Lawyer representation in court in Almaty — we assess the prospects before the claim, not after a loss

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A lawyer represents the client's interests at a court hearing in Almaty

First consultation free, with an honest assessment of the chances
We handle the case in all instances, including appeal
We attend hearings ourselves — your presence is usually not required
The fee is fixed in the contract before work begins

Court practice

We assess the prospects of a case on the documents, not on emotions

We prepare the claim, objections, motions and the position on evidence

We attend hearings without you where possible

We work with expert examinations, witnesses and requests to authorities

We appeal the judgment and see it through enforcement

Analysis of your dispute: what evidence supports it, what the other side will say, and whether it is worth taking the case to court or better to settle.

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14^years

of court practice

Civil, administrative and commercial cases in the courts of Almaty and the region.
600⁺

hearings conducted

From the first meeting with the judge to the pleadings and the announcement of the decision.
40^%

of disputes settled amicably

Some cases end in a settlement: it is faster and cheaper than a full trial.
0^₸

assessment of prospects

First we say how the dispute can realistically end, and only then do we take it on.

Civil disputes

Contracts, real estate, inheritance, compensation for harm, disputes between individuals and companies.

Commercial disputes

Supply, construction, services, lease, recovery of debt between organisations and entrepreneurs.

Administrative court proceedings

Challenging decisions and actions of state bodies, contesting orders and resolutions.

Defence against another party's claim

You have already been named as a defendant: we prepare objections, a counterclaim and work with the claimant's evidence.

Appeal and higher instances

Challenging a first-instance decision, preparing the appeal and participating in its consideration.

Securing a claim

Seizure of the other party's property and accounts, so that by the time of the decision there is something to recover from.

Settlement agreement

Negotiations and drafting of an agreement on terms that the court will approve and that are actually enforceable.

Enforcement of the judgment

Obtaining the enforcement document and supporting the work with the court enforcement officer.

Need a lawyer in court? We will represent your interests at every hearing

The first consultation is free. If the documents show no prospects, we will say so straight away: a lost case costs more than one that never went to court.

Message us on WhatsApp +7 778 325 44 44

For claimants
For defendants
For companies and entrepreneurs

Cost

Cost lawyer's representation in court

Guidelines for common cases. The amount depends on the complexity of the dispute, the number of hearings and the instance, is quoted after reviewing the documents and is fixed in the contract.

Service	What is included	Cost
Assessment of the prospects of the dispute	Review of documents and a straight answer on whether it is worth going to court	free of charge
Written opinion on the case	Legal analysis with calculation of claims and risks	from 50,000 ₸
Preparation of a statement of claim	Claim with attachments and calculation, ready for filing	from 60,000 ₸
Conduct of the case in the first instance	Full support through to the court's judgment	from 200,000 ₸
Defence against a claim brought by another party	Objections, counterclaim, work with evidence	from 200,000 ₸
One hearing separately	Lawyer's participation if you handle the case yourself	from 40,000 ₸
Appeal	Preparation of the appeal and participation in its consideration	from 150,000 ₸
Application for interim measures	Attachment of the other party's property or accounts	from 40,000 ₸

Prices are indicative and do not constitute a public offer. State duty, expert examinations and translator services are paid separately and directly — we do not earn on them.

Find out the cost for my case

How it is structured representation by a lawyer in court

Analysis of the dispute

We find out what happened, who the other party is and what documents are available. An assessment without documents is guesswork.

Assessment of prospects

We tell you honestly how the case may end and what the opposing party will say. Sometimes the conclusion is not to go to court.

Pre-trial attempt

A claim or negotiations. For a number of disputes this is a mandatory stage, and quite often everything ends there.

Fixed-fee agreement

We set out the scope of work and the amount in writing. There are no separate invoices for each hearing.

Preparation of the position

The claim or objections, calculation of the claims, selection of evidence, motions to request documents.

Hearings

We attend ourselves under a power of attorney. Your presence is required only where the court summons you personally.

Judgment and appeal

We obtain the judgment, analyse it and, if necessary, prepare an appeal within the deadline.

Enforcement

We obtain the enforcement document and support the recovery so that the judgment does not remain a piece of paper.

Has a hearing already been scheduled?

Send us the court order and the documents on the dispute — we will tell you what can be done by the nearest date.

