Some of the Middle East’s top law firms have partnered up with the Dubai Land Department to provide their services pro-bono in real estate-related court cases.

Al Tamimi, Norton Rose, Trowers & Hamlins, Lawyerpoint, Clyde & Co, Afridi & Angell and Hadef Al Daheri & Associates have joined the department’s new Legal Care Group, which will offer free legal services to people with “genuine real estate issues” to encourage the public to seek legal advice where they may previously have been deterred by high fees.

“Now no one is prevented from pursuing their rights merely because of the possibility they might be priced out of the legal system,” said the Dubai Land Department’s Mohammed Sultan Thani.

Representatives from the law firms met with senior department representatives last Wednesday to finalise the program, negotiating the group’s structure and the services to be provided. Thani praised the firms for their contribution. “The professionals who attended the meeting were extremely positive about this initiative and are being very generous in committing themselves to it and in volunteering their time,” he said. “As professionals they recognise their responsibilities to the wider … community.”

The program would be the second in the region – it follows a similar pro-bono program announced in July by the DIFC Courts (click here to read the story).

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