- Do you have a burning legal issue that you are keen to get resolved?
- Does the thought of formally instructing lawyers to advise upon that issue fill you with dread?
If your answer to either or both of the questions above is ‘yes’, did you know that the DMCC Disputes Centre has recently launched ‘Legal Clinics’, a pro bono (i.e., free of charge) legal offering that may be able to assist you?
What are the Legal Clinics?
The DMCC Disputes Centre has partnered with key providers of legal services to offer DMCC member companies and their employees’ access to free legal advice.
Through the Legal Clinics, the DMCC Disputes Centre organises pro bono consultations where relevant legal advice is provided for specific legal issues by dedicated legal service providers, the majority of whom are based within the DMCC Free Zone.
What areas of law are covered?
The DMCC Disputes Centre matches businesses/individuals requiring legal advice with appropriate legal service providers in relation to the following areas of law:
• Employment;
• Commercial;
• Intellectual Property;
• Real Estate;
• Corporate; and
• Disputes.
Who is eligible to use the Legal Clinics?
Any DMCC member company or DMCC member company employees can make a request to use the Legal Clinics.
How do I make a request for legal advice?
DMCC member companies and their employees can make a request for legal advice by sharing a duly completed Request for Advice Form (available on the Disputes Centre website at www.dmcc.ae/disputescentre) to the DMCC Help Centre.
How long do Legal Clinic appointments last?
Legal Clinic appointments operate on the basis of a free of charge 60 minute legal consultation, with the exception of employment law consultations, which are free of charge for 30 minutes.
Am I guaranteed a Legal Clinic appointment?
All Requests for Advice are allotted to legal service providers on a first come first served basis. If, owing to high demand, no appointment is available within a given month, the DMCC Disputes Centre will contact you to ask if you would like your Request for Advice to be considered for the appointments available in the following month.
It is entirely at the discretion of the legal service provider whether they accept or reject a Request for Advice and there may be occasions where no legal service provider is available or indeed able to act.
No Legal Clinic appointment will be confirmed until a participating legal service provider has confirmed that they are willing to act in relation to the Request for Advice.
If you have any further questions with regards the Legal Clinics initiative, please do not hesitate to contact the DMCC Help Centre and we would be delighted to assist you.