About the firm
Emtithal means compliance.
Emtithal Law Firm is a full-service law firm based in Kuwait City.
The firm takes its name from the Arabic word for compliance, الإمتثال, and its strategy is built on that meaning. We advise clients on what Kuwaiti legislation requires of them, with an emphasis on governance and preventative advice before a dispute arises, so that when we come to represent them in negotiation or in proceedings, they are standing on settled ground.
The firm advises companies of every type, and individuals, across the full range of Kuwaiti legislation. It brings together lawyers and legal consultants specialised in distinct fields of law, each with the practical experience to match, and that experience is put directly at the client's disposal.
Our lawyers appear at every level of the Kuwaiti judiciary: the Summary Court, the Court of First Instance, the Court of Appeal, the Court of Cassation and the Constitutional Court. We represent clients before the investigative authorities, being the Public Prosecution and the General Department of Investigations, and before the specialist and administrative bodies, including the Administrative Court, the Capital Markets Court, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Insurance Regulatory Unit, the Central Bank of Kuwait, the Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority, the Public Authority of Manpower, the labour dispute committees, and the Experts Department at the Ministry of Justice. Three of the firm's lawyers are accredited arbitrators in Kuwait.
The firm has a multilingual team and delivers all of its services, written and spoken, in Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Hindi and Malayalam, according to the client's preference and what the matter requires.
Emtithal maintains strategic relationships with trusted law firms across the Gulf, the wider Middle East, Europe and Asia. That network allows the firm to act for clients whose interests extend beyond Kuwait, and to serve as Kuwaiti counsel to foreign firms and their clients.
The firm acts for clients in person and remotely. Appointments, consultations and the exchange of documents can be handled online where a client prefers, and the standard of service is the same in either case.
Emtithal is accredited by more than twenty embassies in Kuwait. The firm advises diplomatic missions on employment law, the terms on which residential and office premises are held, contracts with local suppliers, and the position of their nationals before the Kuwaiti authorities and courts.
The firm maintains a dedicated desk for clients who do not speak Arabic, the Foreign Front Desk, staffed by lawyers, legal consultants and administrative personnel advising in Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Hindi and Malayalam. Consultations and appointments can be arranged by email at ffd@emtithal-lawfirm.com, or by telephone or WhatsApp on +965 65910355.
For general enquiries, please write to info@emtithal-lawfirm.com or call +965 60320319. Enquiries in languages other than Arabic are handled by the Foreign Front Desk.
The firm develops its expertise in response to what its clients need. Clients rely on the firm’s discretion as much as on its representation, and our internal procedures are built on that basis.
Vision, mission and values
Our Vision. To deliver complete legal services to our corporate and individual clients: in Kuwait, through a qualified legal team spanning multiple disciplines and languages, and beyond Kuwait, through that same team working with trusted strategic partners around the world. It’s our pleasure to be the firm that international companies instruct on entry to the Kuwaiti market, and that Kuwaiti businesses instruct to receive innovative legal services, in and outside Kuwait. As well as individuals, no matter the challenges they face.
Our Mission. To enable everyone resident in Kuwait, from residents to entities, and every foreign company with interests here, to understand what local legislation requires of them, by building legal awareness and by delivering legal services in the client's own language. This is part of a core belief that everyone has a right to access justice and the understanding of the laws that apply to them.
Our Values. Integrity. Confidentiality. Professionalism. Legal innovation. Governance. Meticulous care.
Managing Partner
A Message from the Managing Partner
Emtithal Law Firm began with two partners who shared a single vision: that legal practice should rest on discipline, transparency and accountability. We therefore made the governance of our internal procedures the foundation of our work, and adopted sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles in the way we run the firm. We also committed to procedures that are both precise and prompt, because our clients' interests can afford neither delay nor error.
We believe a lawyer's work begins before a dispute arises, not after it. Early advice and carefully drafted contracts and procedures give a client a sound legal footing with no gaps, one that puts them in a strong position if a dispute does arise and, at the same time, keeps them clear of breaches. That is why we make a point of working alongside our clients from the very first step, because prevention in legal matters is more effective, and less costly, than dealing with a dispute after it has arisen. And that is why we chose the name Emtithal, meaning "compliance".
As we set out, we studied the local market closely to find where the real gaps lay. We found that a large part of Kuwait's population struggles to access Kuwaiti legislation and to exercise the right to a legal defence. We also found that many foreign companies with interests in Kuwait hesitate to enter the Kuwaiti market, because the language barrier stands between them and a proper understanding of its laws and regulations. We responded by building a professional, qualified and multilingual legal team, and by bringing in people with the skills to close that gap.
We have also taken particular care over the needs of those with fewer advantages and a greater need for protection, including women, places of worship, small businesses and Start-ups. We offer them legal support at reasonable fees suited to their needs and means, in the belief that legal protection is a right for everyone and not a privilege reserved for some.
We believe that all people are equal before the law, in their access to it, and in their right to a defence and a fair trial, without discrimination on the grounds of language, sex, religion or nationality. That belief is reflected in the make-up of our team, which brings together people of many nationalities, ethnicities and languages, men and women working side by side with a common purpose.
We are firmly convinced that technology and artificial intelligence are indispensable tools for keeping pace with change and delivering a faster, more efficient service. We are equally convinced that human involvement and responsible oversight cannot be done without, because a legal decision remains, in the end, a human trust and a human responsibility.
This is our vision, and this is our commitment to our clients and to our community. We look forward to being your trusted partners at every step.
Abdullah Mubarak Al-AsousiManaging Partner, Emtithal Law Firm
ESG
All people are equal before the law.
Emtithal gives its time and legal knowledge through a pro bono programme and legal awareness lectures, and supports those who most often go without advice.
Commitments
- Pro bono programme
- Legal awareness lectures
- A progressive, forward-thinking firm
We support
- Startups
- Expatriates
- Women
- Places of worship
- Disabled people
Environment
We have taken steps to reduce our paper consumption and our carbon footprint. The office has moved to digital storage of files and records, significantly reducing our reliance on printed documents.