Q: Is there an Abu Dhabi Justice Department office to get a lawyer who has been hired to respond to client's questions? I paid a law firm 50% of their fee in May 2016. My case was to be heard by the Cassation court on 20 Nov, then postponed to 28 Nov. Attorney has not advised me of the results and now does not reply to email or phone calls. I am in the USA.

Q: Dubai Courts issued a payment execution order in my favour for a commercial case in May 2017, but the defendant hasn't paid yet. I've been chasing the lawyer every couple of weeks since but they are ignoring me and not following up on anything even though I have paid them in full. What can I do?

Q: I have a real estate related case in the execution phase, between myself & a real estate developer. The last update I had about my case, about 10 months ago, was trying to cease/ locate assets from the developer. The law firm that was handling my case closed down and I have not had updates on my case as the law firm does not exist anymore. I am currently looking for a lawyer/ law firm who would be able to take on my case to follow up and update me until the closure of the case & supporting in closing related issues with the bank which I have a mortgage with. Looking forward to hearing your proposals on how to proceed.

Q: I hired a lawyer for debt recovery of 25,000 and they charged me around AED 10,000. AED 3,800 for the legal notice, and 1800 for negotiation, then 4000 for the settlement and exchanging a few more emails. Is that a reasonable amount as they claim? Their last charge was not communicated ahead as they claim they couldn't anticipate the work ahead. Do I have any right to complain or reject that last charge?

Q: After working for my employer for nearly two years on an unlimited contract as a COO of a restaurant company, my employer owes me approx 193000, not including notice period. I have filed a case with the MOHRE. They have tried to contact the employer who has ignored the calls and is also ignoring me. I know that I will have to escalate the complaint but, based on experience with the way the employer treats past employees and how he ignores suppliers and landlords, it is fair to assume that he will ignore this as well. I have little options and I have to leave the country as the apartment rent paid by the company expires mid-July. If I leave, can I maintain the complaint, and what is the likelihood of getting the money owed in this scenario when I travel back to the UK?

Q: I am a Bahraini national and have a Dubai residence visa also (Emirates ID I mean). I have registered a case through one of my staff at Dubai police and was being updated on developments by this staff. However, he has resigned and is unreachable, and the Dubai police will update/pass information only to that person. Can I give someone else an authorization letter stating that he can represent me and my offices/properties and that the previous person no longer represents me? Please help me with your valuable advice!

Q: I had hired a lawyer for my divorce and unfortunately because of his incompetence my divorce is denied. The lawyer had failed to provide important proof that I gave him. I paid him already half of the AED 15 000, what should I do? How can I revoke the POA ( I don’t have the initial copy)?

Q: How can I register my labor case with the Abu Dhabi labor court once I am outside the UAE? I already have an MOHRE letter with all details of my claim (some of the details are not correct) like the amount I want to claim. I believe this can be amended once the case is registered in court.

With over 3,000 licensed advocates and legal consultants in Dubai alone, you have a wealth of choices for legal assistance. But is this too much of a good thing? With so many choices, anyone looking for legal help in the UAE has a few significant hurdles to overcome.

Comparing the lawyer to the doctor is an old and common comparison, but its reflection on the social reality has not yet been completed, because many people still do not seek lawyers' assistance unless they are forced to. Although those people rush to doctors as soon as they feel any fatigue or deterioration in their health condition, or before making any decision that may affect their bodies, it is noticed that they do not do the same when it comes to their “community” health or their rights.

The law promulgates UAE Civil Procedures Code (Civil Procedure Law) which governs civil procedures in the United Arab Emirates, including the prosecution before the courts, litigation and execution.