Describe your situation

Team

Team of lawyers in Almaty

We handle a case from start to finish with the same team: you always know who is dealing with your matter and who to contact.

Asel Kurmanova

Lawyer for civil cases

Handles disputes over real estate, inheritance, contracts and transactions. Supports transactions from document review through to registration of title.

14 years of practice
Civil and housing disputes
Kazakh and Russian languages

Dmitry Kim

Lawyer for financial and motor vehicle disputes

Works with banks, insurers and debt collectors, handles recovery and bankruptcy cases, and defends drivers in administrative matters.

11 years of practice
Banks, insurers, motor vehicle disputes
Pre-trial settlement

Gulnara Abisheva

Lawyer for family and social matters

Handles divorces, division of property, alimony and disputes over children, as well as employment, pension and social issues.

9 years of practice
Family and employment disputes
Work with guardianship authorities

Yerlan Sagintayev

Lawyer for corporate law

Supports company transactions, arranges shares and corporate agreements, handles disputes between participants and reorganisation.

13 years of practice
Transactions, shares, corporate disputes
Support for investment rounds

Aigerim Nurlanova

Tax lawyer

Challenges notifications and inspection reports, handles tax disputes in court, supports inspections and recovers overpayments.

10 years of practice
Inspections and tax disputes
Working with the client's accounting records

Viktor Li

Construction and contract lawyer

Reviews contract agreements, estimates and acts, handles disputes over quality and scope of works, supports acceptance of facilities.

12 years of practice
Contracting, shared participation, acceptance
Working with construction expertise

Madina Ospanova

Intellectual property and IT lawyer

Protects copyright and trademarks, drafts contracts for IT teams and handles rights to products and code.

8 years of practice
Copyright, trademarks
Contracts for IT and studios

Sanzhar Ibraev

Bankruptcy and debt recovery lawyer

Handles bankruptcy and rehabilitation procedures, recovers receivables, defends directors against subsidiary liability.

15 years of practice
Bankruptcy, rehabilitation, debt recovery
S

Practice

Recent case stories from our lawyers in Almaty

Details have been changed and anonymised: the content of the case is protected by professional privilege.

Construction contract

The client used the premises but refused to sign the acceptance certificate

Situation: The contractor completed the fit-out of premises for a café, the client moved in and started trading, but did not sign the certificate — said there were defects, but did not state in writing what exactly they were. The debt of 6.4 million tenge hung for eight months, all negotiations were verbal and led nowhere.
What we did: We gathered evidence of actual performance: the works log, messenger correspondence agreeing the stages, dated photographs of the premises and the testimony of two subcontractors. We sent a notice of readiness to hand over and recorded the evasion of acceptance, and in court we filed a motion for a construction expert examination of the scope and quality.
Outcome: The expert examination confirmed that the works had been performed in the stated scope, and that the alleged defects were remediable and minor. We recovered 6.1 million of the principal debt, 480 thousand in penalties and legal costs. The client tried to appeal — the appellate court upheld the decision.

Defence of the defendant

A claim under a contract the client never signed

Situation: A claim for 3.2 million tenge was brought against the client under a loan agreement bearing his signature and passport details. The man was seeing this contract for the first time: he had not received the money and did not know the claimant. He missed the first hearing because the summons went to his previous registered address.
What we did: We restored the deadline and joined the case, asserted that the document was forged and secured a handwriting expert examination. In parallel we requested bank statements to show that there had been no transfer of the claimed amount on the stated date to any of the client's accounts.
Outcome: The expert examination established that the signature had not been made by the client. The claim was dismissed in full, and the court costs and the cost of the expert examination were recovered from the claimant. The client separately took the forgery materials to the police.

Settlement agreement

The heirs could not divide an apartment and were heading for a drawn-out process

Situation: Three heirs were arguing over an apartment: two wanted to sell it and split the money, the third lived in it and refused to move out. The case had been running for a second month, a valuation expert examination had been ordered, and ahead lay the prospect of a year of litigation and ruined family relations.
What we did: We suggested counting money rather than positions: we commissioned a valuation, calculated the shares, the buyout price and each party's costs if the dispute continued. We held three meetings with the heirs and drafted the terms of a settlement agreement — with the buyout payable in instalments over eight months and security in the form of a pledge over the share.
Outcome: The agreement was approved at a hearing, and the expert examination did not have to be set aside — its findings formed the basis of the calculation. The dispute ended in the fourth month instead of the expected year, and the buyout proceeded according to schedule without a single missed payment.

