Several members of the legal profession have asked the Justice Ministry to clarify its position as, despite last year’s Royal Decree to give women the right to practice law, female lawyers are yet to enter the courtroom.

'Saleswomen'

Bayan Zahran, of the first female graduates of law school, told Arab News: ‘We should not end up working as saleswomen after having studied law.’
Ms Zahran claimed that she applied for a licence to practise law, but officials in the ministry refused to even hand out the application form.

Delay

Yaseen Khalid Khayyat, president of Jeddah Lawyer’s Association, commented: ‘We hope the rumour is not true, otherwise it would be a waste of women’s capabilities and education.’
Spokesman of the Ministry of Justice Fahd Al-Bakran, spokesman of the Ministry of Justice, said that there is no bias against women lawyers, but there would be ‘some delay until all preparations are done’.