Saudi Minister of Justice approves executive licensing ‎regulations for foreign law firms

His Excellency Walid bin Mohammed Al Samani, Saudi Minister of Justice approves the executive regulations for regulating licensing of foreign law firms.

This regulations aims to raise the development of the legal profession, raise the efficiency of its practitioners, and improve the business and investment environment in the Kingdom.

This regulations aims to raise the development of the legal profession, raise the efficiency of its practitioners, and improve the business and investment environment in the Kingdom

The regulations stipulated that a firm/office may not practice the profession before registering for membership in the Saudi Bar Association, and taking a seat to practice the profession.

Moreover, the regulations stipulated that the partner who represents the office in the Kingdom should have experience in the nature of work for a period of no less than 10 years, including 3 years of them after obtaining a license to practice the legal profession.

The regulation stressed the need for the office to abide by the fact that the number of Saudis practicing legal work in the foreign office should not be less than the Saudization percentages specified for law firms and Saudi professional companies in accordance with the regulations and decisions regulating this, and that the office should set an annual work plan for knowledge transfer and training, and that it should include, at a minimum, the submission of 20 training hours annually for each employee in the office, in addition to approving a policy for seconding Saudi workers to the office’s headquarters or its branches, implementing a program to train university graduates and recent graduates in work of a regular nature, and contributing to the establishment or sponsorship of conferences, seminars and scientific and professional events in the Kingdom.

His Excellency the Minister of Justice also approved extending the corrective period for lawyers associated with foreign offices through cooperation agreements or the like for an additional nine months.