Message <br>from the President
2025 brought more growth and development for the QICDRC.
A major development during 2025 was the launch of the QICDRC Training Program on International Commercial Courts. This was a high-quality course delivered by the Registry with QICDRC Judges which focused on litigation and procedure at international courts, with an emphasis on the QICDRC.
We were delighted that lawyers from top law firms in Doha participated and did the course; all provided outstanding feedback on the course content and delivery. Participants received litigation accreditation from the QICDRC and enjoyed a gala dinner with trainers and Judges on the final evening. Given the success of the course, we will run two each year going forward: the full three-day course for those who have not participated before, and a top-up course for those who have already participated.
Azmeh and Nicol on the Law and Practice of the QFC Civil and Commercial Court and Regulatory Tribunal (LexisNexis 2025) was published in April 2025. It was marked with a well-attended book launch and an excellent review in the Arab Law Quarterly. This book is an important milestone in the development of the QICDRC as it systematises the work of the QICDRC, allowing people to review the relevant caselaw on a thematic basis. It is now also available online in an e-book format. It will shortly be available online in Arabic. It is a hugely useful resource and is regularly quoted in judgments of the QFC Court.
2025 was our busiest year in terms of cases filed – over 10% higher than our previous busiest year, 2023 – and in relation to the number of judgments issued. A number of seminal judgments were issued across the range of areas that we cover, including jurisdiction, unlawful discrimination in employment, arbitration, the use of AI by legal professionals, insolvency, mis-selling of financial products and costs. This was also the first full year at the QICDRC for our two newest colleagues, Dr Talal El-Emadi (Qatar) and James Allsop AC (Australia); their contributions have already been significant in developing our jurisprudence, and we are delighted that they were pleased to join us.
The successful year has been built on the excellent work of the entire staff at the QICDRC. May I thank them for all they have done in 2025. Each year their contributions help to drive the QICDRC forward, and it is pleasing to see that hard work bear fruit. 2026 began with a very successful new edition of the Doha Legal Forum (as next year’s report will set out) and we are all looking forward to what else 2026 will bring. I am sure it will be a year of further success and development.
Rt. Hon. The Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, President
