These terms are provided for reference. The authoritative, always-current version is at esolicitors.com/terms. In the event of any discrepancy, the version on that page takes precedence.
CLIENT MASTER TERMS AND CONDITIONS - UNITED STATES
These Master Terms and Conditions (the "Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you (the "Client," "Buyer," "You," or "Your"), whether you are an individual or a company, partnership, or other legal entity and eSolicitors US, a division of Esol Corporation Limited (UK Company Number 16927988) (the "Platform"). These Terms govern Your use of the Platform's technology marketplace services throughout the United States of America, including all fifty states and the District of Columbia.
How These Terms Work
Please read these Terms carefully before using the Platform. These Terms govern your access to and use of the Platform's marketplace services. These Terms are presented to you contextually based on your role and location when you visit esolicitors.com/terms. If you are not registered as a lawyer on the Platform, you will see the client terms. You indicate your acceptance of these Terms at multiple points during your use of the Platform, each of which constitutes binding acceptance of the full Terms: (a) when you register on the Platform as a client; (b) when you request a Scoping Call (which binds you to the scoping, engagement, and payment provisions); and (c) when you purchase a template or digital product from the template store (which binds you to the template purchase, use, and disclaimer provisions). Each acceptance point confirms your agreement to the Terms as a whole, with particular relevance to the provisions applicable to that action.
By Registering, Requesting a Scoping Call, or Purchasing a Template, You Confirm That:
(a) You have read and understood these Terms in their entirety and agree to be bound by them.
(b) You are at least eighteen (18) years old, or the age of majority in your state of residence, whichever is higher.
(c) You have the legal capacity to enter into contracts under the laws of the State of New York and the state in which you reside.
(d) If you are using the Platform on behalf of a business or other legal entity, you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms.
(e) You understand and acknowledge that eSolicitors is a technology marketplace only. It does not provide legal advice or legal services of any kind. All legal advice is provided solely and exclusively by the attorney you choose to engage.
(f) You understand and accept the Platform's express disclaimer of regulated status set out in clause 2A, including that the Platform is not a law firm, is not regulated by any bar, and has no attorney-client or fiduciary relationship with you.
(g) You understand that when you engage an attorney through the Platform, your contract for legal services is with that attorney (and/or their law firm), not with the Platform.
(h) You will provide truthful, accurate, and complete information to the Platform and to any attorney you engage through the Platform.
(i) You will comply with your obligations under these Terms, including those relating to identity verification, cooperation with your attorney's ethical and regulatory obligations, and the truthfulness warranty.
(j) You understand that your rights under applicable federal and state consumer protection laws are not affected by these Terms.
The Platform is a technology marketplace connecting clients with qualified legal professionals, including state-bar-licensed attorneys and other authorised legal practitioners. Where concerns arise, the Platform's approach is to provide reasonable opportunity for resolution before taking any formal steps under these Terms.
Governing Law and Regulatory Framework
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles. However, to the extent that the legal services you receive through the Platform are delivered in a state other than New York, the professional conduct rules, attorney disciplinary rules, trust account rules, client protection fund provisions, and all other regulatory requirements of the state in which the legal services are delivered shall govern the attorney's professional obligations to you. This means:
(i) The contractual relationship between you and the Platform is governed by New York law.
(ii) The professional and ethical obligations owed to you by your attorney are governed by the rules of professional conduct of the state(s) in which the attorney is licensed and in which the legal services are delivered.
(iii) Disciplinary matters, trust account requirements, client protection fund claims, and attorney regulatory complaints are governed by the regulatory authority of the state in which the attorney practices.
(iv) State consumer protection statutes applicable in the state where legal services are delivered supplement the protections in these Terms:
(v) Where there is a conflict between these Terms and mandatory provisions of the law of the state in which legal services are delivered, the mandatory state law prevails.
CONTENTS
Part A - General Terms and Marketplace Model (Clauses 1-4)
Part B - Using the Platform (Clauses 5-8A)
Part C - Your Relationship with Your Attorney (Clauses 9-14B)
Part D - Your Obligations: Truth, Accuracy, and Good Faith (Clauses 15-19)
Part E - Client Identification, Sanctions Compliance, and Funding Transparency (Clauses 20-28)
Part F - Cooperation with Your Attorney's Ethical and Regulatory Obligations (Clauses 29-33)
Part G - Fees and Payments (Clauses 34-41)
Part H - Your Rights as a Consumer (Clauses 42-46B)
Part I - Documents, Confidentiality, and Privilege (Clauses 47-52A)
Part J - Complaints and Disciplinary Matters (Clauses 53-60)
Part K - Data Protection and Privacy (Clauses 61-65)
Part L - Liability and Disclaimers (Clauses 66-70D)
Part M - General Provisions (Clauses 71-82)
Part N - State-Specific Regulatory Provisions and Disclosures (Clauses 83-84)
PART A - GENERAL TERMS AND MARKETPLACE MODEL
1. Definitions and Interpretation
1.1 In these Terms, unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions apply:
"ABA" means the American Bar Association.
"ABA Model Rules" means the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, as adopted (with or without modification) by the applicable state.
"AI Scope Script" means the written summary of your matter generated by the Platform's AI system from the recorded Scoping Call, as described in clause 9A.3. The AI Scope Script is a technology output generated by the Platform's automated systems. It does not constitute legal advice, legal analysis, or the practice of law. It is an administrative summary provided to the Attorney solely to assist the Attorney in preparing the Milestone Proposal using the Attorney's own professional judgment.
"All-Party Consent State" means a state that requires the consent of all parties to a communication before the communication may be lawfully recorded. As of the date of these Terms, the All-Party Consent States are: California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Michigan requires all-party consent for in-person recordings. Federal law (18 U.S.C. § 2511) requires one-party consent.
"AML" means anti-money laundering, including compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act (31 U.S.C. § 5311 et seq.), the USA PATRIOT Act, FinCEN regulations (31 CFR Chapter X), the Corporate Transparency Act, and applicable state AML statutes.
"Applicable Law" means all federal, state, and local laws, statutes, regulations, rules, orders, directives, and codes applicable to the subject matter of these Terms, including the laws of the State of New York and the laws of any state in which legal services are delivered.
"Attorney" means any attorney, lawyer, law firm, legal professional, or other authorized legal services provider registered and listed on the Platform who is duly licensed to practice law in the relevant state(s). Where the context requires, "Attorney" includes a law firm through which an individual attorney practices.
"Attorney Trust Account" means an interest-bearing trust account or IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts) account maintained by an Attorney in compliance with the trust account rules of the state(s) in which the Attorney practices, as specified in the applicable state clause (clauses 852013135).
"Attorney-Client Privilege" means the evidentiary privilege protecting confidential communications between an attorney and client made for the purpose of obtaining or providing legal advice, as recognized under federal common law and applicable state law.
"Beneficial Owner" means an individual who directly or indirectly exercises substantial control over an entity, or who owns or controls at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the ownership interests of an entity, within the meaning of the Corporate Transparency Act and FinCEN's implementing regulations (31 CFR § 1010.380).
"BSA" means the Bank Secrecy Act (31 U.S.C. § 5311 et seq.).
"Business Day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or federal public holiday on which commercial banks in New York City are open for general business.
"Buyer Protection Fee" means the fee charged by the Platform to the Client on each milestone payment, as set out in clause 36A.
"Client" means you, being the individual, company, partnership, limited liability company, trust, or other legal entity engaging or proposing to engage an Attorney through the Platform. References to "You" and "Your" apply equally whether the Client is a natural person or a legal entity.
"Client Protection Fund" means the fund maintained by the applicable state bar association or state supreme court to reimburse clients who have suffered financial losses due to the dishonest conduct of attorneys, as identified in the applicable state clause (clauses 852013135).
"Client Retainer Agreement" means the agreement (also known as an engagement letter, retainer letter, or fee agreement) your Attorney provides at the outset of the engagement setting out the terms on which they will act, the scope of work, fee arrangements, and the complaints procedure.
"Compliance Verification Fee" means the fee charged per matter for the Platform's identity verification, regulatory status checks, and compliance infrastructure.
"Confirmation Period" means the period following notification of service delivery during which you may confirm satisfactory delivery or raise a dispute, as set out in clause 38.3.
"Connection Fee" means the fee charged by the Platform in consideration for facilitating the initial connection between a Client and an Attorney, as set out in clause 34.
"Consumer" means an individual acting primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, as generally defined under applicable state consumer protection statutes and the Federal Trade Commission Act.
"Contingency Fee" means a fee arrangement in which the Attorney's compensation is contingent upon a successful outcome, typically calculated as a percentage of the recovery, subject to the rules of the state in which the Attorney practices and the requirements of ABA Model Rule 1.5(c) as adopted.
"Corporate Transparency Act" or "CTA" means the Corporate Transparency Act of 2021 (31 U.S.C. § 5336) and FinCEN's implementing regulations requiring certain entities to report beneficial ownership information.
"Delivery State" means the state in which legal services are primarily delivered to you by your Attorney.
"Disbursements" means third-party costs incurred by the Attorney on your behalf in connection with your legal matter, including court filing fees, process server fees, expert witness fees, deposition costs, recording fees, title search fees, and similar expenses.
"eSolicitors" or "Platform" means the eSolicitors technology marketplace operated by Esol Corporation Limited, including the website, mobile application, and all associated tools, features, and services. eSolicitors is a technology company (see clause 2A for the Platform's full regulatory status declaration).
"FinCEN" means the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
"FTC" means the Federal Trade Commission.
"Held Funds" means funds paid by you through the Platform that are held by Stripe pending release to the Attorney in accordance with clause 38.
"Legal Professional" means any attorney, lawyer, law firm, or other person authorized to provide legal services who is registered and listed on the Platform. References in these Terms to "Attorney or Legal Professional" or "Your Attorney" include all categories of Legal Professional unless the context requires otherwise.
"Legal Services Corporation" or "LSC" means the Legal Services Corporation established by the Legal Services Corporation Act (42 U.S.C. § 2996 et seq.), which funds legal aid programs across the United States.
"Malpractice Insurance" means professional liability insurance (also known as errors and omissions insurance or legal malpractice insurance) maintained by an Attorney.
"Milestone Proposal" means the milestone-based fee proposal prepared by the Attorney for your approval, as described in clause 9A.4.
"OFAC" means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
"PEP" means a Politically Exposed Person, being an individual who is or has been entrusted with a prominent public function, or a family member or close associate of such a person.
"Platform Fees" means all fees charged by the Platform for its technology and marketplace services, including the Connection Fee, AI Consultation Fee, Compliance Verification Fee, and Buyer Protection Fee, all of which are entirely separate from and in addition to the Attorney's Legal Fees.
"Pro Hac Vice" means temporary admission to practice in a state where the Attorney is not regularly admitted, granted by a court for a specific matter, typically requiring association with local counsel.
"Rules of Professional Conduct" means the rules governing attorney professional conduct as adopted by the supreme court or highest court of the applicable state, as further specified in the applicable state clause (clauses 852013135).
"Sanctions" means any economic, financial, or trade sanctions imposed, administered, or enforced by the United States (including through OFAC), the United Nations Security Council, or the European Union.
"Scoping Call" means the initial consultation call between you and the Attorney booked through the Platform after you pay the Connection Fee, as described in clause 9A.2.
"State Bar" means the bar association, unified bar, or attorney regulatory authority of the applicable state, as identified in the applicable state clause (clauses 852013135).
"Stripe" means Stripe, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its subsidiary Stripe Payments Company, licensed as money transmitters in applicable states and registered with FinCEN as a money services business.
"Third-Party Litigation Funding" or "TPLF" means funding provided by a commercial litigation funder (who is not a party to the litigation) to fund all or part of your legal costs in exchange for a share of any recovery or other agreed return.
"UPL" means the unauthorized practice of law, as defined and prohibited by the statutes and case law of each state.
"Vulnerable Client" means a client who may need additional support due to age, disability, mental capacity, language barriers, financial situation, domestic violence, immigration status, or other factors, as recognized by the ABA Model Rules and applicable state rules.
1.2 References to statutes, regulations, or rules include any amendments, re-enactments, or replacements in force from time to time. References to the ABA Model Rules are to those rules as adopted and modified by the applicable state.
1.3 Headings are for convenience only. Words in the singular include the plural and vice versa. "Include" and "including" are not limiting. References to clauses and Parts are to clauses of, and Parts of, these Terms.
2. Platform Status and Regulatory Position
2.1 You acknowledge and agree that:
2.1.1 The Platform is a technology marketplace that facilitates introductions between Clients seeking legal services and Attorneys who provide those services.
2.1.2 The Platform does not provide legal advice.
2.1.3 The Platform does not provide legal services, whether or not such services constitute the "practice of law" as defined by any state. The Platform's activities (including generating the AI Scope Script, operating the milestone payment system, facilitating the Scoping Call, and providing document templates) are technology services and do not constitute the practice of law or the unauthorized practice of law (UPL) in any state.
2.1.4 The Platform's express disclaimer of regulated status, including confirmation that it is not a law firm, is not regulated by any bar or regulatory authority, is not a referral service, and has no attorney-client or fiduciary relationship with you, is set out in full in clause 2A. Clause 2A is a fundamental term of these Terms.
2.1.7 The Platform does not hold client trust funds and does not operate an Attorney Trust Account or IOLTA account.
2.1.8 The Platform does not conduct Know Your Customer (KYC) or Customer Due Diligence (CDD) for the purposes of the Bank Secrecy Act or FinCEN regulations. CDD is solely the Attorney's responsibility where applicable. However, the Platform may collect identity information (including photographic identification) and conduct OFAC sanctions screening and PEP screening at the point of card entry for fraud prevention and Platform integrity purposes. You consent to the Platform sharing this information with the matched Attorney to assist with the Attorney's own regulatory and ethical obligations. The Platform uses third-party verification providers for this purpose.
2.1.9 The Platform does not supervise, control, review, approve, or endorse legal work performed by Attorneys. The quality and appropriateness of legal advice is the Attorney's responsibility.
2.1.10 The Platform does not verify that an Attorney holds Malpractice Insurance adequate for your matter. The Platform may display self-reported insurance information on Attorney profiles. In states that require attorneys to disclose their insurance status to clients (including California, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Virginia, among others), the Attorney is solely responsible for making this disclosure.
2.2 The Platform's role is limited to: (a) providing a technology platform for Attorneys to list their services, (b) enabling Clients to search for and identify Attorneys, (c) facilitating initial introductions between Clients and Attorneys, (d) processing payments for Platform services through Stripe, (e) providing communication tools for Clients and Attorneys to interact, and (f) facilitating complaints and disputes between Clients and Attorneys.
2.3 The Platform is not a lawyer referral service as that term is defined by any state statute or rule. The Platform does not exercise judgment over which Attorney is appropriate for a particular Client's legal matter. The Platform provides a technology marketplace in which Clients search for and select Attorneys based on published profiles, and Attorneys accept or decline engagement based on their own professional judgment. In states that regulate lawyer referral services (including California under Bus. & Prof. Code § 6155, Texas under Government Code § 81.035, and New Jersey under RPC 7.3), the Platform's technology marketplace model is structurally distinct from a regulated referral service. If any state regulatory authority determines that the Platform's operations constitute a lawyer referral service in that state, the Platform will comply with applicable registration or certification requirements in that state.
2A. Express Disclaimer of Regulated Status
2A.1 The Platform makes the following express declarations, which you acknowledge and accept by using the Platform:
(a) The Platform is not a law firm. The Platform is not licensed to practice law in any state, territory, or jurisdiction of the United States. The Platform does not hold itself out as a law firm, attorney, legal counsel, or provider of legal services.
(b) The Platform is not regulated by any state bar association, any state supreme court, any attorney disciplinary authority, the American Bar Association, or any other legal regulatory body in any jurisdiction.
(c) The Platform is not a lawyer referral service, attorney directory service, or legal matching service as those terms are defined or regulated under any state statute, rule, or regulation, including but not limited to California Business and Professions Code section 6155, Texas Government Code section 81.035, New Jersey Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 7.3, and analogous provisions in other states.
(d) The Platform is not regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, any state department of financial services, any state insurance commission, or any other financial or consumer regulatory authority.
(e) No attorney-client relationship, fiduciary relationship, or relationship of trust and confidence exists between you and the Platform. The Platform owes you no duty of care, no duty of loyalty, no duty of confidentiality (except as set out in the Platform's Privacy Notice), and no fiduciary duty of any kind. The only relationship between you and the Platform is a contractual relationship governed by these Terms.
(f) The Platform does not give legal advice, tax advice, financial advice, investment advice, immigration advice, or professional advice of any kind. Nothing on the Platform, including Attorney profiles, search results, matching suggestions, AI Scope Scripts, Credibility Badges, case adviser communications, fee calculators, templates, guides, checklists, help center content, FAQs, or any other Platform output, constitutes or should be construed as professional advice.
(g) The Platform does not endorse, recommend, vouch for, guarantee, or certify any Attorney listed on the Platform. The Platform's verification of an Attorney's state bar registration is an administrative check only and does not constitute an endorsement of the Attorney's competence, integrity, quality, or suitability for any particular matter.
(h) The Platform does not review, supervise, approve, direct, or control the legal work performed by any Attorney. The Platform has no ability to assess the quality, accuracy, completeness, or appropriateness of any Attorney's legal advice or work product.
(i) The Platform does not guarantee any outcome of any legal matter. The outcome of legal matters depends on facts, law, and circumstances that are entirely outside the Platform's knowledge and control.
(j) The Platform is a technology company that operates an online marketplace. Its activities are limited to providing technology tools that facilitate connections between clients and independently licensed attorneys. This is the full extent of the Platform's role.
2A.2 Each of the declarations in clause 2A.1 is a fundamental term of these Terms. You expressly acknowledge that you have read, understood, and accepted each declaration before using the Platform. If you do not agree with any of these declarations, you must not use the Platform.
3. Nature of the Service
3.1 You acknowledge and agree that: (a) legal services are provided directly by the Attorney to the Client, not by the Platform; (b) the contractual relationship for legal services is solely between you and the Attorney (and/or their law firm); (c) the Attorney is solely responsible for all aspects of the legal services provided; (d) the Platform does not review, approve, or endorse any legal advice given by Attorneys; (e) the Attorney's own engagement terms (including the Client Retainer Agreement) apply to your legal matter; (f) the decision to engage an Attorney is yours; and (g) all professional and regulatory obligations owed to you (including under the Rules of Professional Conduct of the applicable state) are owed by the Attorney, not by the Platform.
3.2 The practice of law is regulated on a state-by-state basis in the United States. Each state has its own bar admission requirements, rules of professional conduct, disciplinary authority, trust account rules, and client protection mechanisms. Your Attorney is subject to the regulatory framework of each state in which they are licensed and in which they deliver legal services to you. The Platform does not supplant, modify, or override any state's regulation of the practice of law.
3B. Authorized Activities and UPL Compliance
3B.1 The Platform's activities are limited to technology services and do not constitute the practice of law. Specifically: (a) the AI Scope Script is generated by an automated system from a recorded call transcript and is an administrative summary, not legal analysis; (b) the milestone payment system is a payment facilitation technology, not a legal billing service; (c) attorney profile listings are self-reported by Attorneys and are technology-facilitated advertising, not recommendations or referrals by the Platform; (d) the Platform's dispute facilitation process is an administrative communication tool, not a form of adjudication or legal determination; (e) document templates available through the Platform are general informational materials, not personalized legal documents; and (f) the Platform's scheduling, messaging, and video call tools are communication technologies, not legal services.
3B.2 The practice of law is defined differently in each state. If any court, state bar, or regulatory authority in any state determines that any of the Platform's activities constitute the unauthorized practice of law in that state, the Platform will modify its operations in that state to the extent necessary to comply with the determination. The Platform reserves the right to suspend operations in any state where regulatory compliance cannot reasonably be achieved.
4. No Agency Relationship
4.1 Nothing in these Terms creates any agency, partnership, joint venture, or employment relationship between the Platform and any Attorney.
4.2 The Platform is not an agent of any Attorney, and no Attorney is an agent of the Platform.
PART B - USING THE PLATFORM
5. Eligibility and Registration
5.1 To use the Platform, you must: (a) be at least eighteen (18) years old or the age of majority in your state of residence, whichever is higher; (b) have the legal capacity to enter into contracts under Applicable Law; (c) be a resident of or present in the United States; (d) provide accurate information about yourself; and (e) accept these Terms.
5.2 If you are using the Platform on behalf of a business: (a) you confirm you have authority to bind that business to these Terms, (b) the business will be bound by these Terms, and (c) references to "you" include the business.
6. Your Account
6.1 You may need to create an account to use certain Platform features.
6.2 You are responsible for: (a) keeping your account details and password secure and confidential, (b) all activity that occurs under your account, and (c) notifying the Platform immediately if you suspect unauthorized access.
6.3 The Platform reserves the right to suspend or close your account if it reasonably believes it has been compromised, is being used in breach of these Terms, or is being used for any unlawful purpose.
6A. Administrative Access for Compliance and Monitoring
6A.1 You acknowledge and agree that authorised Platform administrators may access Your account portal without requiring Your login credentials (email address or password) for the purposes of: (a) regulatory compliance monitoring; (b) fraud prevention and detection; (c) investigation of complaints or disputes; (d) verification of account activity and transaction integrity; (e) responding to lawful requests from law enforcement or regulatory authorities; and (f) ensuring the safety and security of the Platform and its users.
6A.2 Administrative access under this clause is subject to the following safeguards: (a) access is limited to authorised Platform personnel who have a legitimate operational need; (b) all administrative access events are recorded in the Platform's non-deletable audit log, including the identity of the administrator, the date and time of access, and the reason for access; (c) administrators may not modify Your login credentials, payment details, or personal data except where necessary to resolve a verified security incident or comply with a lawful request; and (d) the Platform implements appropriate technical and organisational measures to prevent unauthorised or excessive use of administrative access.
6A.3 Administrative access does not extend to the content of legally privileged communications between You and Your legal professional, except where required by law or where access is necessary for the technical operation of the Platform (such as dispute resolution where You have consented to Platform review). The Platform will not use information obtained through administrative access for any purpose other than the purposes specified in this clause.
6A.4 By using the Platform, You consent to administrative access as described in this clause. This access is a standard industry practice among technology platforms and is necessary for the Platform to fulfil its obligations under applicable law, including data protection, anti-money laundering, and consumer protection legislation.
