Attorney Bryan & Trainee Lawyer Laney Settle UAE Client’s Dispute with Shandong Supplier, Recover Money

In 2025, a UAE purchaser (hereinafter, the “Client”) bought a batch of steel from a Shandong-based supplier and paid the full purchase price as agreed.

After receiving payment, however, the supplier refused to perform on the ground of “increased costs” and attempted unilaterally to reduce the delivery quantity. The Client therefore engaged the team led by Attorney Larry Zhou at Landing (Shenzhen) Law Office to handle the dispute, with Attorney Bryan Zhang and Trainee Lawyer Laney Liu responsible for day-to-day work.

Upon engagement, our lawyers promptly organized the case facts and key evidence and issued a demand letter to the supplier. After confirming the supplier’s receipt, our lawyers then maintained frequent communications and applied professional pressure on the supplier’s principals via telephone, text message, and other channels.

Through sustained, professional, and forceful negotiations, the supplier’s position shifted—from an outright refusal to refund to a compelled proposal of “partial refund or partial delivery.”

Confronting the supplier’s evasions, our lawyers argued the matter on the merits, step by step fixing its breach and legal exposure, and ultimately facilitated a settlement. Under the settlement, the supplier agreed to refund the majority of the purchase price to the Client.

As a result, the Client avoided the uncertainty and significant costs of litigation or arbitration and resolved this cross-border trade dispute efficiently and with reduced risk.

Takeaways: In cross-border transactions, when a supplier unilaterally changes contract terms or refuses performance on pretexts such as rising costs, purchasers often face information asymmetries and limited avenues for relief. Timely engagement of a professional legal team is critical: lawyers can swiftly preserve evidence, clarify liability, and—through demand letters, negotiation, and calibrated pressure—minimize losses and strengthen the client’s bargaining leverage.

Refund Confirmation: