David Gallo to head new support body for the UAE legal community
The DIFC Dispute Resolution Authority Academy of Law has announced the appointment of David Gallo as its first director. He brings more than twenty years of international legal and business experience to the newly established support body for the UAE legal community.
Established in 2015, the Academy of Law is part the Dispute Resolution Authority, which also comprises the DIFC Courts and DIFC Wills and Probate Registry. Its core functions include training and regulating lawyers, publishing court reports and academic literature, providing free legal advice for people in need through the region’s first Pro Bono Programme, and hosting events for the development of the legal system and the professional community.
Michael Hwang, Chief Justice of the DIFC Courts and Head of the Dispute Resolution Authority, said: “David’s legal background, commercial acumen and global experience will be invaluable to the Academy of Law in its journey to become an internationally recognised centre of excellence. I look forward to working closely with David and the team as we develop this important new resource for the UAE legal community.”
David Gallo is a qualified lawyer who began his career as corporate counsel before moving into operational and commercial roles with companies in the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The majority of his career has been spent with General Electric subsidiaries, while his most recent role was as CEO of a trading unit of an Abu Dhabi-based family-owned conglomerate.
David Gallo added: “The Academy of Law has made enormous progress since its foundation earlier this year and is already providing an array of support to lawyers in the UAE. I congratulate the team on their achievements to date and I look forward to leading the next phase of the Academy’s development.”
In August 2015, the Academy of Law signed its first international cooperation agreement, and thereby established formal ties with East China University of Political Science and Law (ECUPL), one of China’s most prestigious higher education institutions. The two organisations will share research, exchange faculty members and students, host joint events, and work to deepen ties between the legal communities in the UAE and China. The Academy of Law also has established a strategic alliance with the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department. This collaboration provides a platform for launching programs to ensure that the legal profession develops in view of international best practices. The alliance also positions the Academy of Law as a preferred training partner to enable members of the legal profession to comply with the Department’s new continuing legal education requirements.
