The cost of hiring a lawyer is among the first concerns that cross a client's mind before entering any legal dispute. Many people confuse the lawyer's fees with the court fees paid to the court and the litigation expenses, assuming they form a single item. In reality, each has a distinct nature and legal source, and the matter of fees is governed by an up-to-date federal framework, complemented by a local regulatory layer in the Emirate of Dubai. In this article we explain how legal fees are determined in the United Arab Emirates and the Emirate of Dubai according to the latest updates, and what every client should know before signing a fee agreement.

How Are Legal Fees Determined in the UAE and the Emirate of Dubai, and Which Laws Govern Them?

1. What Are Legal Fees?

Legal fees are the financial consideration a lawyer is entitled to in return for the legal work performed for the client, whether litigation before the courts, a consultation, or the drafting of a contract or memorandum. It is essential to distinguish precisely between three items that many clients tend to confuse:

2. The Legal Framework Governing Fees in the UAE

The legal profession and the relationship between a lawyer and a client are governed by Federal Decree-Law No. (34) of 2022 on Regulating the Professions of Advocacy and Legal Consultancy, the legislation that replaced the earlier Law No. (23) of 1991. During 2025, a package of Cabinet Decisions was issued in implementation of it, completing the regulatory framework of the profession, most notably:

3. There Is No Fixed Government Tariff — Fees Are Set by Agreement

An important misconception should be corrected: UAE legislation does not set a unified official "price list" for case fees. Rather, the principle is that fees are determined by a written agreement between the lawyer and the client — the "fee agreement." This agreement is the primary reference relied upon in determining what the lawyer is entitled to, which is why drafting it clearly and defining the scope of the mandate within it protects both parties from later disputes.

It follows that the variation in fees from one firm to another is natural, since it relates to the nature and volume of the legal work required and the time it takes, to the lawyer's experience and registration grade, and to the type of court before which the case is heard and the number of litigation degrees.

4. What If There Is No Written Fee Agreement?

A relationship between a lawyer and a client may arise without an express fee agreement being signed, giving rise to a dispute over the consideration due. In this situation, the Decree-Law addressed the matter by permitting recourse to the judiciary: a lawsuit is filed to assess the fees and claim them in accordance with the ordinary procedures for filing a lawsuit, whereupon the judiciary assesses the amount due in light of the work actually performed.

5. The Effect of Dismissing the Lawyer on Entitlement to Fees

The Decree-Law set out two clear rules governing the case where a client dismisses their lawyer:

6. The Death of the Client and Its Effect on Fees

If the client passes away and their heirs decide not to continue with the lawyer's mandate, the lawyer is entitled to fees for the effort exerted, taking into account what was agreed between the lawyer and the deceased, if an agreement exists. Where there is no fee agreement between the lawyer and the deceased, the lawyer may file a lawsuit to assess the fees and claim them in accordance with the ordinary procedures.

7. The Lawyer's Lien Over Their Fees

The Decree-Law granted lawyers' fees and their associated expenses a lien that ranks immediately after the rights of the Government over whatever has accrued to the client as a result of the lawyer's work or the judgment issued in the case that is the subject of the mandate. This lien is a legislative safeguard protecting the lawyer's right to recover their fees.

8. Agreed Fees Versus Fees Awarded Against the Losing Party

This is one of the most confusing points for clients. Agreed fees are what the client owes their lawyer under their agreement. The "advocacy fees" that appear in the operative part of judgments, however, are an item within the litigation expenses that the court awards against the losing party. The Civil Procedure Law No. (42) of 2022 obliges the court to rule on the litigation expenses of its own motion when issuing the judgment that concludes the dispute, and the losing party bears them; where each litigant fails in some of their claims, the court may apportion them between the parties.

9. The Local Dimension in the Emirate of Dubai and the Free Zones

Alongside the federal framework, the Emirate of Dubai has a local regulatory layer relating to the licensing and supervision of the profession. The Dubai Government Legal Affairs Department is competent to regulate the practice of the professions of advocacy and legal consultancy in the Emirate, including the licensing of law firms and legal consultancy offices and the registration of lawyers and legal consultants. Among its regulatory instruments is Administrative Decision No. (52) of 2022 approving the two regulations for licensing law firms and legal consultancy offices in the Emirate.

As for the judicial free zones, such as the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), they have their own independent systems for practising the profession, and fees there are purely contractual under their own frameworks. Nonetheless, the core regulation of the fee relationship before the onshore courts remains federal, governed by Federal Decree-Law No. (34) of 2022 and its Executive Regulation, while Dubai's local layer is concerned with licensing, registration, and professional supervision.

10. Practical Tips Before Signing a Fee Agreement

Frequently Asked Questions on Legal Fees

Legal References

• Federal Decree-Law No. (34) of 2022 on Regulating the Professions of Advocacy and Legal Consultancy.
• Cabinet Decision No. (8) of 2025 on the Executive Regulation of Federal Decree-Law No. (34) of 2022.
• Cabinet Decision No. (9) of 2025 on the Code of Conduct of the Advocacy and Legal Consultancy Profession.
• Cabinet Decision No. (10) of 2025 on the Regulation of Professional Companies for Advocacy and Legal Consultancy.
• Federal Decree-Law No. (42) of 2022 issuing the Civil Procedure Law and its Implementing Regulation.
• Administrative Decision No. (52) of 2022 approving the two regulations for licensing law firms and legal consultancy offices in the Emirate of Dubai.