A debt file is simple until it is not: someone owes money, the papers exist, and the debtor is still in the UAE — or has left. UAEAZ acts for creditors who need recovery, and for debtors who have been served and need the claim answered before an attachment lands.
This is execution work as much as it is a claim. A judgment that cannot be enforced is a trophy.
Recovery before judgment
Typical instructions include:
- unpaid commercial invoices and service fees
- dishonoured cheques connected to a civil or commercial debt
- guarantees and personal covenants
- admitted debts that still need a court path to execution
- negotiated payment plans that have to be documented so they can be enforced
We start with the contract, the invoices, the notices, and the debtor’s identifiable assets. A claim against an empty shelf company is a cost, not a strategy.
Enforcement and execution
Once you have a judgment, or an instrument the court will treat as executable, the file is about attachment, travel measures where they are available, and the practical path to payment. We advise on enforcement inside the UAE and on the limits of chasing a debtor who has already left.
Criminal overlay — particularly cheque files — is assessed separately. A civil recovery and a criminal complaint are not the same lever, and using the wrong one can damage both. Related criminal procedure sits with our criminal defence practice.
Debtors
If you have been served, do not wait for an attachment to discover the claim. Limitation, set-off, and a defective notice are defences that expire if nobody files them. Bring the claim, the contract, and any payment evidence.
Creditor or debtor, send the papers. We will tell you whether the debt is recoverable, defensible, or already a matter of enforcement.
Abu Dhabi, Dubai and worldwide
This practice is available to clients in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and the northern Emirates, and to clients instructing UAEAZ from overseas by email or video. Court advocacy is conducted by licensed advocates before the relevant UAE court and level. Advice is given in Arabic and English.
To instruct counsel, send a short outline of the facts, any deadline, and the papers you have via our consultation form. An enquiry does not create a client relationship until we confirm the engagement in writing.
