We’ll be transparent over our fees so there are no hidden costs, and communicate in plain English every step of the way, letting you know exactly what’s happening throughout the divorce process.

In terms of fees, the firm applies a policy of total transparency. Me Decortis' fees and expenses are calculated using one of the following three methods:

method 1: fixed price prior to the completion of the assignment;

method 2: hourly pricing;

method 3: percentage of the financial stake of the dispute.

1. The flat-rate method

The first method will be applied as far as possible. The proposed package includes all fees and expenses (secretary, photocopies, telephone, fax, emails, travel, etc.) relating to all the duties to be performed by Me Decortis and / or his employees, from the initiation of a procedure until '' upon the occurrence of the related decision, judgment or judgment, with the exception of:

any appeals against said decision, judgment or judgment, which must be the subject of a new lump sum offer;
court costs: scheduling, copies of court files, copies or dispatch of judgments, certificates of no appeal, etc. ;
disbursements: civil status certificates, extracts from the national register, various administrative costs, etc. ;
services provided by professionals outside the law firm: bailiffs, experts, translators and interpreters, etc. ;
consultations at Me Decortis' office during the procedure, which are systematically billed at the single rate of € 75 per 1/2 hour. Indeed, having regard to the means of communication and information set out above, nothing justifies such consultations, hence the billing of the loss of time thus caused.

The fixed price is payable prior to the performance of any service and remains acquired by Me Decortis even if the client terminates his assignment before the outcome of the dispute which is the subject thereof, for any reason whatsoever.

2. The hourly pricing method

In most cases, however, Me Decortis' fees are calculated at an hourly rate of € 150 (excluding VAT), invoiced in non-compressible increments of 6 minutes (€ 15).

This amount includes all fees and costs (secretary, photocopies, telephone, fax, emails, etc.) relating to the services provided by Me Decortis and / or his employees, with the exception of:

court costs : scheduling, copies of court files, copies or dispatch of judgments, certificates of no appeal, etc.
disbursements : civil status certificates, extracts from the national register, etc.
services provided by professionals outside the law firm: bailiffs, experts, translators and interpreters, etc.
travel outside the practice: invoiced at a rate of € 1 per kilometer traveled, including time spent.
21% VAT.

The invoicing of fees calculated on an hourly basis is carried out monthly as follows:

at the start of the assignment: when the file is opened and prior to the performance of any duty, the client pays Me Decortis a deposit of € 500, intended to cover the initial services;

during the assignment: at the end of each month, Me Decortis sends each client an invoice based on the hourly account of the services performed during the past month (time-sheet), these services never being charged against the deposit initially made;

at the end of the assignment: a final invoice is established by Me Decortis, on the basis of the hourly breakdown of the services performed during the last month (time-sheet). From this invoice will be deducted the amount of the initial deposit, the part thereof not used being refunded to the customer;

early termination: in the event that - for any reason whatsoever - the mission of Me Decortis is terminated by the client, before the outcome of the dispute which is the subject thereof, the part of the surety possibly not used will remain with Me Decortis as severance indemnity.

3. The method of the percentage of the financial stake of the litigation

In the event of fees determined according to the financial stake of the dispute, the price - calculated in progressive installments - is as follows:

up to € 10,000 - 25%, with an incompressible minimum of € 500;
from € 10,001 to € 25,000 - 20%;
from 25,001 to 100,000 € - 15%;
from 100,001 to 500,000 € - 10%;
above € 500,000 - 5%.

The minimum of € 500 - imposed in application of 446ter of the Belgian Judicial Code which prohibits lawyers from making their fees depend exclusively on the result of the dispute - is payable prior to the performance of any service and remains with Me Decortis in the event where the client would terminate his mission before the outcome of the dispute which is the subject for any reason whatsoever. Then, the fees are deducted as and when the amounts forming the stake in the dispute are paid to the customer.

4. Success fee

The procedural indemnities granted to the victorious party in any legal proceedings will be acquired by Me DECORTIS as a success fee. The same will apply to the amount of court fees paid to the successful applicant at the end of an administrative procedure before the Council for Foreign Disputes or the Council of State.

The Code of ethics of lawyers is available at the following address:

http://www.barreaudebruxelles.info/index.php/fr/barreau-de-bruxelles/les-regles-de-deontologie

Anne Decortis

Lawyer at the Brussels Bar

method 3: percentage of the financial stake of the dispute.

The invoicing of fees calculated on an hourly basis is carried out monthly as follows:

at the start of the assignment: when the file is opened and prior to the performance of any duty, the client pays Me Decortis a deposit of € 500, intended to cover the initial services;

during the assignment: at the end of each month, Me Decortis sends each client an invoice based on the hourly account of the services performed during the past month (time-sheet), these services never being charged against the deposit initially made;

early termination: in the event that - for any reason whatsoever - the mission of Me Decortis is terminated by the client, before the outcome of the dispute which is the subject thereof, the part of the surety possibly not used will remain with Me Decortis as severance indemnity.

method 3: percentage of the financial stake of the dispute.

​

The invoicing of fees calculated on an hourly basis is carried out monthly as follows:

​

at the start of the assignment: when the file is opened and prior to the performance of any duty, the client pays Me Decortis a deposit of € 500, intended to cover the initial services;

​

during the assignment: at the end of each month, Me Decortis sends each client an invoice based on the hourly account of the services performed during the past month (time-sheet), these services never being charged against the deposit initially made;

​

​

early termination: in the event that - for any reason whatsoever - the mission of Me Decortis is terminated by the client, before the outcome of the dispute which is the subject thereof, the part of the surety possibly not used will remain with Me Decortis as severance indemnity.