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The Qatar International Court (QIC) has successfully concluded an intensive training course focused on enabling Qatari lawyers to litigate in the QFC Civil and Commercial Court with world-class advocacy skills. The five-day course was organised by the QIC in collaboration with the Legal & Judicial Studies Centre, Ministry of Justice and BARBRI Group, a leading international legal education institution.
The training course comprised of theoretical lectures, demonstrations, workshops and mock trials covering topics such as preparing and writing claims, submission methods, commencement of proceedings, submitting evidence, direct examination and cross-examination and appealing a court judgement. The course was delivered by international advocacy and law experts, and Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States.
At the close of the training course, Mr. Faisal Rashid Al Sahouti, QIC CEO and Miss Maryam Yousif Arab, Manager of the Legal & Judicial Studies Centre, Ministry of Justice, delivered the completion certificates to the participating local lawyers.
Mr. Faisal Rashid Al Sahouti said: "I would like to thank both the Ministry of Justice and the Qatari Lawyers Association for their cooperation and ensuring the success of this course. The main purpose of this programme was qualifying and training Qatari lawyers to litigate in the QFC Civil and Commercial Court, which adopts the Anglo-Saxon common law system and applies highest international standards of legal procedure."
Mr. Al Sahouti also noted that all the cases considered by the Court previously were pleaded by foreign law firms. He added that similar intensive courses will be organised in the near future in cooperation with the Legal & Judicial Studies Centre of the Ministry of Justice and BARBRI Group to prepare lawyers to litigate in front of courts based on the Anglo-Saxon system and that the QIC is open for Qatari lawyers to litigate on its cases.
Mr. Al Sahouti also stressed that the QIC will provide opportunities for Qatari lawyers to litigate before the QFC Civil and Commercial Court through association with foreign law firms. This will contribute to Qatari lawyers gaining the skills that qualify them to effectively litigate before the QFC Civil and Commercial Court. This would also achieve QIC's goal of helping Qatari lawyers to practice in other jurisdictions internationally that utilise the same approach as the QIC.
Miss Maryam Yousif Arab, Manager of the Legal & Judicial Studies Centre, Ministry of Justice said that the Qatar National Vision depends on promising young Qataris to be present in all fields and to take responsibility for the development of human capital. She noted that the Qatari lawyers training course benefited all those who were enrolled, as they learned the methods of litigation and pleadings before the QFC Civil and Commercial Court. Miss Arab thanked the QIC for hosting the workshop and for supporting Qatari lawyer to litigate before them.
At the end of the course, Mr. Faisal Rashid Al Sahouti, QIC CEO was nominated honorary President of the BARBRI Group for legal education and to be an ambassador for the dissemination of knowledge, legal and judicial culture, and legal excellence. The BARBRI Group is a legal training centre headquartered in the US and has supervised the legal training of famous names such as the current US President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton amongst other leaders.
"Views of the participants"
Commenting on the course, lawyer Issa Al Sulaiti said that the course was very useful and practical, and the performance of the lecturers was characterised by clarity and practicality. He added that he had learned the procedures to litigate before the QFC Civil and Commercial Court whose proceedings differ from other Qatari courts. He also hoped for more practical courses where Qatari lawyers can develop their professional skills, as they always try to serve the people and Qatar.
Lawyer Abdul Latif Al Mohannadi said that the course dealt with how to litigate before the QFC Civil and Commercial Court and the skills that a local lawyer should master to litigate before it. He said that training course has covered topics such as preparing claims, exchange of submissions commencement of proceedings, submitting evidence, direct examination. He stressed that the session was very useful for fine-tuning the skills Qatari lawyers who want to litigate before the QFC Civil and Commercial Court and called for the concerned authorities to provide more opportunities for similar training sessions.
Al Mohannadi thanked the QIC and the Legal & Judicial Studies Centre, Ministry of Justice for providing the unique opportunity to train the skills of those litigating before the QFC Civil and Commercial Court.
Lawyer Mashael Al Sulaiti also thanked QIC, the Legal & Judicial Studies Centre, Ministry of Justice, BARBRI and Judge Mr. Gerald President of the Supreme Court of the United States. Miss Al Sulaiti said she improved her skills of litigating before the Qatari judiciary in the English language. She also expressed her sincere gratitude and appreciation to all who contributed to the success of the training course .
Lawyer Jamal Al Neamah said that his participation in the training course was rich and valuable as he gained knowledge of ways to litigate before the QFC Civil and Commercial Court, stressing that the instructors provided an opportunity for participants to learn how to litigate, defend, and examine witnesses before international courts in English.
Noor Abdullah Al Kuwari said that she learned how to litigate before the QFC Civil and Commercial Court, the different types of defences and how to resolve disputes. These are new and unfamiliar areas, especially as the language of litigation is English, although Arabic can be used if selected by the parties.
Latifa Al Dosari explained that she benefited greatly from the session as she learned new skills applicable to international and local justice, stating that the participants moved from theory to a practical application of skills learnt by standing before a Judge, litigating before him and talking with confidence.
Al Dosari said that the course was very effective for all participants and that despite the short duration of the session, the benefit was huge and she plans to continue to join in such sessions which qualify her to litigate, especially in front of international arbitration bodies that follow the same principles as the QFC Civil and Commercial Court. Al Dosari also advised all Qatari lawyers to take advantage of future training sessions that qualify participants to litigate before a reputable international courts in the State of Qatar.
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The Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC) is the trading name for the QFC Civil and Commercial Court, Regulatory Tribunal and Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre. The QICRDC provide an independent, world-class legal infrastructure and dispute resolution centre for Qatar.
The QICDRC offers a full range of dispute resolution options to suit the needs and demands of international business clients. These include:
● Access to our international panel of renowned judges experienced in applying international common law principles at the QFC Civil and Commercial Court. The Court can hear disputes between individuals and business entities operating both in and outside the QFC and provides a "virtual court" service where parties and lawyers need not be physically present in Doha.
● Access to a purpose built ADR Centre providing the full range of non-court dispute resolution services in a business friendly environment. The QICDRC offers a fully supported mediation facility and for arbitrations, business clients have a choice of arbitration rules and procedures and parties may also choose their own law and jurisdiction.
For more information, please visit us at www.qicdrc.com.qa
More informational about BARBRIBARBRI is the world's leading Legal Education institution. Headquartered in the U.S. with every law school and many top law firms as clients, BARBRI has helped 1.2 million lawyers to pass a United States bar exam and advance their career with professional development education.
© Press Release 2015
