Guides18 min read
Qatar Advocacy Law: what does Law No. 23 of 2006 regulate?
Faysel Al-MohannadiLawyer admitted before the Court of Cassation · Reviewed on
Short answer
Qatar's Advocacy Law is Law No. 23 of 2006, last amended by Law No. 19 of 2025. Only lawyers registered on the Ministry of Justice rolls may practise. The law sets which courts each lawyer may appear before, when non-Qatari lawyers may work, the duties of confidentiality and avoiding conflicts, the rules on fees, and how complaints and discipline work.
What is Qatar's Advocacy Law, and how has it changed?
Qatar's Advocacy Law (قانون المحاماة) is Law No. 23 of 2006 promulgating the Advocacy Law. It was issued on 29 June 2006, published in the Official Gazette (Issue 8 of 2006) on 28 August 2006, and replaced the previous Advocacy Law, Law No. 10 of 1996. Al Meezan lists it as in force, with its amended text.
The law calls advocacy an independent profession that serves justice and helps litigants defend their rights and freedoms (Article 2). It has 77 articles in nine chapters, plus two "bis" articles added in 2018:
| Chapter | Articles | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| One | 1 to 9 | Who may practise, the exceptions, and non-Qatari lawyers |
| Two | 10 to 19 | The Lawyers Admission Committee, the rolls and admission conditions, and work a lawyer may not combine with practice |
| Three | 20 to 24 | Trainee lawyers |
| Four | 25 to 30 | Registration, renewal, and challenging the Committee's decisions |
| Five | 31 to 44 | Lawyers' rights, including fees |
| Six | 45 to 60 | Lawyers' duties, including confidentiality and conflicts |
| Seven | 61 to 64 | Legal aid for people who cannot pay a lawyer |
| Eight | 65 to 76 | Discipline, plus Articles 73 bis and 73 bis 1 |
| Nine | 77 | The penalty for practising without registration |
The law has been amended three times:
| Amending law | Date | Main changes |
|---|---|---|
| Law No. 1 of 2018 | Issued 2 January 2018, published in the Official Gazette (Issue 1 of 2018) | Replaced 17 articles or paragraphs, including the rules on representation, admission, fees and the complaint deadline; gave disciplinary investigations to the Lawyers Affairs Department; added the right to an office website and Articles 73 bis and 73 bis 1 |
| Decree-Law No. 19 of 2018 | Issued 30 October 2018, in force from that date | Amended the first paragraph of Article 5, on in-house legal staff at Qatar Petroleum |
| Law No. 19 of 2025 | Issued 1 September 2025, published in the Official Gazette (Issue 23 of 2025) on 11 September 2025 | Replaced Articles 4 (item 1), 5, 10, 12 (last paragraph), 13 (item 7), 19, 37, 47, 50, 61 (first paragraph) and 65 |
The 2025 law rewrote several articles that matter directly to clients:
- Article 37: a fee may be agreed as a share of up to a quarter of the amount awarded; since 2018 the limit had been a tenth.
- Article 47: a lawyer may advertise or use intermediaries only under conditions the Lawyers Admission Committee sets and publishes on the Ministry's website.
- Article 61: the Legal Aid Committee is made up of three judges of the Court of First Instance and appoints a lawyer for people who cannot pay, in set cases.
- Article 13: the interview and tests are an admission condition in the cases the Committee decides; since 2018 they had applied generally.
- Article 65: the disciplinary penalties are a warning, a reprimand, suspension for up to one year, and striking off the roll.
Which articles of the Advocacy Law do people look up?
These are the articles people ask about most, in number order, as amended up to 2025. Each has conditions and details, so read the full Arabic text on Al Meezan before you rely on one.
| Article | What it covers |
|---|---|
| 3 | Only lawyers may practise; practice includes appearing before courts, the Public Prosecution and arbitral tribunals, giving legal advice, and drafting contracts |
| 4 and 5 | The exceptions: State lawyers, company staff giving advice and drafting contracts, and in-house legal staff at QatarEnergy |
| 6 | Representation by a spouse or a relative or in-law up to the fourth degree, except before the Court of Cassation, and the lawyer required for an appeal or cassation petition |
| 7, 8 and 9 | International law firms, permission for a foreign lawyer in a specific case, and non-Qatari lawyers working at Qatari firms |
| 12 to 16 | The rolls, the conditions for the practising roll, and admission before the Court of First Instance, the Court of Appeal and the Court of Cassation |
| 19 | Work a lawyer may not combine with practice, such as trade or employment |
| 20 and 23 | The training period, and what a trainee lawyer may do |
| 26 | Renewing registration before 1 January each year |
| 36 to 43 | Fees: the agreement, the share of the award, dismissal, assessment by a court, the lawyer's lien, priority and time limits |
| 47 | Lawyer advertising and office websites |
| 48 and 49 | Conflicts of interest, and acting against a former employer |
| 51 and 57 | Confidentiality, and handing over money collected for the client |
| 54 | Appearing under a notarised power of attorney; see our guide to powers of attorney in Qatar |
| 58 and 59 | A lawyer withdrawing, and returning the power of attorney and documents |
| 60 | The client's complaint deadline: six months from learning all the facts |
| 61 to 64 | Legal aid and appointing a lawyer for someone who cannot pay |
| 65 to 73 bis 1 | Investigation, discipline, penalties and when they are erased |
| 77 | The penalty for practising without registration |
Who may practise law in Qatar, and what are the admission levels?
