General terms and conditions

This is an English translation. These terms and conditions were drawn up in Dutch. In the event of any discrepancy between the Dutch text and this translation, the Dutch text prevails (Art. 31.1). The Dutch text is available at www.buyserdlaw.com/nl/algemene-voorwaarden. If you need clarification of any provision, write to info@buyserdlaw.com.

These are the general terms and conditions of Buyserd Advies & Procesfinanciering B.V., also trading as Buyserd Juridisch Advies and Buyserd Law (“BJA”), established in Berlicum and registered with the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce under number 92862071. These terms and conditions apply to all services and all other activities of BJA. Part I contains the general provisions. Part II contains special provisions that apply only if the client is a consumer; in that case, those provisions take precedence over Part I. Part III contains the final provisions.

Version 15 September 2026.

PART I — GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Definitions

1.1. In these general terms and conditions (“Terms”), the following definitions apply:

(a) “Client”: the natural or legal person that enters into or negotiates an Engagement Agreement with BJA, as well as any person that otherwise has a legal relationship with BJA;

(b) “Engagement”: the engagement accepted by BJA to carry out legal work, and everything connected with it;

(c) “Engagement Agreement”: the contract for services (overeenkomst van opdracht) between BJA and the Client, of which these Terms form part;

(d) “Fees”: the remuneration payable by the Client to BJA for the Engagement, exclusive of VAT;

(e) “Disbursements”: costs that BJA owes to third parties or advances for the purposes of the Engagement, including court fees, bailiff’s fees, experts’ fees, extracts and courier costs;

(f) “Consumer”: any natural person acting for purposes outside their trade, business or profession (Art. 6:230g(1)(a) of the Dutch Civil Code (“DCC”)).

1.2. References to “in writing” also cover electronic communication, including email.

Article 2. Applicability and order of precedence

2.1. These Terms apply to all offers, quotations, Engagements, Engagement Agreements and other legal relationships between BJA and the Client, and to all contractual and non-contractual legal relationships arising from or connected with them, including follow-up engagements and amended or supplementary engagements. These Terms apply in principle to all contractual and non-contractual legal relationships between the Client, on the one hand, and BJA and its principal, Mr A.N.A. Buyserd, on the other, including supplements, extensions and new engagement agreements, unless and to the extent that the parties expressly agree otherwise in writing in the future.

2.2. The applicability of any general terms and conditions of the Client is expressly rejected. BJA does not accept any reference by the Client to the Client’s own terms and conditions, even if BJA does not expressly object to that reference.

2.3. These Terms also apply to the legal relationship with anyone who uses the websites www.buyserdlaw.com and www.ontslagjurist.com.

2.4. These Terms are also made for the benefit of directors, employees, contractors and third parties engaged by BJA, who may invoke them directly against the Client. BJA hereby stipulates that right for their benefit, free of charge.

2.5. The operation of Art. 7:404 DCC and Art. 7:407(2) DCC is excluded. The Engagement is accepted and performed exclusively by BJA, even if the Client granted the Engagement with a view to its performance by a particular person.

2.6. In the event of any conflict, the following order of precedence applies: first the Engagement Agreement, then Part II of these Terms, then Part III and finally Part I.

2.7. BJA is entitled to amend these Terms. Amended terms apply to ongoing Engagements from thirty days after they have been notified to the Client in writing.

Article 3. Formation of the Engagement

3.1. Offers and quotations from BJA are without obligation and lapse fourteen days after their date.

3.2. The Engagement Agreement is concluded upon BJA’s acceptance in writing or at the moment BJA commences performance of the work.

3.3. BJA is entitled at any time to decline an engagement, without being obliged to state the reason and without incurring any liability as a result.

3.4. Before the work commences, the Client shall provide the information that BJA requires to identify the Client and to assess whether there is a conflict of interest. If a conflict of interest becomes apparent, BJA is entitled to decline the Engagement or to withdraw from it.