6A. Client Subscription Tiers
6A.1 The Platform offers three Client subscription tiers, each with different features, service levels, and fee rates. Tier pricing and features are published on the Platform's pricing page and may be updated with thirty (30) days' notice. All prices are in United States Dollars (USD). The tiers are: (a) Free/Explorer: no monthly charge; limited active matters; per-transaction Platform service fees at standard rates (including Connection Fee, AI Consultation Fee, Compliance Verification Fee, and Buyer Protection Fee at the rates published on the Platform); standard template downloads; 14-day dispute window; standard dispute handling. (b) Standard/Protected (paid monthly or annual subscription): increased active matters; includes free consultation credits each month; reduced Buyer Protection Fee rates; 21-day dispute window; priority dispute handling; additional template downloads; bid analytics and proposal comparison tools; AI case summary and scope version history; matter activity notifications; unlimited secure document storage; live chat support. (c) Premium/Concierge (paid monthly or annual subscription at the rate published on the Platform): unlimited active matters; includes additional free consultation credits; lowest Buyer Protection Fee rates; 30-day dispute window; priority dispute handling with faster response target; dedicated case adviser (human); attorney matching service; unlimited template downloads; document organisation and labelling; secure third-party document sharing; phone support with named adviser; dispute escalation to Director; full data portability pack.
6A.2 Your choice of subscription tier is voluntary. You may change or cancel your tier at any time. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. The Platform does not restrict your ability to engage an Attorney based on your subscription tier, except that: (a) the Free/Explorer tier limits the number of active matters; and (b) matters above a specified value threshold (as published on the Platform) are matched exclusively with attorneys on Elite or equivalent tiers, available to Premium clients only.
6A.3 Consultation credits are allocated monthly on paid tiers and do not roll over to the following month. Each credit waives one Connection Fee. Credits have no cash value and are non-transferable.
6A.4. Subscription Auto-Renewal and Cancellation
6A.4 If you subscribe to a paid tier (Standard/Protected or Premium/Concierge), your subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing period (monthly or annual, as selected at the time of purchase) unless you cancel before the renewal date. By subscribing, you authorize the Platform to charge the applicable subscription fee to your payment method on file at the beginning of each renewal period. The Platform will provide you with clear disclosure of: (a) the subscription price and billing frequency before you subscribe; (b) the fact that the subscription will renew automatically unless you cancel; (c) the cancellation procedure; and (d) the deadline by which you must cancel to avoid being charged for the next renewal period.
6A.5 You may cancel your subscription at any time through your Platform account settings or by contacting the Platform. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period; you will continue to have access to paid-tier features until the end of the period you have already paid for. The Platform does not charge cancellation fees, early termination fees, or penalties for cancellation. If you cancel, your account will revert to the Free/Explorer tier at the end of the current billing period.
6A.6 The Platform complies with the Federal Trade Commission's Negative Option Rule (16 CFR Part 425), the FTC's Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA, 15 U.S.C. § 8401 et seq.), and applicable state auto-renewal laws, including but not limited to: California's Automatic Renewal Law (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17600 et seq.), New York General Business Law § 527-A, Illinois Automatic Contract Renewal Act (815 ILCS 601), Virginia Code § 59.1-207.45 et seq., Colorado Rev. Stat. § 6-1-732, Oregon Rev. Stat. § 646A.295, and the auto-renewal disclosure and consent requirements of any other state in which you reside. Where state law requires the Platform to send a renewal reminder before charging you, the Platform will send such a reminder by email in advance of the renewal date.
6A.7 The Platform may change the price of your subscription by providing you with at least thirty (30) days' written notice before the price change takes effect. If you do not agree to the new price, you may cancel your subscription before the new price takes effect. If you do not cancel, the new price will apply from the next renewal period.
7. How the Platform Works
7.1 The Platform allows you to: (a) search for Attorneys by practice area, location, state bar admission, and other criteria; (b) view Attorney profiles, qualifications, and services; (c) view and consider Attorneys' published pricing information; (d) contact Attorneys through the Platform; and (e) request consultations.
7.2 Attorney profiles are created by the Attorneys themselves. The Platform verifies state bar registration as an administrative check but does not verify all information contained in Attorney profiles and does not assess or endorse the competence, quality, or suitability of any Attorney.
7.3 To protect both parties during the matching process: (a) your full name is not immediately disclosed to the Attorney - the Attorney initially sees only your first name and the initial of your surname (for example, "Sarah T."); (b) once the Attorney confirms willingness to act, the Platform releases your full name to the Attorney so that the Attorney can conduct a proper conflict of interest check; (c) the Scoping Call link is only activated after the Attorney has confirmed that no conflict exists; and (d) the Attorney's full identity is not disclosed to you until you have paid the Connection Fee and the Attorney has placed a card hold through the Platform. These restrictions ensure that both regulatory checks and commercial safeguards are completed in the correct sequence before full identifying information is exchanged and the call proceeds.
7A. Case Adviser, Attorney Matching, and Client Tools
The Platform provides various tools and services to help you find and work with an Attorney. None of these tools constitute legal advice.
7A.1 If you are on the Premium/Concierge tier, you have access to a dedicated case adviser. The case adviser is a Platform employee or contractor who provides administrative support, including: (a) helping you navigate the Platform's features, (b) assisting you in posting a legal project and understanding bid responses, (c) helping you understand the structure of a Milestone Proposal (but not advising on its legal adequacy), and (d) assisting with the dispute process. The case adviser does not provide legal advice or legal services of any kind, does not assess the quality of any Attorney's work, does not recommend whether you should accept or reject a Milestone Proposal, and does not advise you on the merits of a dispute. If you need legal advice about any aspect of your matter, you should speak to your Attorney or seek independent legal advice.
7A.2 If you are on the Premium/Concierge tier, the Platform offers an "attorney matching service" to help identify a suitable Attorney for your matter. The matching service uses the Platform's algorithms and, where applicable, input from Platform personnel to suggest Attorneys based on practice area, location, availability, reviews, and other factors. The matching service is a technology-assisted search, not a personal recommendation. The Platform does not assess the legal complexity of your matter or guarantee that any matched Attorney is the most suitable for your needs. You remain responsible for deciding which Attorney to engage.
7A.3 The Platform displays the matched Attorney's experience level on their profile. Where a matched Attorney has been admitted to practice for less than three (3) years, their profile shows that they are newly admitted. You are free to choose a newly admitted Attorney or to request a match with a more experienced Attorney.
7A.4 The Platform may provide the following client tools depending on your subscription tier: (a) AI case summary: a simplified, client-readable version of the AI Scope Script (this is an administrative summary and may omit legal nuance; you should rely on your Attorney's direct advice); (b) scope version history: enables you to review previous and current versions of the Milestone Proposal; (c) bid analytics: shows how many Attorneys viewed your posted project; and (d) proposal review tool: enables you to review multiple Attorneys' proposals side by side. These tools are designed to help you make informed decisions and do not constitute legal advice or a recommendation.
7A.5 The Platform provides encrypted messaging between you and your Attorney. Messages sent through the Platform are stored as Platform data in accordance with the Platform's Privacy Notice. If your Attorney needs to discuss highly confidential or privileged matters, they may suggest communicating outside the Platform's messaging system.
7A.6 The Platform may provide electronic signature functionality enabling you to sign engagement letters, compliance documents, and other documents electronically. Electronic signatures are intended to comply with the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-SIGN Act, 15 U.S.C. § 7001 et seq.) and the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) as adopted by the applicable state. For documents requiring a notarized, witnessed, or wet-ink signature under applicable state law, your Attorney will advise you to sign in a different way.
7A.7 The Platform may provide: (a) template downloads (the number available depends on your subscription tier); (b) secure document storage; (c) document expiry alerts; (d) document organization and labelling tools; (e) secure third-party document sharing (Premium tier); and (f) matter activity notifications by email and SMS. These are administrative tools and do not constitute legal advice. You are responsible for reading and understanding any document before signing it and should ask your Attorney to explain anything you do not understand.
8. Search Results and Rankings
8.1 Search results are displayed based on various factors which may include: (a) relevance to your search criteria, (b) Attorney location and coverage area, (c) Attorney ratings and reviews, (d) Attorney response times, and (e) whether the Attorney has paid for enhanced visibility.
8.1A In addition to search results, the Platform uses an automated matching algorithm to suggest Attorneys based on the following main parameters: (a) practice area and sub-category relevance, (b) jurisdictional match, (c) experience level, (d) budget compatibility, (e) verification status, and (f) client review ratings. These parameters are weighted, and Attorneys with higher composite scores appear higher in the suggestions. The algorithm does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement by the Platform.
8.2 Where an Attorney has paid for enhanced visibility or a promoted listing, this is clearly identified in the search results in accordance with applicable FTC guidelines on endorsements and testimonials (16 CFR Part 255) and state consumer protection laws. The Platform complies with the FTC's requirements regarding the disclosure of material connections.
8.3 Search results are not recommendations. The order in which Attorneys appear is not an endorsement of their quality or suitability for your matter.
8.4A Your Attorney is required to provide legal advice and legal services only in respect of the law of the jurisdiction(s) in which they are qualified and authorised to practise. If Your matter involves the law of a jurisdiction in which Your Attorney or Legal Professional is not qualified, they must inform You and facilitate a referral to an appropriately qualified legal professional.
8A. Credibility Badges
8A.1 The Platform assigns "Credibility Badges" to Attorneys. These badges (which may include the word "Verified" or similar designations) indicate: (a) that the Platform has conducted an administrative check of the Attorney's state bar registration status, and (b) the Attorney's subscription tier on the Platform. Credibility Badges do not indicate: (i) the quality or standard of the Attorney's legal services, (ii) the Attorney's level of competence, experience, or expertise, (iii) any form of endorsement or quality assurance by the Platform, any state bar, or any other body, or (iv) the likely outcome of any legal matter. You should not select an Attorney based solely on their Credibility Badge.
8A.2 Where an Attorney's profile shows a continuing education or specialization badge, this means the Attorney has self-reported continuing legal education activity or specialty certification through the Platform. It does not constitute verification of CLE compliance by any state bar or certification board. State specialty certifications (available in California, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and other states) and national board certifications (such as those from the National Board of Trial Advocacy) are awarded by the applicable certifying body, not by the Platform.
8B. Booking Requests
8B.1 Where a Attorney has no available consultation time slots, You may submit a booking request through the Platform specifying up to five (5) preferred dates, a time preference (morning, afternoon, evening, or any), and an optional message of up to 500 characters.
8B.2 A booking request expires automatically if the Attorney does not respond within seven (7) days of submission.
8B.3 You may have no more than three (3) pending booking requests per Attorney at any time.
8B.4 Submitting a booking request does not create any obligation on the Attorney to accept it or on the Platform to ensure the Attorney responds. No attorney-client relationship is created by submitting a booking request.
8B.5 If the Attorney proposes an alternative date and time, You will be notified through the Platform. If You accept the proposed time, the Initial Consultation Connection Fee becomes payable (or a consultation credit is consumed) at the point of acceptance, and a consultation is booked in accordance with clause 9A.
8B.6 You may cancel a pending or proposed booking request at any time before acceptance. No fee is charged for a cancelled booking request.
8C. Project Posting and Bidding Marketplace
8C.1 The Platform offers a project posting feature that allows You to describe Your legal need and invite Attorneys or Legal Professionals to submit competitive proposals (bids). This is an alternative to booking a consultation directly. The project posting feature is a marketplace facility only. The Platform does not provide legal advice through the project posting feature and does not assess the legal merit or accuracy of any project description.
8C.2 To post a project, You must: (a) be a registered Client with an account in good standing; (b) describe Your legal need accurately and in good faith; (c) set a budget that reflects Your genuine willingness to pay (minimum one hundred pounds (or equivalent) for fixed or range budgets, or fifteen pounds per hour for hourly rates); (d) select a relevant practice area; and (e) not include any content that is illegal, discriminatory, defamatory, or that seeks assistance with unlawful activity.
8C.3 You must not include highly sensitive personal information (such as names of parties, financial details, or confidential documents) in the project description. Project descriptions are visible to all registered Attorneys or Legal Professionals on the Platform. You should share sensitive details only through the private messaging function after shortlisting a Attorney or Legal Professional.
8C.4 The Platform automatically screens project descriptions for prohibited content including contact details, discriminatory language, and references to illegal activity. The Platform may suspend or remove any project that violates these Terms without prior notice. Posting a project does not guarantee that any Attorney or Legal Professional will submit a bid.
8C.5 Projects expire automatically after thirty (30) days if no bid is accepted. The Platform may extend or close projects at its discretion.
8C.6 When You accept a bid, a twenty-four (24) hour cooling-off period begins. During this period: (a) You may reverse Your acceptance (the bid reverts to shortlisted and the project re-opens); (b) other bids remain active and are not rejected until the cooling-off period expires; and (c) no payment is required. You may reverse Your acceptance at any time during this twenty-four (24) hour period for any reason. This bid acceptance review period is a Platform-provided right and is separate from and additional to any statutory cancellation rights You may have under consumer protection law.
8C.7 After the cooling-off period expires: (a) all other pending bids are automatically rejected; (b) You have seventy-two (72) hours to complete the escrow payment through Stripe; and (c) if payment is not made within seventy-two (72) hours, the acceptance is automatically voided and the project re-opens. Once payment is made, the accepted bid converts to an active order with milestone-based fund release on the same terms as an order arising from a Scoping Call.
8C.8 Bids do not constitute legal advice. A bid represents a proposed scope of work and fee for professional services. The Attorney or Legal Professional who submitted the bid is not Your Attorney or Legal Professional until an order is created following payment. attorney-client relationship is created by submitting, reviewing, shortlisting, or messaging about a bid.
8C.9 Bid messages exchanged between You and a Attorney or Legal Professional through the Platform form part of the engagement record. Both parties are informed that all bid messages may be reviewed by Platform administrators during dispute resolution. The Platform stores bid messages subject to the data retention periods set out in clause 65C.
8C.10 Documents attached to a project are stored in encrypted private storage with time-limited access. Attachments are accessible only to You, to Attorneys or Legal Professionals who have submitted a bid on Your project, and to Platform administrators. Attachments are subject to the Platform's data retention policy and are deleted in accordance with clause 65C.
8C.11 You must not use the project posting feature to exchange contact details with a Attorney or Legal Professional before an order is created. The Platform scans project descriptions, bids, and messages for contact information patterns. Accounts may be suspended for circumvention attempts.
PART C - YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR ATTORNEY
9. The Direct Client-Attorney Relationship
9.1 When you engage an Attorney through the Platform, you are entering into a contract directly with that Attorney (and/or their law firm). The Platform is not a party to that contract and has no liability under it.
9A. How Your Engagement Begins: Scoping Call, AI Summary, and Milestone Approval
9A.0A Before a Scoping Call can be scheduled, you must complete a pre-call information form providing: (a) your full name, email address, and telephone number, (b) the type of matter (selected from the Platform's category list), (c) a brief description of your matter (minimum 50 characters), (d) the names of any other parties involved (if known), (e) any urgency or time constraints, and (f) how you heard about the Platform. This information is provided to the matched Attorney to enable them to assess whether they can act for you and to conduct a meaningful conflict of interest check. The Platform collects this information as a technology service and does not use it to provide legal advice or make any assessment of your matter.
9A.0B An Attorney may also create and send You a quotation (scope proposal) without a prior video consultation, including via a shareable link. If You receive a quotation via a shareable link, You must sign in to the Platform and claim the quotation before it becomes binding. An accepted quotation creates an order on the same terms as one arising from a Scoping Call.
9A.1 Your engagement with an Attorney through the Platform follows these steps: (a) you pay the Connection Fee to the Platform (clause 34); (b) you select an available time slot from the Attorney's calendar on the Platform and book a Scoping Call; (c) the Scoping Call is recorded (with your consent, as described in clause 9A.3) and the Platform's AI system generates a written summary of your requirements (the "AI Scope Script"); (d) the Attorney reviews the AI Scope Script and prepares a milestone-based fee proposal for your matter (the "Milestone Proposal"); (e) you review and approve the Milestone Proposal through the Platform; and (f) once you have approved the Milestone Proposal, the Attorney issues a Client Retainer Agreement and the engagement is formed. No engagement exists and no work begins until you have approved the Milestone Proposal.
9A.1A When you book a Scoping Call, the matched Attorney has twenty-four (24) hours to accept or decline the booking through the Platform. If the Attorney does not respond within twenty-four hours, the booking is automatically declined and the Platform will offer you an alternative Attorney match. Your Connection Fee carries over to the new match at no additional cost to you. You may also request a refund of the Connection Fee if you do not wish to be re-matched.
9A.1B If You do not join the Scoping Call within ten (10) minutes of the scheduled time, You are deemed a no-show and the Initial Consultation Connection Fee is not refunded unless the no-show was caused by a technical failure attributable to the Platform. If the Attorney does not join within ten (10) minutes, You are entitled to a full refund or a re-match at no additional cost.
9A.2 The Scoping Call is your opportunity to explain your legal matter to the Attorney and for the Attorney to understand your needs. During the Scoping Call, the Attorney will assess whether they have the competence and capacity to handle your matter, identify any potential conflicts of interest pursuant to the applicable state's Rules of Professional Conduct (generally ABA Model Rules 1.7-1.10 as adopted), assess whether you may need additional support (for example, if English is not your first language or if you have a disability), and ask preliminary questions relevant to their ethical obligations. The Scoping Call does not create an attorney-client relationship. During and after the Scoping Call, until you approve a Milestone Proposal, you have the status of a potential client only. Before the Scoping Call can take place, the Attorney must complete a conflict check confirmation and a competence confirmation through the Platform. The Platform technically prevents the Scoping Call link from activating until both confirmations have been received.
9A.2A Clients who book Scoping Calls solely for the purpose of obtaining free or low-cost legal advice without any genuine intention to proceed with a paid engagement are misusing the Platform. The Platform reserves the right to restrict or terminate accounts of Clients who repeatedly book Scoping Calls without proceeding to engagement.
9A.2B The Scoping Call has a maximum duration of thirty (30) minutes, enforced automatically by the Platform. Either party may end the call earlier.
9A.2C During the Scoping Call, Your Attorney has access to AI-assisted tools including a live transcript of the conversation and suggested questions relevant to Your practice area. These tools are provided to help the Attorney or Legal Professional assess Your matter more thoroughly. You do not have access to these tools during the call.
9A.3 Both parties are notified at the start of the Scoping Call that the call is being transcribed. The Scoping Call is transcribed in real time by the Platform's AI system to generate the AI Scope Script - a written summary of your matter, key issues, and requirements. You should be aware that: (a) the AI Scope Script is generated by the Platform's technology, not by the Attorney; (b) the AI Scope Script is an administrative summary, not legal advice; (c) the AI Scope Script may contain errors or omissions - AI systems can sometimes misinterpret or fail to capture information; (d) the Attorney is required to review the AI Scope Script and correct any inaccuracies before relying on it; and (e) you have the right to refuse AI involvement in the engagement process, in which case the Attorney will prepare the scope and fee proposal without the AI Scope Script. If you wish to refuse AI involvement, inform the Platform or the Attorney before or during the Scoping Call. If you wish to refuse recording, inform the Attorney at the start of the call, in which case the Attorney will take manual notes and no AI Scope Script will be generated. Transcripts are retained for a period of thirty (30) days following the conclusion of the matter (or, if no matter proceeds, thirty (30) days from the date of the call) and are then securely deleted.
9A.3A At the conclusion of the Scoping Call, both you and the Attorney must confirm that you wish to proceed by clicking "proceed" on the Platform. Either party may instead click "decline to proceed." If you decline, you may request a re-match with a different Attorney and your Connection Fee will carry over. If the Attorney declines, the Platform will offer you an alternative match. The AI Scope Script is generated and released to the Attorney only after both parties have clicked "proceed." If either party declines, no AI Scope Script is generated and the Scoping Call transcript is deleted in accordance with the Platform's data retention policy. Once both parties have clicked "proceed": (a) You and Your Attorney or Legal Professional are committed to continuing the engagement exclusively through the Platform; (b) the Platform will share Your Attorney's or Legal Professional's full contact details (including business email, telephone number, and office address) with You for the purposes of the Client Care Letter and ongoing communication; (c) the Platform will share Your full contact details with Your Attorney or Legal Professional for the same purpose; (d) You must not use the contact details shared through this process to engage Your Attorney or Legal Professional outside the Platform for this matter; and (e) contact details are shared at this point because Your Attorney or Legal Professional is required by their regulator to include their contact information in the Client Care Letter, and You are entitled to know who is acting for You. Before both parties click "proceed", no contact details beyond those visible on the Platform profile are shared. A cooling-off period of six (6) hours applies after both parties click "proceed" and before contact details are released. During the cooling-off period, either party may withdraw without penalty by clicking "withdraw" on the Platform. If either party withdraws during the cooling-off period, no contact details are shared, no Milestone Proposal deadline applies, and You may request a re-match with a different Attorney.
9A.3B Where You have downloaded, accessed, used, or acted upon deliverables from a completed milestone (including but not limited to legal documents, advice memoranda, or draft agreements), Your dispute rights for that milestone are limited to claims relating to the quality, accuracy, or completeness of the deliverables and do not extend to a general refusal to pay for work received. The Platform may use download timestamps, access logs, and other platform data as evidence in determining whether deliverables have been accessed for the purposes of this clause.
9A.3B. Consent to AI Processing and Recording
9A.3B.1 By accepting these Terms and proceeding with a Scoping Call, you consent to the following: (a) the Scoping Call will be transcribed by the Platform; (b) the audio will be processed by the Platform's AI system in real time to generate a written transcript and summary (the AI Scope Script); (c) the AI Scope Script will be provided to your matched Attorney for the sole purpose of enabling the Attorney to prepare a legal services scope, quote, and proposal (the Milestone Proposal) for your matter; and (d) the transcript and AI Scope Script will be retained for thirty (30) days following the conclusion of the matter and then securely deleted.
9A.3B.2 Your consent under clause 9A.3B.1 is specific, informed, and freely given. You may withdraw your consent at any time by notifying the Platform in writing. If you withdraw consent before the AI Scope Script has been generated, no AI Scope Script will be produced and the recording will be deleted. If you withdraw consent after the AI Scope Script has been provided to the Attorney, the Platform will notify the Attorney that the AI Scope Script must be deleted from their records, but the Attorney may retain any independent notes they made during the Scoping Call. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.
9A.3B.3 If you do not consent to recording and AI processing, you may still proceed with the Scoping Call. In that case, inform the Platform or the Attorney before or at the start of the call. The Attorney will take manual notes and prepare the Milestone Proposal without the AI Scope Script. Your right to refuse AI processing does not affect your right to receive legal services through the Platform, and the Platform will not treat you differently if you refuse.
9A.4. Recording Consent, All-Party Consent States, and Sensitive Information
9A.4.1 The transcription of the Scoping Call is lawful under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 2511) because the Platform obtains consent from all parties to the call before recording begins. However, certain states require the consent of all parties to a communication before recording is lawful (All-Party Consent States). If you or your Attorney are located in an All-Party Consent State at the time of the Scoping Call, the Platform will: (a) display a prominent notice identifying that your state requires all-party consent; (b) require your explicit, affirmative consent to recording before the call begins (in addition to the general consent given under these Terms); and (c) provide you with the option to decline recording, in which case the Attorney will take manual notes. The All-Party Consent States as of the date of these Terms are: California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Michigan requires all-party consent for in-person recordings. The Platform monitors changes in state recording consent laws and will update its consent mechanisms accordingly.
