The forum brings together a distinguished group of legal and judicial leaders, experts, and specialists from various BRICS+ countries to discuss key developments and challenges facing legal and institutional systems, while strengthening cooperation and the exchange of expertise among legal institutions across participating countries.
 

The forum’s discussions focus on developing rule-of-law frameworks and institutional capacity-building to enhance economic resilience, foster innovation, and advance sustainability.
 

The agenda also addresses a range of contemporary legal issues, including legal education, artificial intelligence, digital governance, arbitration, investment, and sustainable development, alongside opportunities for greater legal cooperation and the exchange of experiences and best practices among participating countries.
 

The Emirates Association for Lawyers and Legal Professionals’ participation in this international gathering reflects the United Arab Emirates’ active presence in international legal forums and its commitment to strengthening communication and cooperation with legal and judicial institutions worldwide. It also highlights the importance of advancing legal practices and keeping pace with rapid developments in the legislative, technological, and economic landscape.
 

The forum serves as an important platform for dialogue and the exchange of perspectives on the future of the legal profession and the role of legal institutions in responding to global developments, while contributing to the development of legislative and institutional environments that support sustainable growth, innovation, and investment.

As part of the Emirates Association For Lawyers and Legal commitment to historical and knowledge-based documentation, this video offers a documentary window into the Emirate of Fujairah, highlighting aspects of its history and geography, as well as its distinctive status and historical heritage shaped by its geographical location on the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates.
 

The video goes beyond introducing the emirate’s history and geographical features. It also explores an important aspect of the history of legal and judicial life in Fujairah, examining the origins and development of the judicial system and shedding light on how disputes were adjudicated in Fujairah in the past, including the traditional methods people relied upon to resolve disputes and settle conflicts before the development of the modern institutional legal and judicial system.
 

The video features Mr. Abdullah Al Kindi, a researcher in history, who presents various aspects of the emirate’s history, social life, and judicial traditions. He provides a documentary perspective on the features of justice and dispute resolution in the past, as well as the customs and practices that shaped the community at the time.
 

This work reflects the Emirates Association For Lawyers and Legal commitment to highlighting the relationship between history, society, and law, while documenting the stages that contributed to the development of the UAE’s legal and judicial experience. It also seeks to preserve the nation’s historical memory and introduce younger generations to aspects of the social and legal life that form an important part of the country’s history.
 

The video presents valuable content bringing together history, geography, and the judiciary, contributing to the documentary record of the UAE’s history and the development of its legal and judicial institutions. It also offers an opportunity to reflect on the journey from traditional methods of dispute resolution to a modern judicial system founded on institutions, legislation, and legal principles.

 

From this perspective, I believe that speaking about the Emirates Association for Lawyers and Legal should not merely be an introduction to a professional association or a review of its history and programs. Rather, it deserves to be a message of thanks and appreciation to a legal institution whose journey has extended for more than four decades.

The roots of the Association date back to 1980, when it was established under the name “Jurists Association,” before adopting its current name, the “Emirates Association for Lawyers and Legal,” on April 30, 2012.

More than four decades of presence in the UAE’s legal landscape are not merely numbers in a timeline. They represent a journey worthy of recognition for its continued contribution to legal knowledge, the profession, and society.

Thank You for Investing in People, Because Investing in Law Begins with People

One of the most commendable aspects of the Association’s mission is its focus on training and qualifying lawyers and legal professionals, while enhancing their professional, cultural, and social capabilities.

In a profession where legislation continues to evolve and practices and tools are constantly changing, continuous learning becomes a necessity rather than an option.

This is where the importance of the Association’s seminars, workshops, programs, lectures, and knowledge-based activities becomes evident, alongside its interest in legal research and studies.

Every new piece of information that reaches a legal professional, every experience passed from an experienced practitioner to a new generation, and every professional discussion that opens the door to a deeper understanding of the law ultimately represents an investment in the quality of legal practice itself.

For this, the Association deserves appreciation for providing a space where education meets experience, and knowledge meets practice.

Thank You for Supporting the Profession, Not Just the Individual

What distinguishes the Association’s role is that its objectives do not stop at developing individuals, but extend to supporting the legal profession and the practice of law itself.

Among its objectives is cooperation and coordination with relevant authorities in the UAE regarding the foundations necessary for regulating the practice of the profession, strengthening the role of lawyers in upholding justice, and promoting professional ethics and a spirit of responsibility.

Through its meetings and initiatives, the Association has also addressed challenges related to the practice of law and ways of developing the profession.

