Saudis allow foreign lawyers to plead in courts

Abu Dhabi: Non-Saudi lawyers, licensed in the Kingdom and having the basic membership of the Saudi Bar Association, are now allowed to plead in courts, according to a decision by the Saudi Cabinet, local media reported.

Previously, law firms were only allowed to outsource foreign lawyers as legal advisors.

Under the reform, foreign lawyers living and working in Saudi Arabia can now represent third parties before courts of law, the Board of Grievances, and other committees as may be set up pursuant to laws, decrees and decisions to consider the cases falling within their respective jurisdictions.

They can also render consultancy services based on the principles of Shariah and the rule of law.

Under the Cabinet decision, a requirement to be a Saudi to practice law was crossed off article three of the Saudi Code of Law Practice, which now reads:

(a) A non-Saudi shall be entitled to practice law subject to the terms of agreements concluded between the Kingdom and other countries.

(b) Lawyers must be holders of a degree from a Shari’ah college or a bachelor of law from one of the Kingdom’s universities or an equivalent of any of these degrees obtained from abroad, or a post-graduate diploma of legal studies from the Institute of Public Administration.

(c) They must have at least three years of practical legal experience. This period may be reduced to one year for a holder of a Master’s degree in Shari’ah or in law, or an equivalent of any of these degrees, or a post-graduate diploma in law for the graduates of a Shari’ah college. This requirement shall not apply to a holder of a doctorate in these fields of specialization.

(d) They must be of good conduct and not under interdiction.

(e) They must not have been subjected to any hadd (Qur’anic prescribed punishment) or any other sentence in connection with a crime that impugns integrity, except where a minimum period of five years has expired since execution of that sentence.

(f) They must be residents of the Kingdom.”