3.5. If the Engagement concerns work to which the Dutch Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Prevention) Act (Wet ter voorkoming van witwassen en financieren van terrorisme) applies, BJA carries out the customer due diligence required by law and processes and retains the data required for that purpose. The Client shall cooperate and shall provide the requested information and documents on first request, including information on ultimate beneficial owners and on the source of funds. If the customer due diligence cannot be completed, BJA will not commence the work or will terminate it. BJA is obliged to report an unusual transaction to the Financial Intelligence Unit-the Netherlands and is required by law not to inform the Client of that report. The Client accepts that BJA bears no liability in that respect. The costs of the customer due diligence are for the account of the Client.

Article 4. Performance of the Engagement

4.1. BJA’s obligation in respect of the Engagement is an obligation of means (inspanningsverbintenis). BJA does not guarantee that any intended or expected result will be achieved. The outcome of negotiations and of court proceedings depends on circumstances beyond BJA’s control, including the assessment of facts and evidence, and is ultimately a matter for the court that decides the case.

4.2. BJA determines how and by whom the Engagement is performed. Time limits stated by BJA are indicative and are not strict deadlines, unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing.

4.3. Work falling outside the scope of the Engagement as described is performed on the basis of these Terms and for the agreed Fees, even if no separate engagement has been given for that work.

4.4. The Engagement does not extend to advice on foreign law, tax law, administrative law, criminal law, family law or inheritance law, or on insurance, accounting or business-economic aspects, unless expressly agreed in writing. BJA is not obliged to draw the Client’s attention to such aspects.

4.5. BJA does not practise a regulated profession, is not a law firm and does not employ any advocates (advocaten). The rules of professional conduct for the Dutch Bar do not apply to BJA. BJA has no statutory right of non-disclosure (verschoningsrecht). BJA can act as authorised representative only at first instance before the subdistrict court (kantonrechter) and cannot itself levy an attachment, lodge an appeal or bring an appeal in cassation. If a procedural step requires the involvement of an advocate, BJA will point this out to the Client and will work with a law firm; the costs involved are for the account of the Client.

Article 5. Obligations of the Client

5.1. The Client shall provide BJA, in good time, completely and truthfully, with all information and documents that are relevant to the performance of the Engagement or that the Client should reasonably understand may be relevant. Any inaccuracy or incompleteness of information provided by the Client is at the Client’s expense and risk.

5.2. The Client shall inform BJA without delay of every time limit, hearing date, limitation period or forfeiture period known to the Client and of every communication received from an opposing party, a bailiff or a judicial authority. BJA is not liable for the consequences of the expiry of a time limit that has not been communicated to BJA, or has not been communicated in good time.

5.3. If the Client fails to comply with this Article, BJA is entitled to suspend performance of the Engagement, without prejudice to its right to Fees for the work already performed.

5.4. The Client shall indemnify BJA against all third-party claims connected with the performance of the Engagement, and against the associated costs of defence.

Article 6. Engagement of third parties

6.1. BJA is entitled to engage third parties in performing the Engagement and, to that end, to enter into agreements in the name and for the account of the Client. BJA exercises due care in selecting third parties and consults the Client on that selection where reasonably possible.

6.2. Any liability of BJA for failures in performance by third parties engaged by BJA is excluded.

6.3. The Client authorises BJA to accept, on the Client’s behalf, limitations of liability and other terms and conditions of third parties engaged by BJA.

Article 7. Communication

7.1. BJA performs its work in Dutch and in English.

7.2. In principle, BJA communicates exclusively by electronic means. BJA does not guarantee the correct, complete and timely transmission of electronic messages. The risk of inaccuracies, misunderstandings, delay, interception and failure of communications to arrive properly lies with the Client, unless the cause is attributable to BJA.

7.3. The Client accepts that BJA uses automated tools in performing the Engagement, including document management and text processing systems that use artificial intelligence. BJA remains responsible for the content of its work.

Article 8. Fees

8.1. The Client owes Fees on the basis of the agreed hourly rate or, in the absence of an agreed rate, on the basis of BJA’s standard hourly rate. Time spent is recorded in units of six minutes, rounded up.

8.2. BJA is entitled to increase the hourly rate annually with effect from 1 January on the basis of the consumer price index published by Statistics Netherlands (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek) and, in addition, on the ground of changed market conditions. An increase on the latter ground will be announced in writing at least thirty days in advance.

