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British lawyers in Dubai
英國律師在迪拜
Money for old laws
舊法律世界新錢途
New international courts in Dubai are giving British legal firms a boost
迪拜的新國際法院給英國律所新的增長點
WHEN the United Arab Emirates gained its independence from Britain in 1971, little did it expect a second wave of colonialists: British lawyers.
自從1971年阿拉伯聯合酋長國從英國那里獲得獨立后，它從沒想過會有第二次殖民浪潮：英國律師。
Clifford Chance, a London-based legal giant, opened a small office in Dubai in 1975 as it began to emerge as a commercial centre.
倫敦律所Clifford Chance自從迪拜作為一個商業中心出現的時候就在1975年在那里開了一個小小的辦事處。
Allen & Overy followed in 1978.
1978年Allen & Overy緊跟著開了辦事處。
As Dubai boomed, lawyers from Britain and other countries flooded in, soon crowding its legal market.
隨著迪拜的繁榮，來自英國和其他國家的律師涌入很快充滿它的法律市場。
A new type of court may yet give British legal minds an advantage over both local lawyers and foreign rivals.
一種新型法院給予英國律師們相對于當地律師和外國競爭對手的優勢。
Hoping to become the Middle East's legal hub, in 2011 Dubai International Financial Centre threw open its courts to disputes from any country, provided both parties agree to be bound by its decisions.
為了成為中東法律中心，2011年迪拜國際金融中心開設它的法院受理來自任何國家的爭端，只要雙方同意受法院裁決的拘束。
The attraction is that the courts use the English language and operate in public under English-style common law.
這個法院的吸引人之處在于它使用英語并且在英國普通法系下公開運作。
This makes the legal process more transparent and much less risky for Western firms, which are put off by the reputation of Dubai's local civil-law courts for favouring Emiratis over foreigners, according to Will Buckby at Beale & Company, a law firm.
這樣會使法律程序更加透明并且西方律所承擔更少的風險，根據一家律所Will Buckby at Beale & Company，西方律師正被被迪拜當地民事法院支持本地人的名聲困擾。
British firms already appear to be benefiting.
現在英國律所已經開始受益。
Since 2011 British lawyers in Dubai say they have been inundated by requests to draw up commercial contracts stating disputes have to be resolved in the DIFC courtrooms.
自從2011年開始在迪拜的英國律師說他們已經被起草列明爭端得在DIFC法院解決條款的商業合同要求淹沒了。
More new work has been generated since the courts opened up.
自從這個法院開始運作以來更多新的工作產生了。
In their first year after the change, the value of disputed contracts under their consideration increased by 400%.
變化后的他們第一年，他們考慮下的爭議合同價值增長了400%。
And as a forum for arbitration, the DIFC courts are doing well.
并且作為一個仲裁庭，the DIFC法院做得很好。
Around 95% of cases are resolved before they are heard formally.
大概95%的案件在他們正式聽證前就解決了。
Inspired by the DIFC's success, Qatar has already opened its own international courts.
受到DIFC成功的鼓舞，卡塔爾已經開設了它自己的國際法庭。
Abu Dhabi plans to follow suit next year.
阿布扎比計劃下一年跟隨。
And Saudi Arabia has in the past expressed interest in setting up a private arbitration court in London.
并且沙特阿拉伯過去已經表達了他們在倫敦設立私人仲裁法庭的興趣。
British lawyers are well placed to take advantage of this trend towards international courts.
英國律師充分利用這股國際法院的趨勢。
It is handy that the courts speak their language and use their law.
法院運用他們的語言和使用他們的法律來說是非常方便的。
And many of the judges have an English legal background.
并且許多法官擁有一個英國法律背景。
Not only have big firms such as Allen & Overy expanded operations in Dubai; smaller firms are rushing to set up offices there too.
不僅僅是如同Cleary Gottlieb這樣的大所在迪拜拓展運行機構；小所也沖到那里設立辦事處。
More than 30 are now based in the DIFC area alone.
超過30家律所現在僅僅做DIFC的業務。
English law is likely to remain first choice for commercial contracts in the Middle East.
英國法可能保持在中東商業合同的首要選擇。
Unlike civil-code systems, English law evolves through case law to stay more up to date with the wider world.
不同于民法法典系統，英國法通過案例法保持同這個廣大的世界同步進化。
For instance, recent rulings loosening the requirements for foreign companies wanting to liquidate themselves in English courts have boosted the use of some parts of corporate law.
例如，最近在英國法院關于放松對希望清算的外國公司的要求的裁決已經促進公司法的部分使用了。
British law firms will also benefit from Dubai's resurgent finance and construction sectors.
英國律所同樣也受益于最近復興的金融和建設部分。
Well over half of all financing agreements in Dubai are already written using English law.
目前在迪拜超過一半的金融合同已經用英國法撰寫了。
A more serious threat to British legal firms would be if American law firms start to outcompete them, according to James Martin, a lawyer at Linklaters based in Dubai until recently.
對英國律所而言一個更嚴峻的威脅可能是如果美國律所開始同他們競爭，根據一個最近Linklaters在迪拜的律師James Martin的觀點。
Some American law firms, such as Cleary Gottlieb, have started to expand in the Middle East, and more will surely do the same.
一些美國律所，例如Cleary Gottlieb，已經開始在中東拓展他們的業務，并且其他律所肯定會做同樣的事情。
There is a strong case to be made that British firms are leading the way in the Gulf, but the jury is out on whether they can stay ahead for the long haul.
有很強的例子證明英國會主導海灣地區的方向，但是目前還不能肯定的是他們是否能夠長期保持領先地位。
