Lawyer Zarah Garde-Wilson chased over unpaid bills Lawyer Zarah Garde-Wilson is being pursued over unpaid debts. LAWYER Zarah Garde-Wilson is being chased over unpaid debts by some of the city's top legal eagles. Ms Garde-Wilson, the lawyer of choice for many gangland figures, is being sued by three senior lawyers who are chasing allegedly unpaid legal fees. Stephen Shirrefs SC is seeking $127,146 in unpaid fees and alleges a cheque of $4168 bounced on April 30 last year in a writ lodged against Ms Garde-Wilson in the County Court of Victoria. "I don't want to say much," he said. She owes me money ... the writ speaks for itself. Ms Garde-Wilson has lodged a defence to Mr Shirrefs' writ and says many of the outstanding fees have already been paid. "I expect Mr Shirrefs' writ to be withdrawn," she said. Remy van de Wiel, QC, launched a similar case seeking about $8000 in unpaid fees from Ms Garde-Wilson in February. And Con Heliotis, QC, who has represented crime figures including slain killer Carl Williams and Tony Mokbel, has also lodged a debt complaint against Ms Garde-Wilson over about $8000. That complaint is set down for a pre-hearing conference on June 19. Ms Wilson disputes the complaints lodged by Mr van de Wiel and Mr Heliotis. Solicitors such as Ms Garde-Wilson keep money paid by clients in trust, from which they pay barristers. Ms Garde-Wilson is a mother of three who rose to fame during the gangland war. She was the girlfriend of underworld figure Lewis Caine, who became a gangland victim in 2004. After becoming a lawyer, Ms Garde-Wilson represented many of Melbourne's notorious criminals including Tony Mokbel. Her former partner, Lansley Simon, was charged with murdering Paul Thornell, 38, in Cockatoo on December 5, 2011. Criminals involved in major trials are notorious in the legal industry for being slow to pay legal fees. It's kind of how they keep you on the hook. They owe you money so you sort of feel like you can't upset them or they won't pay you at all," said one criminal lawyer.