Default judgment

The client learned about the lost case when money was debited from his account

Situation: The man discovered a debit under enforcement proceedings and found out that a year earlier a judgment had been issued against him in a debt recovery claim. The notices had been sent to an address where he did not live, he had not participated in the hearings and had not known about the dispute. The amount with the penalty exceeded 3.8 million tenge.
What we did: We obtained the case file and established that it contained no evidence of proper notification: the postal items had been returned with a note that the addressee was absent, and no other attempts at notification had been made. We filed a motion to restore the time limit for appeal, attaching documents confirming his actual place of residence, along with an appeal against the judgment.
Outcome: The time limit was restored, the judgment was set aside and the case remitted for a new hearing. On reconsideration, the claims were satisfied in part — the amount was reduced to 1.4 million, and some of the claims fell away on limitation grounds.

Interim measures

The defendant transferred his property while the proceedings were ongoing

Situation: The company was recovering 27 million tenge from a counterparty for goods not delivered. While the case was being heard, the defendant transferred vehicles and equipment to an affiliated firm. By the time the judgment was issued there was practically nothing left to recover, and the judgment itself was turning into a worthless piece of paper.
What we did: We immediately filed a motion for interim measures over the remaining property and accounts, attaching evidence of the transfers already made as proof of the risk. In parallel, we prepared claims to challenge the asset-stripping transactions, having established affiliation through the composition of participants and a shared address.
Outcome: The interim measures were granted the same day. Two transactions were declared invalid, the property was returned, and the judgment was enforced for 19 million tenge within six months.

Appeal

The case was won at second instance: the court of first instance failed to assess the expert examination

Situation: In a dispute over the quality of construction works, the court of first instance ruled against the client, citing failure to prove the defects. Yet the forensic examination ordered in the same case confirmed violations of the technology — its findings were neither accepted nor refuted in the judgment; it was simply not mentioned.
What we did: We built the appeal around a procedural violation: evidence in the case file was left unassessed, and no reasons for rejecting it were given. We prepared a point-by-point comparison of the expert findings with the text of the judgment and filed a motion to summon the expert to give explanations.
Outcome: The appeal set aside the judgment and issued a new one: 6.7 million tenge was recovered for the cost of remedying the defects, plus the cost of the examination. Legal fees were also reimbursed.

Order for payment proceedings

The court order was set aside, and the claim fell apart in ordinary proceedings

Situation: The client received a court order to recover debt under an agreement she had never concluded: the loan had been taken out using her details without her involvement. She learned of the order two days before the deadline for objections expired, from a notification in a mobile app.
What we did: Within the remaining time limit we prepared and filed an objection — at this stage the mere fact of disagreement is sufficient, no grounds need to be given. The order was set aside. For the subsequent ordinary proceedings we prepared a position with a handwriting examination and evidence of where the client had been on the day the loan was taken out.
Outcome: The claim was dismissed in full: the signature turned out not to be hers. A fraud case was opened over the loan, and the entry was removed from her credit history.

Settlement

A dispute between partners was resolved through a settlement procedure in three weeks

Situation: Two co-founders were litigating over profit distribution and the director's powers. The case promised to run for a year with expert examinations and counterclaims, while the business kept operating and losing clients because of the management conflict. Both sides wanted to finish quickly but did not trust each other.
What we did: We proposed a court-assisted settlement procedure and prepared a draft agreement setting out the procedure for profit distribution, the powers of each partner and a mechanism for exit in the event of a new conflict. The disputed figures were reconciled against the accounting records, which both sides had engaged.
Outcome: The agreement was approved by a court ruling — it has the force of an enforcement document. The case was closed in three weeks instead of the expected year, and the business carried on.

Useful information

Lawyer's representation in court: preparing the case and the hearing

Asel Kurmanova Civil lawyer

Published: 7 May 2026 Updated: 16 September 2026

A court case in Almaty almost always starts with an unpleasant choice: file the claim yourself or find someone to take on the process. The situation seems simple — there is a contract, a receipt or an act, there is correspondence — and you want to believe that will be enough. In reality, the judge assesses not fairness as such, but evidence drawn up according to the rules, and arguments raised on time.

