Fees and costs

When establishing the cost of a file,Vanhoucke Law BV takes various elements into account.

The fee is the payment charged by the lawyer to the client for his/her intellectual services.

This fee is usually calculated based on the number of hours worked, and as such at an hourly rate. In certain files, the fee may be calculated based on a value rate. This value rate represents a percentage of amounts recuperated through the lawyer’s intervention. Lastly, in certain cases, yet only in exceptional situations and subject to the parties’ agreement, work may be performed for a fixed-fee rate.

Office costs are also charged along with the fee. These expenses relate to general secretarial costs, such as drafting and sending emails, letters and faxing. These costs also include the costs for opening and monitoring files, telephone, stamps, registered letters, accounting and depositing money, etc.

Besides the fee and the office costs, the client must also see to paying the legal costs. Among other things, these costs include the costs charged by the courts such as register and registry fees, and serving and implementation costs charged by bailiffs.

Both the fees and the expenses are discussed with the client in a transparent manner.

Deontology obliges Vanhoucke Law, at regular intervals and depending on the services provided and the expenses incurred, to invite the client to proceed to payment of an interim invoice or further commission.

When concluding the file, a final invoice is drawn up whereby fees and expenses are substantiated in a detailed manner.