DUBAI // A new university course will help to address a growing need for legal experts to clear a backlog of disputes in the construction sector. The master's degree course in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution, introduced by the British University in Dubai (BUiD) and endorsed by Dubai Courts, was launched on Monday. It was hoped that graduates would help to tackle the increasing number of property disputes in the emirate, said Dr Abdullah al Shamsi, the vice chancellor of BUiD.
The number of cases going to arbitration in Dubai has increased dramatically. The main cause has been the downturn in the once-thriving construction sector, which has left many contractors chasing payments worth billions of dollars from developers unable to foot the bill. The Dubai International Arbitration Centre said in September that it had been forced to recruit legal experts from overseas to ease a backlog of cases, mainly relating to construction, that had built up since the start of the year.
Lawyers specialising in the sector have reported a rising demand for their services. "Although the introduction of this new construction law masters programme did not come as a reaction to the increase in building and property disputes, it has been created to boost local and regional talents in the subject," said Dr al Shamsi. The one-year course starts in February. It was created in association with the Centre for Construction Law and Dispute Resolution at King's College, London.
"This programme has been conceived from a regional perspective," said Philip Britton, the centre's former director. amustafa@thenational.ae