Mistakes are made before the first hearing: the defendant is identified incorrectly, the mandatory pre-trial procedure is skipped, the necessary documents are not attached, no application is made to secure the claim. Later these slips are hard, and sometimes impossible, to fix on appeal. Below is a practical breakdown of how a lawyer's representation in court works: from the first review of documents to the second instance.

Lawyer's representation in court: when you need one, and when you can manage yourself

When you file a claim yourself or receive a summons as a defendant, the main question is not "can I speak in court", but whether you are ready for procedural traps. Lawyer's representation in court is needed if the case involves a counterclaim, a property dispute, a banking or tax dispute, complex accounting, an expert examination or the risk of a counter claim for recovery. In such cases, self-representation most often ends in missed deadlines, incorrectly stated claims and losing on formal grounds.

If the dispute is simple and the amount is small, you can manage yourself: file the documents according to jurisdiction, attend the hearing, present the correspondence and receipts. But even then it is worth getting an assessment of the case's prospects — it is free and shows whether it makes sense to go to court and what evidence is missing before filing the claim. By what criteria can you tell that going without a lawyer is risky:

the dispute affects real estate, a business, a bank or the budget
an expert examination, calculation of debt, interest or losses is needed
the other side is already working with a professional representative
a counterclaim has been brought against you, or an application for recovery of costs
the deadline has been missed and you need to justify good reason or have it restored

Court lawyers: how representation in court differs from a consultation

A consultation and court representation are different amounts of work. At the appointment, the lawyer reviews the documents and explains the prospects of the dispute, but after that you act on your own. Court lawyers who handle representation in court take on the process in full: they prepare the case, build the position, gather evidence, and communicate with the court and the other side.

The difference is visible at the first hearing. Advice is only a starting point. Legal representation means that the person working in the process is the one who prepares the case from the first paper to the last word and understands how every detail affects the outcome.

What exactly is included in handling a dispute, compared with a one-off consultation:

Reviewing documents and building the legal position on the case
Gathering evidence, preparing and filing procedural documents
Attending hearings, making applications and objections
Working with expert examinations, witnesses and counterclaims
Monitoring the progress of the case and appealing the decision, if needed

Where to go for representation in court: Almaty courts and jurisdiction

Before filing a claim or preparing objections, determine which court in Almaty your case goes to. Under subject-matter jurisdiction, civil cases are heard by district courts, economic disputes by specialised interdistrict economic courts, and disputes with state bodies by administrative courts. If you choose the wrong court, the application will be returned for lack of jurisdiction, and time will be lost.

Territorial jurisdiction ties a case to the place of residence or location of the defendant, and for certain categories — to the location of the property or the place where the harm was caused. This determines in which district of Almaty the proceedings will take place and where the documents will be taken. Representation in courts of general jurisdiction, including representation in a court of general jurisdiction in housing, family and labour disputes, and representation in administrative proceedings are built around these rules: the lawyer checks jurisdiction, the composition of the parties and the claims in advance so that the case does not "move" from court to court.

Who can be a representative in a civil court: power of attorney

A court representative acts on your behalf and in your interests, but the circle of such persons is limited: under Article 58 of the Civil Procedure Code, a case may be conducted on instruction by an advocate, a member of the chamber of legal consultants, an employee of an organisation in its affairs, a representative of a trade union, or one of the co-parties. Their authority is confirmed by a power of attorney: it must be drawn up in writing, certified by a notary where the situation so requires, and contain a precise scope of rights — signing the claim, waiving claims, amending the subject matter of the dispute, appealing the decision. If the power of attorney is narrow, the representative of interests in court will not be able to perform key procedural actions, and deadlines will be missed.

Distinguish the status of an advocate: there have been no orders in Kazakhstan since 2019 — an advocate confirms the right to conduct a case with a certificate and written notification of defence (representation), and may dispose of the claim and appeal the decision only under a power of attorney. If you plan to entrust the conduct of the case to an advocate, clarify before the hearing which documents he will present to the court — otherwise the hearing will be adjourned, and an application signed by a person without authority will be returned by the judge. Draw up the power of attorney in advance, with a margin of time, so as not to reissue it on the day of the hearing.

Check whether the right to sign the claim, waive the claim, amend the claims and appeal is specified.
Clarify whether a notarial form is required for a particular representative.
For an advocate, a certificate and written notification of representation are required, and to dispose of the claim — also a power of attorney.
Keep a copy of the power of attorney for yourself to control the scope of authority.

