Story Publishers

What Story Publishers does

Story Publishers is a Belgian legal publishing imprint operating under Brepols Publishers NV, headquartered in Ghent in the Flemish Region. The company produces and distributes legal publications (books, journals, and loose-leaf reference works) and professional training courses (hybrid live and on-demand webinars) for legal practitioners and adjacent regulated professionals in Belgium, with primary concentration in Flanders. Its catalog spans 58+ books covering Belgian civil, criminal, fiscal, social, commercial, and administrative law, 4 subscription-based journals and loose-leaf services (notably the Bestendig Handboek Huishuur en Handelshuur and Tijdschrift voor Gentse en West-Vlaamse Rechtspraak), and 66+ accredited on-demand training courses, all authored by recognized Belgian legal experts including professors, practicing attorneys, and judges.

The business operates on a direct-to-consumer B2B model through a Shopify-based e-commerce storefront at storypublishers.be, with Stripe and Ogone/Ingenico payment processing and order fulfillment handled via the parent Brepols infrastructure. Revenue is generated through three streams: one-time book sales (€40-€555 per title), recurring annual subscriptions for loose-leaf services and journals (€132-€555/year), and one-time training purchases (€75-€181.50 per session). Live training sessions are eligible for Flemish KMO-portefeuille subsidies of 20-30% for qualifying businesses. The company is accredited as a training provider by six Belgian professional bodies (OVB, IGO, IBJ, IAB, BIBF, SAM-TES), lending regulatory legitimacy to its training offerings.

The 7-person team is led by Editorial Director Valerie Story, with Ann Depoorter as assistant to the editorial director and Sofie Verspecht handling marketing and communications. The company maintains a multi-channel presence (e-commerce site, email newsletter, Facebook/Twitter/Instagram social channels, and a content blog) and participates in the legal community through sponsorships of events such as the Ghent Bar Pleitwedstrijd and the Privacy Café. Recent strategic activity has focused on catalog refresh and topical training launches aligned with Belgian regulatory changes (new Criminal Code effective April 2026, GDPR, whistleblowing directive, co-ownership law updates) and the launch of a dedicated digital library for voluntary building managers (De Vrijwillige Syndicus).

Name

Story Publishers

Legal name

Story Publishers (imprint of Brepols Publishers NV)

Website

https://storypublishers.be

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Story Publishers is a Belgian legal publishing imprint of Brepols Publishers NV, producing legal books, subscription loose-leaf works, journals, and accredited professional training for Flemish legal practitioners including advocates, judges, corporate lawyers, accountants, and syndic managers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313), Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal & Regulatory Publishing (Case Law, Statutes, Treatises) (MPAJACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJAAAA)

Keywords

• Legal publishing
• Professional training
• Loose-leaf publications
• On-demand webinars
• Legal reference books

Headquarters

HQ city

Gent (Ghent)

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Sale of physical and digital (PDF) legal publications including books, practical guides, and yearbooks. Products are sold directly through the e-commerce platform with prices ranging from €40 to €555 per item. Some books are available in paper-only, digital-only, or combined paper+digital formats.
2. Journals and Loose-leaf Publications: Subscription-based loose-leaf services providing ongoing updates and loose-leaf publications on legal topics. Includes the Bestendig Handboek Huishuur en Handelshuur (loose-leaf service with annual updates) and the Tijdschrift voor Gentse en West-Vlaamse Rechtspraak (journal). Annual subscriptions range from €132 to €555.
3. Professional Training (On-demand and Live): Online and hybrid professional training sessions for legal practitioners. On-demand webinars are self-paced and immediately available upon purchase. Live webinars are scheduled sessions. Prices typically range from €75 to €150+ per session. Duration varies from 1.5 to 3.5 hours. Recognized by professional bodies for continuing education credits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Story Publishers is a Belgian legal publishing imprint that produces and sells authoritative legal books, subscription-based loose-leaf reference works, and journals covering Belgian law across civil, criminal, fiscal, social, and commercial practice areas. The company also delivers accredited professional training through live/hybrid sessions and on-demand webinars recognized by Belgian legal professional bodies (OVB, IGO, IBJ, IAB, BIBF, SAM-TES).

