Mandatory

I- The positive impact of AI on the legal practice
a. AI-powered legal service demonstrates modernization (showing that the legal professional is up to date with legal tech);
b. It demonstrates efficiency (by automating repetitive tasks and reducing manual workload) and a commitment to innovation (it can predict judicial outcomes);
c. It enhances research capabilities by quickly identifying relevant case law, precedents and regulatory updates and reduces the need for manual document analysis. It reduces contract review time from hours to minutes as it automates routine contract checks and compliance reviews, allowing lawyers to focus on more substantive legal work.
II- Ethical Challenges associated with the use of AI by legal professionals
a. Data privacy and security: Lawyers to protect client information when using AI tools, such as using secure platforms.
b. Bias and fairness: AI systems can perpetuate biases present in the data they are trained on, leading to unfair and unjust outcomes. Lawyers must be vigilant in identifying and mitigating this bias to ensure fair outcomes.
c. Hallucinations: AI can produce inaccurate outputs, a phenomenon known as “hallucination”. Lawyers must verify the accuracy of AI-generated content.
d. Copyright and intellectual property issues.
III- Ethical challenges associated with the failure to use AI by legal professionals
a. Technological Obsolescence and Client harm: Lack of technological literacy may compromise client service.
b. Duty of technological competence: Lawyers must maintain an evolving understanding of AI tools relevant to their area of practice.
IV- Regulatory and ethical frameworks
a. In the US: The ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and other State Bars’ positions on AI.
b. In Europe:
i. The EU Artificial Intelligence Act (2024)
ii. In UK: The Bar Council and Law Society of England and Wales: New guidance on generative AI for the Bar.
iii. In France: CNIL (Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés)
iv. In Germany: The Federal Bar Association (BRAK)
v. In Netherlands: Judicial AI Lab (JAIL) and the AI in the Legal Profession Program
c. In India: National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (NITI Aayog 2018) and the Digital India Act (expected in 2025)
d. In the UAE:
i. The UAE’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031
ii. The Dubai Future Foundation and UAE Council for AI and Digital Transactions
V- Best practices for the ethical use of AI in legal practice
a. Foundational technology literacy: Lawyers to possess functional knowledge of relevant digital and AI tools
b. Continuous education: Ongoing training in legal technology
c. Risk management: Due diligence on data handling and accuracy verification
d. Interdisciplinary collaboration: Working with AI experts
e. Client communication and billing transparency: Disclose AI use and clarify fee structures where AI improves efficiency
f. Confidentiality and data protection
g. Human oversight, supervision and delegation: AI augments human judgement – it does not replace legal responsibility
h. Avoidance of bias: Implement safeguard to detect, measure and correct AI bias.

I- The positive impact of AI on the legal practice
a. AI-powered legal service demonstrates modernization (showing that the legal professional is up to date with legal tech);
b. It demonstrates efficiency (by automating repetitive tasks and reducing manual workload) and a commitment to innovation (it can predict judicial outcomes);
c. It enhances research capabilities by quickly identifying relevant case law, precedents and regulatory updates and reduces the need for manual document analysis. It reduces contract review time from hours to minutes as it automates routine contract checks and compliance reviews, allowing lawyers to focus on more substantive legal work.
II- Ethical Challenges associated with the use of AI by legal professionals
a. Data privacy and security: Lawyers to protect client information when using AI tools, such as using secure platforms.
b. Bias and fairness: AI systems can perpetuate biases present in the data they are trained on, leading to unfair and unjust outcomes. Lawyers must be vigilant in identifying and mitigating this bias to ensure fair outcomes.
c. Hallucinations: AI can produce inaccurate outputs, a phenomenon known as “hallucination”. Lawyers must verify the accuracy of AI-generated content.
d. Copyright and intellectual property issues.
III- Ethical challenges associated with the failure to use AI by legal professionals
a. Technological Obsolescence and Client harm: Lack of technological literacy may compromise client service.
b. Duty of technological competence: Lawyers must maintain an evolving understanding of AI tools relevant to their area of practice.
IV- Regulatory and ethical frameworks
a. In the US: The ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and other State Bars’ positions on AI.
b. In Europe:
i. The EU Artificial Intelligence Act (2024)
ii. In UK: The Bar Council and Law Society of England and Wales: New guidance on generative AI for the Bar.
iii. In France: CNIL (Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés)
iv. In Germany: The Federal Bar Association (BRAK)
v. In Netherlands: Judicial AI Lab (JAIL) and the AI in the Legal Profession Program
c. In India: National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (NITI Aayog 2018) and the Digital India Act (expected in 2025)
d. In the UAE:
i. The UAE’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031
ii. The Dubai Future Foundation and UAE Council for AI and Digital Transactions
V- Best practices for the ethical use of AI in legal practice
a. Foundational technology literacy: Lawyers to possess functional knowledge of relevant digital and AI tools
b. Continuous education: Ongoing training in legal technology
c. Risk management: Due diligence on data handling and accuracy verification
d. Interdisciplinary collaboration: Working with AI experts
e. Client communication and billing transparency: Disclose AI use and clarify fee structures where AI improves efficiency
f. Confidentiality and data protection
g. Human oversight, supervision and delegation: AI augments human judgement – it does not replace legal responsibility
h. Avoidance of bias: Implement safeguard to detect, measure and correct AI bias.

