Message from the top: Reem Al Shihhe, COO, DIFC Courts

The current coronavirus pandemic has propelled the world into a new, digitally reliant era as people adapt to remote working. Public and private entities have implemented and introduced various digital mediums to stay connected with clients and customers, ensuring that business can continue and, ultimately, that the economy can be strengthened in these difficult times.

Technology has been central to the DIFC Courts’ operating model since starting operations over a decade ago and we have been leading the way when it comes to innovation, which has enabled us to transition mindsets from ‘courts-as-a-place’ to ‘courts-as-a service’.

Among the many technologies the courts have pioneered to increase access to justice, is the region’s first digitally integrated courtroom e-court system, as well as the region’s first ‘paperless’ e-bundling solution in 2018. These early tech adoptions are now the bedrock that enables the DIFC Courts to maintain uninterrupted operations for court users during this difficult period.

By increasing utilisation of our existing videoconferencing and teleconferencing facilities for applications and hearings, we are enabling court users and the public to access extensive e-services remotely from any smartphone, tablet or desktop device.

Expectations from the private sector increasingly require the bold engagement of public service. We have invested massively in emerging technologies to stay ahead of the curve. Instant access to information has perhaps had the biggest influence on the way we run our operations, particularly vital within the legal sector, where hordes of data needs to be easily available.

The DIFC Courts’ ambition, through continued outreach to global judicial systems, is to contribute in creating a level-playing field between individuals and businesses, by re-engineering the way access to justice is designed and delivered.