Lawyer's representation in court before the hearing: pre-trial procedure and securing the claim

Before the hearing, a dispute is resolved not only by arguments but also by procedure. If the law or the contract requires a pre-trial procedure, a claim without compliance with this condition will be returned by the judge, and time will be lost. Therefore, legal support in court begins with a check: whether the dispute has a mandatory pre-trial stage and whether it has been completed.

The second critical step is securing the claim. This is the seizure of the defendant's property or accounts on the claimant's application, so that the decision can actually be enforced. Without this measure, the defendant manages to transfer the assets, and victory in court remains on paper. Representation in court as a service includes filing such an application together with the claim, with justification of the risks and supporting documents attached.

Check whether a pre-trial procedure is mandatory for your dispute
Send a pre-trial claim and keep evidence of its receipt
Gather information about the defendant's property and accounts
Prepare the claim and the application to secure the claim
Attach documents confirming the risk of non-enforcement

Appearance in court and representation in a civil court: comparison

When a person decides whether to go through the process independently or with a lawyer, the main question is in what status the specialist will act. Appearance in court is possible in two forms: by a lawyer — a member of the chamber of legal consultants under a power of attorney — and by an advocate. In the first case, the scope of authority is determined by the principal himself; in the second, alongside the power of attorney, the advocate's certificate and written notification of defence (representation) apply, and the status of an advocate gives additional procedural possibilities, including an advocate's request and familiarisation with the case materials.

The table below shows how these options differ in practice: which documents are needed for admission to the process, how authority is formalised, and what changes in the scope of work.

Representation in a civil court: a trusted lawyer and an advocate
Criterion	Lawyer under a power of attorney	Advocate
Document for admission	Power of attorney	Identification and written notification
Who issues it	The principal themselves	The notification is drawn up by the lawyer themselves
Scope of authority	Determined by the power of attorney	Power of attorney plus status
Right to make requests	Depends on the situation	Extended
Participation in hearings	Yes	Yes

The scope of work depends on the power of attorney, not only on status.

What happens at a hearing: a lawyer's assistance in court in Almaty

A hearing follows a stable order: the court checks attendance, announces its composition and explains the rights, then the parties set out their positions — the claimant maintains the claims, the defendant objects. Evidence is then examined: written materials, expert opinions, witness testimony. This whole procedure is the field where a lawyer's assistance in court shows in literally every remark: the representative files requests in good time for documents to be obtained, a witness to be summoned or an expert examination to be ordered, and makes sure the minutes accurately reflect what you and your opponent said.

Filing requests: when to ask and how to justify it so the court does not reject it
Questioning the parties: how not to say too much and to hold your position
Examination of evidence: what matters to check in the originals
Court pleadings: brief and to the point, without emotion
The hearing minutes: remarks worth making straight away

Representation of interests in court: settlement and when a dispute can be closed amicably

A dispute does not have to go all the way to a court decision. The law allows the parties to close a case amicably: to conclude a settlement agreement, go through mediation or a participatory procedure with the lawyers of both sides taking part. Such options save time, remove the risk of losing and allow clear terms to be fixed straight away — a payment schedule, the procedure for returning property, the waiver of mutual claims.

Representation of interests in court includes this scenario too: the lawyer assesses whether there is any point in negotiating, prepares a draft agreement, and checks that the terms are enforceable and not merely attractive on paper. The cost of representing interests in court depends on the scope of work, the number of hearings and the complexity of the case; settlement usually reduces the workload and the costs. In practice: around 40% of disputes can be closed by a settlement agreement. A lawyer's services in court here come down to three tasks:

Determine whether the defendant will actually perform the terms.
Agree on wording that leaves no ambiguity.
Record the agreements in court and obtain a ruling.

Appeal and representation in the Supreme Court: how not to lose a dispute at the second instance

A first-instance court decision can be appealed within the established time limit. Preparing an appeal differs from preparing a claim: a claim describes the dispute and the demand, while an appeal analyses the decision already issued — which facts the court did not examine, which evidence it did not assess or assessed incorrectly, and how it applied the rules of law. Here it is important not to repeat the arguments of the claim, but to show the specific errors of the lower court.

