Article 1 of the Saudi Bar Association Statute

This article is the basis of the existence of the Saudi Bar Association, and it sets its characteristics:

• Its nature: a professional body, meaning it brings together the members of the legal profession and looks after its affairs.
• Legal personality and independent finances: it has an independent legal entity, and its funds are separate from the funds of its members and from the funds of the State.
• Supervision: it works under the supervision of the Ministry of Justice. Article 2 provides that the Association organizes courses, conferences and seminars relating to the legal profession after coordination with the Ministry of Justice.
• Headquarters: the city of Riyadh.
• Branches: branches within the Kingdom may be established by decision of its board of directors. The text is limited to inside the Kingdom, so it does not address branches abroad.

The practical meaning for a lawyer is that the Association is the professional body of their profession, and under Article 2 it works to raise the level at which lawyers practice their profession, ensure they perform it well and increase their awareness of their professional duties. To that end it has powers including setting the bases and standards for practicing the profession, providing services to its core members such as certifying their signatures, and providing legal aid to those entitled.

Legal personality means the Association may contract, own property and incur obligations in its own name, and that its financial liability is separate from the liabilities of its members.