How to check a Saudi lawyer’s licence from anywhere

Can you check a Saudi lawyer’s licence from outside Saudi Arabia?

Mostly, yes. The Saudi Bar Association’s Lawyers Index is a public web page, and it needs no Saudi login or Saudi ID. Of the 3 official ways to check, 2 work from abroad: the Lawyers Index and the Bar Association’s Legal Firm Validation page. The third, the Ministry of Justice’s list of practising lawyers, sits behind a Saudi login that most people abroad do not have.

That list is inside Najiz, the Ministry of Justice’s online platform for cases and powers of attorney. To sign in, Najiz uses Nafath, the Saudi government’s login app. Nafath needs a Saudi digital identity, which is linked to an ID issued in Saudi Arabia. So most people abroad cannot use the Najiz list themselves.

The Lawyers Index shows its results in Arabic, even on the English page. Your browser’s translate function can help you read them. If the page does not open on your connection, try another network. You can also ask someone you trust in Saudi Arabia to run the search for you.

Check the licence before you sign a power of attorney for Saudi Arabia. That document lets a lawyer act in your name. So give it only to a lawyer whose licence you have checked.

Where is the official register of lawyers in Saudi Arabia?

The Saudi Bar Association keeps the public register that anyone can search, called the Lawyers Index. The Ministry of Justice also keeps a list of practising lawyers, inside Najiz.

The Saudi Bar Association (SBA) is the professional body for lawyers in Saudi Arabia. Its Lawyers Index is part of its online services. The browser tab for the directory may show the word Sharik instead of Lawyers Index.

Older links to a Bar Association directory may no longer open. Use the current page linked under Official sources.

What does the Saudi Bar Association’s Lawyers Index show?

According to the Saudi Bar Association’s Lawyers Index, each record shows the lawyer’s name, the type of membership, the licence number, the licence status and the expiry date. Many entries also link to the record of the lawyer’s firm.

Everything in the results appears in Arabic. So you need the lawyer’s name in Arabic script to be sure you have the right person. The table lists the Arabic words you are most likely to see.

If the status is not ساري, or the details do not match, ask the lawyer about it. A mismatch is a reason to ask questions. It is not proof that anything is wrong.

How do you check that a law firm is licensed in Saudi Arabia?

Use the Saudi Bar Association’s Legal Firm Validation page, or the tab for legal establishments in the Lawyers Index. Before you start, ask the firm for its legal-entity number.

A legal establishment is the licensed office or professional company through which lawyers practise. The Legal Firm Validation page asks for the firm’s legal-entity number, the number that identifies it as a legal entity. It also accepts the owner’s ID number. The page’s browser tab may say Notary Validation, but the page itself is headed Legal Firm Validation.

A commercial registration (CR) number shows that a business is registered with the Ministry of Commerce. It does not show that the people there are licensed lawyers. So check the licence as well.

What should a Saudi lawyer be able to show you?

A Saudi lawyer should be able to give you their full name, licence number and licence date. Saudi rules require lawyers to show these on the documents and letters they issue in their work.

So asking for these details is normal, and a licensed lawyer can give them to you. Also ask for:

• the name of the firm, as it appears on its licence;
• the firm’s legal-entity number, for the firm check;
• the firm’s phone number and email, as the firm publishes them itself.

Then compare everything with the Lawyers Index and with the firm’s own published details.

What does a Saudi lawyer’s licence check not tell you?

A licence check tells you that a lawyer is licensed to practise in Saudi Arabia. It does not tell you whether that lawyer suits your matter.

It does not show who will do the day-to-day work on your file. It does not show which languages the lawyer can use with you, or how the fee will be set. You learn these by asking. These questions to ask before you hire a Saudi lawyer cover each one. For the fee, see how legal fees work in Saudi Arabia.

How to check a Saudi lawyer’s licence, step by step

1. Ask for the details. Ask for the lawyer’s full name as it appears on the licence, in Arabic if possible. Also ask for the licence number, its date and the firm’s name.
2. Open the Saudi Bar Association’s Lawyers Index. Use the link under Official sources, not an old link from a forum or an email.
3. Search for the lawyer. Choose the tab for lawyers, then search by name. If the Latin spelling finds nothing, try the name in Arabic.
4. Compare the record. Check the licence number, the licence status and the expiry date against what you were given.
5. Check the firm. Use the tab for legal establishments, or the Legal Firm Validation page with the firm’s legal-entity number.
6. Confirm the contact details. Contact the firm through the phone number or email it publishes itself, before you send money or documents.
7. Keep a note of the check. Write down what you saw and the date you checked.

Which way of checking a Saudi lawyer’s licence fits you?

For most people, the Lawyers Index is the place to start, followed by the firm check. The Najiz list is useful mainly if you already have a Saudi login.

Can you check the firm behind Saudi Law the same way?

Yes. Saudi Law is the website of RAED ALI ALJOHANI COMPANY FOR Lawyership and Legal Consultations: licence number 4471 (Ministry of Justice). The firm’s licence details are at the foot of every page.

Company details shows where to find the firm’s records.

What to prepare

Before you start, have these ready:

• the lawyer’s full name in Latin letters, and in Arabic if you can get it;
• the lawyer’s licence number and licence date;
• the firm’s name and its legal-entity number;
• the phone number, email or website the lawyer gave you, so you can compare them with the firm’s own;
• a Saudi login (Nafath), only if you already have one and want to use the Najiz list too.

You don’t need to share your own ID or any documents to search the Lawyers Index.

Frequently asked questions

Related

• Company details and official contacts
• Finding and checking a lawyer in Saudi Arabia
• How legal fees work in Saudi Arabia