In yet another sign of Saudi Arabia shedding its conservative image, woman lawyers may soon be allowed to represent female clients in courtrooms, close on the heels of the kingdom opening its first co-educational university.

Under a proposal floated by the Saudi Ministry of Justice, women lawyers will be issued a restrictive form of license which will give them access to certain areas of courts and in cases in which they are representing female clients only, Arabic daily 'Al Madina' reported quoting a senior official.

The move came after the ministry's recommendation that the best way of protecting women's rights in various cases would be by allowing them to be represented in the court by a female lawyer.

If the proposal is passed by the concerned authorities, women will have a certain section within the courts that will be solely allocated for their cases and their representative female lawyers, said the daily.

Earlier on September 22, Saudi Arabia inaugurated its first-ever co-educational university allowing girls to attend classes without veil, breaking centuries-old social barriers.

Launched by King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, the university, a multi-billion-dollar initiative aimed at producing future scientists, engineers and technologists, is the most advanced research and technology institute in West Asia, which has sprung up on the Red Sea coast at a cost of USD 10 billion.