General terms and conditions

Verde Law – Jos De Wachter BV · version 19/09/2026

1. Scope. These general terms and conditions concern the agreement between the client and Jos De Wachter BV, acting under the name "Verde Law" (hereinafter "Verde Law"), with registered office at Paneelstraat 5, 3600 Genk, company number BE0755.461.338 (RPR Tongeren), www.verde-law.be.
2. Acceptance. These terms apply to all services provided or to be provided by or on behalf of Verde Law, including services by its partners, associates, trainees and any other persons who work with Verde Law or for whom Verde Law is responsible. Entrusting a file implies acceptance of these terms, both for the file concerned and for later files, subject to any later amendments. The application of the client's general terms is expressly excluded.
3. Information from the client. The client provides all useful data and warrants its accuracy, completeness and reliability. The client informs Verde Law in good time of procedural steps to be taken and forwards without delay all documents brought to its notice or served in the context of proceedings or disputes. If the client does not communicate the expected data or provide the requested documents, Verde Law cannot and will not commence its assignment, or will end its intervention.
4. Assignment. All assignments are deemed to be given to and carried out exclusively by Verde Law, even where it is intended that a specific person performs the assignment. The assignment applies for an indefinite period, unless otherwise agreed or unless its nature implies a fixed term or a specific project. Each party may terminate the assignment in writing at any time, taking into account the client's ability to obtain timely assistance from another lawyer. Verde Law returns the file documents upon first request.
5. Best-efforts obligation. As dominus litis, Verde Law makes all reasonable efforts to achieve the result sought by the client, without being able to guarantee it. It strives for optimal assistance and correct advice in line with the state of legislation, case law and legal doctrine, but is not liable for the client's incorrect or fraudulent intentions.
6. Recourse to third parties. Besides the usual tasks within the firm, Verde Law may, under its responsibility, call upon other lawyers for specific parts of the assignment. For the choice of a bailiff or translator, the client leaves the choice to Verde Law. For other third parties (notaries, experts, accountants, etc.), Verde Law calls upon them only with the client's consent and in consultation. Save agreement to the contrary, Verde Law is not liable for the services of these third parties.
7. Amicable dispute resolution. Verde Law informs the client of the possibility of mediation, conciliation and any other form of amicable dispute resolution. Where an amicable resolution of the dispute can be considered, Verde Law promotes it as far as possible (Article 444, second paragraph, of the Judicial Code).
8. Fees and costs. Unless otherwise agreed, assignments are carried out on an hourly basis at the hourly rates agreed at the start of the services, where applicable in a separate engagement letter. Verde Law may adjust its rates according to the nature, the stakes, the degree of difficulty, the specialisation, the experience of the handling lawyer and the urgent character of the assignment, and may index its standard rates at the start of each calendar year. The rates are exclusive of 21% VAT, general office costs and specific file costs. Fees and costs of third parties advanced by Verde Law are charged separately. The fee may not depend exclusively on the result achieved.
9. Advances. Verde Law may, before the start of and during its work, request one or more advances. The work is then only commenced or continued after their payment. Advances are set off in the final statement of costs and fees.

10. Payment. The statements of costs and fees are payable within 14 days of the invoice date. Any dispute must be made in writing and with reasons within 14 days of receipt.

    1. Business client (non-consumer): in the event of non-payment on the due date, default interest is due by operation of law and without notice of default in accordance with the Act of 2 August 2002 on combating late payment in commercial transactions, increased by fixed compensation of 10% of the outstanding amount.
    2. Consumer client: a penalty clause (default interest and fixed compensation of 10%) is applied only after a first free reminder and after the expiry of a period of at least 14 calendar days, starting on the third working day following the sending of that reminder (or, in the case of electronic sending, on the calendar day following sending), in accordance with Book XIX of the Code of Economic Law.

    In the event of non-payment, Verde Law reserves the right to suspend its work until all invoices are paid in full, or to terminate the agreement. Verde Law is not liable for damage resulting from such suspension or termination.