This role deserves recognition because every profession needs a platform that brings its practitioners together, discusses its challenges, and allows for the exchange of perspectives and expertise regarding the future of legal practice.

Thank You for Recognizing Legal Knowledge as a Social Responsibility

One of the important aspects of the Association’s vision is its commitment to promoting legal awareness of rights and obligations among members of society.

Law is not the exclusive domain of lawyers and legal professionals. Every individual encounters contracts, obligations, rights, and responsibilities in everyday life.

The higher the level of legal awareness within society, the better equipped individuals are to protect their rights, understand their obligations, and make informed decisions.

Therefore, promoting legal culture is not merely a service to those working in the legal field; it is a service to society as a whole.

For this role as well, we say: Thank you.

Thank You for Sharing Knowledge and Experience

The Association’s objectives include preparing and publishing research and studies, as well as organizing seminars and workshops aimed at developing legal thought.

Professional expertise, when confined within an office or institution, benefits only a limited number of people. But when that expertise is transformed into a lecture, research paper, workshop, or professional discussion, it becomes knowledge that can reach many legal professionals.

Experienced practitioners have a responsibility to pass what they have learned on to new generations, just as younger professionals need a space where they can be heard and given opportunities to learn and participate.

Professional associations are among the most important platforms capable of bringing both sides together.

Thank You for Building Professional Bridges Beyond Borders

Among the Association’s objectives is also the strengthening of relations with other clubs, federations, and associations at both the local and international levels, in accordance with the applicable regulatory frameworks.

Such relationships open the door to exchanging legal knowledge and experiences and benefiting from different practices.

In a world where contracts, businesses, investments, arbitration, and disputes increasingly transcend geographical borders, openness to other legal experiences has become an important part of professional development.

Thank You for Embracing the Future and Artificial Intelligence

Among the initiatives that deserve attention is the Association’s announcement of Emirate Lex, a digital legal platform powered by artificial intelligence.

This initiative carries an important message: an institution with a long history can also look toward the future.

Artificial intelligence has become a reality that is gradually entering legal research, information analysis, and knowledge management. It is therefore important for professional legal institutions to be present in this transformation.

Technology will not eliminate the value of a lawyer’s judgment, experience, and professional responsibility, but it will change the tools through which legal professionals work. Preparing for this future therefore begins today.

From Sharjah… A New Platform for Legal Dialogue

Another announced initiative is the Justice Forum – Sharjah, scheduled to take place on October 22 and 23, 2026, at Expo Centre Sharjah. The event aims to enhance legal cooperation and awareness and showcase international practices through specialized forums and discussion sessions.

Such gatherings provide legal professionals with opportunities to connect, exchange knowledge, and move beyond the routine of daily practice into a broader space for professional dialogue.

Membership Is Also a Responsibility

In this message of appreciation, it is only fair to say that responsibility does not rest with the Association alone.

The strength of any professional association also comes from the strength of its members’ participation.

Membership should not simply be a name added to a résumé or a card carried by its holder. It should represent presence, participation, learning, knowledge exchange, and the sharing of expertise.

Every experienced legal professional has something to contribute, and every legal professional at the beginning of their career has something to learn.

When the two meet under one professional umbrella, the Association becomes a true community of knowledge rather than merely an institution.

A Message of Appreciation

For all these reasons, these words are not merely an introductory article about the Emirates Association for Lawyers and Legal; they are a message of thanks and appreciation.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to building this institution from its early beginnings, and to everyone who has worked and continues to work to carry its mission forward.

Thank you to every lecturer, trainer, expert, and legal professional who has shared part of their knowledge with others through the Association’s activities, and to every initiative that contributes to raising legal awareness and serving the profession and society.

The continuation of a professional association from 1980 to the present day carries a great responsibility, but it also represents a value worthy of recognition and appreciation.

In the United Arab Emirates, which has made the rule of law, justice, and institutional development fundamental pillars of its journey, professional legal institutions remain important partners in developing legal professionals capable of keeping pace with this journey.

So, thank you to the Emirates Association for Lawyers and Legal for all that it has contributed, and our thanks extend to everyone who has played a role in its journey. We wish the Association continued development, contribution, and success in serving law, justice, and society.

Note: The information about the Association included in this article is based on its official website. The opinions and expressions of appreciation represent the author’s personal perspective. The accompanying image is illustrative and personally prepared.

By: Imad Badri Al Shami

Key Provisions of the Agreement

Parties to the Agreement:
The American University in the Emirates and the Emirates Association for Lawyers and Legal.

Scholarships and Discounts:
Exclusive scholarships will be offered for the university’s College of Law programs to members of the Association, its affiliated entities, and their relatives. The scholarships will cover bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs.

