the Emirate through a recognised company.
• The card must include the start and end dates of the registration as well as the name of the authorised firm that the advocate works for.

The Department’s official property is the identification card. The practising attorney must only utilise it for the stated reason and cannot use it for any other purpose.

• Don’t let anyone else use the card.
• Upon request, provide the card to whomever the advocate deals with, including governmental and private organisations.
• In the case that the card is lost or damaged, notify the Department and request a police loss report.
• Don’t add to, subtract from, or change the information on the card, and
• After being added to the category of non-practicing attorneys, being struck off the Roll or suspended, after the registration information has been changed, or at the Department’s request, return the card to them.

Renewal of Advocate Registration

How to renew your Advocate Registration in Dubai?

An advocate must submit a renewal application for advocate registration within the last month before the registration expiry date if they are listed on the Roll of Practising Advocates.

What are the requirements for the renewal of advocate registration?

An attorney who is listed on the Roll of Practising Attorneys must file a renewal application for attorney registration within the penultimate month before the registration expires.

• To avoid potential late application fees, the renewal application must be submitted within the last month before the registration expires.
• Except for teaching or training in any area of law or the legal profession, the applicant must continue full-time work inside the firm and refrain from engaging in any additional business or profession.
• The registration conditions outlined in Article (7) of the Bylaw Concerning the Registration of Advocates in the Emirate of Dubai must be met by the application.
• However, non-UAE national advocates who were registered with the Department prior to the effective date of the Bylaw are exempt from the provisions of Article 7 of the same Bylaw.
• The applicant must fulfil any additional conditions outlined in any bylaws, resolutions, or instructions issued by the department, in addition to paying the department’s required registration renewal charge.

What are the fees for the renewal of the advocate registration?

In addition to the innovation charge of AED 10 and the knowledge fee of AED 10, the renewal fee for advocates is two thousand dirhams (AED 2,000). When registering with the Department for the first time, an advocate from the UAE must:

• for a period of three years beginning on the date of registration with the Department, pay fifty percent of the prescribed annual advocate registration fee.
• For a period of three years, beginning on the date of licencing the firm if it is owned by any such advocate or the date of joining the firm if it is owned by others, pay 50% of the annual firm licencing/ renewal fees stipulated by the Department for each UAE national attorney.

What are the fines for late renewal of the advocate registration?

• Failure to renew an advocate registration by the deadline will result in a fine of 1,000 Dirhams (AED 1,000) per day, up to a maximum aggregate of 15,000 Dirhams (AED 15,000), for the first month, and 30,000 Dirhams (AED 30,000) for any delay longer than one (1) month. In addition, there will be a 10 Dirham (AED 10) innovation fee and a 10 Dirham (AED 10) knowledge fee.

What will happen if you do not want to renew the registration as an advocate in Dubai?

In order to transfer from the Roll of Practising Advocates to the Roll of Non-Practising Advocates, a person must be listed on the Roll of Practising Advocates and no longer wish to maintain or renew their registration. To avoid paying late renewal fees, the transfer must be made before the registration expires.

What should you do if you want to change the firm / transfer the advocate registration to another licensed firm in Dubai?

How to activate the registration advocate account in Dubai LPS?

No member of the public may create an account to log into the LPS without first completing a registration application as an advocate and fulfilling all registration conditions. The account activation process is a part of the registration process. The applicant will be given the login information to access the LPS once their application has been approved.

How to  request a “To Whom it May Concern”  TWIMC Certificate? Is there any payment?

An advocate listed on the Roll may email the Advocates and Legal Consultants Affairs Section to request a “to whom it may concern” certificate. : advocates@legal.dubai.gov.ae

In addition to a 200 dirham certificate issuance charge, there are additional 10 dirham innovation and knowledge fees.

What is the Processing time to obtain approval to be registered as an advocate?

Within five (5) working days of receiving a complete application, the Department will approve it.

What is the procedure  if you are switching from Non-Practising Advocate to Practising Advocate in Dubai?

Do you need to take an oath again if you are switching from Non-Practising Advocate to Practising Advocate in Dubai?

Example:

Question:

I took the oath and had previously registered as an advocate with the Department. Last year, I ceased working and switched to the position of non-practising advocate. I would like to reregister as a practising advocate now that I have a new job.

Answer:

You must only take the Advocate/Legal Consultant Oath once as part of your initial application for advocate registration. There is no need to take the oath once more for any advocates who are asking to move from the Roll of Non-Practising to the Roll of Practising or who are returning to the advocacy profession.