QFC 15/2020 issued on 18/2/2021, [2021] QIC (F) 4
John and Wiedeman LLC v (1) Trimoo Parks LLC (2) Talal Bin Mohammed Trading LLC (3) Leisure LLC (4) Future Qatar For Business Development (ADABISC) LLC
The original dispute involved an engagement with a QFC established law firm related to the QFC. A key point was whether the defendants who were based outside the QFC were required to opt into the QFC's jurisdiction for the court to have jurisdiction.
Background
The Claimant was a law firm established in the QFC. It had formerly carried on practice under the name International Legal Consultants LLC.
The Defendants, were all entities established in the State of Qatar but outside the QFC. The Claimant sued all four Defendants for monies allegedly due by them for legal services said to have been provided to them by the Claimant. The Defendants, acting collectively, filed an application notice Article 19 of the Court's Regulations and Procedural Rules arguing that the Court did not have jurisdiction over this claim. None of the Defendants had otherwise, as yet, filed a defence to the claim.