Only registered lawyers may practise law in Qatar. Practice includes representing people before the courts, the Public Prosecution, arbitral tribunals and investigating bodies, giving legal opinions and advice, and drafting contracts and arranging their notarisation (Article 3). Anyone who breaches this faces up to three months in prison, a fine of up to QAR 10,000, or both (Article 77).
The exceptions are narrow. State lawyers act for ministries and public bodies. Private companies may have their own staff give legal advice and draft contracts, under rules set by the Minister (Article 4). In-house staff at QatarEnergy with at least two years of legal work may handle its legal work, if licensed by the Committee (Article 5).
To join the roll of practising lawyers, an applicant must (Article 13):
- Be a Qatari national, or a GCC national where there is reciprocity and the Lawyers Admission Committee agrees.
- Hold a law degree from a recognised university, or a Sharia degree after at least two years as a judge or prosecutor.
- Have full legal capacity and be at least 21.
- Be of good conduct, with no final conviction for a felony or a crime against honour or trust, unless rehabilitated.
- Have completed training, and pass the interview and tests where the Committee requires them.
A lawyer may practise only after taking an oath before the Committee, which includes keeping professional secrecy (Article 18). Registration on the practising roll counts as a licence to practise, except for trainees (Article 29). A lawyer may not also hold a ministerial post, engage in trade, or work for a government body, company or bank (Article 19).
The roll a lawyer is on decides which courts they may appear before (Article 12):
| Roll | Requirement | Where they may appear | Article |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trainee lawyers | Six months at the Centre for Legal and Judicial Studies and 18 months in the office of a lawyer with at least five years in practice | May not appear in their own name or sign claims; after one year, may argue before the Court of First Instance on the supervising lawyer's behalf | 20 and 23 |
| Admitted before the Court of First Instance | Training completed successfully | The Court of First Instance; may open an office in their own name | 14 |
| Admitted before the Court of Appeal | At least five years on the first instance roll, or seven years of equivalent legal work | All courts except the Court of Cassation | 15 |
| Admitted before the Court of Cassation | Ten years in practice, at least three on the appeal roll, or ten years as a judge, prosecutor, law professor or in legal work | The highest level; cassation petitions must be signed by a lawyer on this roll | 16 |
The Ministry also keeps rolls for law companies, international law firms and non-practising lawyers. A lawyer who does not pay the renewal fee on time is moved, after notice, to the non-practising roll (Articles 12 and 27).
To check a lawyer's registration before you instruct them:
Open the "Lawyer Services" page on the Ministry of Justice website (moj.gov.qa) and choose "Register of Registered Lawyers".
Search for the lawyer's full name and compare the registration number and admission level with what they told you.
Check the date: the file published now dates from April 2026, and lawyers must renew before 1 January each year (Article 26).
If the name is missing, ask the lawyer why, or contact the Ministry's Lawyers Affairs Department.
The published register lists only lawyers admitted before the three courts. For the questions to ask at a first meeting, see our guide on how to choose a lawyer in Qatar.
When must you have a lawyer?
An individual may be represented before the courts, the Public Prosecution and investigating bodies by a spouse or a relative or in-law up to the fourth degree, except before the Court of Cassation (Article 6). At certain stages, though, the law requires a registered lawyer:
| Stage | What the law requires | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Appeal to the Court of Appeal | The petition must carry a power of attorney for a lawyer admitted before the Court of Appeal | Advocacy Law, Article 6 |
| Cassation in non-criminal cases | The petition must be signed by a lawyer admitted before the Court of Cassation, or the court declares it void on its own motion | Law No. 12 of 2005, Article 4 |
| Briefs and document files at cassation | Signed by the lawyer admitted before the Court of Cassation | Law No. 12 of 2005, Article 14 |
| Oral argument at cassation | Parties may not appear in person without a lawyer | Law No. 12 of 2005, Article 19 |
| Cassation in criminal cases | The grounds must be signed by a lawyer admitted before the Court of Cassation, with the power of attorney filed when the appeal is lodged | Criminal Procedure Code, Article 291 |
| Accused of a felony at trial | Must have a lawyer; if the accused has not appointed one, the court appoints one | Criminal Procedure Code, Article 221 |
Appeal deadlines are short. See our guide to appealing to the Court of Cassation for the deadline and who signs, and which court hears your case for the levels of court.