Areas of Cooperation:

• Developing academic programs, executive education, and joint professional certificate programs.
• Implementing joint research projects and supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology transfer.
• Organizing conferences, seminars, legal competitions, and visiting researcher and professor programs.
• Promoting academic and professional exchange through joint initiatives.

Strategic Initiatives:
The agreement includes the establishment of the American University in the Emirates Center for Legal Culture, as well as the creation of the International Law Forum, contributing to the advancement of legal knowledge and the promotion of academic and professional dialogue.

Duration of the Agreement:
The agreement will remain in effect for five years and is automatically renewable.

Many people believe that everyday correspondence is merely a means of communication. In reality, however, an email, a WhatsApp conversation, or even a text message may become evidence relied upon to establish or disprove a right.
 

Therefore, do not write a message while you are angry. Do not make promises you cannot fulfill. And do not use phrases that may carry more than one meaning. The words you write today may be interpreted tomorrow in an entirely different legal context.
 

Professional correspondence is not merely a matter of refined communication; it is part of risk management. Every clear, precise, and respectful message may save its sender time, money, and a dispute that could have been avoided.
 

Before you press the send button, ask yourself a simple question:

Would I be comfortable if a judge or arbitrator read this message years from now?

If the answer is yes, send it. If it is no, rewrite it.

A right that is not claimed may eventually be lost, whereas asserting one's rights contributes to the administration of justice and reinforces the rule of law.

Claiming Rights as a Means of Protection

Claiming one’s rights does not mean creating disputes or escalating conflicts. Rather, it is a legitimate right and a civilized means of protecting rights and remedying injustices, whether through the courts, the competent authorities, or legally recognized dispute resolution mechanisms.

Conversely, relinquishing one’s rights out of fear, courtesy, or ignorance may encourage violations and undermine the authority of the law.

Legal Awareness: The Foundation of Rights Protection

Legal awareness is the cornerstone of fostering a culture of claiming rights. It enables individuals to understand their rights and obligations and to take the appropriate legal action whenever those rights are infringed.

Moreover, the law is not limited to protecting rights; it also regulates the exercise of those rights in a manner that balances the interests of individuals and prevents abuse or misuse of legal rights.

Instilling a culture of claiming rights is a shared responsibility among individuals, institutions, and society as a whole, as it contributes to building a community where justice prevails, the rule of law is respected, and rights and freedoms are safeguarded.

The greater the level of legal awareness, the stronger the public's confidence in the justice system and the greater the social stability.

"Rights are not preserved through silence; they are protected by awareness and restored by asserting them in accordance with the law."

The Impact of Claiming Rights on Society

The effects of claiming one's rights extend beyond protecting individual interests; they also serve to protect society as a whole.

Every legal claim reinforces the principle of accountability and sends a clear message that rights are protected and that any infringement will not go without legal accountability.

Accordingly, respect for rights is achieved not only through the existence of laws but also through individuals who recognize their value and remain committed to defending them.

The Importance of Timely Action

Taking prompt action to claim one's rights is of great importance, as certain rights are subject to specific legal deadlines and procedural requirements. Delays in taking the necessary legal steps may result in the loss of certain claims or make them more difficult to prove.

Therefore, seeking legal advice and resorting to lawful procedures from the outset of a dispute significantly contributes to protecting rights and enhancing the likelihood of their recovery.

The Proper Exercise of Rights

It is also important to distinguish between legitimately claiming one's rights and abusing those rights. While the law guarantees individuals the right to seek justice before the courts and competent authorities, it rejects the misuse of this right to harm others or to bring malicious or legally unfounded claims.

Accordingly, good faith and compliance with the law remain fundamental principles in achieving justice.

The Role of Institutions in Promoting Legal Awareness

Educational institutions, the media, and legal organizations all play a pivotal role in promoting legal awareness within society by educating individuals about their rights and obligations and by explaining the proper legal methods for asserting rights and resolving disputes.

Legal knowledge is not exclusive to legal professionals; it is a necessity for every individual to protect their interests and act within the proper legal framework.

The Culture of Claiming Rights in the Business Environment

In the business environment, a culture of claiming rights is a fundamental element in strengthening trust among parties. It encourages individuals and companies to honor contracts and fulfill their obligations, while recognizing that effective legal mechanisms exist to protect their rights in the event of a breach.

This, in turn, contributes positively to economic stability and helps create a business environment founded on transparency and the rule of law.

Prepared by:
Lawyer / Mariam Ali Al Shamsi