Working through the material listed for each day is highly recommended, though none of it is a prerequisite. The sessions are designed to be followed without any prior reading, and nobody will assume you already know the law. However, the days move quickly, and fellows who arrive having skimmed the day’s list get more out of the sessions and find it easier to ask good questions.
How to Use This List
- Read the blog posts and the “Overview of…” notes first. They are short, they are written for your level, and they explain the laws you are about to open.
- Items marked skim are there for structure, not detail. Nobody expects you to read the Commercial Companies Law end to end.
- The case summaries and fatwa summaries are the highest value per minute on this list. Each takes two or three minutes and shows the law being applied rather than merely stated.
- Where a consolidated version of a law exists, that is the link used. It reflects all amendments to date, so you are never reading a superseded text.
- If you are short on time, read the first item listed for that day. Each day is ordered so that the fastest way in comes first.
A Note on Access
Everything on Decree proper requires a Decree account to read in full. The Decree Blog is open to everyone and needs no account.
Fellows are provided with a Decree account for the duration of the programme. If you have not received instructions on activating yours, email [email protected].
Week 1: Foundations & Skills
| Reading | |
|---|---|
| Day 1 — Sunday, 2 August | Overview of Omani Legislation & the Official Gazette · The Basic Statute of the State · Branches of the Omani Government · Conducting Omani Legal Research Online |
| Overview of the Basic Statute of the State Intel — explanatory note | Read this before the decree itself. |
| Royal Decree 6/2021 Issuing the Basic Statute of the State Legislation | The Omani constitution. Read Books One to Three closely and skim the rest. |
| Is the Basic Statute of the State a Constitution? Blog | Tests the Basic Statute against the attributes of a constitution: name, supremacy, content, and entrenchment. |
| The Making of a Constitution: History of the Basic Statute of the State Blog | What the legal system looked like before 1996, and the 2011 and 2021 amendments. |
| Principles That Shape Oman: A Look into Book Two of the Basic Statute Blog | The political, economic, social, and cultural principles guiding state policy. |
| Separation of Powers Under the Omani Constitution Blog | How power is allocated between the Council of Ministers, Majlis Oman, and the Judiciary, and the limits on each. |
| The Law of the Official Gazette (Consolidated) Legislation | Short. The instrument that makes legislation legally effective, and therefore the foundation of legal research in Oman. |
| Duties of the Council of Ministers Blog | The executive branch in practice. Pairs with Book Four of the Basic Statute. |
| Day 2 — Monday, 3 August | Procurement, Tenders, & Contracts in Oman · International Law & Oman · Careers Panel: Pathways for Law Graduates |
| The Tender Law (Consolidated) Legislation | The core of government procurement. Skim for structure: tender committees, thresholds, and award procedures. |
| Fatwa Summary: MJLA Fatwa 232790137 (Application of VAT to Contracts Signed before the Issuance of the VAT Law) Intel — fatwa summary | A contractor sought a variation order for VAT on a pre-VAT contract and lost. A classic risk-allocation problem in government contracting. |
| Fatwa Summary: MJLA Fatwa 232787094 (Exemptions of Royalties and Consequences of Relying on Wrong Information from Government) Intel — fatwa summary | Only the Ministry of Finance may grant exemptions, and a contractor who relies on the wrong ministry’s assurance bears the loss. |
| Three International Agreements Every Law Graduate Must Know Blog | Read this first for the international law session. |
| Key Investors Rights of Bilateral Investment Treaties Blog | Example of treaties in action. |
| The New York Convention vs the Singapore Convention Blog | Example of treaties in action. |
| New Omani Advocacy and Legal Consultancy Law Issued Blog | For the careers panel, and how you actually qualify. |
| Executive Regulation of the Advocacy and Legal Consultancy Law Issued Blog | Read straight after the post above, as it fills the gap that one flags. |
| Day 3 — Tuesday, 4 August | Intellectual Property Law · Ethics, Generative AI, & Legal Technology in Practice · Microsoft Word for Lawyers |
| Overview of Intellectual Property Laws Intel — explanatory note | Must read. |
| The Industrial Property Rights Law (Consolidated) Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| The Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Law (Consolidated) Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| Royal Decree 33/2017 Issuing the GCC Trademark Law Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| Four Unique Industrial Property Rights Protected in Oman Blog | The less obvious rights beyond patents and trademarks. |
| Case Summary: Supreme Court (Criminal Circuit) Contestation 660/2022 (Copyright Protection of a PhD Thesis) Intel — case summary | Intellectual property in action. |
| Case Summary: Supreme Court (Commercial Circuit) Contestation 894/2016 (Territoriality of Trademark Protection) Intel — case summary | Intellectual property in action. |
| MTCIT Circular 11/2025: The Public Policy for the Safe and Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence Systems Circular | Skim to understand structure. |
| MTCIT Issues Public Policy for Ethical Use of AI Blog | Decree’s analysis of the policy, including why its non-binding form matters. |
| Day 4 — Wednesday, 5 August | Data Protection in Oman · Labour Law & Social Protection · Group Project: Topic Selection · OQ Hosted Event |
| Royal Decree 6/2022 Issuing the Personal Data Protection Law Legislation | Short, recommended to read in full. |
| The Executive Regulation of the Personal Data Protection Law (Consolidated) Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| Data Subjects Rights under the Data Protection Law and its Executive Regulation Blog | The rights the PDPL introduced for the first time in Oman, and how they are enforced. |