A lawyer appears for a client under a notarised power of attorney. A power of attorney for one case is filed in the case; for a general one, the court notes its number and date. If the client attends with the lawyer, the court record replaces the power of attorney (Article 54). A lawyer may send another lawyer in their place, under their own responsibility, unless the power of attorney forbids it (Article 32). If you are outside Qatar, see our guide to handling a case in Qatar from abroad.
Can a non-Qatari lawyer or a foreign law firm work in Qatar?
The practising roll is for Qatari nationals, and for GCC nationals on reciprocity (Article 13). The law allows non-Qatari lawyers and firms to work in four set situations:
| Situation | What the law allows | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A foreign lawyer licensed in their own country | Permission to argue a specific case, by the Minister on the Committee's proposal, provided a lawyer practising in Qatar works with them | Article 8 |
| A Qatari firm needing a foreign lawyer at cassation | Permission to bring in non-Qatari lawyers to argue before the Court of Cassation, on the same condition | Article 8 |
| A non-Qatari lawyer working at a Qatari firm | A licence from the Committee to appear in the firm's name before the courts and bodies listed in Article 3 | Article 9; Lawyers Admission Committee Decision No. 117 of 2026 |
| An international law firm | A five-year renewable licence by ministerial decision, for the work the licence names, with the firm entered on its own roll | Article 7; Cabinet Decision No. 4 of 2011 |
Decision No. 117 of 2026 requires the non-Qatari lawyer to hold a law degree, to have been registered as a lawyer at home for at least seven years with admission before the appeal court there, and to pass an interview and tests. It caps the number per Qatari lawyer at three to six, depending on that lawyer's admission level, and records them in a "Register of Non-Qatari Lawyers" at the Lawyers Affairs Department. It applies 30 days after publication in the Official Gazette (Articles 7 and 8 of the Decision).
Lawyers at a licensed international law firm are entered on the practising roll without the nationality and training conditions (Article 7). Apart from arbitration, legal advice and contract drafting, the firm needs the Minister's approval for each matter before appearing before the courts, the Public Prosecution or investigating bodies (Cabinet Decision No. 4 of 2011, Article 3).
If you deal with a non-Qatari lawyer, ask which firm they appear for and which Qatari lawyer is responsible for your file.
What duties does a lawyer owe the client?
A lawyer must act with honour, integrity and probity, and follow the law and the decisions issued under it (Article 50). These are the duties that affect you most directly:
| Duty | What it means for you | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Confidentiality | Keeps what you tell them and your documents confidential, and may not reveal what they learned through their work even after the engagement ends, except to prevent or report a felony or misdemeanour | 51 and 57 |
| No testimony against you | May not testify against you in a matter you instructed or consulted them on, and cannot be compelled to | 57 |
| No conflicts | May not act for or help your opponent, even by giving an opinion, in the same dispute or any other while yours is pending, and may never represent conflicting interests; this covers everyone in the office | 49 |
| Former roles | Someone who left a ministerial post or a job may not act against that former employer for five years; a former judge or prosecutor may not act in a case that came before them | 48 |
| Your money and papers | Hands over money collected for you, and returns the power of attorney and your documents when the engagement ends, unless they were filed in the case | 51 and 59 |
| Withdrawing | May not withdraw at an inappropriate time, must tell you, and must keep following the case for at least a month where your interests need it | 58 |
| Public statements | May not publish anything about your case that could affect its course | 56 |
So give the lawyer the names of the other parties at the start, so they can check for a conflict before you share the details.
The law also limits how lawyers promote themselves. A lawyer may not advertise, solicit or use intermediaries except under conditions the Lawyers Admission Committee sets and publishes on the Ministry's website, and may run an office website under the Committee's rules (Article 47). Committee Decision No. 118 of 2026 sets those rules. Among them: content must be limited to legal work, must not mislead the public or urge anyone to bring a claim, and online legal services need a contract with the client. The Decision applies 30 days after publication in the Official Gazette.
How are lawyers' fees set, and who handles a dispute or complaint?
