Institution Quraysh for Law & Policy
Encyclopedia
Institution Quraysh for Law & Policy, also known as iQ, is a transnational law firm, and think-tank with offices in Doha
, Jeddah
, and London
. The institution's primary area of focus is the Arab World
, in particular the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council
. It advises regional, and international corporations operating in the region, in addition to policy work with national governments, sovereign entities, and international non-governmental organisations.
iQ is affiliated with the Washington, D.C.
-based global law firm Covington & Burling LLP, with both firms providing legal and consulting services jointly to clients in the Middle East
and the wider Arab World.
, with the stated goal of providing an integrated and comprehensive transnational consulting capacity by coupling the provision of legal advice and services with policy expertise. Dahlan himself is a multi-jurisdictional qualified attorney, with qualifications from Jordan
, and the United States of America. He also undertook a Doctorate in Public Policy in Egypt
. After working in both the corporate and policy sectors in the Gulf, and the U.S.A., including the Brookings Institution
, Dahlan founded iQ in Doha, Qatar
.
The institution expanded rapidly, opening further offices in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
, and London, United Kingdom
, and establishing an International Advisory Board of renowned figures from law, policy matters, and academia. These include Lord Woolf of Barnes
, formerly Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
, and Ahmed Zaki Yamani, formerly Saudi Arabian Minister for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, and a key figure within the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). iQ also established a body of International Experts to work on specific legal and policy matters as and when required.
Subsequent to the establishment of its strategic alliance with Covington & Burling, both firms now occupy the same office premises in London for work on joint representative matters.
in Doha, in concert with the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Lord Woolf, and Sir William Blair
, a prominent High Court Judge in England and Wales
, and expert on Islamic finance, served as the Law Forum's Co-Conveners.
iQ was also involved in the creation of the Civil and Commercial Court, and Regulatory Tribunal of the Qatar Financial Centre
, twin judicial bodies which represent the first institutional synthesis of shari'ah, common law
, and civil law
.
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
, Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
, and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The institution's primary area of focus is the Arab World
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
, in particular the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council
Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf , also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council , is a political and economic union of the Arab states bordering the Persian Gulf and constituting the Arabian Peninsula, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates...
. It advises regional, and international corporations operating in the region, in addition to policy work with national governments, sovereign entities, and international non-governmental organisations.
iQ is affiliated with the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
-based global law firm Covington & Burling LLP, with both firms providing legal and consulting services jointly to clients in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and the wider Arab World.
History
The institution was established by Malik R. DahlanMalik R. Dahlan
Malik R. Dahlan is a multi-jurisdictional qualified lawyer, and an international policy expert. He is currently Principal and Chief Lawyer of law firm and think-tank Institution Quraysh for Law & Policy, Director of the Qatar Law Forum of Global Leaders in Law, and Special Adviser to the Qatar...
, with the stated goal of providing an integrated and comprehensive transnational consulting capacity by coupling the provision of legal advice and services with policy expertise. Dahlan himself is a multi-jurisdictional qualified attorney, with qualifications from Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, and the United States of America. He also undertook a Doctorate in Public Policy in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. After working in both the corporate and policy sectors in the Gulf, and the U.S.A., including the Brookings Institution
Brookings Institution
The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C., in the United States. One of Washington's oldest think tanks, Brookings conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics, metropolitan policy, governance, foreign policy, and...
, Dahlan founded iQ in Doha, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
.
The institution expanded rapidly, opening further offices in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, and London, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and establishing an International Advisory Board of renowned figures from law, policy matters, and academia. These include Lord Woolf of Barnes
Harry Woolf, Baron Woolf
Harry Kenneth Woolf, Baron Woolf, PC, FBA, , born 2 May 1933, was Master of the Rolls from 1996 until 2000 and Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales from 2000 until 2005. The Constitutional Reform Act 2005 made him the first Lord Chief Justice to be President of the Courts of England and Wales...
, formerly Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales is the head of the judiciary and President of the Courts of England and Wales. Historically, he was the second-highest judge of the Courts of England and Wales, after the Lord Chancellor, but that changed as a result of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005,...
, and Ahmed Zaki Yamani, formerly Saudi Arabian Minister for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, and a key figure within the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). iQ also established a body of International Experts to work on specific legal and policy matters as and when required.
Subsequent to the establishment of its strategic alliance with Covington & Burling, both firms now occupy the same office premises in London for work on joint representative matters.
Policy work in the Gulf
In May 2009, iQ organised the inaugural Qatar Law Forum of Global Leaders in LawQatar Law Forum of Global Leaders in Law
The Qatar Law Forum of Global Leaders in Law is a non-profit institution established under the patronage of the Government of Qatar with the purpose of bringing together prominent members of the global legal community, in addition to senior figures in the fields of economics, and politics...
in Doha, in concert with the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Lord Woolf, and Sir William Blair
William Blair (judge)
Sir William James Lynton Blair , styled The Hon. Mr Justice Blair, is a British judge. He was previously a Queen's Counsel, specialising in domestic and international banking and finance law...
, a prominent High Court Judge in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
, and expert on Islamic finance, served as the Law Forum's Co-Conveners.
iQ was also involved in the creation of the Civil and Commercial Court, and Regulatory Tribunal of the Qatar Financial Centre
Qatar Financial Centre
Established in March 2005, The Qatar Financial Centre is a business and financial centre located in Doha, providing legal and business infrastructure for financial services...
, twin judicial bodies which represent the first institutional synthesis of shari'ah, common law
Common law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
, and civil law
Civil law (legal system)
Civil law is a legal system inspired by Roman law and whose primary feature is that laws are codified into collections, as compared to common law systems that gives great precedential weight to common law on the principle that it is unfair to treat similar facts differently on different...
.
See also
- Covington & BurlingCovington & BurlingCovington & Burling LLP is an international law firm with offices in Beijing, Brussels, London, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, San Diego, and Washington, DC. The firm advises multinational corporations on significant transactional, litigation, regulatory, and public policy matters...
- Malik R. DahlanMalik R. DahlanMalik R. Dahlan is a multi-jurisdictional qualified lawyer, and an international policy expert. He is currently Principal and Chief Lawyer of law firm and think-tank Institution Quraysh for Law & Policy, Director of the Qatar Law Forum of Global Leaders in Law, and Special Adviser to the Qatar...
- Qatar Law Forum of Global Leaders in LawQatar Law Forum of Global Leaders in LawThe Qatar Law Forum of Global Leaders in Law is a non-profit institution established under the patronage of the Government of Qatar with the purpose of bringing together prominent members of the global legal community, in addition to senior figures in the fields of economics, and politics...