9A.4.2 During the Scoping Call, you may share personal, financial, and legal information that is highly sensitive, including information about: (a) your health or medical conditions; (b) criminal offenses (whether committed by you, against you, or by others); (c) domestic violence, sexual offenses, or child protection concerns; (d) your race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation; (e) financial difficulties, debts, or suspected fraud; (f) immigration status; and (g) any other matter that is personal, confidential, or distressing. You should be aware that the Scoping Call is transcribed in real time by the Platform's AI system. The transcription captures everything said during the call, including sensitive information. You should consider carefully what information you share during the Scoping Call and discuss only what is necessary for the Attorney to understand your matter.
9A.4.3 Where health information is shared during the Scoping Call, the Platform processes this information as a technology service provider. The Platform is not a "covered entity" or "business associate" under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for the purposes of the Scoping Call recording. However, your Attorney may be subject to state health information privacy requirements. If your matter involves health information, your Attorney will advise you on applicable privacy protections.
9A.4.4 Your voice recording is personal data and may constitute biometric data under certain state laws. In particular: (a) if you are located in Illinois, the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA, 740 ILCS 14) may apply to voice recordings that are used for identification purposes - the Platform does not use voice recordings for identification, authentication, or any biometric purpose, and the recording is used solely for transcription and AI Scope Script generation; (b) if you are located in Texas, the Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act (Tex. Bus. & Com. Code § 503.001) may apply; and (c) if you are located in Washington, biometric provisions under RCW § 19.375 may apply. The recording is: (i) encrypted in transit and at rest using industry-standard encryption; (ii) stored on servers located within the United States; (iii) accessible only to you, your matched Attorney, the Platform's automated AI transcription system, and Platform personnel on a strictly need-to-know basis; (iv) not used for voice identification, authentication, or any biometric purpose; (v) not used for AI model training or product improvement; and (vi) permanently deleted thirty (30) days after the conclusion of your matter.
9A.4.5 If your matter involves criminal conduct, you should be aware that: (a) the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution protects you against compelled self-incrimination - the Scoping Call is voluntary and you are not compelled to speak; (b) however, voluntary statements made during the Scoping Call are recorded and may be discoverable in certain circumstances; (c) attorney-client privilege may not attach to communications made during the Scoping Call if no attorney-client relationship has been formed, and does not protect communications made for the purpose of furthering a crime or fraud (the "crime-fraud exception"); and (d) if you have concerns about the sensitivity of the information you need to share, you may wish to discuss these concerns with the Attorney before the recorded portion of the call begins, or request that recording be turned off for specific parts of the discussion.
9A.4.6 If your matter involves domestic violence, sexual offenses, child protection, or other safeguarding concerns: (a) the Platform's automated screening may flag indicators of risk and alert your Attorney; (b) this screening is a technology aid only and does not constitute a professional assessment; (c) your Attorney has professional duties to consider your safety and the safety of any children or vulnerable persons; (d) the transcript and AI Scope Script will be handled with the highest level of confidentiality; and (e) if you are in immediate danger, please contact 911 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
9A.4.9 During the generation of the AI Scope Script, the Platform's AI system automatically scans the consultation transcript for three categories of compliance concern: (a) domestic abuse indicators, (b) anti-money laundering concerns, and (c) potential conflicts of interest. This is automated detection only and does not constitute a legal assessment. Where concerns are detected, the AI Scope Script is placed in a compliance hold and the Attorney must acknowledge each concern before the AI Scope Script can be released to You. The Attorney retains sole professional judgement in all cases.
9A.5. Video Calls and Your Camera
9A.5.1 The Scoping Call is a video call. If your camera is on, the audio is streamed in real time to the Platform's transcription provider for the sole purpose of generating a text transcript. Neither the video stream nor the audio stream is recorded or stored by the Platform. The video infrastructure provider automatically deletes all call data within twenty-four (24) hours. The transcription provider does not retain the raw audio. Only the resulting text transcript is stored by the Platform, and is subject to the protections described in clauses 9A.4 and 9A.3B.
9A.5.2 You have the right to keep your camera off and participate by audio only. Your Attorney cannot require you to turn your camera on as a condition of the Scoping Call.
9A.5.3 The Platform does not use facial recognition to identify you from the video. The Platform does not analyze your facial expressions, emotions, or body language. The video stream is used only for the live consultation. The audio component is streamed in real time for transcription purposes only. No still images or facial data are extracted from the video stream for any purpose.
9A.5.4 If screen sharing is used during the call, anything visible on the shared screen may be visible to the other participant during the live call. Your Attorney should advise you before screen sharing begins. Be careful not to share screens showing personal information, other people's data, or documents unrelated to your matter.
9A.5A. Transcription Lawfulness, Data Security, and Your Legal Protections
9A.5A.1 The transcription of the Scoping Call is lawful under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 2511, the Wiretap Act) because the Platform obtains the consent of all parties to the call before recording begins. Under federal law, one-party consent is sufficient; however, certain states impose stricter requirements (see clause 9A.4.1 regarding All-Party Consent States). If you are located in an All-Party Consent State, the Platform implements enhanced consent procedures to ensure compliance with the stricter state standard. If you withdraw your consent at any point during the call, recording stops immediately. The Platform's recording system includes a technical mechanism that allows either party to pause or stop recording during the call.
9A.5A.2 The Platform has designed the Scoping Call system to protect your personal data from the outset (privacy by design). This means: (a) only the information necessary for the stated purpose (generating the AI Scope Script) is collected and processed; (b) your data is encrypted from the moment it is recorded using AES-256 encryption or equivalent; (c) access is restricted to the minimum number of people needed (you, your matched Attorney, the automated AI transcription system, and authorized Platform personnel on a strictly need-to-know basis); (d) your recording is automatically queued for deletion thirty (30) days after the conclusion of your matter; (e) you have clear rights over your data at every stage, including the right to request a copy and the right to request early deletion; and (f) the Platform conducts regular privacy and security assessments of the Scoping Call system.
9A.5A.3 The Platform uses appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect the Scoping Call recording and AI Scope Script, including: (a) encryption of your recording in transit (TLS 1.2 or higher) and at rest (AES-256 or equivalent); (b) access controls including multi-factor authentication for Platform personnel; (c) regular penetration testing and vulnerability assessments; (d) intrusion detection and monitoring systems; (e) procedures for detecting and responding to security incidents; (f) data loss prevention controls; and (g) vendor security assessments for third-party AI transcription providers. The Platform's AI transcription provider operates under a binding written agreement that requires it to: (i) process your data only as instructed by the Platform; (ii) keep your data secure using industry-standard protections; (iii) not use your data to train its AI models or for any other purpose; (iv) delete your data when the processing is complete; and (v) not pass your data to any sub-processor without the Platform's written approval and equivalent protections.
9A.5A.4 You may request a copy of your Scoping Call recording at any time during the retention period. Requests should be directed to the Platform using the contact details in clause 82. The Platform will provide the recording within thirty (30) days of your request. You may also request early deletion, which the Platform will action within thirty (30) days unless retention is required for an active dispute, legal hold, or legal obligation.
9A.5A.5 Video and audio quality depend on your internet connection and device. The Platform does not guarantee call quality. If the connection is poor, your Attorney may suggest rescheduling. Technical difficulties during the Scoping Call do not affect your rights under these Terms.
9A.5B. Automated Screening and Safety Indicators
9A.5B.1 The Platform may incorporate automated screening tools during and after the Scoping Call, including: (a) domestic violence and safety indicators (which may flag patterns consistent with coercion, control, or danger); (b) OFAC sanctions screening against your identity information; (c) PEP screening; and (d) fraud indicators. These tools are technology aids and do not constitute legal advice or a substitute for your Attorney's professional assessment. If you have concerns about domestic violence or safety, you should speak to your Attorney or contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (TTY 1-800-787-3224).
9A.5B.2 The AI Scope Script generated from the Scoping Call is an automated summary. It is not used to make any decision about you that has legal effects or similarly significant consequences. Your Attorney reviews the AI Scope Script and applies their own professional judgment before preparing the Milestone Proposal. No decision about your legal matter, your fees, or your rights is made solely by the AI system. You retain full control over whether to approve the Milestone Proposal that results from the process.
9A.5B.2A The Platform owns all intellectual property in the AI system, templates, and processes used to generate AI Scope Scripts. The content of Your AI Scope Script is licensed to You and to Your Attorney or Legal Professional for the sole purpose of the engagement. Neither You nor the Attorney or Legal Professional may commercially exploit or redistribute the AI Scope Script independently of the engagement to which it relates.
9A.8B. Cooling-Off and Cancellation After Engagement
9A.8B.1 Where you request that your Attorney begins work promptly after you approve the Milestone Proposal, you acknowledge that: (a) you are requesting that services begin without delay; (b) once services have been provided, you remain liable to pay for work already performed even if you subsequently cancel the engagement; and (c) your right to cancel does not affect your Attorney's right to reasonable compensation for services already rendered. The Platform records the timestamp of your approval for audit purposes.
9A.8B.2 If your matter involves a court-imposed deadline, a statute of limitations, or another time-critical obligation, your Attorney may advise you that delay could prejudice your legal position. In such circumstances, prompt engagement and approval of the Milestone Proposal is in your interest, and the Platform will facilitate an expedited workflow.
9A.6. The Milestone Proposal
9A.7 If the actual or estimated cost of your matter is likely to exceed the approved Milestone Proposal by more than fifteen percent (15%), your Attorney must notify you through the Platform before incurring the additional cost and must submit a revised Milestone Proposal for your approval. You are not obligated to approve a revised Milestone Proposal. If you do not approve the revision, your Attorney must either complete the work within the original budget or discuss options with you, which may include narrowing the scope or terminating the engagement.
9A.6.1 After the Scoping Call, the Attorney has twenty-four (24) hours to prepare and submit through the Platform a Milestone Proposal. If the Attorney does not submit a Milestone Proposal within twenty-four hours, the matter is offered to an alternative Attorney and you are notified through the Platform. Your Connection Fee carries over to the new match. The Milestone Proposal must set out: (a) each stage or phase of your matter; (b) the work to be done at each stage; (c) the fee for each stage (whether fixed, capped, estimated, hourly, contingency, or other arrangement, with a realistic range where appropriate); (d) likely additional costs (Disbursements) at each stage; (e) applicable taxes; (f) circumstances in which fees may change; and (g) the estimated total cost for the matter as a whole. The Milestone Proposal is the Attorney's own professional fee proposal, prepared using the Attorney's professional judgment. It is not an AI-generated document.
9A.6.1A Your Attorney may propose any of the following fee arrangements through the Milestone Proposal. All arrangements operate within the Platform's three-line Stripe payment architecture, which means your Legal Fees and Disbursements flow directly to your Attorney (the Platform receives nothing from these payments) and the Platform's own fee is charged separately: (a) fixed fee - a single agreed price for the whole matter or for each stage; (b) staged or phased fee - the matter is broken into phases, each with its own fee; (c) capped fee - a maximum fee is agreed and you pay the actual amount incurred up to the cap; (d) hourly rate - estimated hours multiplied by the agreed rate, with scope change approval required if hours will exceed the estimate; (e) replenishing retainer - an upfront deposit held by Stripe, drawn down as work is performed, with top-up requests when the balance is low; (f) non-refundable earned-on-receipt retainer - a flat fee that is earned by the Attorney immediately (your Attorney must explain this clearly before you approve); (g) contingency fee - you pay no Legal Fees unless your case succeeds, and the fee is a percentage of your recovery (typically 33-40 per cent); (h) transaction-based fee - fees tied to deal stages (signing, closing, completion); (i) success or completion fee - standard fees for ongoing work plus an additional fee payable only on a defined outcome; (j) per-session fee - each mediation session, arbitration hearing day, or collaborative session is billed separately; (k) value-based fee - the fee is linked to the value delivered (such as tax saved), with the final amount adjusted once the outcome is known; (l) payment plan - the total fee is agreed upfront but collected in instalments through Stripe; (m) expenses advanced by attorney - in contingency cases, your Attorney advances all costs during the case and recovers them from your share of the recovery; (n) hybrid arrangement - a reduced hourly rate for ongoing work combined with a success fee on outcome; (o) blended rate - a single hourly rate for the whole team; (p) annual incident response retainer - an annual prepaid fee for data breach readiness; (q) agent commission - for sports or entertainment matters, the fee is a percentage of the deal value; (r) donor or foundation-funded - a nonprofit or legal defence fund pays the Attorney and you pay nothing; (s) court-appointed - the court sets the fee and payment comes from government funds; (t) pro bono - the Attorney provides services free of charge; and (u) Legal Aid - publicly funded matters where payment flows from the government directly to the Attorney. Your Attorney must explain in the Milestone Proposal how the chosen fee arrangement works with the Platform's payment mechanism.
9A.6.1B Your Attorney may also offer volume-based or portfolio pricing: if you instruct the same Attorney on multiple matters, a discounted rate structure may apply across all your matters, with each matter having its own milestone at the agreed portfolio rate.
9A.6.2 You must approve the Milestone Proposal through the Platform before the Attorney begins work. Approving the Milestone Proposal means: (a) you agree to the proposed scope and fees; (b) the Attorney may issue a Client Retainer Agreement and form the engagement; (c) payments will be structured according to the approved milestones; and (d) you will be asked to pay for each milestone as it is reached (clause 38). If you do not agree with the Milestone Proposal, you may: (a) ask the Attorney to revise it; (b) decline and engage a different Attorney; or (c) leave the Platform. You are under no obligation to approve the Milestone Proposal.
9A.6.3 Cost transparency on referral: before consenting to a referral to another Attorney, the Platform displays (a) your current costs with the existing Attorney (fees already paid and committed milestones), (b) the proposed costs with the referred Attorney (from their Milestone Proposal), and (c) an estimated combined total. You may approve or decline the referral based on the combined cost information.
9A.7A If the scope of your matter changes after you have approved the Milestone Proposal (for example, new issues arise, or the matter becomes more complex), the Attorney must prepare a revised Milestone Proposal and obtain your approval before incurring additional fees. The revised Milestone Proposal is submitted through the Platform using a scope change form that displays the original scope and costs alongside the proposed revised scope and costs, enabling you to review both versions. The Platform does not permit the Attorney to commence work on the changed scope until you have approved the revised Milestone Proposal through the Platform. The Attorney must not charge you more than the approved amount for any milestone without your prior consent.
9A.8 The Platform's role in the engagement process is limited to: (a) providing the scheduling technology for you to book the Scoping Call; (b) recording the call and generating the AI Scope Script; (c) transmitting the Milestone Proposal to you for approval; (d) recording your approval or rejection; and (e) processing milestone-based payments through Stripe. The Platform does not: (a) provide legal advice; (b) assess the accuracy of the AI Scope Script; (c) review or approve the Attorney's Milestone Proposal; (d) determine whether the Milestone Proposal represents good value; or (e) have any responsibility for the Attorney's professional assessment of your matter. During the Scoping Call, the Platform provides an on-screen checklist to assist the Attorney in covering key topics, which may include: the work to be included and excluded, your instructions, fees and timescales, who will carry out the work, the complaints procedure, and your responsibilities. This checklist is a Platform-provided convenience tool only.
9A.9. AI Features Are Not Legal Advice - Your Attorney Must Review Everything
9A.9.1 The Platform uses AI technology to generate transcripts, summaries, and scope scripts from Scoping Calls, and may provide other AI-generated outputs including case summaries, suggested pricing, and matter classifications. None of these AI outputs constitute legal advice. They are technology-generated administrative tools only. AI can make mistakes, including generating inaccurate information, fabricating legal citations, and omitting important details.
9A.9.2 Your Attorney is required by these Terms and by the Rules of Professional Conduct to conduct a thorough, independent expert review of every AI-generated output before relying on it, using it in your matter, or providing it to you. Your Attorney must verify the accuracy of all AI outputs against authoritative legal sources and must apply their own professional judgment to your specific circumstances. If your Attorney provides you with advice, documents, or work product that was prepared with AI assistance, your Attorney is professionally responsible for that work as though they had produced it entirely without AI - your Attorney cannot blame the AI for errors.
9A.9.3 The Platform accepts no liability for any loss you suffer as a result of (a) AI-generated outputs containing errors, omissions, or inaccuracies, (b) your Attorney failing to review AI outputs properly before using them, or (c) your Attorney providing you with advice or documents based on AI outputs that your Attorney did not adequately verify. If you believe your Attorney has relied on AI outputs without conducting a proper professional review, you may raise a complaint through the Attorney's complaints procedure, the applicable state bar disciplinary authority, or pursue a malpractice claim.
9A.9.4 The Platform accepts no liability for any failure, interruption, or degradation of the Scoping Call recording or AI transcription process, including (a) technical failures in the recording infrastructure (such as audio quality issues, dropped connections, bandwidth limitations, or server outages), (b) partial or incomplete recordings caused by network interruptions, device malfunctions, or environmental factors (such as background noise, poor microphone quality, or multiple speakers talking simultaneously), (c) the AI system failing to generate an AI Scope Script at all (in which case the Attorney will proceed using manual notes taken during the call), or (d) delays in the generation or delivery of the AI Scope Script. The recording and AI transcription service is provided on an "as available" basis and the Platform does not guarantee uninterrupted, error-free, or complete recording or transcription of any Scoping Call. Where a recording or transcription failure occurs, your Attorney retains professional responsibility for ensuring that your matter is properly scoped and that the Milestone Proposal accurately reflects the work to be done, whether or not an AI Scope Script was successfully generated.
9A.9.5 The quality, completeness, and accuracy of the AI Scope Script depend in part on the quality, completeness, and clarity of the information you provide during the Scoping Call. You acknowledge that the AI system processes the audio of the Scoping Call in real time for transcription and that: (a) if you speak unclearly, use ambiguous language, provide incomplete information, or fail to mention material facts during the call, the AI Scope Script may not accurately reflect your matter; (b) if there is a language barrier, a strong accent, significant background noise, or poor audio quality on your end, the AI transcription may be less accurate; (c) the AI system cannot capture information that you do not provide during the call, and any matter, fact, or concern that you do not raise during the Scoping Call may not appear in the AI Scope Script; and (d) it is your responsibility to review the AI Scope Script (or the Milestone Proposal derived from it) and to raise with your Attorney any errors, omissions, or matters that were not captured. The Platform accepts no liability for any inaccuracy in the AI Scope Script that results from the quality, completeness, or clarity of the information you provided during the Scoping Call.
9A.8A Where your matter is genuinely urgent (for example, a court deadline, a statute of limitations approaching, a temporary restraining order application, an emergency protective order, or a time-sensitive transaction), your Attorney may confirm urgency and begin limited preliminary work before you have approved the full Milestone Proposal. In such circumstances: (a) the Platform will notify you that your Attorney has confirmed urgency and will begin limited preliminary work; (b) your Attorney must still submit the full Milestone Proposal to you within 48 hours; (c) you must still approve the Milestone Proposal before your Attorney can mark any milestone as complete or request payment; and (d) your rights under these Terms (including any applicable cancellation rights and your right to complain) are not affected.
9B. Attorney Practice Models and What They Mean for You
9B.1 Attorneys listed on the Platform practice in a variety of structures. The legal risks, insurance implications, and liability exposure differ depending on your Attorney's practice model. You should be aware of the following:
(a) Solo practitioner. A solo practitioner operates independently without partners or associates. Your engagement is with the individual attorney personally. If the solo practitioner becomes incapacitated, dies, or is disciplined, there may be no other attorney at the firm to continue your matter. Solo practitioners are not required to carry malpractice insurance in any state except Oregon, and in practice many do not. You should ask a solo practitioner whether they carry malpractice insurance, whether they have a succession plan for client matters in the event of incapacity, and whether they maintain adequate trust account arrangements for client funds.
(b) Law firm (partnership, LLP, professional corporation, PLLC). When your Attorney is a member or employee of a law firm, your engagement may be with the firm rather than the individual attorney. The firm's partners or shareholders may bear joint or vicarious liability for the work of firm attorneys, depending on the firm's structure and the applicable state's entity liability rules. An LLP (limited liability partnership) limits each partner's personal liability for the acts of other partners in most states. A professional corporation or PLLC may limit entity liability but generally does not shield the individual attorney from liability for their own malpractice. Law firms are more likely to carry malpractice insurance and to have succession arrangements, but this is not guaranteed.
(c) Of Counsel. An "Of Counsel" attorney has a close, continuing relationship with a law firm but is not a partner, associate, or shareholder. The Of Counsel relationship creates potential imputed conflicts of interest (under ABA Model Rule 1.10 as adopted): conflicts of the Of Counsel attorney may be imputed to the firm, and vice versa. Your engagement may be with the Of Counsel attorney individually or with the firm, depending on the terms of the engagement letter. You must clarify whether you are engaging the Of Counsel attorney or the firm, and who bears responsibility if something goes wrong.
(d) Contract, freelance, or temporary attorney. Some attorneys work on a contract or freelance basis, either independently or through staffing agencies. A contract attorney may perform work on your matter under the supervision of your primary attorney. Under ABA Model Rule 5.3 (as adopted), your primary attorney is responsible for ensuring that the work of any non-lawyer or supervised lawyer complies with the Rules of Professional Conduct. If your Attorney uses contract attorneys on your matter, they must inform you and you must confirm that: (i) the contract attorney is licensed and in good standing; (ii) the contract attorney is bound by confidentiality obligations; and (iii) your primary attorney is supervising the contract attorney's work and takes responsibility for it.
(e) Virtual or remote practice. Some attorneys practice entirely remotely, with no physical office in any particular state. This is permitted in most states, but raises questions about: (i) which state's rules apply (clause 14F); (ii) whether the attorney has a physical address for service of process; (iii) whether trust account and IOLTA rules are satisfied (some states require trust accounts to be maintained at banks within the state); and (iv) compliance with court appearance requirements (some courts require physical presence for certain hearings). If your Attorney practices remotely, you must confirm that they are compliant with the trust account and practice rules of the Delivery State.
(f) In-house counsel or corporate legal department. If you are a corporate client and your organization has in-house counsel, those in-house attorneys are regulated by the state bar(s) in which they are admitted. In-house counsel may practice law on behalf of their own employer but generally may not represent external clients. If your organization engages an external Attorney through the Platform, that Attorney is independently regulated and is not under the direction of your in-house legal team for regulatory purposes (clause 81, Authorized Representatives).
