Accounting software for law firms in UAE, matter by matter

Law firm books revolve around matters, retainers and disbursements. HelloBooks starts firms with this structure and a project per matter.

• Fee income by practice area: litigation, corporate, real estate, employment
• Client retainers held, applied against invoices
• Disbursements paid for clients: court fees, notary, translation, attestation
• Unbilled time and work in progress
• Professional indemnity, licence renewals and legal research subscriptions

Legal services to UAE clients are standard-rated at 5%. Court and government fees paid for a client can be treated as disbursements outside the scope of your supply only if the FTA’s disbursement conditions are met, for example that you pay as the client’s agent and recharge the exact amount. Costs that you incur to deliver your own service, such as couriers or translators you choose, are usually part of your fee and carry VAT.

Advice to clients outside the UAE may be zero-rated as an export of services if the conditions are met, but work connected with UAE proceedings or UAE property can still be taxed here. Agree the treatment per client with your tax agent.

Tell the agent “bill the Khalidiya shareholder dispute for October, 14.5 hours at AED 1,800, apply the retainer” and it drafts the invoice, draws down the retainer and shows the balance due. Court fee receipts in Arabic are read and posted as disbursements on the matter. Payments are matched from your bank statement upload.

Partners ask “which matters have unbilled work over AED 50,000?” or “what did the employment team bill this quarter?” Every invoice is approved by the responsible partner before it goes out.

Fees billed and collected per partner, unbilled work, retainer balances and matter profitability are the core reports. A matter with AED 120,000 of fees billed and AED 9,500 of unrecovered disbursements shows where leakage happens.

Matter numbering, invoice narratives in English and Arabic and two-partner approval for write-offs can be configured. Email hello@hellobooks.ai or book at /book-a-demo with your billing rules.