INSTILLING THE RULE OF LAW THE STATE OF LAW IN THE REGION Many countries in the Middle East, including the Kingdom of Bahrain, realised the importance of comprehensive legal systems over the past decades, leading to the promotion of the rule of law and development of legislation to match global movements. “This is especially on the economic level, the Kingdom and other Gulf Countries focused on economic issues and attempted to build economies of strength by enacting important initiatives in trade liberalisation, development of the financial sector, labour regulations, human rights and other remarkable changes of policies,” says Mr. Aljabal. “Currently, it is fair to say that these countries enjoy advanced legal systems, a strong rule of law and enforcement mechanisms which highly contributed towards the evolution of those states and their strength,” he added. One of the many benefits of being a lawyer is the mental stimulation an attorney experiences when working through complex legal theories, statutes, and case law to find a solution to a legal question. “Most lawyers possess exceptional analytical skills including reading and writing skills as practicing law allows you to use your mental skills each day in effective ways to solve problems. In Bahrain and other Gulf Countries, we adapt a unique legal system that is a mixture of civil law, common law and Shari’a - this exceptional system opens doors of experience and knowledge to the practitioner in the region which cannot be found in other legal systems,” he explains. MAKING PROGRESS Over the last few years, the region has seen unprecedented regional and national laws and regulations which filled great legal gaps which existed before. “This includes laws concerning the protection of personal data, intellectual property, real estate regulations and cybersecurity laws,” he says. The legal system has also seen a digital transformation so individuals can raise a lawsuit online, submit requests to courts over a website and even take legal enforcement actions. “These changes have not only made it easier for the lawyer, but also greatly contributed to expediting litigation procedures and ruling on cases more quickly, where the Judiciary system in Bahrain became distinguished by speed and accuracy,” he explains. THE CHALLENGES However, albeit being a noble profession, being a lawyer is also one of the most serious and complex professions in the region with the changing dynamics of law making it quite challenging. “With technological advancements, governments started placing new regulations An Estonian proverb beautifully states that the law is three days older than the Earth. The rule of law has undoubtedly served as a guiding light for civilisations over time leading to substantial changes and progression in the way countries are governed. With this in mind, Bahrain This Month’s Farah Baig set out to discuss the state of law in the region with Mr. Ali Aljabal – the Founder and Managing Partner at Aljabal Consultancy Company. Mr. Aljabal who is licensed to practice law in Bahrain, is a certified Arbitrator and mediator through the courts in Bahrain, the GCC Commercial Arbitration Centre, a private notary in Arabic and English, and is a fully licensed lawyer in the Sultanate of Oman. Given his prolific career, spanning over 28 years, the International Association of Lawyers (UIA) recently renewed Mr. Aljabal’s position as the UIA Regional Secretary in the Middle East. interview 10 February 2021 www.bahrainthismonth.com
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk0MTkxMQ==