RIYADH — The number of practicing lawyers in Saudi Arabia recorded an increase of 315 percent during the current year compared to the year 2016, thanks to the relentless efforts by the Ministry of Justice to reform the legal sector as well as to empower lawyers with developing their professional excellence. The ministry stated that the number of law licenses granted to male and female lawyers reached 15,936, including 3,416 licenses for female lawyers during the current year, compared to the year 2016. The number of licenses granted during 2023 alone was 3,844, including 102 licenses for female lawyers. The legal sector has witnessed remarkable and rapid development in the recent period, and among the most prominent of these developments was the approval of the rules of professional conduct for lawyers by Minister of Justice Dr. Walid Al-Samaani. These also include the minister's approval of the executive rules to regulate the licensing of foreign law firms and the rules of control and filing of disciplinary cases, in a way that enhances the legal protection of the lawyer, his clients, and other parties. Al-Samaani approved the rules defining the lawyer's responsibility towards his clients, colleagues, judicial authorities, and the society, as well as the rules to enhance the principles of transparency and responsibility in the lawyer's professional practices. The legal sector has witnessed several developments, most notably the governance and digitization of licensing procedures, the development and raising of efficiency of the entire justice system, and strengthening of the sector by empowering and qualifying lawyers, in addition to making a number of electronic services available to lawyers through the lawyers' portal within the Najiz.sa platform, which has enhanced the attractiveness of the sector. The Ministry of Justice has enhanced the quality of lawyers' services through the Judicial Training Center, which has established qualification and training programs for lawyers of all ages and experience, including the Lawyers' Qualification Diploma, which is considered as one of the most efficient qualification and training paths. The duration of the Lawyer Qualification program ranges from one year for the master's degree to two years for the bachelor's degree. The lawyer acquires many knowledge, skills, and tools that make him a highly competent lawyer in judicial pleadings, legal consultations, and other fields.
