Statutory & Trust Account Audits for
Law Firms in the UAE
Client-money handling draws extra scrutiny, and firms operating in DIFC or ADGM carry additional regulator reporting on top of the standard audit. Alya is an approved auditor for both, and we work confidentially throughout.
Why Law Firms Choose Alya
Comfortable with partnerships and other structures that don’t fit a standard company template.
Verification built for how client funds actually move through a law firm.
Protocols built around privileged client matters.
Approved to sign audit reports for DIFC (DFSA) and ADGM (FSRA) entities, alongside mainland and free zone coverage.
A structured process built to comfortably beat your licence renewal date.
One point of contact from document collection through submission.
What Makes a Law Firm Audit Different
A law firm’s statutory audit covers the same ground as any company’s — but client and trust accounts draw a level of scrutiny most businesses don’t face, and partnership structures rarely fit a standard company-audit template cleanly.
Firms registered in DIFC or ADGM carry additional regulator reporting on top of the standard audit, and every engagement has to work around genuinely privileged client information.
Client-money handling attracts extra scrutiny beyond a standard audit.
DIFC/ADGM firms carry DFSA/FSRA reporting on top of the standard audit.
Don’t always fit a standard company-audit template.
Fieldwork has to work around genuinely privileged client matters.
Audit & Trust Account Services
Prepared under IFRS / UAE FRS, structured for licence renewal.
Independent verification of client-money handling.
Approved-auditor coverage for DIFC (DFSA) and ADGM (FSRA) entities.
Fieldwork designed around privileged information.
Comfortable auditing partnerships alongside standard company structures.
Built to comfortably beat your licence renewal date.
Our Law Firm Audit Process
Initial Consultation
Understand your firm’s structure, jurisdiction, and licence renewal date.
Document Collection
Gathered under a confidentiality agreement covering privileged matters.
Trust Account Verification
Independent review of client-money handling and reconciliations.
Financial Review
Test and verify transactions, balances, and disclosures.
Report Preparation & Submission
Signed audit — and trust account report where applicable — delivered for renewal.
Built for Every Kind of Legal Practice
How Alya Coordinated a Statutory Audit and Trust Account Review as One Engagement
Company Background
A DIFC-registered law firm needing both its standard statutory audit and a client-money account verification within the same cycle.
The Challenge
The firm faced two separate reporting obligations covering overlapping financial data, and running them as two disconnected engagements risked duplicated work and inconsistent findings — all while protecting genuinely privileged client matters.
Our Solution
- Confirmed current approved-auditor coverage for the firm’s DIFC entity before starting
- Agreed a confidentiality protocol covering privileged client files
- Ran the statutory audit and trust account verification as one coordinated engagement
- Cross-checked findings between both reports for consistency
- Delivered both signed reports together, ready for renewal
The Outcome
- Audit completed in 10 working days
- Both reports delivered as a single, consistent engagement
- Trade licence renewed without delay
- Firm engaged Alya for the following year’s audit cycle
Representative example based on typical law-firm engagements.
Law Firm Audit FAQs
Do law firms need a statutory audit like any other company?
Yes — the same annual audit requirement that applies to any UAE company applies to your firm’s entity, tied to licence renewal.
What is a client/trust account audit?
An independent review of how client funds held on trust are managed, reconciled, and reported — separate from, but often run alongside, the standard statutory audit.
Are you an approved auditor for DIFC and ADGM specifically?
Yes — Alya is an approved auditor for DIFC (DFSA) and ADGM (FSRA) entities, in addition to mainland and free zone coverage across the UAE.
How do you handle confidential client matters during fieldwork?
Under agreed confidentiality protocols — we focus only on what’s financially relevant to the audit.
Can you audit partnership structures, not just LLCs?
Yes — we’re experienced with partnership and other structures common among law firms.
How much does a law firm audit cost?
Cost depends on firm size, structure, and whether a trust account audit is included. Request a free quote for a figure specific to your firm.
How long does it take?
Most law firm audits complete within one to two weeks once records are ready.
What documents do you need?
Typically your trade licence, partnership/incorporation documents, trial balance, bank and client-account statements, and prior audit reports where available.
Ready for a Confidential,
Compliant Audit?
Trust account experience, confidentiality-first fieldwork, and DIFC/ADGM approval — built for how law firms actually operate.
🔒 Confidential · No obligation · UAE licensed firm