Abu Dhabi Court orders client to pay law firm Dhs40,000 after fee dispute

Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Cases Court ordered a man to pay Dhs30,000 to a law firm, in addition to fining him Dhs10,000, as he had contracted with the firm to represent him in lawsuits, but after losing one, he refused to pay the fees.

In detail, a law firm filed a lawsuit against one of the clients, requesting obliging him to pay Dhs41,500, plus an annual delay interest of 9% from the date of filing the lawsuit until full payment, as well as obliging him to pay court fees, expenses, and lawyer’s fees.

The plaintiff company stated that it had agreed with the defendant to provide legal consultations, prepare legal memoranda and documents, and represent him in the cases subject to the agreement, under a fee contract with a total value of Dhs30,000, in addition to value-added tax.

The company added that it had commenced attendance before the competent authorities and fulfilled its contractual obligations in full, but the client did not pay any of the amounts due under the contract.

The court clarified that it was evident from the case documents and the contract concluded between the two parties that the defendant had not paid the company, the value of the contract, Dhs30,000, nor had he paid the 5% value-added tax on this amount. The court added that the company had fulfilled its contractual obligations and that losing the lawsuit is not a valid reason for exemption the defendant from paying legal dues.

Therefore, the court ordered him to pay the company Dhs30,000 plus 5% value-added tax, in addition to a compensation of Dhs10,000.