| The Cost of a Breach: Understanding Penalties Under the New Personal Data Protection Law Blog | What non-compliance actually costs controllers and processors. |
| Royal Decree 53/2023 Issuing the Labour Law Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| 7 Types of Leave Under the Omani Labour Law Blog | Fast orientation to the leave regime. |
| Three Key Provisions Relating to Overtime Work in Oman Blog | Hours caps, the written consent requirement, and how surcharges are calculated. |
| Royal Decree 52/2023 Issuing the Social Protection Law (Consolidated) Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| Case Summary: Supreme Court (Labour Circuit) Contestation 341/2021 (Shift Work Holiday Compensation and Equal Pay) Intel — case summary | Labour Law in action. |
| Day 5 — Thursday, 6 August | Field Visit to Majlis Oman (Majlis Al-Shura & Majlis Al-Dawla) · Guided Tour & Q&A with Officials · Project Work |
| Royal Decree 7/2021 Issuing the Law of Majlis Oman Legislation | The single most important item today. |
| Royal Decree 6/2021, Basic Statute of the State — Book Five, articles 68 to 75 Legislation | The constitutional basis for both chambers. |
| Majlis Al-Shura: Structure, Function, and Role Blog | The elected chamber: candidacy conditions, the four-year term, the bar on remaining a government employee once elected, and the oversight powers unique to it. |
| Majlis Al-Dawla: Structure, Function, and Role Blog | The appointed chamber. Read alongside the Shura post above. The contrast between an appointed and an elected chamber is the most interesting thing about the institution you are visiting. |
| Royal Decree 54/2023 Issuing the Members of Majlis Al-Shura Elections Law Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| Fatwa Summary: MJLA Fatwa 222761398 (Effect of Majlis Al-Shura Membership on Employment in a Government-Owned Company) Intel — fatwa summary | Article 22 of the Law of Majlis Oman in action. |
| The Separation of Powers in Oman: Balancing Act or Centralised Rule? Blog | A more critical take than the Day 1 post. Worth reading the two together before you meet people who work inside the system. |
Week 2: Applied Law & Capstone
| Reading | Why It Is Here |
|---|---|
| Day 6 — Sunday, 9 August | Company Law in Oman: Formation, Governance & Compliance · Securities Law, Capital Markets & IPOs in Oman · Project Work |
| Overview of Types of Companies in Oman Intel — explanatory note | Must read. |
| Royal Decree 18/2019 Issuing the Commercial Companies Law Legislation | Skim for structure. |
| Four Differences Between LLCs and SPCs Blog | The two most commonly used forms in Oman, side by side. |
| Single Person Companies In Oman: Formation, Liability, and Dissolution Blog | Sole proprietorship autonomy with a limited liability veil, and where the veil is thinner than you would expect. |
| The LLC Liquidation Waterfall: Who Gets Paid First When an Omani Company Folds? Blog | The payment hierarchy across the Commercial Companies Law, the Labour Law, and the Bankruptcy Law. Excellent for seeing how three statutes interact. |
| Case Summary: Supreme Court (Commercial Court) Contestation 992/2021 (Power of an Authorised Manager to Sell Assets of an LLC) Intel — case summary | Company Law in action. |
| Royal Decree 46/2022 Issuing the Securities Law Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| Market Disclosures for Public Companies Blog | What must be disclosed, why, and the framework behind it. Read before the IPO session. |
| FSA Issues the Regulation Governing the Rising Companies Market Blog | The new market for SMEs and startups. A live example of capital markets regulation being built. |
| Day 7 — Monday, 10 August | Oil & Gas Law in Oman · Special Economic Zones, ITCs & the International Financial Centre · Project Work |
| Royal Decree 8/2011 Issuing the Oil and Gas Law Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| Royal Decree 38/2025 Issuing the Law of Special Economic Zones and Free Zones Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| The New Era of Oman’s Economic Zones Blog | What the 2025 law changed, and the incentives that distinguish an SEZ from a free zone. Read this before the decree itself. |
| Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones Intel — entity page | A two-minute orientation to OPAZ, the regulator of special economic zones. |
| Royal Decree 8/2026 Establishing the International Financial Centre of Oman and Issuing Its Law Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| Oman’s New Financial Free Zone: The International Financial Centre of Oman Blog | What a financial free zone is, who can register, why they would, and the limits. The essential item for this session. |
| The Artificial Intelligence Special Zone in Muscat Blog | Royal Decree 50/2026’s new special zone, and how it differs from IFCO. A good comparative anchor. |
| Day 8 — Tuesday, 11 August | Energy Transition · CV Writing & Personal Branding for Legal Professionals · Mock Job Interviews & Professional Feedback |
| Oman Pledges Net Zero Blog | Must read. |
| Day 9 — Wednesday, 12 August | Banking & Islamic Finance Law · Tax Law in Oman · Project Work |
| Royal Decree 2/2025 Issuing the Banking Law Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| Board of Governors of the Central Bank of Oman: Regulation CB/56/4/2019 regarding Islamic Banking Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| Central Bank of Oman: Circular IB 1 Islamic Banking Regulatory Framework Circular | Skim to understand structure. |
| Central Bank of Oman: Decision 25/2025 Issuing the Regulatory Framework for Digital Banks Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| Royal Decree 56/2025 Issuing the Personal Income Tax Law Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| Employer Obligations Under the New Personal Income Tax Law Blog | A tax on individuals that imposes serious duties on companies. Relevant to every in-house role you might take. |
| Royal Decree 121/2020 Issuing the Value Added Tax Law Legislation | Skim to understand structure. |
| Attributes of a Double Taxation Treaty Blog | Structure of DTTs and how Oman’s are built, with a worked example. Bridges Day 2’s international law session with today’s. |