Course Overview

As the United Arab Emirates continues to align its regulatory landscape with global standards, understanding the tax implications of Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) has become a critical necessity for legal and financial professionals. This course, part of the Dubai Government Legal Affairs Department’s Continual Legal Professional Development (CLPD) Programme, offers a comprehensive deep dive into the UAE Corporate Tax (CIT) Law as it pertains to complex corporate transactions. Participants will gain the expertise needed to navigate the evolving tax environment, ensuring excellence and compliance within the Emirate’s legal industry.

What You Will Learn

The curriculum examines the fundamental tax issues inherent in M&A, including historical liabilities, choice of acquisition vehicles, and the critical distinction between asset and share deals. Students will master the “No Gain or Loss” provisions under the UAE CIT Law, specifically focusing on:

* Qualifying Group Relief: Understanding the 75% ownership requirements and the mechanics of tax-neutral intra-group transfers.

* Business Restructuring Relief (BRR): Analyzing share-for-share exchanges, de-mergers, and the strict conditions required to maintain tax neutrality.

* Participation Exemptions: Exploring how to achieve tax-exempt dividends and capital gains through qualifying shareholdings.

Key Focus Areas

* Risk Mitigation: Master the art of Tax Due Diligence to identify historical exposures and optimize transaction outcomes through warranties and indemnities.

* Tax Optimization: Learn to navigate the Specific Interest Deduction Rule and utilize Tax Loss Relief, including the transfer of unutilized losses between group entities.

* Compliance & Clawbacks: Understand the two-year “freezing period” and the circumstances that trigger tax liability at market value.

Course Overview

In an era of increasing global financial scrutiny, understanding the complexities of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) is essential for compliance professionals. This comprehensive course provides an in-depth exploration of the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) evolving AML architecture, offering participants the tools to navigate the nation’s strategic reforms and its journey regarding the FATF Grey List.

What You Will Learn

Participants will begin by analyzing the fundamental stages of money laundering—placement, layering, and integration—and the specific predicate crimes that drive illicit financial activity, such as narcotics trafficking, fraud, and virtual asset offenses. The curriculum provides a detailed examination of the legal hierarchy, specifically focusing on the landmark Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025, which replaces previous legislation to introduce stricter penalties and expanded oversight.

The course dives deep into the institutional framework, covering the roles of the National AML/CFT Committee (NAMLCFTC), the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), and the Executive Office for Control and Non-Proliferation (EOCN). Students will also compare the unique supervisory landscapes of the UAE’s financial free zones, such as the DIFC and ADGM, against mainland regulations.

Key Focus Areas

Risk-Based Approach: Evaluating customer, product, channel, and geographic risks.

Compliance Obligations: Master the requirements for Customer Due Diligence (CDD), Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO) filing, and mandatory record-keeping.

Suspicious Activity Reporting: Learn the technical nuances of filing STRs and SARs via the goAML platform.

Targeted Financial Sanctions: Understand the four-step framework—Register, Screen, Implement, and Report—to ensure compliance with UAE Local and UNSC lists.

This course provides a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of construction law in the United Arab Emirates, with a strong emphasis on recent judicial decisions and legislative developments shaping the construction industry. It is designed for lawyers, in-house counsel, engineers, project managers, consultants, developers, and dispute resolution professionals involved in construction and infrastructure projects in the UAE.

The course begins with an overview of the governing legal framework applicable to construction contracts in the UAE, including the UAE Civil Code, the Commercial Transactions Law, and the regulatory regimes applicable in free zones such as the DIFC and ADGM. Participants will examine commonly used standard forms of contract, particularly the FIDIC suite, and understand how UAE courts interpret and apply their provisions in practice.

A core focus of the course is the rights, obligations, and liabilities of key project participants, including employers, contractors, subcontractors, consultants, and lenders. The program explores issues such as scope of works, payment mechanisms, variations, delays, extensions of time, termination, defects liability, bonds and guarantees, and decennial liability. Particular attention is given to liquidated damages, concurrent delay, force majeure, unforeseen circumstances, and limitation periods, as interpreted by recent Court of Cassation rulings.

The course also addresses dispute resolution in construction projects, covering litigation before onshore courts, arbitration in the UAE, consolidation of multi-party disputes, enforceability of arbitration clauses, and the growing judicial scrutiny of unilateral and multi-tiered dispute resolution clauses.

In addition, the program highlights major regulatory developments, including Dubai Law No. 7 of 2025 regulating contracting activities, its licensing, classification, and compliance requirements, and the legal consequences of non-compliance.

