Dubai Civil Court Orders Client to Pay AED 13.74 Million in Legal Fees

The Dubai Civil Court has ordered a client to pay AED 13.74 million to a law firm, representing legal fees agreed under a contract for the firm's defence and representation in commercial and enforcement cases, Emirates 24|7 reported.

According to court documents cited by the source, the agreement set the law firm's fees at a fixed sum of AED 13.74 million and required payment by bank cheque. The contract stipulated that the full fees remained payable even if files were withdrawn, alternative legal representation was appointed, or matters were not completed for any reason, while clarifying that official judicial and government charges were excluded.

The law firm demonstrated before the court that it had fulfilled its contractual and professional obligations in the designated files. In court proceedings, the client acknowledged the firm's entitlement to the full fee amount and confirmed that no payments had been made.

The court determined that the client's admission went beyond a simple failure to object, categorising it as a formal judicial acknowledgement that provided irrevocable and binding evidence. Concluding that the client's payment obligation matched the firm's legal performance, the court ordered full settlement of the AED 13.74 million balance.