Q: Hello Dear, I’m a PR agency based in Paris (France) and I worked with a brand based in Dubai. I signed an agreement with the brand for a celebrity placement, I did my job very well because the press impact was huge and now the brand refused to pay me. Can you please tell me what can I do to be paid? Because I work alone in my PR agency, my legal status is auto-entrepreneur and the brand in Dubai is a society. They are more powerful and rich than me. Thank you so much for your help. Best, N.K.

Q: Hi. I have tools and hardware small business. I supplied goods to one company in Dubai and the payment is pending since May 2017. The total amount is AED 59,652, and the company owner is not giving any reply nor picking up any calls. In this situation, what do I do? I don't have any PDC cheque, I have the company's LPO copy & Inv-do!

Q: I am a contractor and my client has pending payments with him. I have received 5 out of 13 payments I sent him. All the 13 payments are late. All the payments have been signed and approved and he gave me a payment certificate to confirm due date of payment but until this date, it is not paid. Each certificate is delayed out of the 8 balance. They range in delay from 2 weeks to 6 months. What are my rights and the damages I can claim as per the UAE law? Please note that I had to close down my business because I can't afford to run it due to the late payments.

Q: I am an individual working in Dubai and photography is my hobby/passion. I did a time-lapse project for a person here in Dubai. He owns a free zone company and also works with different media agencies in Dubai. My 3 movie clips from that time-lapse project are being used in a documentary running in 1 airline (I watched while travelling through that airline). I never had any signed agreement. It was all mutual understanding and all conversations happened through emails. Now, after knowing my time-lapse clips already been used in airlines without paying me anything, I have been following up with this person for the last 1 year. He's not paying me my money. I even tried to approach the airline and the response I got from them is "Airline already paid the agency hired to get that job". What does the UAE law say in this case and if as an individual I can sue the airline or how can I get my money? Any help or advice will be very much appreciated. Thanks.

Q: How can a company claim unpaid monies from private individuals they have provided services to and are refusing to pay?

Q: I am from Canada and have a client in Dubai who owes me CAD 12,000 for over 6 months and is no longer answering emails. I have video recordings and emails admitting to her debt and promising to pay. What are my options here? Thank you!

An interview-format article covering the topic of getting paid for small businesses in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

An interview-format article covering the topic of how to increase chances of getting your invoices paid in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

An interview-format article covering the topic of payment orders in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

This Law applies to merchants, as well as to all acts of commerce carried out in the UAE by any person even though he be not a trader. Commercial matters regarding which specific Federal laws are issued shall be subject to the provisions of such laws, and to the provisions hereof which do not contradict with said laws.

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.

The provisions of this law, promulgating UAE Civil Code, govern the civil transactions in the United Arab Emirates. The commercial transactions remain subject to the laws and regulations applicable in their regard.