9B.1A Your Attorney's malpractice insurance varies by practice model: (a) Solo practitioners are not required to carry insurance in any state except Oregon, and many do not - ask before you instruct. (b) Law Firms are more likely to carry insurance, but it is not guaranteed. (c) Of Counsel attorneys may be covered by the firm's policy or may carry their own - ask which. (d) Contract attorneys should be covered under the supervising attorney's policy or carry their own. (e) Pro hac vice attorneys should have home-state insurance covering the host-state matter. (f) Virtual attorneys must carry insurance covering all states where they deliver services. Your Attorney is required to disclose their insurance status before the engagement begins. If they do not, ask.
9B.1B Approximately twenty states require attorneys to disclose whether they carry malpractice insurance. These states include (among others) California, Ohio, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, South Dakota, Virginia, Alaska, and Massachusetts. The disclosure may be required on the attorney's letterhead, in the engagement letter, on the state bar's public directory, or at the time of engagement. Even in states that do not mandate disclosure, the Platform encourages all Attorneys to disclose their insurance status and you have the right to ask. If your Attorney does not volunteer this information, ask before you instruct them.
9B.2 Regardless of your Attorney's practice model, the following protections apply to you in every case:
(a) Your Attorney owes you the same duties of competence (Rule 1.1), diligence (Rule 1.3), communication (Rule 1.4), confidentiality (Rule 1.6), and loyalty (Rules 1.7-1.10) regardless of whether they are a solo practitioner, a law firm partner, Of Counsel, a contract attorney, or practising remotely.
(b) The Platform's Milestone Proposal process (clause 9A.6), Held Funds mechanism (clause 38), and dispute resolution process (clause 39) operate identically regardless of the Attorney's practice model.
(c) You have the same right to file a disciplinary complaint (clause 56), seek fee arbitration (clause 46), claim from the Client Protection Fund (clause 12D), and pursue a malpractice action regardless of the Attorney's practice structure.
(d) The Platform does not differentiate its services, fees, or protections based on the Attorney's practice model. A solo practitioner and a large law firm are subject to the same Platform terms.
9B.3 The Platform displays the Attorney's self-reported practice structure on their profile (solo, firm, Of Counsel, or other). The Platform does not verify the accuracy of this self-reported information and does not guarantee the financial stability, insurance status, or continuity of any Attorney or law firm.
9C. Engagement Models and Limited Scope Representation
9C.1 Attorneys on the Platform may offer different engagement models. You should understand the legal implications of each:
(a) Full-scope representation. The Attorney handles all aspects of your matter from beginning to end. This is the traditional model and provides the broadest protection. The Attorney is responsible for all work on the matter.
(b) Limited scope representation (unbundled legal services). The Attorney handles only a defined portion of your matter (for example, drafting a contract but not negotiating it, or preparing court filings but not attending the hearing). Limited scope representation is permitted in most states under ABA Model Rule 1.2(c) as adopted, which allows an attorney to limit the scope of the representation if the limitation is reasonable under the circumstances and the client gives informed consent. You must clearly understand which tasks the Attorney will handle and which tasks remain your responsibility. The Milestone Proposal (clause 9A.6) will specify the scope, and any tasks outside the agreed scope are not covered by the engagement. Some courts require attorneys providing limited scope representation to file specific notices with the court.
9C.2 Regardless of the engagement model, the Platform's protections (including the Milestone Proposal, Held Funds mechanism, dispute resolution, and complaint routes) apply. However, limited scope and task-based engagements carry specific risks you should be aware of: (a) gaps in coverage - tasks outside the agreed scope are your responsibility; if you assume the Attorney is handling something that falls outside the agreed scope, you may miss deadlines or fail to take necessary action; (b) court requirements - some courts require specific disclosures when an attorney provides limited scope representation, and some judges are reluctant to permit it; and (c) malpractice implications - disputes may arise about whether a task was within or outside the agreed scope. The Milestone Proposal is designed to minimise these risks by clearly defining the scope in writing before work begins.
9C.3 If your Attorney offers collaborative law services, this is a form of dispute resolution in which both parties and their attorneys agree in advance to work cooperatively towards a settlement without going to court. You should be aware that: (a) you and your Attorney must sign a collaborative law participation agreement before the process begins; (b) if the collaborative process fails and your matter proceeds to litigation, your collaborative Attorney is required to withdraw and you will need to instruct a new attorney for the litigation - this is a legal requirement in most states that have adopted the Uniform Collaborative Law Act; (c) the cost of instructing a new attorney for litigation is your responsibility and is not covered by the Platform; and (d) your Attorney must explain these consequences to you in writing before you agree to the collaborative process:
(c) Task-based or discrete task engagement. This model is structured around individual tasks (for example, a single document review, a one-time consultation, or a specific filing). Each task may be a separate engagement with its own Milestone Proposal. You are not committed to further engagement after the task is completed.
(d) Subscription or retainer-based representation. Some Attorneys offer ongoing access for a fixed monthly or periodic fee. Under this model, the retainer fee covers a defined scope of services (for example, up to a certain number of consultations per month or ongoing advisory services in a specific area). Work outside the defined scope is billed separately. The retainer arrangement will be set out in the Client Retainer Agreement.
This section explains the steps you will go through before an attorney starts work on your matter. The process is designed to ensure you receive clear fee information and have the opportunity to approve the scope and price before any work begins, consistent with the duty of communication under ABA Model Rule 1.4 and fee requirements under ABA Model Rule 1.5 (as adopted by the applicable state).
9D. Your Rights Before Your Attorney Begins Work
9D.1 Before your engagement begins, your Attorney is required by the Rules of Professional Conduct to:
(a) Complete a conflict of interest check before accepting your matter. Your Attorney must check whether representing you would create a conflict with any current or former client. The Platform provides your name and adverse party information to facilitate this check, but your Attorney is independently responsible for conducting a thorough conflict search. If a conflict exists, your Attorney must either decline the engagement or, if the conflict is waivable, obtain your informed written consent before proceeding. Informed consent means your Attorney must explain the nature of the conflict, the risks of proceeding despite the conflict, and the alternatives available to you, and you must agree in writing.
(b) Communicate the fee basis to you before or within a reasonable time after commencing work. Your Attorney must explain how fees will be calculated (hourly, flat, contingency, or other), the likely total cost, what expenses you will be responsible for, and how billing will work. The Platform's Milestone Proposal process is designed to satisfy this requirement in all states.
(c) If you are engaging your Attorney for limited scope (unbundled) representation, your Attorney must obtain your informed consent to the limitation. This means your Attorney must clearly explain what tasks they will handle and what tasks remain your responsibility.
9E. Your Rights During the Engagement
9E.1 During the engagement, your Attorney is required by the Rules of Professional Conduct to provide you with the following protections. These are your rights in every state:
(a) Communication: your Attorney must keep you reasonably informed about the status of your matter, promptly respond to your reasonable requests for information, and explain matters to the extent reasonably necessary for you to make informed decisions about the representation. If you send a message through the Platform and your Attorney does not respond within a reasonable time, you may contact the Platform for assistance.
(b) Trust account protection: your Attorney must hold your funds (retainer deposits, settlement proceeds, funds for Disbursements) in a separate client trust account that is never commingled with the Attorney's personal or business funds. You are entitled to a full accounting of all funds held on your behalf upon request. Your Attorney must promptly deliver to you any funds to which you are entitled.
(c) No conflicts of interest: your Attorney must not represent another client whose interests are directly adverse to yours, or where there is a significant risk that the representation of another client will materially limit the representation of you, unless you give informed written consent.
(d) Business transactions: your Attorney must not enter into a business transaction with you (other than the legal engagement itself) unless the terms are fair and reasonable, fully disclosed to you in writing, you are advised to seek independent legal advice, and you consent in writing (Rule 1.8(a)).
(e) Gifts: your Attorney must not solicit a substantial gift from you (including a bequest in a will) and must not prepare a legal instrument giving the Attorney or the Attorney's family a substantial gift from you, unless you are related to the Attorney (Rule 1.8(c)).
(f) Third-party payors: if someone other than you is paying your Attorney's fees (an employer, insurer, family member, or litigation funder), your Attorney must ensure that the third party does not interfere with the Attorney's independent professional judgment or the attorney-client relationship (Rule 1.8(f)).
(g) Second opinion: you have the right to seek a second opinion from another attorney at any time during the engagement. Your Attorney must not discourage you from doing so.
9F. Fee Reasonableness: What You Are Entitled To
9F.1 Your Attorney's fees must be reasonable. Under ABA Model Rule 1.5(a) as adopted in all states, the factors for determining reasonableness include: (a) the time and labor required, the novelty and difficulty of the questions involved, and the skill requisite to perform the legal service properly; (b) the likelihood that accepting the engagement will preclude other employment by the Attorney; (c) the fee customarily charged in the locality for similar legal services; (d) the amount involved and the results obtained; (e) time limitations imposed by the client or circumstances; (f) the nature and length of the professional relationship with the client; (g) the experience, reputation, and ability of the Attorney; and (h) whether the fee is fixed or contingent.
9F.2 If you believe your Attorney's fees are unreasonable, you may: (a) raise a dispute through the Platform's dispute resolution process (clause 39); (b) request fee arbitration through the applicable state bar programme (clause 46); or (c) file a civil claim. The Platform's Milestone Proposal process is designed to establish fee expectations upfront, but the reasonableness standard applies regardless of what was agreed in the Milestone Proposal.
9G. Your Rights When the Engagement Ends
9G.1 You may terminate the engagement with your Attorney at any time, for any reason or no reason. You do not need the Attorney's permission or the Platform's permission. Upon termination, your Attorney must:
(a) Give you reasonable notice if the Attorney is the one withdrawing. Your Attorney may not simply abandon your matter. The Attorney must give you sufficient time to engage replacement counsel, and must take reasonable steps to protect your interests during the transition (Rule 1.16(d)).
(b) Return all papers and property to which you are entitled. This includes documents you provided to the Attorney, documents the Attorney prepared for you (pleadings, contracts, correspondence), and your file. In most states, the Attorney must return the file even if you have not paid all fees. Some states allow the Attorney to retain a copy for their records.
(c) Refund any unearned fees. If you paid a retainer or advance payment and the Attorney has not yet earned the full amount, the unearned portion must be refunded to you promptly. The Platform's Held Funds mechanism protects you by not releasing milestone payments until you confirm the work is satisfactory.
(d) Return all client funds held in trust. Any funds the Attorney holds in their trust account on your behalf (Disbursement advances, settlement proceeds, unearned retainer) must be returned to you promptly upon termination.
(e) Provide a final accounting. Your Attorney must provide a final bill showing all fees earned, Disbursements incurred, payments received, and any balance due to you or from you.
(f) Inform you of your complaint rights. Your Attorney must tell you how to file a complaint with the state bar if you are dissatisfied (see clause 57A for the state-by-state complaint directory).
9H. Protection After the Engagement Ends
9H.1 Even after your engagement ends, your Attorney continues to owe you the following duties:
(a) Confidentiality: your Attorney's duty to keep your information confidential continues indefinitely after the engagement ends. Your Attorney must not reveal information about your matter to anyone, except as permitted by Rule 1.6.
(b) Former client protection (Rule 1.9): your Attorney must not subsequently represent another person in the same or a substantially related matter if that person's interests are materially adverse to yours, unless you give informed written consent. This protects you from your former Attorney using knowledge gained during your representation against you.
(c) File retention: your Attorney must retain your file for the period required by the applicable state bar (typically five to seven years). You may request your file at any time during the retention period.
(d) Interest on trust deposits: if your Attorney held a large sum in trust on your behalf, any interest earned on that deposit (above the IOLTA threshold) belongs to you, not to your Attorney.
9I. Your Attorney's Duty of Openness and Honesty
9I.1 Every Attorney on the Platform is bound by an Open and Honest Practice Policy (set out in the Attorney Terms) and by the Rules of Professional Conduct. Your Attorney must:
(a) Be honest and candid with you at all times and never deceive or mislead you about any material fact.
(b) Be transparent about fees - clearly disclose costs, provide accurate estimates, and notify you promptly if costs are likely to exceed the Milestone Proposal.
(c) Give you a candid assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of your matter, including an honest evaluation of your prospects of success. Your Attorney must not overstate the likelihood of a favourable outcome to secure your engagement.
(d) Keep you honestly informed about progress, including setbacks, delays, and developments that may affect the outcome or cost.
(e) Notify you promptly of any material development - settlement offers, court decisions, deadline changes, new information, or any change in the Attorney's assessment of your matter.
(f) Correct errors promptly. If your Attorney discovers they gave you incorrect information or made an error, they must tell you rather than try to conceal it.
(g) Not misrepresent their qualifications, experience, or track record.
(h) Disclose all conflicts and potential conflicts that could affect their loyalty or judgment.
(i) Not withhold information you need to make informed decisions about your matter.
9I.2 If you believe your Attorney has breached this duty of openness and honesty, you may: (a) raise a complaint through the Platform; (b) file a complaint with the state bar disciplinary authority (see clause 57A); or (c) pursue a malpractice or breach of fiduciary duty claim.
9J.1 You have the right to seek a second opinion from another attorney at any time. Your Attorney must not discourage you from doing so. Seeking a second opinion does not terminate your engagement with your current Attorney unless you choose to do so. If you wish to change attorneys, your current Attorney must cooperate in the transfer of your file (ABA Model Rule 1.16(d)).
10. Types of Legal Professionals
10.1 The Platform includes various types of legal professionals: (a) Attorneys admitted to practice in one or more states, who may practice through law firms, as solo practitioners, as Of Counsel, or in other lawful practice structures; (b) Attorneys practicing in multi-jurisdictional practices; (c) Attorneys admitted pro hac vice for specific matters; (d) Attorneys at Am Law and other large firms; and (e) in states that permit it, limited license legal technicians, legal document preparers, or similar licensed paraprofessionals for certain defined services.
10.2 Each type of legal professional has different regulatory status, practice rights, and protections available to you. Your Attorney is required by the Rules of Professional Conduct of their state to tell you about their regulatory status, what protections are available to you (including the applicable Client Protection Fund, where applicable), and any limitations on their practice rights.
11. What to Expect from Your Attorney
11.1 Your Attorney is required by the Rules of Professional Conduct of the state(s) in which they practice to: (a) provide competent representation (generally ABA Model Rule 1.1 as adopted); (b) act with reasonable diligence and promptness (Rule 1.3); (c) keep you reasonably informed and promptly comply with reasonable requests for information (Rule 1.4); (d) maintain confidentiality of information relating to your representation (Rule 1.6); (e) avoid conflicts of interest (Rules 1.7-1.10); (f) safeguard your property, including funds held in trust (Rule 1.15); (g) charge only reasonable fees and communicate the basis of the fee in writing where required (Rule 1.5); (h) not make false or misleading communications about their services (Rule 7.1); and (i) comply with all other applicable Rules of Professional Conduct.
11B. Criminal Defense Matters
If you are accused of a crime or need an attorney in connection with a criminal investigation, there are special rules.
11B.1 Criminal defense work (including police station representation, arraignment, bail hearings, grand jury matters, trial, sentencing, and appeals) is available through the Platform. If you need an attorney urgently in connection with a criminal arrest or investigation, the Platform may connect you directly with an available attorney without the standard Scoping Call process.
11B.2 Under the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, you have the right to the assistance of counsel in criminal proceedings. If you cannot afford an attorney, you have the right to a court-appointed attorney (public defender). You do not need to pay Platform service fees for criminal representation provided by a public defender or court-appointed counsel.
11B.3 Be aware that during a Scoping Call involving a criminal matter: (a) you may inadvertently make self-incriminating statements; (b) the call is transcribed unless you request otherwise; (c) attorney-client privilege may not protect pre-engagement communications; and (d) the Fifth Amendment protects you against compelled self-incrimination but does not prevent voluntary statements from being recorded. Ask your Attorney before the recorded portion if you have concerns about what is safe to say.
11C. Emergency and Urgent Matters
11C.1 Some matters require immediate action and cannot wait for the standard Scoping Call process. These include: (a) emergency protective orders and temporary restraining orders; (b) emergency child custody orders; (c) habeas corpus petitions; (d) emergency bail applications; (e) applications for temporary injunctions; (f) child abduction matters; (g) immigration detention matters requiring urgent representation; and (h) matters with imminent court deadlines or statute of limitations deadlines. The Platform may facilitate an expedited connection in these circumstances.
11D. If the Other Side Also Uses the Platform
11D.1 In disputes (such as family cases, commercial disagreements, or litigation), the other party may also use the Platform. The Platform takes reasonable steps to prevent the same Attorney from being matched with both sides. However, your Attorney is independently responsible for conducting conflict of interest checks under the applicable Rules of Professional Conduct. If a conflict is identified, the Attorney must decline or withdraw from the engagement.
12. What Your Attorney Must Tell You
12.1 Your Attorney is personally subject to the Rules of Professional Conduct of the state(s) in which they practice, even though the Platform itself is not regulated by any state bar. Before work begins, your Attorney is required to provide you with: (a) a Client Retainer Agreement setting out the terms of the engagement; (b) clear information about fees and costs (the basis of charging and best possible information about overall costs); (c) information about their state bar admission(s) and any limitations on their practice; (d) their complaints procedure and the applicable disciplinary authority; (e) whether they carry Malpractice Insurance (in states where disclosure is required); (f) the availability of the applicable state's Client Protection Fund; (g) any referral fee or fee-sharing arrangement in connection with the Platform (where required by the applicable Rules of Professional Conduct); (h) how your data will be used; (i) their cancellation policy; and (j) any conditions on their license or limitations on their practice.
12A. Referral to an Attorney in Another Jurisdiction
12A.1 Where a referral involves an Attorney who is admitted in a jurisdiction other than the Delivery State, the Platform informs you before you consent: (a) the referred Attorney's state bar admission(s) (which may be different from your home state); (b) that the referred Attorney's regulatory framework and complaints procedure may differ; (c) the applicable complaint route for each Attorney on the matter; and (d) that you will have a separate engagement with each Attorney.
12B. Malpractice Insurance: State-by-State Requirements
12B.1 The United States does not have a uniform national requirement for attorneys to carry malpractice insurance (also known as professional liability insurance or errors and omissions insurance). The requirements vary by state as follows:
12B.2 The Platform encourages all Attorneys to carry adequate malpractice insurance and to disclose their insurance status on their Platform profiles. The Platform may display self-reported insurance information on Attorney profiles. However, the Platform does not verify insurance coverage, does not require Attorneys to carry insurance as a condition of listing on the Platform, and does not guarantee that any Attorney's insurance is adequate for your matter. You should ask your Attorney about their malpractice insurance before engaging them, regardless of what is displayed on their profile.
12C. Written Fee Agreement Requirements
12C.1 The requirement for a written fee agreement varies by state:
12C.2 The Platform's Milestone Proposal process (clause 9A.6) requires your Attorney to set out the fee basis in writing through the Platform before work begins. This process is designed to meet or exceed the written fee agreement requirements of all states, regardless of whether the applicable state mandates a written agreement for your particular type of matter.
12D. Client Protection Fund: Caps and Claim Procedures
12D.1 Every state and the District of Columbia maintains a Client Protection Fund (or equivalent) to reimburse clients who have suffered financial losses due to the dishonest conduct of attorneys. However, these funds differ significantly:
12D.2 If you believe your Attorney has engaged in dishonest conduct that caused you financial loss, you may: (a) file a disciplinary complaint with the applicable state bar disciplinary authority (identified in the applicable state clause, clauses 85-135); (b) inquire about the Client Protection Fund for your Attorney's state of admission (identified in the applicable state clause, clauses 85-135); and (c) consider whether you have a civil claim for conversion, breach of fiduciary duty, or legal malpractice. The Platform will provide you with contact details for the applicable Client Protection Fund upon request.
12E. Contingency Fee Caps by State
12E.1 While contingency fees are permitted in most types of civil matters in all states, several states impose caps on contingency fee percentages, particularly in medical malpractice and personal injury cases:
12E.2 If your matter is handled on a contingency fee basis, your Attorney must comply with the specific contingency fee requirements and any applicable caps of the Delivery State. Your Attorney must explain the fee structure and any caps before you sign the contingency fee agreement.
12F. Practice-Specific Licensing Requirements
12F.1 Certain types of legal work require additional licensing or admission beyond a state bar license:
12G. Attorney Reporting Obligations
12G.1 Your Attorney is subject to mandatory reporting obligations under the Rules of Professional Conduct that may affect your engagement:
12G.2 These reporting obligations exist by operation of law and the Rules of Professional Conduct. They cannot be waived by agreement between you and your Attorney, and they cannot be overridden by these Terms.
13. Verifying Your Attorney's Credentials
13.1 You have the right to verify any Attorney's credentials independently. You can: (a) check an Attorney's bar status on the applicable state bar's online directory (identified in the applicable state clause (clauses 852013135)); (b) check for any disciplinary history; (c) verify state bar admissions; and (d) check for any limitations or conditions on the Attorney's license. The Platform encourages you to verify credentials before engaging an Attorney.
13A. Specialist Accreditation and What It Means for You
13A.1 Some Attorneys hold specialist certifications or accreditations, including: (a) state bar specialty certifications (available in California, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and other states); (b) National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) certification; (c) American Board of Certification (ABC) for bankruptcy specialists; (d) estate planning certifications through ACTEC Fellowship or state programs; and (e) immigration law specialist certifications. These are awarded by the applicable certifying body, not by the Platform.
13A.2 For immigration matters, your Attorney must be admitted to a state bar in good standing. It is a federal crime under 8 U.S.C. § 1324c for an unqualified person to engage in immigration practice. Non-attorneys may represent individuals only if accredited by the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Access Programs.:
(a) Mandatory insurance: Oregon is the only state that requires all active bar members to carry malpractice insurance, administered through the Oregon State Bar Professional Liability Fund (PLF) with minimum coverage of $300,000 per claim and $300,000 aggregate.
(b) Mandatory disclosure to clients: the following states require attorneys to disclose to clients whether they carry malpractice insurance, either at the time of engagement or through annual registration: California (Rule 1.4.2 and Bus. & Prof. Code § 6102.5), Idaho (IRPC Rule 1.4(c)), Massachusetts (SJC Rule 3:07, annual registration statement), New Hampshire (Rule 1.4(c)), New Mexico (Rule 16-104, annual registration), North Carolina (annual certification), Ohio (Prof.Cond.R. 1.4(c)), Pennsylvania (Pa.R.P.C. 1.4(c)), South Dakota (SDCL § 16-18-20.1), Virginia (Va. RPC 1.4(c)), Washington (APR 26, annual certification), Kansas (Rule 226, annual registration), and Alaska (Bar Rule 65, annual disclosure). In these states, your Attorney is required to inform you if they do not carry malpractice insurance. If your Attorney has not made this disclosure, you are entitled to ask.
