Costs & Fees

The cost for a lawyer consists of his expenses, covering the running of the practice, and of his fees which are the payment for his services.

Honoraria

The fees are generally calculated on an hourly basis, or on the time spent on the case.

The basic hourly rate is 175 € (ex vat). This amount can increase according to determined factors, among which the importance of the case, the degree of difficulty, the urgency, the degree of specialization of the lawyer or the achieved result.

In particular instances, the honoraria can be calculated according to the value of the case. The fees are here calculated in reference to a percentage of the litigation stakes or of the recovered amounts.

A joint method (hourly rate and result fees) is also feasable.

Finally, subscription systems can be applied in case of mass litigations.

Expenses

- The expenses for the opening of the file amount to 50 € (ex vat).

- The expenses for the closing of the file vary between 0 and 100 € (ex vat) depending on the duration of the litigation and on the importance of it.
They include the overhead expenditure, the traveling costs in Brussels, the archival storage costs and the juridical documentation.

- The typing costs amount to 9 € (ex vat) per page.

- The sending costs are fixed at 1 € (ex vat) per post sending, 0.50 € (ex vat) per fax and 0.25 € (ex vat) per mail.

- Xerox copies cost 0.20 € (ex vat) per page and traveling costs outside Brussels amount to 0.75 € (ex vat) per kilometer.

- The outlay (bailiff costs, Clerk’s Office fees...) and other expenses (recorded delivery, ...) are charged cost price.

- Additional costs (post, phone, fax...) can also be charged for in international cases.

Retaining fees and statements

At the opening of the file and after, during the running of the case, retaining fees (advances) shall be asked to cover the incurred expenses and the accomplished tasks.

Anytime, an intermediate statement can be established.