Legal Research Lawyers
We carry out sourced legal research on specialist questions and deliver it in usable form.
Overview
Structured legal research is what separates an answer based on impression from one based on text. Saudi regulations change quickly, and relying on information that was correct three years ago is the most common source of error in corporate legal decisions.
We provide research and legal writing for organisations that need a documented basis: research memoranda on a defined legal question, regulatory surveys for a new activity, comparisons between structural options, and drafting internal documents and policies in precise legal language.
We cite the source of everything we state and its date of effect, and we distinguish clearly between express text and interpretation or settled practice. That distinction alone prevents a major decision being taken on what is presented as a rule but is really an inference.
The legal framework
Research rests on official sources in force and their effective dates:
- Statutes and implementing regulations in force and their official sources
- Circulars and decisions issued by the competent authorities
- Published judicial principles where relevant
- International conventions in force in the Kingdom
- Settled practice at the authorities on procedural questions
- The distinction between express text, interpretation and practice
Situations we handle
A regulatory survey for a new activity
A full survey before building the product or entering the market prevents a complete rebuild later.
Comparing structural options
A written comparison of each option with its legal, tax and operational effects instead of repeated verbal debate.
Updating internal policies
A policy written before a statutory amendment can be non-compliant today without anyone noticing.
A research memorandum for an in-house team
Supporting the legal department on a question needing depth that daily pressure does not allow.
Training material or a procedures manual
Drafting legal content in language a non-legal team understands without losing precision.
Costly mistakes we see
- 1
Relying on unofficial sources
Circulating articles and summaries can be outdated or incomplete. The official source and its effective date are the basis of any research.
- 2
Ignoring the effective date
An amended statute changes the answer entirely. Identifying the version in force at the relevant time is part of the research, not an extra step.
- 3
Confusing text with interpretation
Presenting an inference as express text leads to decisions resting on a weaker basis than assumed.
- 4
Research without a defined question
A loose question produces lengthy material that cannot be used in an actual decision.
How the procedure runs, step by step
Good legal research is measured by usability: verifiable sources and a conclusion you can build a decision or a memorandum on.
- 1
Define the research question and its scope
We narrow the question to a researchable scope: which activity, which period, which competent authority. A broad question produces a great deal of material that answers nothing.
- 2
Map the statutory sources
We start with the statute, then the implementing regulations, then circulars and ministerial decisions. The order matters, because regulations qualify the statute and circulars set out how it is applied.
- 3
Research the judicial principles
We review published judicial principles and available judgments to establish actual application. The text alone is not enough: judicial practice is what you will meet in reality.
- 4
Analysis and resolving conflicts
Where sources conflict we say so and resolve it on a stated basis: the specific over the general, the later, or the higher instrument. Hiding a conflict produces research that reads as decisive and collapses in application.
- 5
A documented deliverable
We deliver a memorandum with a conclusion, the analysis, sources cited by article number, and a practical recommendation. Numbered sources let you or another adviser verify and track later amendments.
Documents we will ask you for
- The research question and its intended use
- The facts or transaction that raised it
- Relevant documents, if any
- Any earlier research or opinion on the subject
- The authority or authorities concerned
- The deadline for delivery
Fees and timelines
Research is priced according to the scope of the question and the depth required, with the form and size of the output agreed before we start: a short memorandum, a detailed report, or a full regulatory survey. Legal drafting of documents is priced per document.
On timing: a defined research memorandum takes three to seven working days. A full regulatory survey for a new activity takes two to four weeks depending on the number of authorities and intersecting regimes.
Common questions
What is the difference between research and a legal opinion?
Research sets out the framework, the options and the sources; an opinion reaches an express conclusion and carries professional responsibility for it. Many clients need the research first and then decide whether an opinion is required.
How long does research take?
A defined memorandum takes three to seven working days; a full regulatory survey takes two to four weeks depending on the number of authorities and intersecting regimes.
Do you cite sources?
Yes. Everything stated is tied to its official source and effective date, with a clear separation between express text, interpretation, and settled practice at the authorities.
Will you review our internal policies?
Yes. Reviewing policies against the regulations in force is among the most requested work, particularly after amendments that leave policies written years ago non-compliant today.
Do you write training material?
Yes, drafting legal content in language a non-legal team understands while preserving precision. This reduces operational errors more effectively than occasional advice does.
How do we define the research question?
We help you frame it: a loose question produces long material that cannot be used, while a precise question produces an answer a decision can rest on directly.
Do you support in-house legal departments?
Yes. Much of our work here supports in-house teams needing depth on a question that daily workload does not permit, without competing with their role on the matter.
Does the service include legal translation?
We draft in Arabic and English together in a way that preserves precise legal meaning. Literal translation of legal texts is a recurring source of error when terms are carried across without adaptation.
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