Product overview

Story Publishers is a Belgian legal publisher offering a portfolio of books, journals, loose-leaf publications, and professional training courses (hybrid and on-demand webinars) for legal professionals. The core products include legal books covering Belgian law topics (civil, criminal, fiscal, social, commercial law), subscription-based loose-leaf reference works like the Bestendig Handboek Huishuur en Handelshuur and journals like TGR/TWVR, and professional training including hybrid courses and on-demand webinars with accreditation recognition from bar associations and professional organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bestendig Handboek Huishuur en Handelshuur Reference work on residential and commercial tenancy law for Belgian legal practitioners, updated four times annually with practical models, tips, and case studies. Available in Strada lex digital format.
• Manuel Permanent des Baux à Loyer et Commerciaux French-language loose-leaf reference work on residential and commercial leases for legal practitioners, updated quarterly with legislative changes and important jurisprudence.
• Tijdschrift voor Gentse en West-Vlaamse Rechtspraak (TGR/TWVR) Journal providing overview of court decisions from East and West Flanders provinces (Court of Appeal jurisdiction of Ghent), covering all branches of law with practical notes.
• Hybride Opleidingen (Hybrid Training) Professional training courses that can be attended live on location or via livestream, combining in-person and remote participation options for legal practitioners.
• On Demand Opleidingen (On-Demand Webinars) Recorded online training courses available for viewing at any time, covering legal developments, jurisprudence updates, and practical skills for legal professionals. Recognized for professional accreditation by OVB, IGO, IBJ, IAB, BIBF, and SAM-TES.
• Praktische Gids Sociaal Recht 2024-2025 (SET) Three-volume practical guide to Belgian social law covering individual and collective labor law, labor regulations, and social security, containing over 1,875 pages of practical guidance for legal professionals.
• Praktische leidraad voor de syndicus - Vijfde editie Practical guide for building managers (syndics) covering legal obligations, appointment procedures, responsibilities, liability, and recent developments in Belgian co-ownership law.
• Een Ja kan je krijgen - Tweede editie Book on negotiation, settlement, and mediation techniques for lawyers, judges, mediators, and citizens, written by Dirk Van de Gehuchte, experienced mediator and collaborative lawyer.
• Wegwijs in appartementsmede-eigendom - Editie 2026 Practical guide on apartment co-ownership in Belgium, containing 258 questions and answers covering legal framework, rights and obligations of owners, and syndicus responsibilities.
• Praktijkboek Europese Richtlijn Klokkenluiden Comprehensive guide on whistleblowing in Belgium based on European directive and Belgian transposition laws, covering private and public sectors, procedures, and protection against retaliation.
• Rechtspraak Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit Analysis of jurisprudence from the Belgian Data Protection Authority's Dispute Chamber, showing how complaints are handled and what defense strategies are effective.

Quantifiable outcome

• Recognized training provider for at least 6 Belgian professional legal bodies

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Brepols Publishers NVcoreOthersSTORY Publishers is an imprint (division/brand) of Brepols Publishers NV, an international academic publisher based in Turnhout, Belgium. Brepols provides organizational infrastructure, publishing services, and corporate backing. STORY Publishers operates as the professional/legal imprint under the Brepols umbrella.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Wolters Kluwer Belgium: Leading Belgian legal and professional information publisher offering books, journals, loose-leafs, and online platforms (Jura, Kluwer Navigator). Directly comparable to Story as a multi-format legal publisher targeting Flemish professionals, but with a much larger portfolio and broader international backing.
• Bruylant (Lefebvre Sarrut): Established Belgian legal publisher (part of Lefebvre Sarrut group) producing treatises, journals, and reference works. Comparable to Story in product categories but operates at significantly larger scale and with stronger francophile orientation.

Others

• Strada lex: Belgian legal information platform hosting digital versions of legal publications, including Story's Bestendig Handboek Huishuur. An enabler/distribution partner rather than a competitor, but represents how Story's content reaches digital-first practitioners.
• LexNow: Belgian legal research platform distributing TGR/TWVR (Story's journal). Functions as a digital distribution channel for Story content, comparable in how Story monetizes jurisprudence content via partnerships.

Direct peers

• Anthemis: Belgian legal publisher focused on practical guides, theses, and professional publications for the francophone and Flemish legal community. Comparable as a niche legal publisher offering books and training to Belgian practitioners.
• Intersentia: Belgian academic and legal publisher producing books, journals, and loose-leaf works primarily in Dutch and English. Comparable to Story in product format (multi-volume sets, reference works) and overlapping author base in Belgian legal academia.
• Larcier (Intersentia): Major Belgian/French-language legal publisher (formerly Larcier, now part of Lefebvre Sarrut). Closest direct peer to Story given overlap in legal books, journals, and loose-leaf reference works serving Belgian advocates, judges, and corporate counsel.
• die Keure (Kluwer): Belgian legal publishing house specializing in Flemish-language law books, legal forms, and professional training for advocates and notaries. Directly comparable in language, format mix, and target audience to Story Publishers.
• Maison Larcier (Editions Larcier): Belgian legal publisher known for legal codes, treatises, and journals serving both Dutch- and French-speaking Belgian lawyers. Directly comparable to Story in product mix (books, journals, loose-leafs) and target professional segments.

Emerging players

• Legia (formerly Jura Europa): Belgian legal publishing entity focused on online legal content and subscription databases. Comparable to Story's loose-leaf and journal products but primarily digital-native, representing a partial overlap in legal professional information delivery.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Story_Pub
• Facebookfacebook.com/storypublishers
• Instagraminstagram.com/story_publishers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/story-publishers

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Story Publishers