Practical Matters

Assignment

Once you engage Hodak to act for you, the firm records the agreed details in an assignment contract. This contains the agreed activities, our fees, reimbursement of costs and the application of our general terms and conditions. This, of course, takes into account the applicable laws and regulations, including those of the Dutch Bar Association.

The assigned lawyer will manage your case. This lawyer may, under his or her supervision and responsibility, have certain tasks carried out by fellow lawyers, jurists or advisers. Throughout this process, your lawyer will keep you informed of developments and progress. In principle, all outgoing correspondence is first submitted to you in draft form for approval.

You can terminate the contract at any time. In that case, you will receive a final invoice based on the actual hours worked. If a fixed rate has been agreed and the work has already started, a refund of this rate or part thereof is unfortunately not possible.

Financial arrangements

The financial terms vary per assignment. Hodak can provide a cost estimate or quotation in advance, which may result in a fixed rate. The firm takes your financial situation into account and is flexible in making arrangements. Services billed on an hourly rate basis are charged periodically. An advance may be requested at the beginning of the assignment, which is settled later.

You will always receive a clear specification of hours spent and work carried out. Any questions about this can be addressed to your lawyer. Unless otherwise agreed, the amounts mentioned are exclusive of VAT and additional costs such as court fees and travel and accommodation expenses may be invoiced separately. For ongoing cases lasting more than one year, the hourly rate may be adjusted annually based on indexation.

Hodak requests that you pay the invoice within 14 days of the invoice date. Late payment may result in (temporary) cessation of services. If payment within this period is problematic, please let us know so that we can find a suitable solution.

Legal aid

Hodak is not affiliated with the Legal Aid Board and therefore cannot offer subsidised legal aid. If you wish to qualify for it, we advise you to approach another law firm.

Identification

The firm is required to comply with Dutch and European anti-money laundering and fraud legislation (WWFT). This means Hodak must have proof of your identity before we can enter into a business relationship. Depending on the situation, this may mean that Hodak requests an extract from the Chamber of Commerce and/or a valid identity document from you. More information on this can be found under “Know your Customer Obligations”.

Replacement arrangement

In the absence or illness of Mr Maxim Hodak, he will be replaced by Mr Tom Meevis, a lawyer from Law & More B.V. (www.lawandmore.nl). Mr Tom Meevis can be reached at +31 40 369 06 80.