In higher instances, court representation is structured differently. The representative studies the hearing minutes, prepares written supplements, files motions to add documents and request evidence, and speaks in the pleadings. If the dispute reaches cassation, representation in the Supreme Court requires taking into account the practice of the highest instance and the strict requirements for the content of the appeal: the court may decline to review the case if the arguments repeat those already raised. Legal services for court representation at this stage include:

Reviewing the decision and minutes for violations
Collecting evidence that was not presented at first instance
Drafting an appeal or cassation appeal
Participating in the hearing of the higher court

Who will reimburse the costs of a lawyer's representation in court

The losing party reimburses the costs of a representative within reasonable limits and subject to a cap: for proprietary claims — no more than ten per cent of the satisfied part of the claim, for non-proprietary claims — no more than three hundred monthly calculation indices. This is not automatic compensation, but the result of a separate request. For the court to award such sums, keep the contract for representation services in court, the acts, receipts and payment documents for each stage. Without supporting papers, even a won case will not return what was spent.

Payment for a lawyer's services in court consists of several parts, and the total cost of representation in court depends on which of them are included: analysis of the materials and preparation of the position, collection of evidence, drafting of procedural documents, participation in hearings, work on appeal. The price of representation in court is also affected by the category of the case: the cost of representation in court in civil cases is usually determined by complexity, the number of hearings and the need for expert examinations. That is why the cost of representation in court is calculated by the volume of work, not by a template.

A contract for representation services in court with a list of instructions
Acts of work performed for each stage of the case
Receipts and payment orders for payment
Procedural documents filed with the court

Representation in court: legal services and common mistakes of the parties

The most expensive mistake is a missed procedural deadline: it forfeits the very right to the dispute, and it is rarely possible to restore it. The second most costly is the absence of evidence: without written documents, correspondence, receipts and opinions, the court relies only on explanations, and they rarely convince. The third is refusal of interim measures and failure to appear at the hearing: the defendant manages to dispose of property, while the party loses the opportunity to object and file motions. An assessment of the prospects of the case is free of charge and allows you to see in advance where the weak point is.

The following should be delegated to a lawyer for representing interests in court.

Calculation and monitoring of procedural deadlines, preparation of motions for restoration.
Collection of evidence: requests, correspondence, recording and certification of documents.
An application for interim measures and work with the court enforcement officer.
Participation in hearings, objections to arguments and counterclaims.
Appealing to the appellate instance and preparing a response to the appeal.

Legal representation in court: how to choose the right lawyer for your case

If the dispute is straightforward, handle it yourself. A complex dispute — challenging a transaction, debt recovery, land or tax matters — should be entrusted to a lawyer: mistakes cost more. The middle option is a one-off consultation with an action plan.

Full handling: documents, hearings, evidence, and where necessary — representation in administrative proceedings. The cost of legal services — representation in court — depends on complexity, the number of hearings, documents and travel; some cases end in settlement. Ask direct questions:

How many hearings are expected and who exactly will take part in them
Which documents are needed from you and by when
How the lawyer sees the line of defence or the claim and what the risks are
How reporting on the progress of the case will be organised

Criteria for choosing the right lawyer for your case
Criterion	What to look at	Why it matters
Experience in your category	Has the lawyer handled similar disputes: contracts, family, administrative cases	Knowledge of the specifics saves time and reduces the risk of mistakes
Procedural role	Who goes to court: the lawyer himself or an assistant	At hearings, the same line as set out in the documents matters
Transparency of work	The plan, the list of documents and the reporting procedure are clear	You can see what you are paying for and what is happening in the case
Willingness to settle	Is there a prospect of settlement or only of fighting to the end	Some disputes are better closed by agreement rather than by a court decision

A one-off consultation, full handling of the case and self-representation are chosen according to the complexity of the dispute, not out of habit.

A dispute is most often decided not by eloquence at the hearing, but by what has been gathered and stated before it. One missed procedural step can wipe out a strong position on the merits.

Reviews

Reviews of legal representation in court

4.9

Google

4.9 · 128

Yandex

4.8 · 94

2GIS

4.9 · 156

Zoon

4.7 · 41

Murat S. 21 August 2026

The client did not sign the acceptance certificate and refused to pay. The lawyer gathered the correspondence and secured an expert examination of the scope of work. We recovered almost everything plus legal costs.