Q: We are a software company who have signed a contract with a client. The contract expired in Nov. 2015. We continued to work with the client on the project. We received 5 payments out of 7 payments that were due. Each payment was linked to a milestone in the project. Now the client claims the software solution is not up to the quality they want and they want to sue us for damages. In the contract, we have a clause that says they can sue for a maximum of 50% of the money they paid us. However, each of the 5 payments they made were linked to a milestone of the project contract and the payments that were made were approved by their managers who now claim that the software quality has an issue. Are they entitled to sue for damages? How can we best protect ourselves?

Q: Need a lawyer to review a standard NDA and tell me what the charges will be. It is a 7 pages document.

Q: Hi Ahmed, I am from a digital marketing company and we are based in Singapore. We are delivering online sales/leads to clients in Dubai. If any client doesn't pay for the services, what can we do? Also, I have seen that people are changing jobs frequently there. So, if the contact person also left the job, how can we proceed to recover the amount against invoices. Looking for your advice.

Q: I have a business idea. There are multiple workflows in my prepared document. Prior to discussing such topics with any business service provider, I will have to get an NDA signed by them. While making such documents, what all articles of laws should I mention? Also, please advise if it should be printed in a legal document or in a white sheet paper!

Q: Hello, I represent a tech-based marketplace company registered in a Freezone, in the UAE. This is in regards to the UAE's law regarding the ownership of code when there is no clause mentioned in the agreement. One of our products (web application) is being developed by an agency in the UAE. While we do have agreements in place, there is no clause regarding ownership of code. In the situation mentioned above, I've heard that the ownership of code either goes to the author or the agency that employed the author. Is this true? Your assistance and help would be of great help.

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.

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 provisions of this Federal Decree-Law, known as the "New Copyright Law", govern Copyright regulations in the United Arab Emirates. The New Copyright Law repeals the previous UAE Copyright Law (Federal Law No. (7) of 2002 On Copyrights and Related Rights).

The provisions of this Federal Decree-Law, known as the "New Trademarks Law", govern Trademarks regulations in the United Arab Emirates. The New Trademarks Law repeals the previous UAE Trademarks Law (Federal Law No. (37) of 1992 Concerning Trademarks).