In the modern business environment, the presence of a legal consultant within companies and institutions is no longer considered an administrative luxury or merely a supplementary role. Rather, it has become an essential component in decision-making, protecting interests, and mitigating legal and regulatory risks.

With the issuance of the new Advocacy and Legal Consultancy Law in the Sultanate of Oman pursuant to Royal Decree No. 41/2024, the Omani legislator moved toward regulating the legal consultancy profession with greater clarity and precision, recognizing it as an independent legal profession governed by specific professional standards and responsibilities.

The law defines a “Legal Consultant” as any person registered in the Roll of Legal Consultants in accordance with the provisions of the law. This definition carries significant legal implications, namely that the title “Legal Consultant” is not merely a general job designation, but rather a regulated professional status that may only be practiced in accordance with licensing and professional registration requirements.

From a practical perspective, the role of the legal consultant is not limited to providing legal opinions after disputes arise. On the contrary, the role begins much earlier — during contract review, negotiations, strategic decision-making, and the assessment of legal and regulatory risks.

One of the key aspects emphasized by the Omani Advocacy and Legal Consultancy Law and its Executive Regulations is the regulation of Legal Consultancy Offices as specialized professional entities. The Executive Regulations require the establishment of a dedicated professional register containing the details of the office, partners, responsible manager, and practicing legal consultants.

The Regulations also permit legal consultancy offices to maintain professional websites and professional accounts subject to regulatory controls designed to prevent the transformation of legal practice into inappropriate commercial advertising.

In practical terms, the primary functions of legal consultants and legal consultancy offices may be summarized as follows:

• Providing legal advice and legal opinions.
• Drafting and reviewing contracts and agreements.
• Supporting corporate governance and regulatory compliance.
• Managing legal and regulatory risks.
• Preparing internal policies and regulations.
• Supporting boards of directors and shareholders’ meetings.
• Coordinating with external lawyers and judicial authorities in disputes.

The Omani legislator has also sought to preserve the independence of the profession and prevent conflicts of interest by prohibiting the combination of legal consultancy practice with certain commercial or employment activities, while permitting membership on the boards of directors of public joint stock companies.

With respect to public joint stock companies, the Capital Market Authority issued Decision No. 10/2018 concerning the Controls Governing the Formation of Audit Committees and the Appointment of Internal Auditors and Legal Consultants in Public Joint Stock Companies.

This Decision clearly reflects the evolution of corporate governance practices in the Sultanate of Oman, where the legal consultant is no longer viewed merely as an external legal advisor engaged upon request, but rather as an integral part of the governance, oversight, and shareholder protection framework within the company.

The Regulations introduced several important professional standards governing the appointment and conduct of legal consultants, including:

• Performing duties with honesty, responsibility, and professional diligence.
• Avoiding any relationship that may compromise independence or impartiality.
• Refraining from accepting gifts or benefits that may influence professional objectivity.
• Maintaining the confidentiality of information and data obtained in the course of practice.
• Prohibiting the use of confidential information for personal benefit.
• Disclosing material facts that may affect the company’s business or decisions.

What is particularly notable is that these Regulations directly connect the role of the legal consultant with the broader concepts of corporate governance, transparency, and internal control. This demonstrates that the role of the legal consultant within public joint stock companies is no longer merely formal or secondary.

Today, the legal consultant contributes indirectly to safeguarding companies against regulatory and financial risks, enhancing the soundness of corporate decisions, reducing the likelihood of disputes, and ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and regulatory decisions.

Moreover, the economic and legislative developments currently taking place in the Sultanate of Oman, particularly under Oman Vision 2040, have positioned the legal consultancy sector as one of the professional sectors expected to witness substantial growth in the coming years.

The expansion of foreign investment, major infrastructure projects, mergers and acquisitions, financial technology, digital economy initiatives, energy projects, and artificial intelligence sectors all require specialized legal consultants capable of combining legal expertise with commercial and strategic understanding.

Likewise, the continuous expansion of compliance, governance, and disclosure requirements within institutions and public joint stock companies will naturally increase demand for highly qualified legal consultancy offices.

In my view, the future of the profession in the Sultanate of Oman will belong to legal consultants who move beyond the traditional role of merely reviewing contracts and evolve into strategic partners in decision-making, risk management, and institutional sustainability.

Ultimately, a successful legal consultant is not merely someone who understands legal texts, but someone who understands business realities, balances legal requirements with commercial interests, and protects institutions proactively before disputes arise.