A Sydney lawyer who fears he will not be paid by Salim Mehajer has lost a court bid to stop acting for the colourful former councillor on the eve of a Supreme Court hearing.

Mr Mehajer, 31, is facing a string of legal battles, including a fight with a liquidator who is seeking to claw back $700,000 from Mr Mehajer for creditors of his failed company SM Project Developments.

Tim Orlizki of law firm Kent Attorneys appeared in the Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking leave to withdraw from acting for Mr Mehajer in the liquidator's proceedings before a three-day hearing starts on Tuesday.

Mr Orlizki said he had accepted "assurances" from Mr Mehajer, the former deputy mayor of the now-defunct Auburn Council, that tens of thousands of dollars would be paid into his trust account before the hearing.