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HUJJAحجةHUJJA — law firm
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Dispute Resolution & Arbitration

Commercial litigation before the Egyptian courts and arbitration before CRCICA, the ICC and ad hoc tribunals.

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Lead partner

Youssef Badran

Youssef Badran

Partner — Head of Disputes

Dispute Resolution & Arbitration · Real Estate & Construction

Arabic · English

Portrait pending

What we do

  • Commercial litigation at first instance, appeal and cassation
  • Arbitration before CRCICA, the ICC and ad hoc tribunals
  • Enforcement and annulment of arbitral awards
  • Recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments
  • Interim relief, attachments and precautionary measures
  • Construction and engineering disputes
  • Shareholder and joint venture disputes
  • Pre-action strategy and settlement negotiation

How a matter runs

  1. 01

    What we do

    We assess the merits honestly, including the chance of losing, and put it in writing.

    What you provide

    The contract, the correspondence, and the version of events you would rather not mention.

    Typical duration

    1–2 weeks

  2. 02

    What we do

    Pre-action: a formal notice and a costed settlement position. Litigation is rarely the cheapest route.

    What you provide

    A settlement figure you would actually accept.

    Typical duration

    2–6 weeks

  3. 03

    What we do

    Filing, pleadings, expert reports and hearings.

    What you provide

    Documents on time and a witness who will attend.

    Typical duration

    Litigation 12–36 months · Arbitration 9–18 months

  4. 04

    What we do

    Enforcement — a separate phase with its own timetable and its own cost.

    What you provide

    Information on the counterparty’s assets.

    Typical duration

    3–18 months

What it typically costs

What it typically costs — Dispute Resolution & Arbitration
StructureIndicative band
HourlyFor matters whose shape is not known at the outset. We agree a cap before starting.Partner EGP 3,500–5,500 · Associate EGP 1,200–2,200 per hour
Staged fixed feePriced per phase — pleadings, expert stage, hearings, judgment. You see the cost of each before it starts.EGP 60,000 – 400,000 per instance by complexity
Partially success-linkedA reduced fixed fee plus an uplift on recovery, where the law permits it. Never a pure contingency.Agreed case by case, recorded in the engagement letter

What moves the number

  • Whether the dispute goes to court or to arbitration — arbitration is faster but its own costs are higher
  • The number of instances the losing side pursues
  • Whether a court-appointed expert is required, which usually adds 6–12 months
  • How organised the documentary record is

These are indicative ranges, published so you can budget before you call. A fixed quote follows the first meeting, once we know the facts. Fees are agreed in writing before any work begins.

Questions we're asked

How long does a commercial case take in Egypt?

12–36 months at first instance, longer if an expert is appointed. Appeal adds 12–24 months. We plan on that basis rather than the optimistic one.

Is our arbitration clause valid?

Send it to us before a dispute arises, not after. The most common defects are an unclear seat, a nonexistent institution, and a clause signed by someone without authority to bind the company to arbitration.

Can we enforce a foreign judgment in Egypt?

Foreign arbitral awards are enforced under the New York Convention and it generally works. Foreign court judgments are harder and require reciprocity — check before you litigate abroad.

Should we settle?

Usually the question is at what number, not whether. We will give you a range based on the merits, the recovery risk and the cost of continuing — and we will say so plainly if we think the claim is weak.

Can you freeze the other side’s assets?

A precautionary attachment is possible where the conditions are met, and it is often the single most effective step. It has to be applied for correctly and early — after a defendant has moved assets, it is of limited use.

Do you publish your success rate?

No. A win rate is not a meaningful figure — it depends entirely on which cases a firm agrees to take. Any firm publishing one is telling you about its intake policy, not its ability.

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