DIFC courts countdown to region's first court excellence conference

The DIFC Courts and Dubai Courts came together today to give final details of the Middle East's first International Conference on Court Management, which is taking place in the UAE in December. Organised by the International Association for Court Administration (IACA), in cooperation with the DIFC Courts and the Dubai Courts, the event, themed: "Court Excellence in a Changing World", is one of the "Initiatives for Legal Excellence" of H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, President of the DIFC and Chairman of the Dubai Judicial Council. The DIFC Courts and Dubai Courts have revealed that the conference will see the launch of a first Framework for Court Excellence developed specifically for the Middle East, a quality management system designed to help courts improve their performance. More than 400 delegates from over 50 countries will also share best practices and procedures around issues such as raising standards in an era of globalisation, managing budgets in a climate of austerity, and bringing courts into the digital age. The two courts revealed that confirmed speakers include Dr. Ahmed bin Hazeem, Director-General of Dubai Courts, Michael Hwang, Chief Justice of the DIFC Courts, and Richard Foster, President of IACA. They will be joined by leading academics, government officials and legal professionals from across the Middle East and the rest of the world. Speaking on the announcement, Dr. Ahmed bin Hazeem said, "The first-ever international IACA conference in the Middle East will witness wide participation from the elite legal and judicial officials and leaders in the country and across the region to share knowledge and to understand the dynamic perceptions and developments in global court systems. I extend my sincere gratitude towards the organising committee and the sponsors of the event for their continued and unwavering support so far. The strategic partnership has a pivotal role to play in the improved performances of judicial systems and it is a true example of the fact that the judicial framework is a multi-disciplinary entity and thrives on the basis of organisational correlation and coexistence." Justice Ali Shamis Al Madhani, DIFC Courts '&' Chairman of IACA Middle East Board, said, "DIFC Courts is very pleased to be involved in this event, the first of its kind in the Middle East. It is an honour for us to be able to share our experience and expertise with other esteemed colleagues and peers from within the local and international legal community. It is our continued focus to ensure that we play a central role in aligning the UAE's legal framework with the global best practice. This event and its august participants will be influential in helping us to achieve this goal." Jeff Apperson, Chief Executive Officer of IACA, said, "It is a privilege for the International Association for Court Administration to partner with two esteemed court organisations, The DIFC and Dubai Courts. Both are world leaders in establishing models for good court management. These conferences represent a continuing opportunity to advance our existing knowledge base on justice administration and the resulting benefit to human dignity. Our special thanks to H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, President of the DIFC and Chairman of the Dubai Judicial Council." Mark Beer, Registrar of the DIFC Courts, commented, "With the agenda for the conference now set and the panel of speakers in place, the sixth IACA conference is poised to be the most compelling yet. Working closely with our colleagues at the Dubai Courts, we have developed a programme that is directly relevant to the Middle East and showcases the very best examples of court excellence in our region, while providing a unique opportunity to learn from other leading international jurisdictions." The countdown to "Court Excellence in a Changing World" begins a week after the DIFC Courts signed a Memorandum of Guidance with the New South Wales Supreme Court covering the mutual enforcement of money judgments, further symbolising the connections that the Dubai judiciary is developing with international jurisdictions. The Dubai event will be the sixth international conference convened by IACA since its foundation in 2004, and the first to be held in the Middle East. "Court Excellence in a Changing World" will take place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Dubai on 9th and 10th December 2013.