The issue of expatriate lawyers appearing in Dubai courts was in the second round of litigation yesterday as the Court of Appeal started to hear the challenge presented by the Director-General of the Legal Affairs Department of Dubai Government office against the verdict issued in favour of expatriate lawyers.

The ruling halted the implementation of a decision by Dubai Courts Director-General to stop expatriate lawyers from appearing at the Court of Appeal and of Cassation as of the beginning of 2009 and at the Court of First Instance until the end of 2012.

The Dubai Court of First Instance had responded to a request by Egyptian lawyer Hamdi Al Sheewi to cancel the Dubai Courts decision, which would mean that expatriate lawyers could appear in Dubai courts.

In yesterday's session, lawyer Abdul Hamid Al Kumaiti joined the Legal Affairs Department and presented a memo demanding adjournment of the case, pending the arrival of the reply of Dubai Government office to the memo.

Al Kumaiti had sent this memo to the office and it was signed by 57 national lawyers. The memo said that Law No5 of 1996 issued in Dubai is in conflict with the constitution and Federal Law No23 of 1991 on the regulation of the advocacy profession.

Al Sheewi objected to the joining by Al Kumaiti, saying the latter's invention was aimed only at drawing out the litigation period.

Al Sheewi said the Dubai Courts' decision contradicts a decree issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to license Arab lawyers operating in Dubai at the Economic Department with no need for a national partner.

He said the ruling in favour of expatriate lawyers has stressed the principles of constitutional legitimacy.

The Court of Appeal ?adjourned the case to ?September 19.