8.3. BJA is entitled at any time to require an advance payment and to suspend performance of the Engagement until the advance payment has been made. An advance payment is set off against the final invoice.

8.4. Disbursements are for the account of the Client and are invoiced separately.

8.5. Any compensation for the costs of legal assistance awarded to the Client or to BJA in connection with the Engagement, under whatever name, including an order to pay the costs of the proceedings, compensation for extrajudicial costs and a costs contribution included in a settlement, accrues to BJA. The Client shall cooperate to that end and shall pay over to BJA without delay anything received.

8.6. A different form of remuneration, including a success fee, a “no win, no fee” arrangement or acting pro bono, applies only if and to the extent that it has been expressly agreed in writing and is described in the Engagement Agreement.

8.7. BJA does not provide subsidised legal aid. If the Client has legal expenses insurance and nevertheless chooses BJA, the Client accepts that this choice may cause the Client to forfeit claims against the insurer.

Article 9. Invoices, payment and security

9.1. BJA invoices periodically. The payment term is fourteen days from the invoice date and is a strict deadline.

9.2. If the payment term is exceeded, the Client is in default without any notice of default being required and owes statutory commercial interest (Art. 6:119a DCC), as well as the costs referred to in Art. 13.

9.3. If payment is not made on time, BJA is entitled to suspend its work until payment has been made in full. BJA is not liable for any loss resulting from that suspension.

9.4. Suspension and set-off by the Client are excluded.

9.5. BJA is entitled to set off everything it owes or will owe to the Client against everything it is entitled to claim from the Client on any ground whatsoever.

9.6. BJA is entitled to withhold delivery of anything it holds on behalf of the Client until the Client has fulfilled all due and payable obligations towards BJA.

9.7. Objections to an invoice must be notified to BJA in writing, stating reasons, within fourteen days of the invoice date, failing which the right to object lapses. In the absence of a timely objection, the invoice is deemed to have been approved. As between the parties, BJA’s time records and accounts constitute compelling evidence (dwingend bewijs) of the work performed and the time spent, subject to proof to the contrary.

Article 10. Amendment and termination

10.1. BJA is entitled to refuse, amend, extend, suspend or terminate the work if there is a compelling reason to do so, which in any event includes non-payment, lack of cooperation by the Client, a conflict of interest and a breakdown of trust. BJA will inform the Client of this in writing as early as possible.

10.2. In addition, BJA is entitled at any time to terminate the Engagement Agreement subject to a reasonable notice period, without being obliged to pay compensation for any loss or costs.

10.3. On termination, irrespective of by whom and on what ground, the Client remains liable in full for the Fees and Disbursements for the work performed up to that moment.

10.4. On request, BJA will transfer the file once the Client has fulfilled all due and payable obligations towards BJA.

Article 11. Duty to complain and complaints procedure

11.1. The Client shall examine BJA’s services with reasonable promptness. Any defect in the services must be notified to BJA in writing, stating reasons and enclosing the documents that show the defect, within fourteen days after the Client discovered or should reasonably have discovered the defect, failing which all rights lapse (Art. 6:89 DCC).

11.2. BJA’s services are subject to the Buyserd Juridisch Advies Complaints Procedure (Klachtenregeling Buyserd Juridisch Advies), which is available free of charge at www.buyserdlaw.com and will be sent on first request. The complaints officer is Ms A.J.T.M. Buyserd-Sijben. BJA deals with a written complaint within four weeks of receipt or, within that period, states, with reasons, the period within which a decision will follow.

11.3. The Client shall not submit a dispute concerning the formation or performance of the Engagement Agreement, the quality of the services or the amount of an invoice to the court until the complaints procedure has been completed in full and the parties have subsequently attempted mediation. This provision constitutes a condition, agreed between the parties, for the admissibility of the claim. It does not prevent the taking of protective measures, the bringing of a claim in summary proceedings (kort geding) or the interruption of a limitation period.

11.4. A complaint does not suspend the Client’s payment obligations.

Article 12. Liability of BJA

12.1. BJA is not liable for any failure to achieve a result intended or expected by the Client, nor for the decision of a court, arbitrator or binding adviser, nor for the consequences of any decision taken by the Client.

