Latest news with #SaudiBarAssociation
Saudi Gazette
24-05-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Preventive justice through unified legal contract
The premise that legal modernization requires dramatic reform is both overstated and misread. In many cases, the more enduring reforms are the quieter ones — the administrative, the procedural, and the contractual. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's introduction of a Unified Legal Contract for Lawyers is a case in point. What is being reformed is not the concept of legal advocacy, nor the essence of client representation, but the structure that holds it together. The reform requires that the relationship between lawyers and their clients be formalized, standardized, and digitally registered through Najiz, the national digital justice platform. The Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Saudi Bar Association, Walid Al-Samaani, has launched the Unified Contract for Lawyer Fees to regulate the contractual relationship between lawyers and their clients within a transparent and reliable legal framework — promoting preventive justice. The contract covers legal representation, consultations, and preparation of legal documents. It ensures documentation of all related transactions, such as fee payments, delivery and receipt of documents, and notices exchanged between parties. This is not just a form or a template. It is a development of the legal system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that aligns with Vision 2030. Under this new framework, the contractual relationship between lawyer and client will be standardized, digitized, and protected under a national system. It ensures that legal representation is not only professional but also transparent. Everything from fees to the scope of services will now be recorded in a formal, binding digital contract. This move asserts a powerful principle: justice begins at the moment of agreement, not after a dispute. No more confusion. No verbal promises. Just law in writing. This model fits within a broader global pattern. In the United Kingdom, the Solicitor Regulation Authority strongly recommends the use of Client Care Letters, offering clients a formal description of service scope, fees, and grievance procedures. In Australia, the Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules 2015 requires uniform legal disclosure laws and standardized engagement terms — especially in New South Wales, where law firms must provide clear contracts and cost notices. In the United States, while regulation varies by state, most law firms use formal engagement letters — often guided by bar association ethics rules — to define obligations and expectations in writing. In the United Arab Emirates, the E-Notary system allows parties to register and verify legal agreements remotely. It is an effort to build confidence and reduce dispute. However, unlike other jurisdictions, the Saudi model integrates the contract into a national digital justice system from the beginning. This makes the contract not just a document but part of a larger structure of accountability, enforceability, and transparency. This is what is meant by preventive justice — where clarity, formality, and mutual protection are present from the outset. It reduces harm by defining rights and duties at the moment of agreement. Everyone wins. Trust increases. As mentioned above, this transformation aligns with Vision 2030. The goal is not merely to modernize the legal system, but to build a culture of legal confidence. Legal modernization in the Kingdom is not just institutional reform. It is a cultural shift.
Zawya
05-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Saudi minister launches unified attorney fee contract to streamline lawyer-client agreements
RIYADH — Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Saudi Bar Association Dr. Walid Al-Samaani has launched the unified contract for attorney fees, designed to regulate lawyer-client agreements with greater transparency and legal reliability, as part of broader efforts to strengthen preventive justice. Registered via the Nafith contract creation platform, the contract carries the legal weight of an enforcement instrument and can be processed electronically through the portal without the need for a lawsuit. The contract covers specialized legal services including litigation, legal consultations, and document preparation. It also ensures documentation of all related transactions, such as fee payments, document exchange, and formal notifications between parties. The unified contract requires law firms to return all client-held assets upon fee settlement, while obligating clients to adhere to agreed payment terms. The initiative is part of a broader set of tools aimed at reducing legal disputes and reinforcing contractual fairness in the legal profession.
Saudi Gazette
04-05-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Justice minister launches unified attorney fee contract to streamline lawyer-client agreements
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Saudi Bar Association Dr. Walid Al-Samaani has launched the unified contract for attorney fees, designed to regulate lawyer-client agreements with greater transparency and legal reliability, as part of broader efforts to strengthen preventive justice. Registered via the Nafith contract creation platform, the contract carries the legal weight of an enforcement instrument and can be processed electronically through the portal without the need for a lawsuit. The contract covers specialized legal services including litigation, legal consultations, and document preparation. It also ensures documentation of all related transactions, such as fee payments, document exchange, and formal notifications between parties. The unified contract requires law firms to return all client-held assets upon fee settlement, while obligating clients to adhere to agreed payment terms. The initiative is part of a broader set of tools aimed at reducing legal disputes and reinforcing contractual fairness in the legal profession.
Asharq Al-Awsat
04-05-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Arabia Launches Operations Room to Tackle Financial Fraud
Saudi Arabia's cabinet, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has approved the creation of a dedicated operations room to receive and process financial fraud reports, in a move seen as a significant step forward in the Kingdom's fight against financial crime. The initiative aims to strengthen the national security framework, improve response efficiency to financial risks, and boost investor confidence—key factors in enhancing the appeal of the Saudi market to international and domestic stakeholders. The decision is part of broader efforts by the Kingdom to tackle financial fraud at both national and international levels, aligning with global standards and best practices. Saudi legal and financial experts say the Kingdom's decision to establish the operations room marks a transformative shift in the institutional framework for combating financial crime, with a direct executive role expected to accelerate response times and enhance criminal investigation efforts. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, experts said the move will bolster transparency and trust in Saudi Arabia's financial system, helping to attract both domestic and foreign investment and reinforcing the country's position as a secure economic hub. Abdullah Alsahli, a core member of the Saudi Bar Association, described the cabinet's decision as a 'pivotal step' in developing the Kingdom's financial protection system and a practical move toward strengthening financial security and shielding the national economy from cross-sector financial crimes. 'This operations room—expected to be launched soon—will not just serve as another reporting channel, but will function as a high-level executive arm working in coordination with oversight bodies, foremost among them the Saudi Central Bank,' Alsahli said. He explained that the room's most notable feature is its direct link to victims of fraud, allowing individuals to report cases without having to go through lengthy banking or institutional procedures. This, he added, will ensure faster response to incidents as they occur. 'The significance of this room lies in its integration with an executive body empowered to conduct investigations and criminal tracking. It allows financial crimes to be addressed not only from a regulatory or administrative standpoint, but also from a judicial and security perspective,' Alsahli noted. From a legal standpoint, Alsahli said the creation of the operations room represents a qualitative leap in the institutional fight against financial fraud. It introduces a parallel mechanism to the oversight role of the central bank and financial institutions, but with a distinct focus on investigation and prosecution. 'This shift means that fraud reports will no longer be limited to internal financial settlement procedures. Instead, they will be handled directly by competent bodies specialized in investigation, monitoring, and forensic analysis—enhancing deterrence and reducing leniency in fraud case handling,' he said.
