Latest news with #WalidAl-Samaani
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.
Saudi Gazette
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia, Japan sign MoU to boost judicial cooperation
Saudi Gazette report TOKYO — Saudi Minister of Justice Walid Al-Samaani met with his Japanese counterpart Keisuke Suzuki during an official visit to Tokyo to discuss enhancing judicial ties between the two countries. Al-Samaani highlighted the Kingdom's recent legal and judicial reforms, supported by the Saudi leadership, including the implementation of specialized legislation aimed at achieving prompt and transparent justice. He emphasized advancements such as real-time audio and video documentation of court hearings — both in-person and through virtual litigation — as well as the publication of judicial rulings and the expansion of preventive justice through notarization of enforceable contracts. During the meeting, the two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at deepening cooperation in the judicial field. The agreement enables the exchange of legal expertise and best practices in areas such as legislation, capacity building, and dispute resolution.
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.
Saudi Gazette
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Over 700 Saudi judges complete first term of criminal law diploma program
RIYADH — More than 700 Saudi judges have completed the first term of the Higher Diploma in Criminal Law, a program launched by the Ministry of Justice to advance the Kingdom's judicial capabilities. The diploma, which was inaugurated by Minister of Justice Dr. Walid Al-Samaani, is designed to enhance the qualifications of judges working in criminal courts, courts of first instance, appellate courts, and the Supreme Court. Each participant completed 165 hours of specialized instruction. Held at the Judicial Training Center, the program aims to improve the accuracy of judicial decisions in criminal cases and ensure adherence to legal procedures and statutory provisions. It forms part of broader efforts to develop judicial performance and raise the quality of legal reasoning and verdicts in criminal matters. The curriculum includes in-depth study of core criminal law principles, procedural mechanisms, proper crime classification, and the application of penalties under the Saudi legal framework. The first phase focused on judges handling criminal cases. The second phase will expand to include judges across various other specialties, reinforcing the Kingdom's commitment to comprehensive judicial development. — SG