12.2. Owing to the limited scale of its commercial activities, BJA does not hold professional indemnity insurance. The Client is aware of this and makes an informed choice in that respect.

12.3. Any liability of BJA for indirect and consequential loss is excluded. This includes in any event loss of income, loss of earning capacity, loss of profit, loss of benefits, lost savings, loss of opportunity, reputational damage and internal staff costs. BJA justifies this exclusion by reference to the nature of legal services, the outcome of which depends to a considerable extent on factors beyond the parties’ control, and to the ratio between the Fees and the financial interest at stake.

12.4. BJA’s liability for any loss-causing event, or any connected series of loss-causing events, is limited to the Fees, exclusive of VAT, actually paid by the Client to BJA in the six calendar months preceding the event, subject to a maximum of EUR 1,000.00. If that amount is nil, the cap is the Fees invoiced by BJA for the Engagement concerned.

12.5. This Article does not apply to the extent that the loss results from intent or conscious recklessness on the part of BJA.

12.6. A claim for damages must be brought in writing, stating reasons, by registered post or by bailiff’s writ, failing which the right to claim lapses.

Article 13. Full compensation by the Client

13.1. If BJA incurs costs or suffers loss because the Client fails to perform an obligation under or in connection with the Engagement Agreement or any legal relationship arising from it, or by reason of an attributable failure in performance, a tort, unjust enrichment or an undue payment on the part of the Client, the Client shall fully compensate BJA for all loss suffered and all costs incurred by BJA in that connection.

13.2. Those costs include in any event the full costs of legal assistance in and out of court, and the full costs of experts, of gathering evidence, of attachment and of collection, irrespective of whether court proceedings follow and irrespective of their outcome. The parties hereby expressly derogate from the statutory rules on litigation costs and from the statutory scale for extrajudicial collection costs.

13.3. If BJA is wholly or partly successful in proceedings and the costs awarded fall short of the costs actually incurred, the difference is for the account of the Client.

Article 14. Force majeure

14.1. BJA is not liable for the consequences of force majeure. Force majeure includes in any event: government measures and orders, international conflicts, violent or armed actions, strikes and industrial unrest, illness and incapacity for work, failures of telecommunications, electricity or the internet, cyberattacks, failures in performance by BJA’s suppliers and service providers, and exceptional weather conditions.

Article 15. Confidentiality, personal data and file

15.1. The parties shall observe confidentiality in respect of all confidential information they obtain from each other in the context of the Engagement.

15.2. BJA processes personal data in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679. The Client consents to the electronic exchange of data and accepts that, despite the measures taken by BJA, absolute security against access by unauthorised persons cannot be guaranteed.

15.3. BJA retains the file for five years after it has been closed and is thereafter entitled to destroy the file without further notice.

15.4. BJA is entitled to use data from the file that cannot be traced back to the Client for internal knowledge purposes.

Article 16. Intellectual property

16.1. All intellectual property rights in advice, court documents, templates, contracts and other works produced by BJA are vested in BJA. The Client obtains only a non-transferable right to use them for the purpose for which they were provided.

16.2. Disclosure, reproduction or provision to third parties is not permitted without BJA’s prior written consent.

Article 17. Non-solicitation

17.1. During the Engagement and for twelve months after its end, the Client shall not employ any person who works for BJA or has worked for BJA in the preceding twelve months, nor otherwise have such a person work for the Client, without BJA’s prior written consent. In the event of a breach, Art. 13 applies mutatis mutandis.

Article 18. Miscellaneous

18.1. If the Client consists of more than one natural or legal person, they are jointly and severally liable for the performance of all obligations towards BJA.

18.2. BJA is entitled to transfer its rights and obligations under the Engagement Agreement to a third party that continues BJA’s business in whole or in part. The Client hereby consents in advance to such a transfer. The Client is not entitled to transfer the Client’s rights and obligations without BJA’s prior written consent.

18.3. Until BJA has received written notice of a change, no change in the Client’s power of disposal or in the authority of those who represent the Client vis-à-vis BJA may be invoked against BJA.

