The United Arab Emirates (UAE) held a competition for the design of an embassy inWashington, D.C. Elena Sturdzaan architect not licensed in the District of Columbiawon.Sturdza and the UAE exchanged proposals, but the UAE stopped communicating with her. Abouttwo years later, Sturdza learned that the UAE had contracted with a District of Columbia architectnamed Angelos Demetriou to use his design. Sturdza filed a suit in a federal district court against theUAE, alleging breach of contract. The court issued a summary judgment in the UAEs favor. Sturdzaappealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. This court asked theDistrict of Columbia Court of Appeals precisely how D.C. law applies in this situation.The District of Columbia Court of Appeals answer: an architect cannot recover on a contract toperform architectural services in the District of Columbia if he or she lacks a District of Columbialicense. For the safety of those who work in and visit buildings in the District of Columbia, and thesafety of their neighbors, the architects who design them and oversee their construction should bequalified and licensed. The statute contains no exception? Should the restrictions on the enforcement of contracts with unlicensed practitioners extend beyondthe performance of professional services to include negotiations to provide the services? Disuss?