These terms and conditions have been prepared by and apply to Griet Verfaillie Advocaten BV, with registered office at Ophemstraat 98, 9400 Voorde, Belgium, registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises under enterprise number BE 0816 761 873, regulated by the Order of Flemish Bars, Dendermonde Bar Association.
Article 1 General application
1.1. These general terms and conditions apply to all services performed by the partners and employees of the civil company Griet Verfaillie Advocaten BV ("the company"). The client receives these terms and conditions with each quotation, as an appendix to agreements and specifically with regard to payment modalities, with the fee statements and invoices.
These general terms and conditions are deemed to have been accepted by the client at the moment that the assignment is entrusted by the client to the partners or employees of the company. By signing an offer or agreement or accepting the fee statement, invoice, the client acknowledges having taken cognizance of and agreeing to these conditions. Deviating conditions can only be agreed in writing.
The client will provide all necessary information and documents to the company and will guarantee the accuracy, completeness and reliability of the information provided by him or her.
The client and the company can terminate the cooperation at any time, without any compensation and without the termination of the cooperation detracting from the fact that the services provided and costs incurred must be compensated.
Article 2 Fees and costs
The company charges its fee according to hourly rates, which vary depending on the attorney handling the case.
No administrative costs will be charged. Specific costs or exceptional costs are charged separately. The fees of bailiffs as well as the rights and costs incurred by them, as well as the legal costs, are charged separately to the client.
The performances are charged periodically.
Unless otherwise agreed, fees are payable within a period of 15 days after the invoice has been sent or as indicated on the invoice.
In cases where the law of 2 August 2002 on combating late payment applies, the client is legally liable for a negligence interest calculated in accordance with the law. In other cases where the law does not apply, an interest of 7% on an annual basis is charged by operation of law.
If the client does not pay within the payment period, the company may suspend its work and performance after the client has been informed of this, without being liable for the damage that this might cause.
Article 3 Professional liability and insurance coverage
The possible professional liability of the partners and employees of the company is limited to the amount that is covered in application of the professional liability insurance. The professional liability of the partners and employees of the company is covered in first rank under the Civil professional liability policy of lawyers, concluded by the Order of Flemish Bars with Amlin Insurance through broker Vanbreda Risk & Benefits. The policy guarantee applies to the consequences of acts committed worldwide, to activities carried out from the office established in Belgium. Claims made in Canada or in the US or under US or Canada legislation are not insured.
If, for whatever reason, the professional liability insurance cannot pay out, the liability of the partners and employees is limited to the total amount of fees paid by the client to the company for a period of twelve (12) months prior to the date of the claim.
These general terms and conditions are governed by Belgian law and in the event of a dispute, only the courts of the Dendermonde district have jurisdiction.
If one of the provisions of these general terms and conditions is invalid, this invalidity does not affect the validity and enforceability of the other terms and conditions.
For more information, please contact advice@verfaillie-advocaten.be.
