At D-Legal, we charge a fair and transparent hourly rate of €121 including VAT. This is significantly lower than many law firms, where rates of €250 to €350 excluding VAT are not uncommon.
For this amount, you receive committed and expert legal assistance, with a clear explanation of what we do, why we do it, and how it benefits you. No unnecessary work, no hidden costs.

In proceedings where the opposing party is a government body — for example, in an objection or appeal against a decision by a municipality or another administrative authority — you only pay the start-up fee at the outset.

These consist of:

• Analysis of your file
• Drafting a notice of objection or appeal
• If necessary: initial correspondence with the authority

The amount of work depends on the complexity of the case:

• Simple objection: approximately 2 hours of work
• Average objection or short appeal: approximately 4 hours of work
• Complex appeal before the administrative court: up to 8 hours of work

Good to know

If we bring the case to a successful conclusion, in many cases our additional costs are recovered from the government through a reimbursement of legal costs. This means you will not pay more than the agreed advance.

If the dispute is with an individual or a company — such as a client who refuses to pay or a supplier who fails to fulfil an agreement — we charge our full hourly rate of €121 including VAT.

In civil proceedings, additional costs apply for:

• Summons via bailiff: on average €90 – €130
• Court registry fee (court costs):
  • €90 to €257 for a claim between €500 and €12,500
  • €732 for a claim between €12,500 and €25,000

We always provide a clear estimate of the number of hours in advance and work with an advance payment, so you are never faced with unexpected costs.

An example: you have a claim of €4,000 and the opposing party refuses to pay. You engage us to initiate legal proceedings.

The costs would then look approximately as follows:

• Legal work (16 hours x €121): €1,936
• Summons via bailiff: €130
• Court registry fee: €257
• Total: €2,323 including VAT

Advice: do not litigate for claims under €2,000
Even if you win the case, you will usually not recover all your costs. The court applies a fixed scale (the liquidation rate), which is generally lower than the actual costs. That is why, in practice, we advise against litigating claims under €2,000, unless it concerns a matter of principle or other circumstances apply. We always discuss this openly in advance.

Before we get started, we make a realistic estimate of the number of hours required. Based on this, you will receive an advance invoice. Once it has been paid, we will start work immediately.

If the case requires more work than initially anticipated, we will discuss this with you in good time. This way, you remain in control of the costs and know exactly where you stand.

Intake and Start-up

The advance includes the intake and case preparation. During the intake, we discuss your case, review the relevant documents, and create a plan of action. This forms the foundation of our legal work.

No unexpected costs

The advance includes the intake and case preparation. During the intake, we discuss your case, review the relevant documents, and create a plan of action. This forms the foundation of our legal work.