SCCA highlights quantum leap of Saudi arbitration industry at IBA conference in Miami
Published Date: 06/11/2022
At the world’s largest annual gathering of legal professionals
The Saudi Center for Arbitration has concluded its participation in the 2022 annual conference of the International Bar Association, a six-day gathering in Miami that attracted legal industry veterans and leaders, major law firms, and relevant government agencies from all over the world.
The SCCA, represented by CEO Dr. Hamed Bin Hassan Merah, participated in the conference to paint a comprehensive picture of today’s alternative dispute resolution landscape in Saudi Arabia and highlight the efforts that have gone into making Saudi Arabia a safe arbitration venue, and in particular SCCA’s role as the national beacon of the industry and the country’s official representative in the field of arbitration locally and internationally.
Marking the quantum leap in the Saudi legal and legislative environment, the organizers of the world’s largest annual international conference of legal professionals dedicated a special session to Saudi Arabia titled “The booming legal market in Saudi Arabia: opportunities and challenges.” During the session, Dr. Merah said the country is experiencing a transformation through the establishment of a solid foundation for the ADR industry and the provision of different options for achieving justice, amid the Government’s efforts to build an investor-friendly environment that attracts local and foreign investments.
The SCCA CEO added that the country’s notable achievements in enabling the arbitration industry since the adoption of the new Arbitration Law 10 years ago are the result of an comprehensive, formal effort among the relevant parties based on legislative and procedural reform, the diversification of ADR options in different business sectors, judicial support for the industry in the enforcement of national and foreign arbitration awards and settlements resulting from mediation and reconciliation, and institutional leadership spearheaded by the SCCA to provide a system of services consistent with international best practices.
Dr. Merah said: “On a professional and technical level, the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration is ready to offer ADR services within a well-ordered regulatory framework that ensures the industry’s transition from isolated practices to institutional work organized in accordance with international best standards.” He also reviewed the findings of the SCCA study of arbitration-related Saudi case law from the past few years and statistics on the enforcement of domestic and foreign arbitration awards in Saudi courts, which have been widely praised by international observers.
More than 5,000 lawyers and 2,700 law firms, businesses, and government agencies from some 130 countries around the world participated in the 2022 IBA Conference with the aim of exchanging knowledge, forging professional ties, and developing business in the legal sector.