Interview with: Dr. Fayez Al-Fadhli, Managing Partner

Arkan International Legal Consultants distinguishes itself from competitors through personalized client service, a deep understanding of local and international legal landscapes, and a commitment to innovative solutions tailored to each client’s needs.

 

What do you see as the main points that differentiate Arkan International Legal Consultants from your competitors?

Arkan Law Firm was established in 2011, comprising a team of no more than 10 lawyers and consultants. The journey of Arkan with clients and the legal market began seriously, characterized by a commitment to handling every file with seriousness, whether it was a case or a consultation. Every client is treated as one of our most important clients, which has led many clients to accompany us on our journey since that time, believing that we are their partners in success and that our services are distinguished from our competitors.

The key distinguishing points of our services are:

1. The effort exerted to provide service to the client.
2. Quick communication and conveying to the client the feeling that we are very close to them, enabling us to assist in any matter related to legal and even non-legal services.
3. Building a good relationship with clients that is free from commercial and financial pressures.
4. The focus is on the quality of our staff, which is one of our key strengths and differentiators from our competitors.

This has allowed Arkan to grow into a large system of over 60 legal professionals.

 

Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?

In the next 12 months, we anticipate growth in areas like corporate compliance, data protection laws, and litigation support. The drivers behind this growth include increasing regulatory requirements and the need for businesses to adapt to a rapidly changing legal environment.

We plan to add new services and elements with high expertise and focus on increasing our community service initiatives, highlighting the role of the lawyer as a legal researcher conducting periodic studies that serve the community. As a legal researcher, we have made our firm the only one that owns a legal media outlet and has a license for a monthly legal magazine to publish studies, rulings, and legal analyses. Its circulation has become widespread within the Kuwaiti legal community, and we aim to expand its reach in the next twelve months outside of Kuwait to become well-known and sought out in new legal regions. Additionally, we will open new legal departments, including corporate restructuring and the development of a comprehensive governance system for commercial and even governmental organizations. We aim to pursue larger competitions and tenders, as Arkan has good capabilities to serve these sectors. We will also establish a sports arbitration department at Arkan, led by Dr. Mohammed Abdulrahman Bouzbar, the former president of the sports arbitration authority, enhancing our position in the (KAS) court, given the significant importance of this sector in legal work.

 

What’s the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients?

One significant change we’ve implemented is enhancing our client communication processes through regular updates and feedback loops, ensuring that clients feel informed and involved in their legal matters.

As well as the change I made was to attract significant legal talents, such as Counselor Ali Munawer Al-Thuwaimer, the former advisor at the Fatwa and Legislation Administration, and Dr. Mohammed Abdulrahman Buzubar, the former Minister of Justice, to serve as consultants in the firm. This move aims to open new sectors in governmental and sports-related cases, which will certainly provide great benefits in serving our clients in the coming period, diversifying the services offered to meet their needs.

Additionally, we relocated the office to one of the most prestigious towers in the capital of Kuwait, creating offices that are dignified for clients and suitable for their visits and meetings. We also introduced communication services such as WhatsApp and established a hotline for clients available around the clock to meet their urgent requirements, where time is a critical factor.

 

Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

Providing technology services and ensuring that all employees use the latest technology in the office are among the most important factors for success, especially considering the technological advancements taking place worldwide. As part of our services to clients, we utilize electronic and mobile applications, communication platforms, and online shopping. This means that we are fully aware of artificial intelligence and technological developments, particularly in client communication and providing prompt assistance.

 

Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?

A practical example of adding value was when we assisted a client in restructuring their business operations to comply with new regulations, which not only ensured legal compliance but also optimized their processes, resulting in reduced costs and increased efficiency

One of our clients presented an idea for an electronic application aimed at selling products and delivering gifts under the name of the application (Mawada). This application allows users to send gifts to anyone, and the recipient can change the type of gift or request a refund within an account on the site or receive the amount directly. Our legal role was to present all the terms and conditions for users of the application. However, due to our relationship with our clients, aiming to be partners with them, we tried to guide the company owning the application to make it safer from potential issues and to steer clear of deviating from the primary purpose of the project.

We advised against turning the application into a money collection platform and violating the business license. We emphasized the importance of putting specific conditions and amounts, along with fixed deadlines for receiving funds or gifts or returning them to their source, to preserve the funds or gifts and avoid the need to store them. We believe that this role exceeded the legal work to include thinking like a trader alongside the client to ensure the success of the project.

 

Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three years’ time?

Certainly, Clients are increasingly seeking stability and strategic direction, particularly in uncertain economic times. In three years, we see the firm well-positioned as a trusted advisor, known for its expertise and strategic insights, helping clients navigate legal challenges effectively, and one of our main goals is to maintain existing clients rather than attract new ones. A new client will seek us out due to our distinguished services, while the stability of existing clients is the aim, along with increasing the client’s business volume and opening new areas that allow us to expand and provide them with new services to meet those demands.

I foresee that in the coming three years, we will expand outside of Kuwait, either by establishing strategic partnerships with global firms in the USA, the UK, and Dubai. We are currently negotiating and evaluating a few options regarding the number of branches and their locations to align with our clients’ operations and business activities. Additionally, we are assessing the need for these offices for legal representation in Kuwait or the Gulf region. This way, Arkan will be capable of meeting the demand for international legal services in various regions and under different laws worldwide.