Legal Services in Iraq
Leverage agile frameworks to provide a robust synopsis for high level overviews.
Legal Services in Iraq
Most legal questions in Iraq show up quietly, drafting an employment contract, negotiating a distributor agreement, and only turn into a real problem later if they weren’t handled properly the first time.
Iraq’s employment relationships are governed by Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 in federal Iraq, but the Kurdistan Region runs under its own framework (Law No. 71 of 1987), and the two aren’t identical, templates built for one don’t automatically work for the other. One gap worth knowing about: Iraqi labour law doesn’t require employers to have employees sign confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements, so if you need that protection, it has to be written into the contract deliberately, it won’t happen by default.
As a full-service provider, we support clients on these questions directly, working closely with a network of trusted lawyers in Iraq who know both international law and the Iraqi and Kurdistan Region legal systems.
What We Provide
- Corporate & Commercial Law, entity governance and commercial agreements
- IP Rights & Media Law, trademark, patent, and copyright protection
- Real Estate Law, lease structuring and property matters
- Tax Law, corporate tax and compliance
- Employment Law, contracts drafted under Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 (federal Iraq) or Law No. 71 of 1987 (Kurdistan Region), with confidentiality and termination terms actually built in rather than assumed
- Distributorship & Franchise Law, negotiating and structuring distributor and agency agreements
- M&A and Joint Ventures, structuring and due diligence
- Foreign Trade & Legal Compliance, regulatory screening for cross-border trade
- Investment & Market Entry, legal structuring under Iraq’s National Investment Law
- Litigation & Alternative Dispute Resolution, before the Labor Court, Employment Court, or through arbitration where the parties have agreed to it
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Iraqi labour law require a confidentiality agreement with employees?
No. Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 doesn’t impose a general obligation to sign NDAs, if you need that protection, it has to be written into the employment contract deliberately.
Is the Kurdistan Region governed by the same labour law as the rest of Iraq?
No. Federal Iraq operates under Labour Law No. 37 of 2015, while the Kurdistan Region (Duhok, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah) follows its own framework under Law No. 71 of 1987, a contract built for one doesn’t automatically transfer to the other.