Four judges appointed to Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts

Abu Dhabi Global Market has appointed four top judges to preside over the legal framework of the capital’s new financial free zone.

The appointment of the judges – with long careers in the British, Australian, New Zealand and Hong Kong legal systems behind them – is another step towards full operational capability for ADGM, which declared itself “open for business” last month.

The four are Mark Saville (Lord Saville of Newdigate), Kenneth Hayne, Sir Peter Blanchard and William Stone, and will report to David Hope, ADGM chief justice.

“The appointment of four highly respected and qualified judges to ADGM Courts has further strengthened ADGM’s judicial capacity,” said Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, the chairman of ADGM. “The appointees bring vast experience and reaffirm ADGM’s commitment to instituting a world-class and robust legal framework for local, regional and global organisations as they establish a business presence in our financial centre.”

The judges will be responsible for ADGM Courts of the First Instance and of Appeal. The courts system is one of the three independent authorities within the new financial centre, and will have jurisdiction over all civil and commercial disputes on Al Maryah Island.

“Their presence will serve to emphasise the character of the courts as institutions of international excellence, and our commitment to providing a service for the resolution of disputes that is of the highest quality,” Lord Hope said.

The four had clocked up decades of experience in the upper legal echelons of their former jurisdictions, and have considerable expertise in commercial law in those countries.

Lord Saville was for many years head of the UK commercial court, but is best known in his home country as chairman of the eponymous inquiry into the “Bloody Sunday” deaths in Ireland in 1972.

Mr Stone ran the Hong Kong commercial court for 15 years, while Mr Hayne and Mr Blanchard both enjoyed long careers in their native Australia and New Zealand respectively.

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