18.4. If BJA has provided data which, at the time of provision, it knew or ought to have known to be defective or invalid, BJA is obliged to provide data of the same kind free of defects instead. No further claims exist.

18.5. The Client hereby authorises BJA, in performing the work and in its other business operations, in particular in processing personal data, to engage Anthropic PBC and Google LLC (including their group companies) as (sub)processors and to use their standard services, and indemnifies BJA against any third-party claims in that respect.

PART II — SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR CONSUMERS

Article 19. Scope and precedence

19.1. This Part II applies only if the Client is a Consumer.

19.2. The provisions of this Part II take precedence over any conflicting provisions of Part I. To the extent that a provision of Part I is disapplied in this Part II, that provision remains wholly inapplicable in the legal relationship concerned and BJA will not invoke it.

19.3. If a clause of these Terms does not apply as against a Consumer because it is unreasonably onerous or unfair, the statutory rules apply between the parties. That clause will not be revised or moderated, and BJA will not seek any such revision or moderation.

Article 20. Withdrawal within fourteen days

20.1. If the Engagement Agreement was concluded at a distance or off-premises, the Consumer may withdraw from that agreement without giving any reason until fourteen days have elapsed after the day on which the agreement was concluded (Art. 6:230o(1)(a) DCC). The Consumer shall give notice of withdrawal by email to info@buyserdlaw.com or by letter to Buyserd Advies & Procesfinanciering B.V., De Ploeg 17, 5258 EZ Berlicum, the Netherlands, quoting “withdrawal from engagement agreement”.

20.2. If the Consumer expressly requests that the work begin before that period has expired, the Consumer, upon withdrawal, owes a proportionate amount for the work performed up to that moment.

20.3. In the case of a contract for the provision of services, the right of withdrawal lapses only once the contract has been fully performed, if performance began with the Consumer’s express prior consent and the Consumer has declared that they waive their right of withdrawal once BJA has fully performed the contract (Art. 6:230p(d) DCC). A waiver made before that moment does not affect the right of withdrawal.

20.4. If the Consumer has not been informed of the right of withdrawal in accordance with the law, the withdrawal period is extended in accordance with Art. 6:230o(2) DCC.

Article 21. Liability

21.1. By way of derogation from Art. 12.3, BJA’s liability is excluded only for reputational damage, lost savings and loss of opportunities unrelated to the matter entrusted to BJA.

21.2. By way of derogation from Art. 12.4, BJA’s liability for any loss-causing event, or any connected series of loss-causing events, is limited to the Fees, exclusive of VAT, invoiced by BJA for the Engagement concerned, subject to a minimum of EUR 5,000.00.

21.3. The limitations in this Article do not apply in the event of intent or conscious recklessness on the part of BJA, nor in respect of loss caused by death or personal injury.

21.4. Before the Engagement Agreement was concluded, BJA informed the Consumer that it does not hold professional indemnity insurance and gave the Consumer the opportunity to take that circumstance into account in making their choice.

21.5. Art. 5.4 does not apply.

Article 22. Third parties engaged

22.1. By way of derogation from Art. 6.2, BJA’s liability for failures in performance by carefully selected and engaged third parties is limited to the amount for which that third party accepts liability towards BJA. In the event of careless selection, BJA remains liable, subject to Art. 21.

22.2. The authorisation in Art. 6.3 does not extend to the acceptance of clauses that undermine the Consumer’s statutory protection.

Article 23. Duty to complain and handling of complaints

23.1. By way of derogation from Art. 11.1, the statutory standard applies as regards the Consumer: the Consumer must complain within a reasonable time after the Consumer discovered, or should reasonably have discovered, the defect (Art. 6:89 DCC). A complaint made more than two months after that moment is deemed, subject to proof to the contrary, not to have been made within a reasonable time.

23.2. Art. 11.3 does not apply. The Consumer may apply to the court at any time without first having to complete the complaints procedure or mediation.

23.3. Art. 11.4 does not apply; the statutory right of suspension remains unaffected.

23.4. If the complaints procedure in Art. 11.2 does not lead to a solution, the parties may by mutual agreement decide to refer the dispute to a mediator to be appointed by them jointly. BJA is not affiliated with a recognised disputes committee, is not bound by a code of conduct providing for out-of-court dispute resolution and is not obliged in advance to take part in any such procedure. The jurisdiction of the court remains unaffected.

