MUSCAT: Starting April 3, the legal profession in the Sultanate of Oman will operate under a clear distinction between lawyers and legal consultants, in accordance with Royal Decree No 41/2024.
To Omanise the legal profession and to encourage fresh Omani graduates to choose their career in law, the Sultanate of Oman has been encouraging law firms to appoint Omanis to appear in courts.
However, the law says that expatriates can be employed as legal consultants in legal consultancy offices, but not as lawyers.
Speaking to the Observer, Dr Mohammed bin Ibrahim al Zadjali, Secretary-General of the Gulf Lawyers Union, explained that law firms and legal consultants must meet all requirements by April 2, marking the end of the one‑year period granted for regularisation. After this date, the distinction becomes fully effective: while law firms may appear before courts and undertake advocacy work as defined under the Law of Advocacy and Legal Consultations, legal consultancy offices are limited to providing legal services.
Oman’s Basic Law defines a lawyer as “anyone registered in one of the lawyers’ registers in accordance with the provisions of this law,” while a legal consultant is “anyone registered in one of the legal consultants’ registers in accordance with the provisions of the law.”
“Also, the registration of legal firms has been shifted from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion to the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs. The registration of foreign legal firms should be subject to the approval of the competent authority and the terms and conditions thereof,” Dr Al Zadjali said.
Civil law firms existing in partnership with a non‑Omani partner shall continue to operate for a period of three years from the date of implementation of the Law. Transfer of ownership or any share therein to a non‑Omani is prohibited during this period, and the registration of the non‑Omani partner shall continue until the expiry of that period. Further, Foreign law firms may also be permitted to open legal consultancy offices in Oman if they can demonstrate at least 15 years of establishment and operate branches in three or more different countries, subject to the conditions and controls specified by the executive regulation.
Dr Al Zadjali said given the increasing presence of foreign companies and international investment activities in Oman, there is a need for expatriate legal consultants.
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