11. Legal expenses insurance. If the client calls upon a legal expenses insurer, the client remains liable for payment of the part of the statements that the insurer does not cover.
12. Third-party funds. Verde Law transfers the amounts it receives for the client as soon as possible. If it cannot transfer immediately, it notifies the client and states the reason. Amounts it receives on behalf of third parties, it transfers to those third parties immediately. Verde Law may retain, from the amounts received for the client, sums to settle what the client owes; it informs the client thereof in writing, without prejudice to the client's right to contest and reclaim the retained amounts.
13. Professional liability. For its professional liability, Verde Law is insured, via the Orde van Vlaamse Balies (Flemish Bar Association), for an amount of EUR 2,500,000.00 under the policy "Civil professional liability of lawyers (first rank)" with MS Amlin Insurance SE. Liability is limited to the amount paid out by this insurance. At the client's express request, higher insurance may be taken out for a specific file, subject to payment of an additional premium. If the insurer does not cover the damage in the absence of fault by Verde Law, liability is limited to the fee invoiced in the file. These limitations do not apply in the event of intent or gross negligence. Any claim lapses if it is not brought before the competent court within one year after the client became aware, or could reasonably have become aware, of the facts.
14. Channelling of liability. Claims relating to Verde Law's services may be directed only against Verde Law. The client acknowledges that compensation for damage due to non-performance of a contractual obligation is, within the legal limits, governed exclusively by contract law, even where the harmful event also constitutes a non-contractual fault. The client waives, within the legal limits, any claim against Verde Law's auxiliary persons (staff, associates, directors and lawyers of Verde Law, even where they provide services through a legal entity), including on a direct non-contractual basis (Article 6.3 of the Civil Code).
15. Indemnification. The client indemnifies Verde Law and its lawyers against any third-party claim arising from the services Verde Law provides on the client's behalf.
16. Slight and serious faults. To the extent permitted by mandatory law, the liability limitations in these terms apply to both slight and serious faults of Verde Law and its auxiliary persons.
17. Electronic communication. Verde Law makes reasonable efforts to keep e-mails and attachments free from viruses or other defects, but it is for the client to protect its own systems. Verde Law accepts no liability for loss or damage arising from electronic communication.
18. Processing of personal data. Verde Law processes personal data as controller, exclusively for managing the files within the scope of the entrusted assignment and for complying with its legal obligations (including anti-money-laundering). This processing is based on Article 6.1, b) and c) GDPR (and, for professional clients and other parties, on the legitimate interest, Article 6.1, f) GDPR). Data is only communicated to third parties within the scope of the assignment or on the basis of a legal obligation. The data subject has the right of access, rectification, erasure, restriction and objection, and may lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Authority (Drukpersstraat 35, 1000 Brussels). Requests may be addressed to jos.dewachter@verde-law.be. The full information is set out in the "Privacy statement lawyer – client" at www.verde-law.be/privacy. The client warrants that it provides the communicated personal data to Verde Law lawfully and in accordance with the GDPR.
19. Anti-money-laundering. Depending on the nature of the services, Verde Law may be required to comply strictly with the anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing legislation and the Bar regulations. In that case it is subject to an identification and due-diligence duty and must keep the identification data, the client's characteristics and the purpose and nature of the transaction for 10 years, where applicable using external electronic databases. The client cooperates for this purpose; legal entities and other legal arrangements disclose who the ultimate beneficial owner is. The client informs Verde Law of any change in its status and provides the requested information upon first request. If the client refuses, Verde Law cannot enter into the business relationship or must end its intervention. In certain circumstances, Verde Law is required to report suspicions of money laundering or terrorist financing to the president of the Bar; it is not liable for the consequences of a report made in good faith. These obligations are without prejudice to professional secrecy.
20. Retention and archiving. Files are kept digitally. Original documents are, after closure of the file, returned or kept for 5 years, after which they are destroyed, unless a legal obligation provides otherwise.
21. Amendments. Verde Law may adjust these general terms from time to time. The adjusted terms apply to all subsequent legal relationships with the client.
22. Severability. If a provision is invalid, void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain fully in force. The invalid provision is limited to what is legally permitted or replaced by a valid provision that comes as close as possible to the original intention.
23. Applicable law and disputes. Only Belgian law applies. The parties strive to settle disputes amicably. If the client has a complaint, the client may first consult the handling lawyer. If no solution is found, the client may turn to the Ombudsman's Office for Consumer Disputes concerning Lawyers (OCA), Staatsbladsstraat 8, 1000 Brussels, oca@ligeca.be, and to the president of the Bar to which the lawyer belongs. Only the courts of the judicial district of Limburg and/or the Justice of the Peace of the canton of Genk have jurisdiction, without prejudice to Verde Law's right to act before the courts of the client's jurisdiction.

This translation is provided for information purposes only. In the event of any discrepancy between the language versions, only the Dutch version published on www.verde-law.be shall be legally binding.