(c) No requirement and no mandatory disclosure: the remaining states do not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. In these states, your Attorney may or may not carry malpractice insurance, and you may wish to ask.:
(a) All states require a written agreement for contingency fee matters (based on ABA Model Rule 1.5(c) as adopted). The written contingency fee agreement must state the method by which the fee is to be determined, the percentage(s) of recovery, whether litigation costs and expenses are to be deducted before or after the contingency fee is calculated, and the expenses for which the client will be liable.
(b) California requires a written fee agreement for any matter where the total fees are expected to exceed $1,000, unless the client is a corporate entity or the attorney is performing services of the same general kind as previously rendered to and paid for by the client (Cal. Rules of Prof. Conduct, Rule 1.5.2).
(c) New York requires a written engagement letter (retainer agreement) for all matters involving domestic relations, personal injury, or the purchase or sale of residential real property (22 NYCRR Part 1215). For newly admitted attorneys in New York, a written engagement letter is required for all new matters.
(d) The District of Columbia requires a written fee agreement before or within a reasonable time after commencing the representation, unless the fee is expected to be less than $1,000 or the client is a regular client of the attorney (D.C. Rule 1.5(b)).
(e) Most other states require the basis of the fee to be communicated to the client, preferably in writing, before or within a reasonable time after commencing the representation (based on ABA Model Rule 1.5(b) as adopted). While not all states mandate a written agreement for every matter, written fee agreements are strongly encouraged and are required by the Platform's Milestone Proposal process (clause 9A.6).:
(a) Reimbursement caps vary by state. For example, the New York Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection has a maximum award of $400,000 per claim; California's Client Security Fund maximum is $100,000 per application; many smaller states have caps of $50,000 or less. Some funds have no per-claim cap but exercise discretion.
(b) Filing deadlines vary. Most funds require claims to be filed within a specified period (typically one to four years) after the client discovers the loss or after the attorney is disciplined. Some funds require that the attorney first be disciplined, disbarred, or deceased before a claim can be filed.
(c) Eligible losses: funds generally cover losses caused by dishonest conduct (theft, conversion, misappropriation, embezzlement) but do not cover losses caused by malpractice, negligence, or poor legal judgment. The fund is not a substitute for a malpractice claim.
(d) The claims process is typically administrative (not judicial) and is handled by the state bar or a designated board. Awards are discretionary and are funded by assessments on bar members.:
(a) New York: sliding scale for medical, dental, and podiatric malpractice (Judiciary Law § 474-a): 30% of first $250,000, 25% of next $250,000, 20% of next $500,000, 15% of next $250,000, and 10% thereafter.
(b) New Jersey: contingency fees in personal injury cases are subject to court approval and a sliding scale (Rule 1.5(a) and RPC 1.5): typically 33.33% of first $750,000, 30% of next $750,000, 25% of next $750,000, and 20% of any amount exceeding $2,000,000.
(c) Connecticut: contingency fees in personal injury matters are subject to a sliding scale and court approval; medical malpractice fees are capped.
(d) Florida: personal injury contingency fees are regulated by Rule 4-1.5(f)(4)(B) with specific disclosure and court approval requirements; fees in medical malpractice are subject to a constitutional amendment (Article I, Section 26, Florida Constitution).
(e) California: contingency fees in medical malpractice are capped under MICRA (Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act): 40% of first $50,000, 33.33% of next $50,000, 25% of next $500,000, and 15% of any amount exceeding $600,000.
(f) All states prohibit contingency fees in domestic relations matters (child custody, divorce, support) and in criminal defense matters (ABA Model Rule 1.5(d) as adopted).:
(a) Patent prosecution: to file and prosecute patent applications before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), an attorney must be admitted to the USPTO patent bar (separate from state bar admission). The Platform displays USPTO patent bar admission on an Attorney's profile where self-reported. If your matter involves patent prosecution, you must verify that your Attorney is admitted to the USPTO patent bar.
(b) Immigration practice: an attorney representing clients in immigration matters must be a member in good standing of a state bar. Non-attorney immigration practitioners must be accredited by the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Access Programs. It is a federal crime for an unqualified person to engage in immigration practice (8 U.S.C. § 1324c).
(c) Tax practice: attorneys may represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by virtue of their state bar admission. Other practitioners (including Certified Public Accountants and Enrolled Agents) may also represent taxpayers before the IRS under Circular 230 (31 CFR Part 10). If your matter involves tax controversy or IRS representation, your Attorney will advise you whether additional practitioners are needed.
(d) Bankruptcy: to file a bankruptcy petition, an attorney must generally be admitted (or admitted pro hac vice) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the district where the case is filed. Each bankruptcy court has its own admission requirements.
(e) Federal court practice: to appear in a federal district court, an attorney must be admitted to the bar of that court (separate from state bar admission, though most federal courts require state bar membership as a prerequisite). Each of the ninety-four federal district courts has its own admission requirements and fees.
(f) Real estate closings: some states require attorney involvement in real estate closings. The states generally considered "attorney closing states" (where an attorney must supervise or conduct the closing) include Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. In non-attorney closing states, title companies or escrow agents typically conduct the closing. If your matter involves a real estate transaction in an attorney closing state, the Platform will match you with an Attorney licensed in that state.
(g) Securities practice: attorneys advising on securities offerings, broker-dealer matters, or investment adviser matters may rely on exemptions from SEC registration available to attorneys acting in the course of their professional practice. Your Attorney will advise you on applicable exemptions.:
(a) Misconduct reporting (ABA Model Rule 8.3 as adopted): in most states, an attorney who knows that another attorney has committed a substantial violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct that raises a question about that attorney's honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer must report the violation to the appropriate disciplinary authority. This obligation is mandatory, not discretionary, and exists independently of any duty to the client.
(b) Future crime or fraud: in most states, an attorney may (and in some states must) disclose information relating to the representation to the extent the attorney reasonably believes necessary to prevent a client from committing a crime or fraud that is reasonably certain to result in substantial financial harm to another person (ABA Model Rule 1.6(b)(2)-(3) as adopted, with variations). New Jersey and Florida impose broader mandatory disclosure obligations. Your Attorney will advise you if any disclosure obligation is triggered.
(c) California-specific: California attorneys must self-report to the State Bar if they are convicted of a crime, are sued for malpractice, are the subject of a disciplinary proceeding in another jurisdiction, or are sanctioned by a court (Bus. & Prof. Code § 6068(o)).
(d) Court-imposed reporting: courts may impose reporting obligations on attorneys in specific cases (for example, mandatory disclosure of third-party litigation funding, settlement reporting, or compliance certifications). Your Attorney will advise you of any court-imposed reporting requirements.
14A. Mandatory Post-Matter Review
14A.1 Following the closure of your matter through the Platform, you are required to leave a review of the Attorney's services. Only Clients with completed matters may leave reviews. Your review is submitted to the Attorney for approval before it is displayed publicly on the Platform. If the Attorney does not approve or object to the review within ten (10) Business Days of submission, the review is published automatically. The Attorney may object to a review only on the grounds that it contains factually inaccurate statements, confidential information, or content that is defamatory, abusive, or discriminatory. The Platform makes the final decision on whether to publish, amend, or withhold a review following an objection. The Platform's review system complies with the FTC's guidance on endorsements and testimonials (16 CFR Part 255).
14B. Additional Protections for Specific Client Groups
14B.1 If you are a victim of human trafficking or are seeking protection under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), or similar federal or state protections, you may be entitled to specialized legal services, immigration relief (such as T visas or U visas), and support services. Your Attorney should advise you.
14B.2 For multi-party proceedings (including class actions, multidistrict litigation, and collective proceedings), the standard Platform model of one Client per Attorney per matter applies. Your Attorney manages the multi-party engagement separately.
14C. Multi-Jurisdictional Practice
14C.1 If your matter involves the laws of more than one state, your Attorney may need to: (a) be admitted in each relevant state; (b) associate with local counsel in the other state(s); (c) obtain pro hac vice admission (which typically requires a motion to the court, a filing fee, and association with local counsel admitted in that state); or (d) rely on the multi-jurisdictional practice provisions of ABA Model Rule 5.5 as adopted by the relevant states. Your Attorney should explain these arrangements and any additional costs.
14D. High-Value Matters
14D.1 For matters above the high-value threshold published on the Platform, the Platform matches you exclusively with Attorneys on Elite subscription tiers or Law Firm Scale/Enterprise plans. This matching restriction is a Platform commercial feature based on the Attorney's subscription level, not an assessment of the Attorney's competence or suitability for high-value work. You remain responsible for satisfying yourself that your chosen Attorney is competent to handle your matter.
14D.2 High-value matters (above the threshold published on the Platform) are available to Premium/Concierge tier clients only. If you are on the Free or Standard tier and your matter exceeds the high-value threshold, you will need to upgrade to the Premium tier to access the Platform's high-value matching feature. This is a commercial restriction and does not prevent you from engaging any Attorney directly outside the Platform.
14E. Pro Hac Vice Admission: Requirements and Costs
14E.1 If your matter is in a state where your Attorney is not admitted, your Attorney may seek pro hac vice (temporary) admission. Pro hac vice requirements vary by state but typically include: (a) a motion or application to the court, filed by or with the support of local counsel who is admitted in the state; (b) a filing fee (which ranges from approximately $50 to $500 depending on the state); (c) a certificate of good standing from the attorney's home state bar; (d) a representation that the attorney is not subject to disciplinary proceedings; and (e) the association of local counsel who will appear on all filings and attend all court proceedings. Some states limit the number of pro hac vice admissions per attorney per year, or require compliance with CLE requirements.
14E.2 If your Attorney needs pro hac vice admission for your matter, the filing fee and local counsel costs are Disbursements payable by you (clause 38.6). Your Attorney should discuss the pro hac vice process, costs, and timing with you before seeking admission.
14F. Multi-State Practice: Which State's Rules Apply
14F.1 When your Attorney is licensed in more than one state, or when your Attorney is in one state and you are in another, a question arises about which state's Rules of Professional Conduct govern your Attorney's obligations to you. ABA Model Rule 8.5 (as adopted, with variations, in all states) provides the framework. The general principles are:
(a) For conduct in connection with a matter pending before a tribunal (such as a court, arbitration panel, or administrative agency): the rules of the jurisdiction in which the tribunal sits apply. If your Attorney is litigating a case in a Texas court, Texas rules govern your Attorney's conduct in that proceeding, regardless of where your Attorney or you are physically located.
(b) For all other conduct (including transactional, advisory, and non-litigation work): the rules of the jurisdiction in which the conduct has its predominant effect apply. If your Attorney is drafting a contract that will be performed primarily in California, California's rules govern, even if your Attorney is sitting in New York.
(c) Safe harbor: if your Attorney's conduct conforms to the rules of any jurisdiction in which the Attorney reasonably believes the predominant effect will occur, the Attorney generally will not be subject to discipline even if another jurisdiction's rules would have applied.
14F.2 For the purposes of these Terms, the "Delivery State" is the state in which legal services are primarily delivered to you. This is typically determined by: (a) for litigation, the state in which the tribunal sits; (b) for transactional work, the state in which the transaction has its primary effect (for example, the state where real property is located, the state of incorporation, or the state where a contract will primarily be performed); (c) for advisory work, the state where you are located when you receive the advice, unless the advice relates to the law of a specific other state; and (d) for regulatory or compliance work, the state whose regulations are being addressed.
14F.3 The Platform determines the initial Delivery State based on information you provide at the time of booking. If the Delivery State changes during the course of your matter (for example, because a lawsuit is filed in a different state than anticipated, or because the transaction's primary nexus shifts), your Attorney must update the Delivery State through the Platform. A change in Delivery State may affect: (a) which state's ethics rules apply; (b) which state's consumer protection laws apply; (c) whether your Attorney is licensed in the Delivery State or needs pro hac vice admission; (d) the recording consent requirements for any further Scoping Calls; and (e) the applicable state regulatory clause (clauses 85-135).
14G. Scenario Mapping: Client, Attorney, and Matter in Different States
14G.1 The following scenarios illustrate how the Platform handles multi-state situations:
Scenario 1: Client in Texas, Attorney licensed in Texas, matter in Texas. This is straightforward - Texas rules apply to all aspects. The Delivery State is Texas. Clause 128 (Texas) applies.
Scenario 2: Client in Texas, Attorney licensed in DC and Virginia, matter in DC. The Delivery State is DC. DC rules apply to the Attorney's professional conduct. The Attorney must be admitted in DC (or admitted pro hac vice, though DC federal courts and DC Superior Court have their own admission requirements). Texas consumer protection law may apply to you as a Texas resident for consumer protection purposes (clause 81.1), but DC rules govern the Attorney's ethical obligations. Clause 135 (District of Columbia) applies for the Attorney's regulatory framework.
Scenario 3: Client in Texas, Attorney licensed in New York, matter involves Texas real property. The Delivery State is Texas (because the transaction's predominant effect is in Texas). The Attorney must either be admitted in Texas, obtain pro hac vice admission in Texas (if litigation is involved), or rely on the multi-jurisdictional practice provisions of ABA Model Rule 5.5(c) as adopted in Texas for temporary transactional practice. Texas rules govern the Attorney's conduct. If the Attorney is not admitted in Texas, the Platform will inform you and suggest you engage a Texas-admitted attorney or confirm that your Attorney is taking appropriate steps for admission.
Scenario 4: Client in California, Attorney licensed in California and New York, advisory matter not specific to any state. Where the matter is general advice not tied to a specific jurisdiction, the Delivery State is typically the state where you (the client) are located - California. California rules apply. California's strict recording consent requirements apply to the Scoping Call. Clause 89 (California) applies.
Scenario 5: Client in Florida, matter involves federal law (immigration, bankruptcy, patent). For federal matters, the Delivery State is the state where the federal tribunal sits or, for non-litigation federal matters, where the client is located. Your Attorney must be admitted to the relevant federal court or agency (see clause 12F). For immigration, the DOJ accreditation requirements apply regardless of state. For patent prosecution, USPTO patent bar admission is required.
14G.2 In all multi-state scenarios, the Platform will: (a) display the Delivery State on your matter dashboard; (b) apply the regulatory provisions of the applicable state clause (clauses 85-135) based on the Delivery State; (c) apply the correct recording consent protocol (one-party or all-party) based on the state requirements; and (d) notify you if your Attorney is not admitted in the Delivery State, so that you can discuss pro hac vice admission or alternative arrangements with your Attorney.
14H. Attorney Cross-Referrals and Co-Counsel
14H.1 During the course of your matter, your Attorney may determine that part of your matter requires expertise in a practice area or jurisdiction that your Attorney does not cover. In such cases, your Attorney may:
(a) Refer you to a second Attorney through the Platform. The Platform facilitates this by allowing your primary Attorney to recommend a specific Attorney or by enabling you to search for a specialist through the Platform's matching service. A referral to a second Attorney creates a new, separate client-attorney engagement with the second Attorney. You are not obligated to accept any referral. The second Attorney will have their own engagement terms, fee structure, and Milestone Proposal. Your primary Attorney's engagement continues unless terminated.
(b) Engage co-counsel. Where your matter requires an Attorney licensed in another state (for example, a multi-state litigation or a transaction with nexus in multiple states), your primary Attorney may associate co-counsel. Co-counsel is a separate Attorney who works alongside your primary Attorney on the same matter. Both Attorneys owe you independent professional duties. The Platform's document workspace supports multi-attorney matters with Shared Zone and Private Zone access.
(c) Refer you to an Attorney outside the Platform. Your primary Attorney may recommend that you engage an Attorney who is not listed on the Platform (for example, a highly specialised practitioner). If so, the engagement with the external Attorney is entirely outside these Terms, and the Platform has no involvement in, responsibility for, or visibility into that engagement.
14I. Fee Division Between Attorneys (ABA Model Rule 1.5(e))
14I.1 If two or more Attorneys work on your matter (whether as co-counsel, as referring and receiving attorneys, or in any other arrangement), any division of legal fees between those Attorneys is governed by ABA Model Rule 1.5(e) as adopted in the applicable state. Under Rule 1.5(e), a division of fees between Attorneys who are not in the same firm is permitted only if: (a) the division is in proportion to the services performed by each Attorney, or each Attorney assumes joint responsibility for the representation; (b) the client agrees to the arrangement, including the share each Attorney will receive, and the agreement is confirmed in writing; and (c) the total fee is reasonable.
14I.2 Important variations by state:
(a) Most states follow the ABA Model Rule 1.5(e) framework described above.
(b) California requires written disclosure of the fee division and the client's written consent (Cal. Rules of Prof. Conduct, Rule 1.5.1).
(c) New York permits fee division only if: (i) the division is in proportion to work performed or each attorney accepts joint responsibility; (ii) the client is advised of and does not object to the fee arrangement; and (iii) the total fee is not increased by the division (NY RPC Rule 1.5(g)).
(d) Texas requires that: (i) the division is in proportion to the services performed or each attorney assumes joint responsibility; (ii) the client consents in writing; and (iii) the total fee is reasonable (Tex. Disciplinary Rule 1.04(f)).
(e) Some states prohibit fee division entirely unless the attorneys are in the same firm or the referring attorney performs substantial work on the matter.
14I.3 If your matter involves a fee division between Attorneys, your Attorney(s) must: (a) explain the proposed arrangement to you, including which Attorney will perform which services and how fees will be divided; (b) obtain your written consent before the fee division takes effect; and (c) ensure the total fee remains reasonable and is not increased by the division. The Platform records fee division consents in the matter audit log.
14I.4 A fee division between Attorneys is a different transaction from Platform Fees. Platform Fees (the Connection Fee, Buyer Protection Fee, and other client-side fees) are charged by the Platform for its technology services and are not shared with any Attorney. A fee division under Rule 1.5(e) is a division of the Attorney's Legal Fees between two or more Attorneys. These are separate flows: Platform Fees are paid by you to the Platform (Line 3 of the Stripe architecture); Legal Fees divided between Attorneys are allocated between the Attorneys' respective Connected Accounts within Lines 1 and 2 of the Stripe architecture. The Platform facilitates the recording of fee division arrangements but does not itself participate in, benefit from, or receive any portion of any fee division between Attorneys.
14J. Multi-State Recording Consent
14J.1 Where you are in one state and your Attorney is in another, the recording consent requirements for your Scoping Call are determined by the stricter standard. If either you or your Attorney is located in an All-Party Consent State (California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, or Washington), the Platform applies all-party consent procedures to the Scoping Call, regardless of whether the other participant is in a one-party consent state. This is because: (a) federal law (18 U.S.C. § 2511) requires one-party consent as a baseline; (b) state laws that require all-party consent impose a stricter standard that applies to any participant located in that state; and (c) applying the stricter standard ensures compliance with both jurisdictions.
14J.2 The Platform uses your registration address and your Attorney's registration address to determine the applicable recording consent standard. If you are travelling and are physically present in a different state at the time of the Scoping Call, you must update your location through the Platform or inform your case adviser, as this may affect the applicable recording consent standard.
14. Vulnerable Clients
14.1 If you need additional support due to age, disability, mental capacity, language barriers, financial difficulty, domestic violence, immigration status, or any other factor, your Attorney is required to make reasonable adjustments and provide additional care. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), your Attorney and the Platform must provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. If English is not your first language, your Attorney should consider whether an interpreter is needed; under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, recipients of federal financial assistance must provide meaningful access to individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP). You may also contact the Platform for help finding an Attorney who can meet your specific needs.
14.2 If you or someone you are helping may lack mental capacity to enter into an engagement or to make decisions about legal matters, the engagement process must be adapted in accordance with applicable state guardianship, conservatorship, or power of attorney laws. A guardian, conservator, or attorney-in-fact may need to act on behalf of the client. Your Attorney must assess capacity under applicable state law.
PART D - YOUR OBLIGATIONS: TRUTH, ACCURACY, AND GOOD FAITH
15. Truthfulness Warranty
15.1 You warrant that all information provided by you to the Platform and to any Attorney through the Platform is and will be true, accurate, complete, and not misleading in any material respect. This warranty applies to: (a) registration information; (b) information about your legal matter; (c) information provided to your Attorney for the purposes of their work; (d) source of funds declarations; (e) identity verification documents and information; (f) information relevant to sanctions and PEP screening; (g) information about third-party funding or involvement; and (h) any other information provided in connection with the Platform or legal services.
15.2 The truthfulness warranty in clause 15.1 is a continuing obligation. If any information you have provided becomes inaccurate or incomplete, or if circumstances change materially, you must notify the Platform and your Attorney promptly.
15.3 You acknowledge that your Attorney relies on the information you provide to give you proper legal advice, to comply with their ethical and regulatory obligations (including conflict checking, trust account compliance, and any applicable reporting obligations), and to conduct your legal matter. Providing false, misleading, or incomplete information may result in your Attorney being unable to act for you or giving you incorrect advice, and may have serious consequences for your legal matter.
15A. Consequences of Providing False Information
15A.1 You acknowledge that deliberately providing false information to the Platform or to your Attorney may constitute: (a) fraud (which is both a civil wrong and a criminal offense under federal and state law); (b) identity theft (18 U.S.C. § 1028 and applicable state identity theft statutes); (c) obstruction of justice (if false information is provided in connection with pending or anticipated legal proceedings); (d) a violation of the Bank Secrecy Act or OFAC regulations (if false information is provided in connection with sanctions screening or financial due diligence); (e) grounds for your Attorney to withdraw from the engagement under Rule 1.16 of the applicable Rules of Professional Conduct; and (f) grounds for the Platform to report the matter to law enforcement, FinCEN, OFAC, the applicable state bar, or any other relevant authority.
16. Accurate Information
16.1 You must provide accurate and complete information: (a) when creating your account; (b) when describing your legal matter; (c) when communicating with Attorneys through the Platform; (d) when providing documents; and (e) when making declarations (including source of funds declarations).
16.2 You must not: (a) impersonate any person or misrepresent your identity; (b) create multiple accounts for the purpose of evading these Terms; (c) provide false or forged identity documents; (d) withhold material information from your Attorney that is relevant to their ability to act for you or to comply with their ethical obligations; or (e) use the Platform for any unlawful purpose.
17. Cooperation
17.1 You agree to cooperate with your Attorney and the Platform by: (a) responding to requests for information within reasonable timescales; (b) providing documents when requested; (c) attending meetings or calls as reasonably required; (d) informing your Attorney of any change in circumstances relevant to your matter; (e) following reasonable advice about the conduct of your matter; and (f) not obstructing or frustrating your Attorney's ability to act for you.
18. Prohibited Conduct
18.1 You must not use the Platform: (a) for any unlawful purpose, including money laundering, terrorist financing, fraud, sanctions evasion, or any violation of federal or state law; (b) to facilitate, conceal, or transfer criminally derived property (in violation of 18 U.S.C. 00a700a7 1956-1957); (c) to obtain legal services for the purpose of furthering criminal activity; (d) to harass, abuse, or threaten any Attorney or Platform staff; (e) to make vexatious, frivolous, or malicious complaints; (f) to interfere with the operation of the Platform or its security; or (g) in any manner that breaches Applicable Law.
