A UK barrister has become the first foreign lawyer admitted to the UAE Roll of Advocates, after five years appearing before Abu Dhabi’s Civil Family Court, and says others will follow as the court draws more complex cross-border disputes.
Byron James, a partner at Expatriate Law, was sworn in this week following a process that included judicial observations, practical training, and a series of examinations. His admission comes under Abu Dhabi Judicial Department Decision No. 21 of 2024, which established a formal register of foreign lawyers with right of audience before the court, split into two rolls: one covering First Instance and Appeal Courts, and one for the Cassation Court.
‘I absolutely think that’s certain,’ James said when asked whether other foreign lawyers would seek admission. ‘I very much look at my role now as someone who can teach and guide people who want to follow.’
A five-year path to the UAE Roll of Advocates
James said his route began shortly after Abu Dhabi established its Civil Family Court in 2021, when the court president granted him special permission to appear. Over the following five years he represented clients, studied UAE family law, and wrote legal textbooks while completing the formal qualification process.
‘It wasn’t something that happened overnight,’ he said. ‘I’ve been appearing in these courts for five years.’
The court itself was created under Abu Dhabi Law No. 14 of 2021 on Civil Marriage and its Effects. It is presided over by a single judge, who may be non-Muslim, and all proceedings are conducted bilingually in Arabic and English. Its jurisdiction covers litigants with a domicile, residence, or current or former place of work in Abu Dhabi, or where property in dispute is located in the UAE, according to the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department’s Civil Marriage Law guidance.
Foreign lawyers wishing to follow James onto the roll must submit an application and mandatory documents to the Lawyers Affairs Committee through the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department’s foreign lawyer registration portal.
Under Regulation No. 8 of 2022, foreign parties appearing before the court are exempted from submitting documents in Arabic; the department’s translation section handles English-to-Arabic translation for a service fee.
Speed and complexity drawing expatriate cases to Abu Dhabi
James said the practical changes his admission brings to daily work are limited, but the professional recognition carries weight. ‘It’s a status thing,’ he said. ‘It’s an endorsement by the establishment in the UAE to say this practitioner is part of our club, a very, very exclusive club.’
One immediate difference: he can now access the court’s electronic portal directly rather than submitting applications through typing centres.
The bigger shift, he argued, is in how the court has positioned itself internationally. He said divorce timelines in Europe typically run between 12 and 20 months, while Abu Dhabi resolves straightforward cases in 30 days and the most complex within four or five months.
‘The court isn’t just bureaucratic,’ he said. ‘They’re actually doing some amazing, groundbreaking things.’ He pointed to recent judgments on children’s online privacy, the application of foreign law, and complex guardianship questions.
‘Clients now have a choice,’ James said. ‘Do you want to keep a case in England with a massive wait, massive cost and massive stress? Or do you want to do it in Abu Dhabi with a similar sort of outcome, but quicker and cheaper?’
The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department has not announced a timeline for processing the first further applications to the roll, but James said he expects other international lawyers to begin the qualification process.
