The QICDRC comprises a world-class Civil and Commercial Court specialised in the resolution of civil and commercial disputes, and a Regulatory Tribunal tasked with hearing appeals raised against decisions of the QFC Authority, the QFC Regulatory Authority and other QFC institutions, along with other services such as mediation and arbitration.
Established by the QFC Law No. 7 of 2005 (as amended), the QICDRC was founded to be the final piece of the State of Qatar's initiative to build a world-class international financial centre. It was designed to be part of the QFC strategy to advance Qatar’s economic diversification efforts in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030 by attracting foreign direct investments and international businesses to Qatar. Litigants who choose to resort to the Court to resolve their disputes benefit from a quick and cost-effective dispute resolution process.
Led by the President of the Court, the Rt. Hon Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd (indeed, each former President has held the same position, namely Lord Woolf of Barnes and Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers who are Lord Thomas’s predecessors), the judges of the Court are renowned for their expertise, independence, impartiality, integrity and propriety. They hail from a variety of civil and common law jurisdictions, including England and Wales, Qatar, the USA, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, South Africa, France, Australia and Malaysia.
The Court comprises a First Instance Circuit and an Appellate Division. According to Article 8(3)(C) of the QFC Law, the First Instance Circuit has the jurisdiction to hear the following disputes:
- Civil and commercial disputes arising from transactions, contracts, arrangements or incidences taking place in or from the QFC between the entities established therein.
- Civil and commercial disputes arising between QFC authorities or institutions and the entities established therein.
- Civil and commercial disputes arising between entities established in the QFC and contractors therewith and employees thereof, unless the parties agree otherwise.
- Civil and commercial disputes arising from transactions, contracts or arrangements taking place between entities established within the QFC and residents of the State, or entities established in the State but outside the QFC, unless the parties agree otherwise.
- Civil and commercial disputes related to other bodies over which it has jurisdiction pursuant to the law.
The jurisdiction of the Regulatory Tribunal is set out in Article 8(2)(C) of the QFC Law: it can hear appeals brought by natural or legal persons against decisions of the QFC Authority, the QFC Regulatory Authority, other QFC institutions, and other bodies whose disputes are subject to the Regulatory Tribunal’s jurisdiction pursuant to the law.
The Chairman of the QFC Regulatory Tribunal is presently Sir William Blair.
