I am very thankful that I get to answer queries publicly and interact with people in Kuwait, whether local or foreign. Even though I write a lot for the public, I have never really explained what I do to the public. I feel very grateful that as a lawyer, I am able to make a difference in people's lives.

Today though, I want to talk to you more about what I do and what I want to focus on in the future in my career. I aim to make the law accessible and understandable to everyone. I draft contracts in simple terms and avoid legal jargon. I provide consultations for commercial, media and employment matters, and although I don't personally deal with family- or crime-related law, I translate for my clients and facilitate between them and other lawyers. I don't believe in going to court and wasting my time and my clients' time and I like to come up with amicable solutions for my clients.

I am also very grateful that I work with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) - I cannot emphasize how important to me SMEs are. Actually not just to me, but to our economy. Kuwait is finally moving away (slower than we should) from oil and gas and coming up with creative solutions by our generation. I look around me and I see musicians, dancers, financial analysts, artists, writers, chefs, accountants, fashion designers, social media activists - outspoken, generous, exuberant, lovely people that not only want to make a living, but want to make a difference with their products and services. Therefore, today I want to focus more on questions that I get from SMEs.

Question: I have heard there is a new website that allows you to obtain a commercial license online with just a few simple steps/procedures. Is this true? I know it's true for other GCC countries and if this is true, I think it will be great.

Fajer: Yes, it is true that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has opened a business center, and from my experience, it will take you only one visit and four days. Check it out and please send me your experience at [email protected].

Question: Can I run my business from home or from a residential area?

Fajer: This depends on the business. Usually, businesses that rely on craftsmen, lawyers, engineers, interior designers, recording musicians, etc can run their business from residential or noncommercial places. Otherwise, you can check the Ministry of Commerce's executive bylaws that has more details about which business can be run from where. The Free Trade Zone has its own bylaws, so does Shuwaikh Industrial Area, so it's best to check.

License

Question: Can I run my business online without a commercial license? Like from the Web.

Fajer: No, unfortunately in Kuwait, you still need a commercial license to run a business. You have to have a commercial entity that is licensed.

Question: Where can I find laws and legislations that can help me with my business?

Fajer: For general laws, you can check www.GCC-Legal.com, where you will find the majority of GCC laws in Arabic. They usually take time to update their website though. You can also check the official Kuwaiti gazette for Kuwaiti legislations in print and online. You can also check the Ministry of Commerce website, which is updated regularly.

For any legal questions or queries, email [email protected].

By Attorney Fajer Ahmed