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Safety & Security

eSolicitors is built on a "protection first" model. Here is how your money, data, and identity are protected.

Your Money is Protected by Escrow​

When you pay for a legal matter, your money goes into Stripe escrow - a secure payment hold managed by the platform.

  • The lawyer does not receive funds until you approve each milestone
  • If a dispute arises, funds are frozen until admin resolves it
  • If a matter cannot proceed, funds can be refunded

No other legal marketplace model (such as paying directly by bank transfer) provides this level of protection.

Lawyer Verification​

Every lawyer on eSolicitors goes through a verification process before appearing in search results. The verification system checks:

Verification StepHow It's Checked
Regulatory registrationSRA public register (auto), BSB register (auto), state bar APIs (US), or manual review
Practising certificateDocument upload reviewed by compliance team
Photo IDDocument upload reviewed by compliance team
PII insuranceCertificate reviewed - must show valid dates and sufficient cover
Proof of addressRecent utility bill or bank statement reviewed

Verification level (Basic / Standard / Enhanced) is displayed on every lawyer's profile. Always choose Enhanced-verified lawyers for your most important matters.

Contact Masking Before Commitment​

Before both you and your lawyer formally commit to a matter (Proceed with Scoping + cooling-off):

  • Your lawyer sees only your first name (no email, no phone, no surname)
  • You see only the lawyer's public profile (no direct email or phone)

This prevents off-platform contact and protects both parties from premature pressure or solicitation.

Your Data - GDPR Protection​

eSolicitors is operated by a UK company (Esol Corporation Limited) and complies with:

  • UK GDPR - data minimisation, lawful basis, data subject rights
  • Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) - cookie consent
  • Data Protection Act 2018

Key protections:

  • Consultation recordings are automatically deleted after 30 days
  • Your personal data is never sold to third parties
  • All data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest
  • You can request deletion of your account and data at any time

See the full Privacy Policy for details.

Recording Consent - You Are Always in Control​

No consultation is recorded without your explicit click-through consent. If you decline consent, the call proceeds without recording. You cannot be pressured into consenting.

The Cooling-Off Period​

Before you pay for a matter, both you and the lawyer must go through a 5-minute cooling-off period after clicking Proceed with Scoping. Either party can withdraw without explanation during this window.

This means you never accidentally commit to a matter - there is always a window to reconsider.

Disbursement Protection​

All disbursements (out-of-pocket expenses claimed by your lawyer) require your explicit approval before payment. You see the description, amount, and reason before any money is taken.

The Dispute System​

If something goes wrong:

  1. You raise a dispute on any unapproved milestone
  2. Funds are frozen immediately
  3. An eSolicitors admin team reviews the dispute within 5 business days
  4. The resolution options are: full release, partial release, or full refund

Admins are neutral - they review evidence from both sides before deciding.

Reporting a Problem​

If you have a concern that is not a payment dispute: