Areas of work
This page sets out what the Law Office of Ali Barakat follows. Statute numbers cited were matched against the Iraqi Legislation Database on 13/11/2026. Review of contracts, where mentioned, is legal review, not a mere linguistic transfer.
At the front of the office’s work
Matters at the front of the office’s work
Family matters
Matters brought before the courts
- 06A criminal complaint and its courseA criminal case is instituted by a complaint or a report of an offence made to the Investigating Judge, a judicial investigator, a police station, or a judicial police officer, under Criminal Procedure Law No. 23 of 1971.
- 07A claim between persons in the civil courtA claim arising from a contract, from harm, or from another civil right is instituted by a statement of claim before the Court of First Instance, under Civil Code No. 40 of 1951 and Civil Procedure Law No. 83 of 1969.
- 08A dispute arising from an employment contractA private-sector labour dispute is arranged around five successive questions: does Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 apply to the relationship at all (arts. 1 and 3)?
- 09Settlement by agreement to arbitrate, and what followsA dispute referred to arbitration in Iraq moves through five stops: a written agreement (art. 252 of the Civil Procedure Law), an objection at the first hearing if a lawsuit is filed anyway (art. 253), an odd number of arbitrators (art. 257), an award within six months of acceptance unless a period was fixed (art. 262), then ratification by the court that would have heard the dispute before any enforcement (art. 272), with a plea of nullity available (art. 273).
- 10Traffic, Vehicle Accidents and Compulsory InsuranceTraffic Law No. 8 of 2019 governs registration, driving licences, offences, impound and traffic crimes; Law No. 52 of 1980 makes every car automatically insured and obliges the insurer to compensate death or bodily injury regardless of fault; the Civil Code governs wider compensation.
- 11Online and Social Media OffencesIraq has no dedicated cybercrime statute in force, so online threats, extortion, defamation, insult, publishing private photos, fraud and impersonation are judged under Penal Code No. 111 of 1969.
- 12Integrity Commission and Illicit GainThe Integrity Commission is an independent body subject to oversight by the Council of Representatives under article 102 of the Constitution, and its work is governed by the Integrity Commission and Illicit Gain Law No. 30 of 2011 as amended by Law No. 30 of 2019.
Property, money, and investment
- 13Sale, lease, and the recording of titleThe sale of immovable property, a lease, and the recording of a real right are different transactions.
- 14Recovery of debtsOnce a judgment or an enforceable instrument exists, recovery proceeds in an Enforcement Directorate, directed by the enforcement officer (المنفذ العدل), under Enforcement Law No. 45 of 1980, as amended.
- 15Dealing with a bankOpening an account, making a transfer and banking secrecy are legal constraints before they are commercial arrangements.
- 16A tax assessment and its reviewThe General Commission of Taxes issues an income-tax assessment under Income Tax Law No. 113 of 1982, as amended.
- 17An investment licenceAn investment licence is sought from the National Investment Commission or from the investment commission of a governorate not organized in a region, and in the Kurdistan Region from the Region’s investment board, under Investment Law No. 13 of 2006, as amended.
- 18Property Claims CommissionThe Property Claims Commission Law No. 13 of 2010 deals with property taken from its owners between 17/7/1968 and 9/4/2003 by confiscation, seizure, appropriation without compensation, expropriation contrary to procedure, or free transfer to associates of the former regime.
- 19Agricultural Land and Disposal RightsAmiri land is land whose ultimate title belongs to the state, with the disposal right granted to individuals under the law, as defined in article 7 of Land Registration Law No. 43 of 1971.
- 20Waqf EndowmentsWaqf administration in Iraq is divided among three offices created by laws issued in 2012: the Sunni Endowment Office, the Shia Endowment Office, and the Office of Endowments of the Christian, Yazidi and Sabean Mandaean Religions.
Companies, contracts, and work with public bodies
- 21Recording a company with the Companies RegistrarForming an Iraqi company is a path before the Companies Registration Department and the Registrar of Companies, under Companies Law No. 21 of 1997 as amended by Law No. 17 of 2019.
- 22A branch of a company formed outside IraqA branch is how a company formed abroad is represented in Iraq; opening one does not create a new Iraqi company.
- 23A mark that distinguishes a product or serviceAn application to enter a mark on the federal register is presented to the Registrar of Trademarks.
- 24Distribution of goods under a commercial agencyPractising a commercial agency in Iraq calls for a licence issued by the Registrar of Companies, and then a record of the agency contract once it has been authenticated.
- 25Enrolling a worker in social securitySocial security for private-sector workers is a path before the Department of Pension and Social Security for Workers at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, under the Workers' Retirement and Social Security Law No. 18 of 2023.
- 26A work permit for a person who is not IraqiEmploying a person who is not Iraqi is forbidden until a work permit has been issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
- 27Preparing the wording of a contractPreparing a contract in Iraq is read first from Civil Code No. 40 of 1951: offer and acceptance, and the binding force of the contract once it is formed.
- 28Reviewing a contract drawn up in more than one languageReview of a bilingual contract is a legal review of two versions that are meant to state the same bargain.
- 29Contracting with a public body after a tenderContracting with a public authority in Iraq is now governed by Public Contracts Execution Instructions No. 1 of 2025, issued by the Ministry of Planning and published in Official Gazette issue 4849 of 17 November 2025, which replace Government Contracts Execution Instructions No. 2 of 2014 from the date they come into force.
- 30Reading a statute that is in forceThe authoritative text of a federal statute is the Arabic text published in the Official Gazette (al-Waqa'i al-Iraqiya).
- 31Import, Customs and PortsCustoms Law No. 23 of 1984 governs goods entering Iraq: manifest, detailed declaration, certified invoice, inspection, objection committee and customs court.
- 32Oil, Gas, Electricity and Energy ProjectsIraq's energy sector is governed in layers: the Constitution on ownership and management of oil and gas, the 2018 INOC Law as shaped by Federal Supreme Court rulings, the 2017 Electricity Law on private investors, a special tax statute for foreign oil companies, and labour and civil rules for contracts.
- 33Foreign NGO RegistrationLaw No. 12 of 2010 lets a foreign NGO open an Iraqi branch registered with the NGO Directorate of the Council of Ministers Secretariat and subject to Iraqi law.
- 34Legal Profession and Foreign LawyersAdvocacy Law No. 173 of 1965 decides who may advise and represent in Iraq: advocates on the roll after oath and training.
Civil status and official documents
- 35Nationality, Civil Status and PassportsFour main statutes govern this area: Iraqi Nationality Law No. 26 of 2006; National Card Law No. 3 of 2016, which repealed Civil Status Law No. 65 of 1972; Passports Law No. 32 of 2015; and Residency of Foreigners Law No. 76 of 2017.
- 36Military Service and DefermentCompulsory military service in Iraq has been suspended indefinitely under CPA Order No. 2 of 2003, and no new law has reinstated it.
- 37Notary Public and AttestationsThe Notaries Department sits under the Ministry of Justice, with one or more notary offices in each governorate centre.