18.2 During the period in which you have an active matter with an Attorney introduced through the Platform, you agree not to contact the Attorney outside the Platform for the purpose of obtaining legal services in connection with that matter or any related matter, except where the Attorney's terms of engagement expressly require direct communication (for example, attending court or signing documents). This clause does not prevent you from contacting the Attorney through normal channels after your matter has been concluded and all Platform obligations have been fulfilled.
18.2A Any breach of this clause is a material breach of these Terms and may result in suspension or termination of your account. You must not provide or exchange personal contact details with your Attorney before the Milestone Proposal is approved for the purpose of moving the engagement outside the Platform.
18A. You Must Not Use the Platform for Unlawful Purposes
18A.1 You must not use the Platform, engage an Attorney, or participate in a Scoping Call for any unlawful purpose. In particular, you must not: (a) commit, attempt, or facilitate fraud, money laundering, terrorist financing, tax evasion, or any other criminal offense through the Platform; (b) engage an Attorney to act in furtherance of a crime (if you do, attorney-client privilege will not protect the communication under the crime-fraud exception); (c) provide false identity documents or impersonate another person (in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028 and applicable state law); (d) make false, malicious, or vexatious complaints against an Attorney; (e) use legal services obtained through the Platform to harm, defraud, or intimidate another person; (f) use the Platform to evade sanctions or circumvent court orders; or (g) use the Platform to engage in vexatious litigation, abuse of process, or frivolous legal actions.
18A.2 If the Platform has reasonable grounds to suspect that you are using the Platform for an unlawful purpose, the Platform may: (a) immediately suspend or terminate your account without prior notice; (b) withhold release of any Held Funds pending investigation; (c) report the matter to the FBI, FinCEN, OFAC, the applicable state attorney general, the applicable state bar, or any other relevant law enforcement or regulatory authority; and (d) cooperate with any criminal or regulatory investigation. The Platform is not required to notify you that a report has been made where doing so could prejudice an investigation or where the Platform is prohibited from doing so by law.
18B. Identity Fraud, Impersonation, and Prohibited Conduct
18B.1 You must register on the Platform in your own name and using your own true identity. You must not (a) register using another person's name, identity, or personal details, (b) create an account that purports to be or could be mistaken for another person, (c) allow any other person to use your Platform account or login credentials, or (d) register on behalf of another individual (except where an authorized representative registers on behalf of an organization as permitted by these Terms).
18B.2 You must not impersonate a licensed attorney on the Platform or in any communication connected with the Platform. In particular, you must not (a) register as an Attorney or attempt to access the Attorney side of the Platform using the bar number, license, or professional credentials of any licensed attorney, (b) locate a licensed attorney on a public state bar register and use that attorney's details to create a Platform account, to provide legal services, or to deceive other users, (c) hold yourself out to other users as a licensed attorney when you are not, or (d) create a fictitious professional identity using fabricated bar credentials.
18B.3 Impersonation of a licensed attorney is a criminal offense. Any person who does so may be committing offenses under (a) federal wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343), (b) federal identity theft (18 U.S.C. § 1028), (c) aggravated identity theft (18 U.S.C. § 1028A), (d) the unauthorized practice of law statutes of the applicable state, and (e) applicable state criminal fraud and impersonation statutes. The Platform will immediately report any suspected impersonation to the FBI, state and local law enforcement, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), and the applicable state bar disciplinary authority, and will cooperate fully with any resulting criminal investigation or regulatory inquiry.
18B.4 Where the Platform identifies or reasonably suspects that a Client account has been used for impersonation or identity fraud, the Platform will (a) immediately and permanently terminate the account without prior notice, (b) immediately report the matter to law enforcement and regulatory authorities, (c) notify any person who has been affected, (d) preserve all account data and audit logs for disclosure to authorities, and (e) pursue all available civil remedies. An individual whose account is terminated under this clause is permanently and irrevocably barred from the Platform and may not re-register under any name or identity.
19. Consequences of Breach
19.1 If you breach your obligations under this Part D, the Platform may suspend or terminate your account, your Attorney may decline or terminate your engagement, and you may be liable under the indemnity provisions in clause 70. The Platform may report matters to law enforcement, regulatory authorities, FinCEN, OFAC, or any applicable state bar where required or permitted by law.
The Platform treats identity fraud and impersonation of licensed attorneys as criminal conduct. The provisions in this clause 18B are fundamental terms of these Terms.
PART E - CLIENT IDENTIFICATION, SANCTIONS COMPLIANCE, AND FUNDING TRANSPARENCY
20. Regulatory Context
20.1 The United States regulatory framework for attorney involvement in anti-money laundering compliance differs from other jurisdictions. The Bank Secrecy Act and FinCEN regulations do not currently require attorneys to conduct customer due diligence (CDD) or file suspicious activity reports (SARs) in the same manner as banks and other financial institutions, except in certain defined contexts (including real estate transactions subject to FinCEN Geographic Targeting Orders and transactions subject to the Corporate Transparency Act). However, your Attorney remains subject to: (a) the ethical obligation to decline representation that would assist a client in conduct the Attorney knows is criminal or fraudulent (ABA Model Rule 1.2(d) as adopted by the applicable state); (b) OFAC sanctions compliance, which applies to all United States persons; (c) the prohibition on receiving proceeds of criminal activity (18 U.S.C. § 1957); (d) the FinCEN Beneficial Ownership reporting framework under the Corporate Transparency Act where applicable to entity clients; and (e) any state-specific AML or client identification requirements that apply in the Delivery State.
20.2 The Platform collects certain identification information from you at the point of registration for the Platform's own fraud prevention and integrity purposes. This Platform-level verification is not a legal compliance program and does not satisfy any regulatory obligation that may apply to your Attorney. Your Attorney may conduct additional identity verification and due diligence as they determine appropriate under the applicable Rules of Professional Conduct and their own risk-management practices.
21. Identity Verification
21.1 At the point of registration, you must provide: (a) your legal name as it appears on a government-issued identification document; (b) your date of birth; (c) your residential address; (d) your email address and telephone number; and (e) a valid government-issued photo identification document (such as a driver's license, state identification card, or United States passport). The Platform uses third-party identity verification providers to confirm this information. If the Platform is unable to verify your identity to its satisfaction, it may decline to open your account or may require additional documentation.
21.2 If you are registering on behalf of a legal entity (including a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust, or other organization), you must also provide: (a) the entity's legal name, state of formation, and principal place of business; (b) the entity's employer identification number (EIN); (c) the identity of the individual authorized to act on behalf of the entity; and (d) if the entity is a "reporting company" under the Corporate Transparency Act, confirmation that the entity has filed (or is exempt from filing) its Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report with FinCEN. The Platform does not verify BOI filings; your Attorney may independently require BOI information as part of their engagement due diligence.
22. Sanctions Screening
22.1 The Platform screens all users against the following sanctions lists maintained by the United States government: (a) the OFAC Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List); (b) the OFAC Consolidated Sanctions List; (c) the OFAC Sectoral Sanctions Identifications List; and (d) such other sanctions lists as the Platform determines appropriate. If you appear on any sanctions list, the Platform will decline to open your account and may report the matter to OFAC.
22.2 You represent and warrant that: (a) you are not a Specially Designated National or Blocked Person under any OFAC sanctions program; (b) you are not located in, organized under the laws of, or ordinarily resident in any country or territory that is the subject of comprehensive United States sanctions (currently Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and the Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions of Ukraine); (c) you are not owned or controlled by, or acting on behalf of, any person or entity described in (a) or (b); and (d) you will promptly notify the Platform and your Attorney if your sanctions status changes at any time during your use of the Platform.
22.3 If you are a politically exposed person (PEP), a family member of a PEP, or a known close associate of a PEP, you should disclose this to your Attorney. While the United States does not impose mandatory enhanced due diligence requirements for PEPs on attorneys as a general matter, your Attorney may elect to conduct additional due diligence as a matter of prudent risk management.
23. Funding Transparency
23.1 The Platform asks you to provide basic information about how you intend to fund your legal engagement. This is a Platform requirement designed to assist your Attorney and to support the integrity of the Platform's payment system. It is not a regulatory requirement imposed by federal or state law on attorneys. You are asked to indicate: (a) whether you will be paying from your own funds (for example, a personal bank account, savings, or employment income); (b) whether a third party will be contributing to or paying your legal fees (for example, a family member, employer, insurer, or litigation funder); (c) whether any portion of your funds derives from or has been held in the form of cryptocurrency, digital assets, or virtual currency; and (d) whether your engagement will be funded by a third-party litigation funder.
23.2 If a third party will be paying or contributing to your legal fees, you should inform your Attorney before the engagement begins. Third-party payment raises potential issues under the applicable Rules of Professional Conduct, including: (a) the Attorney's obligation to ensure that the third-party payor does not direct or regulate the Attorney's professional judgment (ABA Model Rule 1.8(f) as adopted); (b) the Attorney's obligation to maintain your confidential information notwithstanding the involvement of a third-party payor; and (c) potential conflicts of interest. Your Attorney will advise you on these issues.
23.3 If your engagement is funded by a third-party litigation funder, you must disclose this to your Attorney and may be required to disclose it to the court. An increasing number of federal and state courts require disclosure of litigation funding arrangements. Your Attorney will advise you on applicable disclosure requirements in your jurisdiction.
23.4 If any portion of your funds derives from cryptocurrency or digital assets, you should inform your Attorney. Cryptocurrency-derived funds may raise additional compliance considerations, including FinCEN's treatment of virtual currency under the Bank Secrecy Act and any applicable state money transmission laws. Your Attorney may require additional documentation regarding the lawful origin of cryptocurrency-derived funds.
24. Your Representations
24.1 You represent and warrant that: (a) the funds you use to pay for legal services through the Platform are not derived from unlawful activity; (b) you are not using legal services obtained through the Platform to further any criminal purpose; (c) you will not make any payment through the Platform using stolen, fraudulent, or unauthorized payment instruments; and (d) all identification information you have provided to the Platform is true, accurate, and complete.
24.2 If the Platform has reasonable grounds to believe that you have made a false representation under clause 24.1, the Platform may: (a) suspend or terminate your account; (b) withhold release of any Held Funds; (c) report the matter to FinCEN, OFAC, the FBI, the applicable state attorney general, or any other relevant authority; and (d) cooperate with any investigation.
25. What Your Attorney Cannot Tell You
25.1 In certain circumstances, your Attorney may become aware of information that triggers a legal obligation to decline or withdraw from the representation, or to take other action, without being able to explain the specific reason to you. For example: (a) if your Attorney becomes aware that continuing the representation would require the Attorney to assist you in conduct that the Attorney reasonably believes is criminal or fraudulent, the Attorney may be required to withdraw under ABA Model Rule 1.16(a)(1) as adopted; (b) if your Attorney receives a subpoena, court order, or governmental request that restricts what the Attorney may disclose to you; or (c) if the Attorney's own ethical obligations require the Attorney to maintain confidentiality about certain information even from you (for example, where the Attorney represents multiple clients and learns confidential information from one client that is relevant to another). If your Attorney withdraws from the engagement and cannot fully explain why, one of these circumstances may be the reason.
PART F - COOPERATION WITH YOUR ATTORNEY'S ETHICAL AND REGULATORY OBLIGATIONS
26. Your Attorney's Ethical Framework
26.1 Your Attorney is a licensed professional subject to the Rules of Professional Conduct of each state in which they are admitted to practice. These rules impose obligations on your Attorney that exist independently of the engagement agreement between you and the Attorney, and independently of these Terms. The Rules of Professional Conduct are adopted by the supreme court or highest court of each state and are enforced by the state's disciplinary authority (identified in Schedule A). The ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct serve as a template that most states have adopted with varying modifications.
26.2 Your Attorney's ethical obligations include, but are not limited to: (a) competence (Rule 1.1): your Attorney must provide competent representation, which requires the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness, and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation; (b) diligence (Rule 1.3): your Attorney must act with reasonable diligence and promptness; (c) communication (Rule 1.4): your Attorney must keep you reasonably informed about the status of your matter and promptly comply with reasonable requests for information; (d) fees (Rule 1.5): your Attorney must charge only reasonable fees and expenses, and must communicate the basis and rate of the fee and expenses to you, preferably in writing, before or within a reasonable time after commencing the representation; (e) confidentiality (Rule 1.6): your Attorney must not reveal information relating to the representation unless you give informed consent, the disclosure is impliedly authorized, or the disclosure falls within a narrow set of exceptions defined by the applicable state's version of Rule 1.6; (f) conflict of interest (Rules 1.7-1.10): your Attorney must identify and manage conflicts of interest; (g) safekeeping property (Rule 1.15): your Attorney must hold your funds and property separate from the Attorney's own, in a trust account compliant with the applicable state's rules; and (h) declining or terminating representation (Rule 1.16): your Attorney must decline representation if it would result in a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct or other law, and must withdraw if continued representation would involve the Attorney in assisting criminal or fraudulent conduct.
27. Your Duty to Cooperate
27.1 You agree to cooperate with your Attorney's compliance with their ethical and regulatory obligations by: (a) providing truthful, accurate, and complete information when requested; (b) providing identification documents and other documentary evidence when reasonably requested; (c) responding to communications within a reasonable time; (d) disclosing information that is relevant to conflict-of-interest checks; (e) cooperating with any court-ordered compliance requirements; (f) not asking your Attorney to engage in conduct that would violate the Rules of Professional Conduct; and (g) not obstructing, delaying, or frustrating your Attorney's ability to fulfill their professional obligations.
27.2 If you fail to cooperate with your Attorney's ethical obligations, your Attorney may be required to withdraw from the representation. Under ABA Model Rule 1.16(b)(6) as adopted, an Attorney may withdraw if the client fails substantially to fulfill an obligation to the Attorney regarding the Attorney's services and has been given reasonable warning that the Attorney will withdraw unless the obligation is fulfilled.
28. Obligations That Continue
28.1 Your obligation to cooperate with your Attorney's ethical and regulatory obligations continues throughout the engagement. If any information changes (including your address, contact details, identity of beneficial owners, or any other information relevant to your Attorney's compliance obligations), you must notify your Attorney promptly.
28.2 Your Attorney's duty of confidentiality to you continues indefinitely after the engagement ends. Your Attorney's duty to safeguard your funds and property continues for so long as the Attorney holds your funds or property. These duties exist by operation of law and the Rules of Professional Conduct, not by virtue of these Terms.
PART G - FEES AND PAYMENTS
34. Connection Fee
34.0 The Platform's fees are fixed amounts determined by the complexity tier of your matter and, for Buyer Protection Fees, the milestone value band. Higher-complexity matters attract higher platform fees because they require greater platform resources: more extensive AI scoping, multiple milestones, longer dispute resolution windows, and enhanced compliance monitoring. The fee schedule is published on the Platform's pricing page. Platform fees are never calculated as a percentage of your legal fees and are always charged separately from the fees you pay your Attorney for legal services.
34.1 When you click "Schedule a Call" (or equivalent booking button) on an Attorney's profile, the Platform charges a Connection Fee (at the rate published on the Platform), plus applicable state and local taxes. This fee is: (a) payable by you to the Platform at the point of booking; (b) charged entirely separately from the Attorney's Legal Fees; (c) a fee for the Platform's technology and introduction service (not for legal advice); (d) non-refundable once the booking has been confirmed through the Platform, except as required by applicable state consumer protection law; and (e) subject to applicable state and local sales tax where required by law.
34.2 The Connection Fee is not a referral fee. The Platform charges Attorneys separately for its services. The fee structure is disclosed in accordance with these Terms. The Connection Fee is paid by the Client to the Platform. It does not flow to the Attorney, is not shared with the Attorney, and is not a disguised referral fee. The structural separation between Platform Fees and Legal Fees ensures that no portion of any payment made by the Client for Platform services reaches the Attorney or is connected to the Attorney's decision to accept an engagement.
34.3 In states where attorney referral fees are restricted or prohibited by the applicable Rules of Professional Conduct, the Connection Fee is structured as a technology service fee paid by the Client to the Platform, entirely independent of any legal services engagement. The Attorney does not receive any portion of the Connection Fee. In states where restrictions exist on fees connected to personal injury referrals (including restrictions analogous to those under state consumer protection laws and professional conduct rules), the Platform may waive or modify the Connection Fee for personal injury, medical malpractice, and wrongful death matters. The Platform technically prevents the Connection Fee from being charged in respect of matter types where collection could create regulatory risk in the applicable state.
34.4 The Platform may from time to time offer an expedited or priority booking service for an additional fee, which will be clearly disclosed to you before payment.
35. Legal Fees
35.1 Legal Fees are agreed between you and your Attorney and are payable to the Attorney, not to the Platform. The Platform has no involvement in setting, negotiating, or collecting Legal Fees. Legal Fees flow directly from you to the Attorney's Stripe Connected Account with no deduction, interception, or share taken by the Platform.
35.2 Your Attorney is required by the Rules of Professional Conduct of the applicable state to: (a) charge only reasonable fees (generally ABA Model Rule 1.5 as adopted); (b) communicate the basis of the fee to you, preferably in writing, before or within a reasonable time after commencing the representation; (c) disclose the fee arrangement in the Client Retainer Agreement; and (d) comply with any state-specific requirements regarding fee agreements. Examples of state-specific requirements include: New York's mandatory written engagement letters for certain matters (22 NYCRR Part 1215); California's requirement for written fee agreements where fees are expected to exceed $1,000 (Cal. Rules of Prof. Conduct, Rule 1.5.2); and Texas's contingency fee requirements under Texas Disciplinary Rule 1.04.
35.3 Where your matter is handled on a contingency fee basis, your Attorney must comply with the contingency fee requirements of the Delivery State, including: (a) providing a written contingency fee agreement (generally required by ABA Model Rule 1.5(c) as adopted); (b) disclosing the percentage of recovery to be taken as the fee; (c) disclosing litigation costs and expenses and whether they are deducted before or after computing the contingency fee; (d) complying with any state-specific caps on contingency fee percentages (such as those applicable in medical malpractice cases in certain states, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and others); and (e) complying with the prohibition on contingency fees in domestic relations and criminal matters (ABA Model Rule 1.5(d) as adopted).
35A. Legal Aid, Pro Bono, and Public Funding
If you cannot afford legal fees, you may be eligible for free or reduced-cost legal assistance.
35A.1 Before agreeing to pay privately for legal services through the Platform, you should consider whether you may be eligible for legal aid. Legal aid is provided in the United States through Legal Services Corporation (LSC) grantees, state and local legal aid organizations, law school clinics, and bar association pro bono programs. Your Attorney has a professional aspiration (under ABA Model Rule 6.1) to provide a minimum of 50 hours of pro bono legal services annually.
35A.2 If your matter is handled pro bono (free of charge), the Platform's Buyer Protection Fee does not apply. The Platform may still charge the Connection Fee and Compliance Verification Fee.
35A.3 In criminal matters, if you cannot afford an attorney, you have the right to a court-appointed attorney (public defender) under the Sixth Amendment. You do not need to use the Platform for court-appointed representation.
35B.1 Written fee agreements are required in most circumstances. Many states require a written fee agreement for all new matters (for example, California requires a written agreement when fees are expected to exceed $1,000; New York requires a written engagement letter for certain matters under 22 NYCRR Part 1215). Regardless of your Attorney's practice model - solo, firm, Of Counsel, contract, or virtual - you should receive a written fee agreement before work begins. The Platform's Milestone Proposal process generates a written scope and fee record, but your Attorney may also provide a separate engagement letter as required by their state's rules.
35C.1 If your Attorney charges a flat fee, the rules about when that fee is earned and whether it is refundable vary by state. In some states, a flat fee is considered earned when you pay it; in others, it must be held in the attorney's trust account and withdrawn only as the work is completed. You should ask your Attorney: (a) whether the flat fee is earned on receipt or earned in stages; (b) whether the fee is refundable if the engagement ends before the work is completed; (c) whether the flat fee will be held in the attorney's trust account. The Platform's Milestone system provides a written record of fees agreed, but does not override your Attorney's obligations under state rules.
36. Platform Fees - Structural Separation
36.1 Platform Fees (including the Connection Fee) are separate from Legal Fees. Platform Fees are: (a) charged for the Platform's technology and marketplace services; (b) disclosed before you incur them; (c) not legal fees and not paid to the Attorney; (d) subject to the Platform's cancellation and refund policy; and (e) charged as separate transactions through Stripe and are never deducted from, set off against, or otherwise taken from any payment you make for Legal Services or from Held Funds held on your behalf.
36A. Platform Service Fee Structure
This clause sets out in detail the Platform service fees charged to you. All fees are disclosed before you incur them and are separate from the Legal Fees you pay to your Attorney.
36A.1 The Platform charges you the following service fees: (a) Connection Fee: a fee per initial consultation booking (at the rate published on the Platform, plus applicable state and local taxes), charged in consideration for the Platform's matching service, video consultation infrastructure, and scheduling technology; (b) AI Consultation Fee: a fee per Scoping Call (currently included in the Connection Fee or charged separately per the Platform's published schedule), charged in consideration for the Platform's real-time transcription, AI scope report generation, and compliance logging; if you have a paid subscription plan with available consultation credits, the credit is applied automatically; (c) Compliance Verification Fee: a fixed fee per matter (current amount published on the Platform), charged in consideration for the Platform's identity verification, regulatory status checks, and compliance infrastructure; and (d) Buyer Protection Fee: a fixed fee per milestone determined by the milestone value band as published on the Platform's pricing page, charged in consideration for the Platform's milestone escrow facilitation, payment security, dispute resolution infrastructure, and transaction protection.
36A.2 The Buyer Protection Fee rates are tiered by milestone amount and subscription tier, with higher-value milestones attracting lower rates and higher subscription tiers attracting lower fixed fees at each band. The current rates are published on the Platform's pricing page and may be updated from time to time. Matters above a specified value threshold are available only to clients on the highest subscription tier. The Platform displays the applicable Buyer Protection Fee rate and estimated amount before you fund any milestone. The Platform does not engage in drip pricing; the total cost (including Legal Fees, Platform service fees, Stripe processing fees, and applicable taxes) is disclosed before you commit to payment.
36A.3 In addition to the fees charged to you, the Platform charges separate service fees to the Attorney (including a Platform Usage Fee, Technology and AI Fee, Seller Protection Fee, and Compliance and Audit Fee). These fees are fixed dollar amounts per matter (varying by the Attorney's subscription tier, as published on the Platform) and are not linked to or deducted from your Legal Fees. These Attorney-side fees are the Attorney's responsibility and are not charged to or payable by you. Your Attorney is required by the applicable Rules of Professional Conduct (including the duty to disclose fee-sharing arrangements under ABA Model Rule 5.4 and referral fee rules under ABA Model Rule 7.2 as adopted) to disclose the existence and nature of these fee arrangements to you. You are entitled to ask your Attorney about the Platform fees they pay.
