Dubai court orders a client to pay a law firm's pending fees of Dhs40,000

The Dubai Civil Court has ordered a client to pay Dhs40,000 to a law firm. This amount accounts for the remaining fees agreed upon for the firm's representation in a commercial case, with an added legal interest of 5% per annum from the lawsuit date until complete payment is made.

However, the court dismissed the firm's request for additional fees amounting to Dhs3,420.

This situation arises from a fee agreement established in October 2022, where it was agreed that the law firm would represent the defendant in a commercial case for Dhs80,000 before the Court of First Instance.

The payment was structured in two parts: the first due upon filing the lawsuit and the second after receiving the initial judgment.

The court clarified that the law firm adhered to all legal procedures up to the point where judgment favoured its client, and no negligence was demonstrated in meeting its professional duties.

The court stressed that a lawyer's responsibility is to exercise due diligence when managing a case, not to guarantee the outcome of the dispute.

The court also noted that the defendant failed to attend any court sessions and did not provide evidence of fee payment or a clearance certificate, thereby requiring her to pay the remaining Dhs40,000 as agreed.

On the other hand, the court dismissed the firm's request for a refund of Dhs3,420 related to court fees and notices. It found these costs resulted from a procedure carried out by the firm that could have been handled by the case management office.

Consequently, this led to the dismissal of the claim in the original case, and thus, the client should not be held accountable for these costs.

The court determined that a legal interest of 5% per annum is applicable starting from the date the lawsuit was initiated in May 2026, continuing until the full payment is made. The defendant is also required to cover the court fees and expenses, while all other requests have been denied.