Article 24. Payment, interest and costs

24.1. By way of derogation from Art. 9.2, a Consumer who fails to pay on time owes statutory interest (Art. 6:119 DCC).

24.2. By way of derogation from Art. 13, extrajudicial collection costs become payable only after BJA, following the occurrence of default, has sent the Consumer a written reminder to pay within fourteen days, commencing on the day after receipt of the reminder, and those costs are calculated in accordance with the statutory scale (Art. 6:96(5) and (6) DCC). In all other respects, Art. 13 continues to apply.

24.3. By way of derogation from Art. 9.3, BJA will suspend its work only after it has warned the Consumer in writing and allowed the Consumer a reasonable period to pay.

24.4. Art. 9.4 and the last sentence of Art. 9.7 do not apply.

Article 25. Amendment of terms and rates

25.1. By way of derogation from Art. 2.7, amendments to these Terms will be notified to the Consumer, stating the reasons, at least thirty days before they take effect. The Consumer may terminate the Engagement Agreement up to the day on which the amendments take effect. If the Consumer does not exercise that right, the amended terms are deemed to have been accepted.

25.2. In the event of an increase in the hourly rate other than by indexation in accordance with Art. 8.2, the Consumer may rescind the Engagement Agreement up to the day on which the new rate takes effect.

Article 26. Termination

26.1. Art. 10.2 does not apply. BJA will terminate the Engagement Agreement only on a compelling ground as referred to in Art. 10.1 and subject to a reasonable notice period.

26.2. If BJA terminates the Engagement Agreement, BJA will refund, on a pro rata basis, any Fees already received to the extent that the related work has not been performed.

26.3. The Consumer’s right to terminate the Engagement Agreement at any time remains unaffected (Art. 7:408(1) DCC).

Article 27. Provisions that do not apply

27.1. Art. 2.5, 9.4, 12.3, 12.4 and 17 do not apply if the Client is a Consumer; Art. 21 and 24 of this Part II apply instead.

PART III — FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 28. Governing law and competent court

28.1. The Engagement Agreement and all contractual and non-contractual legal relationships arising from or connected with it are governed exclusively by Dutch law.

28.2. Disputes shall be submitted exclusively to the District Court of Oost-Brabant, ’s-Hertogenbosch location. If the Client is a Consumer, the Client may, within one month after BJA has invoked this choice of forum in writing, opt for the court that has jurisdiction by law (Art. 108(2) of the Dutch Code of Civil Procedure).

28.3. The parties mutually and expressly waive their right to lodge an appeal and an appeal in cassation. If this provision proves impermissible in a particular case, it lapses in its entirety.

Article 29. Lapse of rights

29.1. The Client shall bring any claim against BJA within one year after the loss-causing event, or the first event in a connected series, became known or could reasonably have become known to the Client, failing which the right to bring that claim lapses. Knowledge of a director, supervisory director, shareholder, employee or contractor of the Client is attributed to the Client.

Article 30. Severability

30.1. If any provision of these Terms proves to be void, voidable or otherwise inapplicable, the remaining provisions remain in full force. In that event, the parties will consult each other in order to agree on a replacement provision that approximates the purport of the original provision as closely as possible.

30.2. The second sentence of Art. 30.1 does not apply if the Client is a Consumer. In that case, Art. 19.3 applies.

Article 31. Language and version

31.1. These Terms have been drawn up in Dutch. In the event of any discrepancy between the Dutch text and a translation, the Dutch text prevails.

31.2. These Terms are available electronically free of charge at www.buyserdlaw.com and will be sent on first request.

Article 32. Contact details

Buyserd Advies & Procesfinanciering B.V., also trading as Buyserd Juridisch Advies and Buyserd Law, De Ploeg 17, 5258 EZ Berlicum, the Netherlands. Email: info@buyserdlaw.com. Telephone: +31 6 2712 0735. Chamber of Commerce number: 92862071. VAT identification number: NL866196870B01.