36A.4 Stripe processing fees (at Stripe's then-current rates, passed through at cost) are charged in addition to Platform service fees. The Platform does not retain any portion of Stripe processing fees.
36A.5 All fees are shown in full on the Platform's pre-payment information screen and in the interactive fee calculator before any payment is taken.
36B. Structural Separation: Three-Line Payment Architecture
The Platform's payment architecture is designed so that three entirely separate payment flows exist on every matter. This structural separation ensures compliance with state ethics rules prohibiting fee-splitting between attorneys and non-lawyers (generally ABA Model Rule 5.4 as adopted in all states except Arizona and the District of Columbia, which have modified versions) and ensures that the Platform never intercepts, deducts from, or takes a share of money flowing between Client and Attorney for legal services:
(i) Line 1 - Legal Fees (you to Attorney): processed as a direct charge on the Attorney's Stripe Connected Account. The Platform does not use Stripe's application_fee_amount parameter. One hundred percent (100%) of your payment goes to the Attorney's Connected Account. The Platform never touches, holds, or deducts from this money. The only deduction is Stripe's own processing fee charged as a regulated payment services provider. Your bank or card statement will show the Attorney's name (the Attorney is the merchant of record), not eSolicitors.
(ii) Line 2 - Disbursements (you to Attorney): processed as a separate charge on the same Connected Account. One hundred percent (100%) goes to the Attorney. The Platform does not touch disbursement funds.
(iii) Line 3 - Platform Fee (Attorney to Platform): a completely separate invoice from the Platform to the Attorney for technology services, charged via Stripe Billing to the Attorney's own payment method (card or ACH). This is a separate Stripe product, separate API endpoint, and separate accounting entry. It is a standard business-to-business technology service charge paid by the Attorney from their own funds, not a deduction from client funds.
36C. Sales Tax, Use Tax, and Transaction Taxes
36C.1 All Platform Fees stated in these Terms (including the Connection Fee, AI Consultation Fee, Compliance Verification Fee, and Buyer Protection Fee) are stated exclusive of applicable state and local taxes. Applicable taxes will be calculated based on your location and added to the stated fee amounts at the point of checkout. The total amount including taxes will be displayed to you before you confirm payment. Your receipt will separately itemize the base fee amount and the tax amount.
36C.2 The taxability of the Platform's digital services varies by state. As of the date of these Terms: (a) the following states do not impose a general sales tax and no sales tax will be charged on Platform Fees if you are located in these states: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon; (b) many states tax digital services, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and technology platform fees, including but not limited to: Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia; (c) some states exempt digital services or SaaS from sales tax or tax them at reduced rates, including but not limited to: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin; and (d) the taxability of digital services is a rapidly evolving area of state tax law, and the Platform monitors changes and updates its tax collection practices accordingly. The Platform does not warrant the accuracy of this summary and you should consult a tax professional for advice on your state's treatment of digital services.
36C.3 Where you are located in a state that imposes sales or use tax on the Platform's services and the Platform has economic nexus or other collection obligations in that state (including under the principles of South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., 585 U.S. 162 (2018) and applicable state marketplace facilitator or economic nexus statutes), the Platform will collect and remit the applicable tax on your behalf. Where the Platform does not have a collection obligation in your state, you may be responsible for remitting applicable use tax directly to your state tax authority.
36C.4 Local taxes (county and municipal sales taxes) may apply in addition to state-level taxes. Combined state and local tax rates in the United States range from 0% (in states with no sales tax) to over 11% (in certain jurisdictions in states such as Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, Washington, and Alabama). The Platform uses geolocation data to determine the applicable state and, where feasible, the applicable local tax rate for your transaction.
36C.5 Legal Fees paid to the Attorney through the Platform are generally not subject to sales tax in most states because legal services are exempt from sales tax in the majority of US jurisdictions. However, a small number of states tax certain professional services, and the tax treatment of legal fees varies. The Attorney is responsible for collecting and remitting any sales tax applicable to their legal fees. The Platform does not collect sales tax on behalf of Attorneys on Legal Fee payments (Lines 1 and 2 of the payment architecture described in clause 36B).
36C.6 The Platform will provide you with transaction receipts and, upon request, annual summaries of Platform Fees paid and taxes collected, in a format suitable for your personal or business tax records. The Platform complies with applicable state tax reporting requirements.
36D. Fee Structure, Rule 5.4 Compliance, and State-by-State Regulatory Treatment
This clause explains how the Platform's fee structure is designed to comply with the ethical rules of each state governing fee-splitting between attorneys and non-lawyers, referral fee restrictions, and lawyer referral service regulations. Because these rules vary significantly by state, this clause addresses the three regulatory categories separately.
36D.1. The Regulatory Principle
36D.1 In the majority of US states, the Rules of Professional Conduct (based on ABA Model Rule 5.4) prohibit attorneys from sharing legal fees with non-lawyers. The purpose of this rule is to protect the attorney's independent professional judgment and to prevent non-lawyers from controlling or directing legal services. The Platform's fee structure is designed to ensure that no payment flowing from a client for legal services is shared with, diverted to, or intercepted by the Platform at any point. The Platform's commercial revenue is derived from separately structured technology service fees, not from a share of legal fees.
36D.2. Why Platform Fees Are Not Fee-Splitting
36D.2.1 Client-side Platform Fees (the Connection Fee, AI Consultation Fee, Compliance Verification Fee, and Buyer Protection Fee) are fees you pay directly to the Platform for the Platform's own technology and marketplace services. They are not legal fees. They are not paid to the Attorney. The Attorney does not receive any portion of any client-side Platform Fee. These fees compensate the Platform for: (a) the matching and scheduling technology; (b) the AI transcription and scope generation infrastructure; (c) the identity verification and compliance screening systems; (d) the milestone escrow facilitation, payment security, and dispute resolution infrastructure; and (e) the ongoing operation and maintenance of the Platform. The Buyer Protection Fee is calculated as a fixed fee per milestone determined by the milestone value band as published on the Platform's pricing page (scaling the fee to the value of the transaction), but this band-based calculation does not change the character of the fee: it is a fee for the Platform's technology services, not a share of the Attorney's legal fees. The Attorney receives 100% of the legal fee you pay, with no deduction by the Platform.
36D.2.1A By accepting these Terms, you accept the principle that Platform Fees will be payable if your matter proceeds. Platform Fees are contractually confirmed as owed to the Platform once the scope and fees are agreed across milestones (i.e., once you approve the Milestone Proposal). From that point, Platform Fees are automatically deducted and are deemed earned by the Platform and are payable regardless of: (a) the outcome of your matter; (b) any dispute between you and your Attorney; (c) your satisfaction with the services; or (d) whether the matter is subsequently terminated.
36D.2.2 Attorney-side Platform Fees (the Platform Usage Fee, Technology and AI Fee, Seller Protection Fee, and Compliance and Audit Fee) are fees the Attorney pays directly to the Platform for the Platform's technology services. These fees are structured as fixed per-matter or periodic subscription fees invoiced separately through Stripe Billing. They are not linked to or deducted from legal fees earned by the Attorney and are not deducted from any client payment. They are the Attorney's own business expense for technology services. The current per-matter fee totals for each tier are published on the Platform's pricing page. These amounts do not change based on the value of the client's matter. A low-value matter and a high-value matter incur the same per-matter fee at the same tier. No attorney-side Platform Fee is contingent on, calculated by reference to, or deducted from any legal fee paid by any client.
36D.2.3 The three-line Stripe payment architecture described in clause 36B ensures that these fee categories are financially, technically, and contractually separate. Line 1 (legal fees) and Line 2 (disbursements) flow entirely to the Attorney's Connected Account with no Platform deduction. Line 3 (Platform Fee to the Attorney) is a separate Stripe Billing invoice charged to the Attorney's own payment method. The Platform never uses Stripe's application_fee_amount parameter, which would deduct a Platform share from a client payment at the point of charge. This separation means there is no interception of, deduction from, or sharing of legal fees at any point in the payment flow.
36D.3. Category 1 States: Permissive Fee Structures (Arizona, Utah, District of Columbia)
36D.3.1 In Arizona, the Rules of Professional Conduct have been reformed to permit Alternative Business Structures (ABS) and non-lawyer ownership of law firms (ER 5.4, effective January 2021). Arizona's reformed rules permit fee arrangements between attorneys and non-lawyer entities (including technology platforms) that would not be permitted under the standard version of Rule 5.4. The Platform's fee structure is permitted under Arizona's reformed rules. Arizona-admitted attorneys using the Platform are not required to obtain additional approval for the fee arrangement described in these Terms.
36D.3.2 In Utah, the Regulatory Sandbox administered by the Utah Supreme Court's Office of Legal Services Innovation permits approved entities to provide legal services or operate legal technology platforms under modified rules, including modified fee-sharing arrangements. If the Platform operates within the Utah Sandbox, the fee structure may be subject to the specific conditions of the Platform's sandbox authorization rather than the standard version of Rule 5.4.
36D.3.3 In the District of Columbia, Rule 5.4(b) permits a non-lawyer to have a passive financial interest in a law firm, subject to specific conditions. While the Platform does not hold an ownership interest in any law firm, the D.C. rules are the most permissive in the United States regarding attorney-non-lawyer financial arrangements, and the Platform's fee structure is consistent with the principles underlying D.C. Rule 5.4.
36D.4. Category 2 States: Standard Rule 5.4 Jurisdictions (Majority of States)
36D.4.1 In the forty-four states that follow the standard version of ABA Model Rule 5.4 (prohibiting fee-splitting between attorneys and non-lawyers), the Platform's fee structure is designed to comply as follows: (a) no legal fee paid by a client is shared with, diverted to, or deducted by the Platform - the Attorney receives 100% of the legal fee; (b) client-side Platform Fees are separately structured technology service fees for the Platform's own services, not shares of legal fees; (c) attorney-side Platform Fees are fixed-amount technology service fees invoiced separately, not linked to, deducted from, or calculated as a share of legal fees; (d) the three-line Stripe architecture ensures complete financial separation between client-to-attorney payments and Platform fee collections; and (e) the Platform does not direct, control, or interfere with the Attorney's independent professional judgment. This structure is consistent with the principle that Rule 5.4 does not prohibit an attorney from purchasing technology services from a non-lawyer vendor at arm's length, even where the vendor also provides a marketplace through which the attorney obtains clients. The ABA has recognized that online marketplace models do not necessarily constitute fee-splitting where the platform's fee is for a genuine service and is not a disguised share of legal fees.
36D.4.2 The Buyer Protection Fee is charged to the client by the Platform for the Platform's escrow facilitation, payment security, and dispute resolution services. Although the Buyer Protection Fee is determined by reference to the milestone value band of the milestone amount, it is a fee for the Platform's services, not a share of the Attorney's legal fees. The Attorney does not set, receive, or benefit from the Buyer Protection Fee. Percentage-based technology service fees charged to clients by a platform are not fee-splitting under Rule 5.4 where the attorney does not set, receive, share in, or benefit from the fee.
36D.5. Category 3 States: Strict Enforcement and Heightened Requirements
36D.5.1 California: California's version of Rule 5.4 strictly prohibits fee-splitting with non-lawyers and does not permit ABS. Additionally, California Business and Professions Code section 6155 requires lawyer referral services to be certified by the State Bar or a local bar association. The Platform's position in California is: (a) the Platform is not a lawyer referral service as defined by section 6155 because it does not exercise professional judgment in matching clients with attorneys and does not hold itself out as a referral service; (b) the Platform's client-side fees are technology service fees, not referral fees; (c) the Platform's attorney-side fees are fixed-amount technology service fees, not fee-shares linked to legal fee values; and (d) the complete financial separation of the three-line Stripe architecture means no legal fee is shared with the Platform. If the California State Bar or any California court determines that any aspect of the Platform's fee structure constitutes impermissible fee-splitting or an unregistered referral service in California, the Platform will modify its fee structure in California to the extent necessary to comply. Attorneys admitted in California are responsible for satisfying themselves that their use of the Platform complies with the California Rules of Professional Conduct and the State Bar Act.
36D.5.2 New York: New York's version of Rule 5.4 prohibits fee-splitting with non-lawyers. New York Rule 7.2 governs referral fees and requires that any payment to a non-lawyer for recommending an attorney's services must be for a genuine service and not merely for the referral. The Platform's position in New York is: (a) the Connection Fee is paid by the client, not by or to the attorney, and does not flow to any attorney; (b) attorney-side Platform Fees are for genuine technology services (not for referrals) and are fixed-amount fees, not shares of legal fees; (c) the Buyer Protection Fee is a client-to-Platform fee for the Platform's escrow and security services, not a fee connected to the referral; and (d) the Attorney must disclose the Platform fee arrangement to the client as required by Rule 7.2. If any New York court or the Appellate Division determines that any aspect of the Platform's fee structure is impermissible under New York's rules, the Platform will modify its fee structure in New York.
36D.5.3 Texas: Texas Disciplinary Rule 5.04 prohibits fee-splitting with non-lawyers. Texas Government Code section 81.035 requires lawyer referral services to register with the State Bar of Texas. Texas aggressively prosecutes barratry (unlawful solicitation of legal business). The Platform's position in Texas is: (a) the Platform is not a lawyer referral service requiring registration under section 81.035 because it is a technology marketplace, not a service that exercises judgment in matching clients with attorneys; (b) the Connection Fee is not a referral fee and does not flow to any attorney; (c) attorney-side Platform Fees are fixed-amount technology service fees; (d) the Platform does not solicit clients on behalf of attorneys (barratry) - attorneys list their own profiles and clients select attorneys through the Platform's search functionality; and (e) the Platform's fee structure will be reviewed for compliance with Texas law before the Platform launches in Texas. If the State Bar of Texas or any Texas court determines that the Platform must register as a lawyer referral service, the Platform will comply.
36D.5.4 Florida: The Florida Bar's version of Rule 5.4 prohibits fee-splitting with non-lawyers. The Florida Bar aggressively regulates attorney advertising and referral practices. The Platform's position in Florida follows the same structural analysis as clauses 36D.5.1 through 36D.5.3 above: the Platform's fees are for genuine technology services, no legal fees are shared, and the three-line Stripe architecture ensures complete separation. Additionally, for personal injury matters in Florida, the Platform may waive or modify the Connection Fee and Buyer Protection Fee to the extent that charging such fees could be characterised as an impermissible referral fee connected to personal injury representation under Florida law.
36D.5.5 New Jersey: The New Jersey Rules of Professional Conduct strictly prohibit fee-splitting under Rule 5.4. Lawyer referral services are subject to RPC 7.3 and may require court approval. The New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act provides strong consumer remedies (treble damages). The Platform's position in New Jersey follows the same structural analysis as the other Category 3 states: technology service fees, no legal fee sharing, and complete financial separation.
36D.5.6 Massachusetts: Massachusetts strictly enforces Rule 5.4 and Chapter 93A provides treble damages for unfair or deceptive practices. The Platform's position in Massachusetts follows the same structural analysis as the other Category 3 states.
36D.6. Regulatory Change and Modification
36D.6.1 If any state bar association, state supreme court, disciplinary authority, state attorney general, or court of competent jurisdiction in any state determines that any aspect of the Platform's fee structure violates the Rules of Professional Conduct, state consumer protection law, or any other applicable law in that state, the Platform will: (a) promptly modify its fee structure in that state to the extent necessary to comply with the determination; (b) notify affected clients and attorneys of the modification; and (c) continue to operate in that state under the modified fee structure. The Platform reserves the right to suspend operations in any state where compliance cannot reasonably be achieved.
36D.6.2 The Platform monitors developments in state regulation of legal technology platforms, lawyer referral services, ABS models, and fee-splitting rules across all fifty states and the District of Columbia. The regulatory landscape for legal technology is evolving. Several states are considering reforms to Rule 5.4 and related rules that may expand the range of permissible fee arrangements between attorneys and technology platforms. The Platform will update its fee structure and these Terms as the regulatory environment evolves.
36D.6.3 Each Attorney using the Platform is independently responsible for satisfying themselves that their participation in the Platform, including the fee arrangements described in these Terms, complies with the Rules of Professional Conduct of each state in which they are admitted. The Platform provides this fee structure analysis to assist Attorneys and Clients in understanding the Platform's compliance approach, but this analysis does not constitute legal advice and the Platform does not warrant that its fee structure will be found compliant in every state under all circumstances.
36E.1 How your Attorney holds advance payments and flat fees depends on the state. In some states, your Attorney must deposit your advance payment into a trust account and may only withdraw funds as they are earned. In other states, a flat fee may be treated as earned when you pay it, meaning it goes directly to your Attorney (not into a trust account). If you terminate the engagement before the work is complete, you are entitled to a refund of any unearned portion of the fee regardless of how it was classified. Your Attorney must explain in the fee agreement or engagement letter how your fee is classified and when it is considered earned. If you are unsure, ask your Attorney before you pay.
36D.7 If any regulatory authority determines that the Platform's fee structure must change in a particular state, the Platform will modify the fee for that state and notify you. Any change will apply only to new transactions unless required for critical regulatory reasons (clause 71.1). Your legal fees paid to your Attorney are never affected by changes to the Platform's own service fees.
37. Payment Processing via Stripe
37.1 Payments through the Platform are processed by Stripe, Inc. Stripe is registered with FinCEN as a money services business and is licensed as a money transmitter in applicable states. Stripe is certified to PCI-DSS Level 1 (the highest level of payment card industry security certification). The Platform does not have access to your full card details. The Platform does not hold your money. Your Held Funds are held by Stripe, not by the Platform.
37.2 When you book a Scoping Call, the matched Attorney has provided a financial commitment to the Platform by way of a pre-authorization hold on the Attorney's registered payment method. This means the Attorney has demonstrated a commercial commitment to the consultation before your call takes place. No funds are debited from the Attorney until the engagement proceeds to the quote stage.
37.3 Because Held Funds are held by Stripe (a regulated money transmitter) and not by the Platform, your Held Funds are protected in the event that the Platform ceases trading. In such circumstances, Stripe continues to hold your funds in accordance with applicable money transmission laws and the funds remain available for release to the Attorney (if services have been completed) or return to you (if services have not been completed).
38. How Funds Are Held and Released
38.1 When you pay for Legal Services through the Platform, Stripe holds funds as Held Funds. These Held Funds belong to you until released.
38.2 Held Funds are released to the Attorney when: (a) the Attorney marks services (or a stage) as complete; (b) you confirm satisfactory delivery or the Confirmation Period expires without objection; and (c) no complaint or dispute has been raised. Legal Fees are released to the Attorney in full without any deduction by the Platform. Platform Fees are charged separately in accordance with clause 36A.
38.3 The Confirmation Period is the period specified for your subscription tier (14 calendar days for Free/Explorer, 21 calendar days for Standard, or 30 calendar days for Premium) from notification that services have been marked as complete. During the Confirmation Period, you may: (a) confirm satisfactory delivery, or (b) raise a dispute. If you do not confirm satisfactory delivery or raise a dispute within the Confirmation Period, you are deemed to have accepted the services. Deemed acceptance does not affect your right to make a complaint or pursue any other remedy available to you under Part J of these Terms, through the applicable state bar, or through the courts. The Platform sends a reminder notification on the fifth (5th) Business Day of the Confirmation Period.
38.4 Payments are structured by milestone in accordance with the approved Milestone Proposal (clause 9A.6). Each milestone is a separate payment event processed through Stripe.
38.4A The Platform supports a range of billing arrangements agreed between you and your Attorney, including fixed fees, flat fees, staged or milestone fees, capped fees, hourly rates, blended rates, retainers (money on account), alternative fee arrangements (AFAs), contingency fee agreements, and hybrid arrangements. The Held Funds and Confirmation Period mechanism described in this Part G applies to each billing model as follows: (a) for milestone and staged fee matters, each milestone is a separate payment and confirmation event; (b) for hourly rate matters, interim bills are submitted through the Platform at agreed intervals and each bill triggers a separate Confirmation Period; (c) for contingency fee matters, payment is contingent on outcome and the Platform's payment mechanism adapts accordingly (Held Funds are not collected until the triggering event occurs); (d) for money on account or retainer matters, initial deposits paid through the Platform are held by Stripe and released to the Attorney in accordance with the agreed billing schedule; and (e) for flat fee matters, the fee is structured as a single milestone.
38.5 Platform Fees are charged as a separate transaction to the payment of Legal Fees. Platform Fees are never deducted from, set off against, or otherwise taken from Held Funds or from any payment made by you for Legal Services. Where a Platform Fee is payable by the Attorney in connection with a milestone or matter, the Platform charges that fee separately to the Attorney through Stripe Billing following the successful release of the corresponding Held Funds. This separation ensures that the full amount of your Legal Fees reaches your Attorney without any intermediary deduction by the Platform.
38.6 Payments for the Attorney's professional fees and payments for Disbursements (such as court fees, expert fees, and process server fees) are processed as separate transactions through Stripe. Both categories of payment flow directly to the Attorney's account with no deduction by the Platform.
38G. Disbursement and Client Money Terms
38G.1 Before the first disbursement payment is processed on Your matter, the Platform will ask You to confirm that You understand and accept the following: (a) disbursement payments are processed as separate Stripe transactions directly to Your Attorney or Legal Professional and are separate from Legal Fee payments; (b) the Platform does not hold, manage, control, or have access to disbursement funds at any point - once a disbursement payment is processed through Stripe, the funds go directly to Your Attorney or Legal Professional's account; (c) Your Attorney or Legal Professional is solely responsible for paying the relevant third party (such as the court, an expert, or a search provider) out of the disbursement funds received; (d) each disbursement item has its own approval flow, and You will be asked to approve each disbursement before payment is taken; (e) VAT treatment varies by disbursement category (some disbursements attract VAT, some are VAT-exempt, and some are outside the scope of VAT), and the applicable VAT position will be shown for each item; (f) Your Attorney or Legal Professional is required to provide receipts or evidence of payment for each disbursement incurred on Your behalf; and (g) if You have a dispute about a disbursement, this is between You and Your Attorney or Legal Professional, and the Platform's dispute resolution process is available to assist.
38G.2 Where Your Attorney or Legal Professional is required by their regulatory obligations to hold Client Money in a regulated trust account (for example, completion funds in a conveyancing transaction, settlement funds in litigation, or money held on account of future costs), You acknowledge and agree that: (a) the obligation to hold Client Money in a regulated trust account sits entirely with Your Attorney or Legal Professional (and, where applicable, their firm); (b) the Platform has no visibility of, access to, or control over any trust account maintained by Your Attorney or Legal Professional or their firm; (c) the Platform does not monitor, audit, reconcile, or verify the contents of any trust account; (d) the Platform is not responsible for, and accepts no liability in respect of, any failure by Your Attorney or Legal Professional to comply with their trust account obligations; (e) if You have concerns about how Your Client Money is being held, Your first step should be to raise this directly with Your Attorney or Legal Professional, and if You are not satisfied, You may complain to their regulatory body; and (f) the Platform's escrow mechanism (Held Funds processed through Stripe) is a technology service and is not a trust account within the meaning of any professional regulation.
