Thursday, Aug 25, 2016

Dubai: Having no access to lawyers for legal consultation in Dubai due to financial constraints will now be a thing of the past, officials said.

The Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai this week launched the Legal Clinic to provide free legal consultation services to all Dubai residents. The legal clinic aims to raise the community’s awareness of their legal rights according to the Child Protection Act and the Personal Status Law.

The law covers a whole range of topics including marriage and divorce, identity, inheritance, child support, among others.

The CDA teamed up with Al Obaidli and Al Zarouni Advocates and Legal Consultants office for this initiative.

Khalid Al Kamda, Director-General of the CDA, said this partnership will not be the last.

“[We] are in a series of other agreements with other professional attorneys’ offices located in Dubai to provide a totally free legal advice and consultation to the community members all over Dubai, as part of the ‘legal clinic’ programme,” Al Kamda said.

Through the partnership, professional lawyers will respond to public enquiries received by the authority. Al Kamda said the CDA aims to establish a culture where residents are encouraged to fight for their legal rights with the larger goal of spreading happiness in the society.

The fee for a typical legal consultation for one hour ranges from Dh750 to Dh5,000, but the rates could even go up depending on the lawyer. Offering free services will help residents know their legal options and help them make informed decisions.

“[This] is a fully free advisory service that does not require the person to worry about anything more than filling out a simple form and sending it via the private initiative email, or a phone call through the hotline allocated by the authority to receive consultations and enquiries,” Al Kamda said.

Lawyer and legal adviser Saud Al Zarouni said confirmed his commitment to provide legal expertise and advice and give the maximum care to people requesting help through this programme.

Advocate and legal consultant Mohammad Al Obaidli said it is important to “promote efforts to improve community awareness in order to achieve legal and human rights for all through legal expertise, provide advice and assistance, establish justice and ensure the rights of citizens to defend themselves.”

FACTS:

WHAT: Legal Clinic (for all residents of Dubai)

CONTACT DETAILS: Hotline: 800-3232 / email: legalclinic@cda.gov.ae

By Janice Ponce de Leon Staff Reporter

Gulf News 2016. All rights reserved.