Through case studies and judicial precedents, this course equips participants with practical insights to manage risk, draft robust contracts, and effectively navigate construction disputes in the UAE.

This course provides a comprehensive and practical study of the legal status of foreigners in the United Arab Emirates under Federal Law by Decree No. (29) of 2021 concerning the Entry and Residence of Foreigners and its Executive Regulations issued by Cabinet Resolution No. (65) of 2022, as amended. It is designed for legal practitioners, compliance officers, government professionals, HR managers, immigration consultants, and postgraduate law students seeking a detailed understanding of UAE immigration law.

The course examines the legal framework governing foreigners’ entry, residence, and exit from the UAE, beginning with the statutory definition of a foreigner and the fundamental principles regulating immigration control. Participants will explore entry requirements, approved ports of entry, grounds for refusal of entry, and the legal obligations imposed on foreigners, sponsors, employers, and transport operators.

A substantial part of the course is devoted to the classification and regulation of entry visas, including visit visas, work visas, temporary and emergency visas, visas for study, medical treatment, job exploration, and special categories such as seafarers and aircraft crew members. The course then addresses residence visas, distinguishing between work and non-work residence, and provides a detailed analysis of the Green Visa and Golden Visa schemes, their eligibility criteria, benefits, and legal implications.

The program further covers sponsorship rules, family residence, property-based residence, retirement and virtual work visas, and the legal consequences of overstaying or violating immigration requirements. Enforcement mechanisms, administrative fines, inspections, expulsion orders, and judicial and administrative deportation are analysed in detail.

Through practical case studies, the course highlights real-life legal issues involving visa transitions, investment-based residence, family sponsorship, and deportation, enabling participants to apply the law to complex factual scenarios within the UAE context.

This course provides an in-depth and practice-oriented examination of litigation and arbitration in aviation law, with a particular focus on international conventions and the legal framework applicable in the United Arab Emirates. It is designed for legal practitioners, arbitrators, airline legal advisors, regulators, and postgraduate law students seeking advanced knowledge of aviation disputes.

The course begins by addressing judicial litigation arising from air carriage, including claims for compensation related to passenger injury or death, damage to baggage and cargo, and delays in air transport. It offers a detailed analysis of the legal basis of air carrier liability under the Warsaw Convention of 1929 and the Montreal Convention of 1999, highlighting the shift from fault-based liability to objective liability and risk allocation. Special attention is given to evidentiary burdens, limitation of liability, exemptions, and defenses available to air carriers.

The program further examines compensation rules and air carrier liability under UAE Federal Law No. 18 of 1993 (as amended), clarifying the interaction between domestic legislation and international aviation conventions. Participants will gain practical insight into jurisdictional rules, limitation periods, notification requirements, and enforcement of judgments in air transport disputes.

A substantial part of the course is devoted to unfair competition in the air transport sector, covering its procedural scope, legal conditions, evidentiary requirements, and civil and criminal remedies.

Finally, the course explores international air arbitration, including its procedural and substantive scope, the role of ICAO conventions, the selection of arbitral seats, applicable law, and the relationship between arbitration and national courts. The course concludes with a comparative overview of judicial control over arbitral awards, particularly in the UAE and Egypt.

This course aims at providing a focused and clear presentation of the legislative framework regulating the Assignment of Rights and the Assignment of Debt in UAE law, with an emphasis on the fundamental provisions in the Civil Code
and the impact of modern laws (the Movable Guarantees Law and the Factoring and Assignment
of Receivables Law). Additionally, it will discuss the practical issues that arise in commercial, construction, and banking disputes, and propose practical solutions and models that can be used as a guide in legal drafting and litigation.

Generative AI is transforming the legal industry—and beyond. This interactive training session will introduce lawyers to broad-based GenAI platforms, with a special focus on Microsoft Copilot. Participants will gain practical skills in prompt engineering, agent building, and explore innovative use cases that extend beyond traditional legal tasks.

By the end of this session, participants will:

Understand the fundamentals of Generative AI and its role in legal practice.
Learn how Microsoft Copilot integrates into workflows to boost productivity.
Develop effective prompting techniques for accurate and efficient AI outputs.
Gain hands-on experience in building custom AI agents for legal and business tasks.
Explore transformative use cases for GenAI—both legal-specific and cross-functional.

Building on the highly rated Common Law Contract Principles courses delivered in 2024 and 2025, this advanced session brings you up to speed with the latest developments shaping contract law.

Join us for an interactive, practical workshop where we explore key trends and judicial decisions from 2025, including:

Contract Interpretation – evolving approaches in the courts
Implication of Terms – when and how terms are read into agreements
Good Faith Obligations – the growing role in commercial relationships
Penalty Clauses – recent rulings and their impact on drafting

Through real case analysis and hands-on exercises, you’ll learn how to adapt and amend common contract clauses to reflect these trends and mitigate risk.