Lawyers looking to network with peers might find a fit in Corporate Counsel Middle East (CCME).
The group is restricted to in-house lawyers working for companies in the region and has more than 250 members.
Elias Hayek, the group's president, who is also vice president for legal affairs at Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, discusses some of the issues of interest to the group's members.
What purpose does CCME serve?
It is an opportunity for networking and for lawyers to identify their colleagues who might be practising in areas that are the same or similar … The majority of our events have an educational focus. We put on events that are intended to speak about recent developments in the various jurisdictions we cover, or we'll talk about cases that have applied the law to the extent that they are noteworthy.
Which noteworthy cases have members been discussing lately?
There have been noteworthy cases mainly with respect to the forum for dispute resolution in DIFC [the Dubai International Financial Centre], and the scope of the jurisdiction that it has to hear cases. There have also been some developments in relation to the various proceedings that relate to Dubai World that have been discussed [and] the various cases that were the subject of the economic downturn. There have also been some cases related to banks' rights to foreclose on properties. We've been interested, as practitioners, in the law and what the judges and courts have to say about these cases.
What has changed recently in the UAE that has affected in-house legal teams?
I think [DIFC's wider jurisdiction to hear cases is] the most interesting one. A lot of foreign companies like Starwood and others would have elected dispute resolution outside the UAE with any disputes they might have had with contracts. Having a potential alternative forum that is local is an interesting development, because it makes it easier for international companies to do business with local counterparts. It also gives the international company the comfort that the dispute resolution forum is providing a similar level of comfort with respect to the rules, procedures and regulations.
Is there a single, most important issue facing in-house legal teams in the region?
I wouldn't say there's a particular issue that's emerging. In general, the role of an in-house counsel in the region is complicated because of two reasons. One, the Middle East [is] made up of dozens of countries with their own individual laws that differ. Secondly, in many of those countries, the laws are still being developed or refined. As a result, it's an ever-changing landscape that requires you to keep up to speed on … landmark developments that relate to things like basic tax laws, rights to acquire licences, or shareholding from a foreign company. Many of these issues can alter the way that companies do business in the region.
* Neil Parmar
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Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Details
Through Her Lens: The stories behind the photography of Eva Sereny
Forewords by Jacqueline Bisset and Charlotte Rampling, ACC Art Books
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Greatest Royal Rumble results
John Cena pinned Triple H in a singles match
Cedric Alexander retained the WWE Cruiserweight title against Kalisto
Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt win the Raw Tag Team titles against Cesaro and Sheamus
Jeff Hardy retained the United States title against Jinder Mahal
Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos
Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out
The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match
Brock Lesnar retains the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last
MATHC INFO
England 19 (Try: Tuilagi; Cons: Farrell; Pens: Ford (4)
New Zealand 7 (Try: Savea; Con: Mo'unga)
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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