Fees are set by agreement between the lawyer and the client. Since 2025, the parties may agree a fee «بنسبة لا تزيد على (25%) من قيمة ما يحكم به في الدعوى», a share of no more than 25% of the amount awarded in the case (Article 37). From 2018 the limit was 10%. This guide gives no prices, because fees vary from matter to matter.
| Rule | What it means for you | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Fees and expenses | The lawyer is entitled to fees, case expenses, fees for related claims not foreseen in the agreement, and the agreed fee if the case ends in a settlement or arbitration you authorised | 36 |
| When fees fall due | The full fee is due only once the judgment is enforced, unless you agree otherwise | 38 |
| Dismissing the lawyer | Dismissal without good reason before the work is done makes the full fee due; with a reasonable justification, the lawyer earns a fee for the effort and result | 39 |
| No written agreement | Either the lawyer or the client may ask the competent court to assess the fee, weighing the importance of the case, the effort and the result | 40 |
| Holding documents | With a written agreement, the lawyer may hold your original documents or money collected for you up to the unpaid fee | 41 |
| Priority | The lawyer's fee has priority over money that came to you through their work or the judgment | 42 |
| Time limit | Without a written agreement, the lawyer's claim lapses five years after the engagement ends or the client dies | 43 |
| Disputed rights | A lawyer may not buy the rights in dispute or agree to take part of them as a fee | 52 |
A dispute over fees goes to the competent court, including a request to assess them where there is no written agreement (Article 40). A breach of professional duty, such as revealing your secrets or acting with a conflict, is a matter for a complaint to the Ministry of Justice's Lawyers Affairs Department, which investigates lawyers and brings disciplinary cases (Article 66).
Gather proof of your relationship with the lawyer, such as the power of attorney or fee agreement, and any evidence for your complaint.
Write a letter to the Lawyers Affairs Department explaining the complaint, with a copy of your ID, using the "Filing a Complaint Against a Lawyer" service on the Ministry's website.
File within six months of learning all the facts, or the right to complain lapses (Article 60).
The Department's Investigation and Prosecution Section investigates, and the result goes to the Lawyers Admission Committee for a decision (Article 66).
Lawyers are tried by a Disciplinary Board chaired by a Court of Appeal judge (Article 67). The penalties are a warning, a reprimand, suspension for up to one year, or striking off the roll (Article 65). Board hearings are confidential, and its decisions can be challenged before the Court of Appeal within 30 days (Articles 71 and 72).
If you cannot afford a lawyer, the Legal Aid Committee at the Court of First Instance may appoint one in set cases, such as a claim likely to succeed or an exemption from court fees (Article 61). The court assesses the appointed lawyer's fee and orders the losing party to pay it as part of the costs (Article 64).
When should you speak to a lawyer?
This guide covers the general rules. These situations are worth a legal review:
- Someone has offered to "handle" your case, and you cannot find their name on the register of lawyers.
- An appeal or cassation deadline is close, and you need a lawyer admitted before that court.
- You disagree with your lawyer about fees, a share of the award, or what the agreement covers.
- You think your lawyer revealed your information or helped the other side, and the six-month complaint deadline is approaching.
- You dismissed your lawyer, or they withdrew, during a case, and you are unsure what that means for their fee and your documents.
- You are dealing with a foreign lawyer or firm on a matter before a court or authority in Qatar.
What the law says
This guide relies on the Advocacy Law issued by Law No. 23 of 2006, as amended by Law No. 1 of 2018, Decree-Law No. 19 of 2018 and Law No. 19 of 2025, in particular Articles 2 to 9, 12 to 16, 18 to 20, 23, 26, 27, 29, 32, 36 to 43, 47 to 52, 54, 56 to 61, 64 to 67, 71, 72 and 77. It also relies on Lawyers Admission Committee Decisions No. 117 and No. 118 of 2026, Cabinet Decision No. 4 of 2011 on international law firms, Articles 4, 14 and 19 of Law No. 12 of 2005 on cassation appeals in non-criminal matters, and Articles 221 and 291 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Texts checked on Al Meezan on 8 November 2026.
Read on Al MeezanQuestions people ask
Law No. 23 of 2006 promulgating the Advocacy Law, published in the Official Gazette on 28 August 2006. It was amended by Law No. 1 of 2018, Decree-Law No. 19 of 2018 and Law No. 19 of 2025.
A spouse or a relative or in-law up to the fourth degree may represent you, except before the Court of Cassation (Article 6). An appeal or cassation petition must carry a power of attorney for a lawyer admitted before that court.
Since the 2025 amendment, Article 37 allows a fee of no more than 25% of the amount awarded in the case; before that the limit was 10%. A lawyer still may not buy the rights in dispute (Article 52).
Complaints go to the Ministry of Justice's Lawyers Affairs Department, with proof of your relationship with the lawyer, such as the power of attorney or fee agreement. The right to complain lapses six months after you learn all the facts (Article 60).
On Al Meezan (almeezan.qa): search for «قانون المحاماة» or "Law No. 23 of 2006". It shows the amended text article by article, marks changed articles «معدلة» ("amended"), and links the Official Gazette issue. The text published in the Gazette is the Arabic one, so rely on it and use the English translation as a guide.
This guide is general information about Qatari law, not advice on your case.
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