38G.3 The Platform processes disbursement payments through the same three-line Stripe payment architecture as Legal Fee payments. Line 1 processes Legal Fees as a direct charge to Your Attorney or Legal Professional's Stripe Connected Account with no Platform deduction. Line 2 processes Disbursements as a separate direct charge to the same Connected Account with no Platform deduction. Line 3 is the Platform Fee, which is invoiced separately to Your Attorney or Legal Professional's own payment method and is entirely independent of any payment You make. At no point does the Platform receive, hold, deduct from, or have access to any money flowing from You to Your Attorney or Legal Professional for Legal Fees or Disbursements.
38.6A. Raising a Dispute During the Confirmation Period
38.6A.1 If you raise a dispute during the Confirmation Period, the Platform will ask you to specify the nature of your concern from the following categories: (a) work not received; (b) work incomplete; (c) work not as described; (d) quality concern; (e) fee dispute; (f) communication issue; or (g) other. This categorization helps your Attorney understand and respond to your concern.
39. Dispute Resolution Process and SLA
39.1 When you raise a dispute, the Platform assigns a compliance handler. The compliance handler's role is limited to: (a) reviewing whether the Platform's terms and processes have been followed; (b) facilitating communication between you and the Attorney; (c) managing the Stripe payment hold during the dispute; and (d) recording the outcome. The compliance handler does not provide legal advice, assess the quality of the Attorney's work, determine the legal merits of the dispute, or act as your legal representative.
39.2 Target dispute handling response times vary by your subscription tier: 72 hours (Free/Explorer), 48 hours (Standard), 24 hours (Premium). These are target service levels and are not guaranteed. Complex disputes may take longer.
39.3 If you are on the Premium tier, you may request escalation of a dispute to a Platform Director. The Director reviews the matter on the same administrative basis as the compliance handler.
39.4 The Platform's dispute process does not replace or limit your right to: (a) complain to your Attorney under the Attorney's own complaints procedure; (b) file a complaint with the applicable state bar's disciplinary authority; (c) pursue fee arbitration or mediation through the applicable state bar; or (d) pursue any legal remedy available to you.
40. Refunds
40.1 If you are entitled to a refund of Legal Fees, the refund is the responsibility of the Attorney, not the Platform. If Held Funds have not been released, the Platform may return them to you through Stripe. If funds have already been released to the Attorney, recovery is between you and the Attorney.
40.2 Refunds of Platform Fees are subject to the Platform's refund policy and applicable state consumer protection law. Chargebacks initiated through your card issuer are handled through Stripe's chargeback procedure; the Platform cooperates with the procedure and may request information from the Attorney. Stripe does not return the original processing fee on refunds.
41. Attorney Trust Funds
41.1 Attorney trust funds (money your Attorney holds on your behalf for the purposes of your legal matter, such as settlement funds, closing funds, or money on account of fees) are separate from Held Funds and are subject to the trust account rules of the applicable state (generally based on ABA Model Rule 1.15 as adopted). Your Attorney is required to: (a) keep client funds separate from the firm's own funds in a designated trust account or IOLTA account; (b) promptly notify you upon receipt of funds in which you have an interest; (c) promptly deliver to you funds you are entitled to receive; (d) maintain complete records of all trust account transactions; and (e) comply with all trust account rules of the applicable state as set out in the applicable state clause (clauses 852013135).
41.2 Held Funds held by Stripe are not held in an Attorney Trust Account or IOLTA account. They are held by Stripe as a regulated money transmitter. Once Held Funds are released to the Attorney and the Attorney deposits them into their trust account, the funds become subject to the trust account rules of the applicable state.
41.3 How your funds are held depends on your Attorney's practice model: (a) Law Firms typically hold client funds in a firm trust account (IOLTA or non-IOLTA, depending on the amount and expected duration). (b) Solo practitioners must maintain their own trust account; ask whether they have one. (c) Of Counsel attorneys may use the firm's trust account or their own, depending on the arrangement - ask which. (d) Contract attorneys should not hold client funds independently; funds should be held by the supervising attorney or firm. (e) Virtual attorneys must maintain a trust account complying with the rules of the state(s) where they practise; some states require trust accounts at in-state banks. The Platform's Held Funds mechanism (Stripe escrow) is separate from your Attorney's trust account and provides additional protection for milestone payments.
PART H - YOUR RIGHTS AS A CONSUMER
42. Consumer Status and Applicable Law
42.1 If you are an individual who is engaging legal services primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, you are a "consumer" under applicable federal and state law and may have additional protections. Nothing in these Terms is intended to waive, limit, or disclaim any non-waivable right or remedy you have under applicable federal or state consumer protection law. If any provision of these Terms conflicts with a mandatory consumer protection statute, the statute prevails.
43. Federal Consumer Protections
43.1 The following federal consumer protection laws may apply to your use of the Platform and your engagement of legal services: (a) the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. § 45), which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce - the FTC enforces this prohibition and the Platform conducts its operations in a manner intended to comply with FTC standards; (b) the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA, 15 U.S.C. § 1693 et seq.) and Regulation E (12 CFR Part 1005), which provide protections for electronic fund transfers including error resolution rights and limits on liability for unauthorized transfers; (c) the Fair Credit Billing Act (15 U.S.C. § 1666 et seq.), which provides protections for credit card transactions including the right to dispute billing errors; (d) the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.), which regulates the collection, dissemination, and use of consumer credit information; (e) the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. § 6801 et seq.) to the extent that the Platform handles financial information; (f) the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA, 15 U.S.C. § 8401 et seq.), which requires clear disclosure of material terms of online transactions and affirmative consent before charging consumers; and (g) applicable FTC rules and guidelines, including the FTC's Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255) and the FTC's Negative Option Rule (16 CFR Part 425) to the extent applicable to subscription services.
44. State Consumer Protection Laws (UDAP/DTPA)
44.1 Every state and the District of Columbia has enacted a consumer protection statute (commonly known as a "UDAP" or "DTPA" statute) that prohibits unfair or deceptive acts and practices. These statutes vary significantly in scope, remedies, and enforcement. The applicable state clause (clauses 85-135) identifies the primary consumer protection statute for each state. Several states provide particularly strong consumer remedies:
(a) Massachusetts (Chapter 93A, M.G.L. c. 93A): prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices; provides treble damages and attorneys' fees for willful or knowing violations; private right of action with demand letter prerequisite; one of the strongest consumer protection statutes in the United States.
(b) New Jersey (Consumer Fraud Act, N.J.S.A. § 56:8-1 et seq.): provides treble damages and attorneys' fees; broadly construed by New Jersey courts; does not require proof of intent to defraud; applies to "ascertainable loss."
(c) Texas (Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act, Tex. Bus. & Com. Code § 17.41 et seq.): provides treble damages for knowing or intentional violations; private right of action; applies to the purchase or lease of goods and services.
(d) North Carolina (Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, N.C.G.S. § 75-1.1 et seq.): treble damages; broadly construed; applies to commerce generally.
(e) Connecticut (CUTPA, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 42-110a et seq.): punitive damages for willful violations; follows the FTC's "cigarette rule" for determining unfairness; broad scope.
(f) California (Consumer Legal Remedies Act, Civ. Code § 1750 et seq.; Unfair Competition Law, Bus. & Prof. Code § 17200 et seq.): CLRA permits class actions and actual damages for enumerated deceptive practices; UCL § 17200 is the broadest unfair business practices statute in the nation and permits injunctive relief and restitution.
(g) New York (General Business Law § 349, § 350): GBL § 349 prohibits deceptive acts and practices; provides statutory damages of $50, treble damages up to $1,000, and attorneys' fees; GBL § 350 prohibits false advertising.
(h) Illinois (Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, 815 ILCS 505/1 et seq.): provides actual damages and attorneys' fees; enforced by the Attorney General and through private right of action.
44.2 You retain all rights under the consumer protection laws of your state of residence and the Delivery State. The Platform does not ask you to waive any non-waivable rights under these statutes.
45. Cancellation and Termination
45.1 The United States does not have a federal statutory cooling-off period for services contracts entered into online. The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule (16 CFR Part 429) applies only to door-to-door sales, not to online transactions. However: (a) you may terminate your engagement with your Attorney at any time, subject to your obligation to pay for services already rendered and any applicable court rules regarding withdrawal of counsel; (b) certain state laws provide specific cancellation or rescission rights for particular types of consumer contracts - your Attorney will advise you if any such right applies to your engagement; and (c) the Platform's Connection Fee refund policy is published on the Platform and permits refunds in certain circumstances.
45.2 You may cancel your Platform subscription at any time. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. The Platform does not charge cancellation fees. Active matters with Attorneys are not affected by cancellation of your Platform subscription.
46. Fee Disputes and Fee Arbitration
46.1 If you have a dispute with your Attorney about fees, several resolution mechanisms are available: (a) your Attorney's internal dispute resolution process; (b) fee arbitration or mediation programs operated by the applicable state bar - many state bars offer voluntary or mandatory fee arbitration programs that provide an efficient, low-cost mechanism for resolving fee disputes (examples include New York's mandatory fee arbitration under 22 NYCRR Part 137, California's Mandatory Fee Arbitration under Bus. & Prof. Code § 6200-6206, the State Bar of Texas's fee dispute resolution program, and similar programs in many other states as identified in the applicable state clause (clauses 85-135)); (c) the Platform's dispute facilitation process (clause 39); and (d) civil litigation. The Platform encourages the use of state bar fee arbitration programs where available, as they are typically faster and less costly than civil litigation.
46A. Warranties and Disclaimers
46A.1 The Platform's services are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Platform disclaims all warranties, whether express, implied, or statutory, including the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. This disclaimer applies to the Platform's technology services only and does not affect any warranty or representation your Attorney may make to you in connection with their legal services.
46A.2 Some states do not permit the exclusion of implied warranties or the limitation of certain damages. In those states, the limitations in this clause apply only to the maximum extent permitted by the law of that state. If you are a consumer in a state that does not permit the exclusion of implied warranties, the implied warranty of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose applies to the Platform's services but is limited in duration to the period of your active use of the Platform.
46B. Platform Document Templates
46B.0A Templates and other documents listed on the Platform may be reviewed by the Platform's administrators before publication. Any such review is for compliance with the Platform's listing standards only (including format, completeness of mandatory fields, and prohibited content screening). It does not constitute a review of the legal accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any template for any particular purpose or jurisdiction. The Attorney who created the template warrants its accuracy and fitness for purpose. The Platform disclaims all liability for the content of templates created by Attorneys. You are advised to have any purchased template reviewed by a qualified legal professional before relying on it.
46B.1 Client Templates are general-purpose informational documents. They may include guides to common legal processes, checklists for preparing to meet with your Attorney, sample forms, and other reference materials. Client Templates are general in nature, may not reflect the law of your specific state, and are not tailored to your circumstances.
46B.1A Each Attorney who sells templates through the Platform has warranted that they are the original creator and intellectual property owner of each template, and has given the Platform and all Clients an uncapped indemnity against all third-party intellectual property infringement claims.
46B.2 Client Templates do not constitute legal advice. They are provided for general informational purposes only and must not be relied upon as a substitute for professional legal advice from a licensed attorney. Laws vary significantly from state to state. A document that is appropriate in one state may be insufficient, incorrect, or unenforceable in another. If you need legal advice about your specific situation, you should engage an attorney.
46B.3 Client Templates are provided on an "as is" basis without any warranty of accuracy, completeness, currency, or suitability. The Platform is not liable for any loss or consequence arising from your use of or reliance on any Client Template.
46B.4 On purchase, you are granted a non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use the Client Template for your own personal purposes. You may not resell, redistribute, sublicense, or commercially exploit any Client Template. Intellectual property in Client Templates remains with the Platform.
46B.5 Client Templates purchased from the Platform are distinct from documents your Attorney provides to you as part of their legal services. Documents your Attorney provides (such as an engagement letter, legal memorandum, or contract) are the Attorney's professional work product and the Attorney's responsibility, even if they are based on a Platform template. The Platform is not responsible for documents your Attorney provides to you.
46B.6 You agree to indemnify the Platform against all losses, liabilities, damages, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from: (a) your use of or reliance on any Client Template without seeking professional legal advice; (b) any third-party claim arising from your use of a Client Template; or (c) your redistribution of any Client Template in breach of the license granted under clause 46B.4. This indemnity does not apply to losses arising from the Platform's own negligence, fraud, or breach of these Terms.
46B.7 Client Templates purchased from the Platform are distinct from documents your Attorney provides to you during a matter. Documents your Attorney provides (such as an engagement letter, terms of engagement, or advice memorandum) are the Attorney's professional work product and the Attorney's responsibility, even if they are based on a Platform template. The Platform is not responsible for documents your Attorney provides to you.
46B.8 You agree to indemnify the Platform and its directors, officers, employees, and agents against all losses, liabilities, damages, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from: (a) your use of, reliance on, or application of any Client Template in circumstances where you did not seek professional legal advice; (b) any claim by a third party arising from your use of a Client Template; or (c) your distribution, reproduction, or sharing of any Client Template in breach of the license granted under clause 46B.4. This indemnity does not apply to the extent that losses arise from the Platform's own negligence, fraud, or breach of these Terms.
46B-A. Template Risk Warnings and Your Obligation to Seek Professional Advice
46B-A.1 No template, guide, checklist, form, or other document sold or made available through the Platform constitutes legal advice. Templates are general-purpose documents designed for general informational purposes only. They cannot and do not take into account your individual circumstances, your legal position, the specific facts of your matter, the law of your state, or any other factor that a licensed attorney would consider before advising you.
46B-A.2 Buying a template is not a substitute for hiring an attorney. Templates carry real risks. In particular (a) the template may not be suitable for your specific situation, (b) state laws vary significantly across the United States - a template designed for use in one state may be invalid, unenforceable, or incomplete in another state, (c) the template may be out of date due to changes in state or federal law since it was created, (d) the template may contain errors or omissions that you would not recognize without legal training, (e) if you complete the template incorrectly, you could create legal obligations you did not intend, waive important rights, or expose yourself to financial loss or legal liability, and (f) courts, government agencies, lenders, and other parties may not accept documents produced from templates if they do not meet specific requirements.
46B-A.3 If you are unsure about any aspect of how to use, complete, adapt, or apply a template you have purchased from the Platform, you must engage a licensed attorney who understands your specific situation and the law of your state before using the template. The Platform strongly recommends that you always obtain independent professional legal advice before relying on any template. The cost of professional advice to review a template is likely to be significantly less than the cost of dealing with problems caused by using a template incorrectly.
46B-A.4 The Platform accepts no liability for any loss, damage, cost, expense, or other consequence arising from your purchase or use of any template. This includes loss caused by errors in any template, loss caused by a template being out of date or unsuitable, loss caused by your incorrect use of a template, loss of legal rights or creation of unintended obligations, loss arising from your failure to obtain professional advice, and any claim by a third party in connection with a document you created using a template.
46B-A.5 Templates sold on the Platform may be created by the Platform ("Platform Templates") or by individual attorneys ("Attorney Products"). In both cases, the same risk warnings and limitations apply. The Platform does not review, verify, endorse, approve, or warrant the accuracy, completeness, currency, legal validity, or suitability of any template, regardless of who created it.
46B-A.6 You indemnify the Platform against all losses, claims, damages, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your use of any template, including any claim by a third party in connection with a document you created using a template and any loss arising from your failure to obtain professional advice.
46B-B. How Templates Are Sold on the Platform - Three Channels
46B-B.1 "Platform Client Templates" are templates, guides, checklists, and forms that the Platform itself has created and sells directly to you. When you buy a Platform Client Template, you are buying from the Platform, not from an attorney. Platform Client Templates are general information only - not legal advice. State laws vary significantly across the United States, and a template designed for one state may be invalid in another. If you are unsure how to use a Platform Client Template, you must engage a licensed attorney who understands your specific situation and the law of your state before using it.
46B-B.2 The Platform accepts no liability for any loss arising from your purchase or use of a Platform Client Template.
46B-B.3 The Platform also sells practice templates and compliance documents to attorneys registered on the Platform ("Platform Professional Templates"). You do not purchase these directly. If your attorney uses a Platform Professional Template in your matter (for example, as the basis for your engagement letter or fee agreement), your attorney is professionally responsible for reviewing, adapting, and taking responsibility for the document. Your attorney cannot blame the Platform if a document they give you is inaccurate or unsuitable.
46B-B.4 Individual attorneys registered on the Platform may create and sell their own templates, guides, and forms ("Attorney Products") through the Platform's template marketplace. When you buy an Attorney Product, you are buying from that individual attorney, not from the Platform. The Platform does not create, review, verify, endorse, or approve Attorney Products. Attorney Products are general documents, not legal advice, and are not tailored to your specific circumstances. If you are unsure how to use an Attorney Product, you must engage a licensed attorney who understands your specific situation before using it.
46B-B.5 The Platform accepts no liability for any Attorney Product. If an Attorney Product is inaccurate, out of date, or unsuitable, your claim (if any) is against the attorney who created it, not against the Platform.
46B-B.6 Regardless of which channel you buy a template through: (a) no template is legal advice or a substitute for hiring an attorney, (b) state laws vary significantly - a template designed for one state may be invalid in another, (c) if you are unsure how to use any template, you must engage a licensed attorney who understands your specific situation and the law of your state, (d) templates carry real risks including being unsuitable, out of date, containing errors, or not working in your state, (e) using a template incorrectly could create legal obligations you did not intend, waive important rights, or cause you financial loss, (f) the cost of professional advice to check a template is likely to be far less than the cost of fixing problems, and (g) the Platform accepts no liability for any template, however it was sold.
46B-B.7 You indemnify the Platform against all losses, claims, damages, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your use of any template purchased through the Platform, regardless of channel.
46B-C. Platform Recommendation: Engage an Attorney Before Purchasing a Template
46B-C.1 The Platform always recommends that, before purchasing any template, you first engage with an attorney through the Platform to obtain tailored legal advice that is specific to your individual circumstances. An attorney can assess your legal position, identify the documents you actually need, advise you on the risks and options available to you, and provide advice that takes into account the specific facts of your situation. Purchasing a template without first obtaining legal advice means you are relying on a general-purpose document that has not been reviewed, adapted, or approved by a qualified legal professional for your particular needs.
46B-C.2 All templates sold through the Platform, whether created by the Platform or by individual attorneys, are provided in a simplified and shortened form. They are designed as general-purpose starting points and are not tailored to any individual legal scenario, transaction, dispute, or set of circumstances. Templates do not contain the full range of clauses, protections, schedules, or provisions that an attorney would include in a document drafted specifically for your situation. A template may omit important provisions that are relevant to your circumstances, may include provisions that are not appropriate for your situation, or may use standard wording that does not adequately protect your interests in the specific context of your matter.
46B-C.3 You acknowledge and agree that purchasing a template does not resolve your legal problem, complete your legal transaction, or provide you with legal advice. A template is a document only. It does not tell you whether the document is appropriate for your situation, how to complete it correctly, what the legal consequences of signing it are, whether it will be accepted by courts, lenders, registries, or other third parties, or whether it adequately protects your legal rights and interests. The resolution of any legal matter requires professional legal advice from a qualified attorney who understands the specific facts of your case.
46B-C.4 If you purchase a template without first obtaining legal advice and subsequently engage an attorney (whether through the Platform or otherwise), you acknowledge and accept that: (a) the attorney may determine that the template you purchased is not suitable for your legal scenario and may recommend that it is not used; (b) the attorney may prefer to use their own template, precedent, or bespoke document that the attorney has drafted or adapted specifically for your matter, and the attorney is under no obligation to use or incorporate the template you purchased; (c) the attorney may advise you that significant amendments, additions, or deletions are required to make the template suitable for your situation, and such amendments may be so extensive that it would have been more cost-effective to instruct the attorney to draft a bespoke document from the outset; and (d) the cost of instructing an attorney to review, amend, or replace a template may exceed the cost of the template itself, and you accept this risk when purchasing a template without first obtaining legal advice.
46B-C.5 You are hereby put on notice that individual attorneys registered on the Platform may sell their own templates, guides, and legal documents through the Platform's template marketplace ("Attorney Products"). These Attorney Products are created by practising, licensed attorneys and may offer content that is more detailed, more jurisdiction-specific, or more closely tailored to particular legal scenarios than the Platform's own templates. Before purchasing a Platform template, you may wish to evaluate whether an Attorney Product created by a specialist attorney in the relevant area of law would better serve your individual needs. The Platform does not endorse or recommend any particular Attorney Product over a Platform template, but encourages you to consider all available options before making a purchase.
46B-C.6 The Platform's recommended order of engagement is as follows: (a) first, engage an attorney through the Platform for a Scoping Call to receive tailored legal advice about your situation; (b) second, if your attorney advises that a template is appropriate for your needs, discuss with your attorney which template (if any) is suitable; (c) third, only purchase a template if you are satisfied, having taken legal advice, that the template is suitable for your specific circumstances. If you choose to purchase a template without first engaging an attorney, you do so at your own risk and the Platform accepts no liability for any loss, cost, or consequence arising from that decision.
46B-C.7 By purchasing any template from the Platform, you confirm that you have read and understood this section 46B-C in its entirety and that: (a) you understand that all templates are general-purpose documents provided in a simplified and shortened form and are not tailored to your individual circumstances; (b) you understand that purchasing a template does not resolve your legal problem and is not a substitute for professional legal advice; (c) you understand that the Platform recommends engaging an attorney before purchasing a template; (d) you accept that if you subsequently engage an attorney, the attorney may choose not to use the template you purchased and may use their own documentation instead; (e) you are aware that attorneys on the Platform sell their own templates which may be more suitable for your needs; and (f) you accept all risks associated with purchasing and using a template without first obtaining professional legal advice.
46B-D. Additional Template Provisions
46B-D.1 Client Templates may include, for example, general guides to legal processes (such as "A Guide to Buying a Home," "Understanding Your Rights as a Tenant," or "Starting a Business: An Overview"), checklists for preparing instructions, frequently asked questions documents, and other informational materials. Client Templates are general in nature, may not reflect the law of your specific state, and are not tailored to your specific circumstances.
46B-D.2 Client Templates are available at prices published on the Platform, which may include individual purchase or subscription access. All payments are processed via Stripe. You may cancel a subscription at any time; cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period.
The Platform may make available certain document templates, guides, checklists, and informational materials ("Client Templates") for purchase or download. Client Templates are created by the Platform and sold directly to you. Your Attorney is not involved in this transaction.
PART I - DOCUMENTS, CONFIDENTIALITY, AND PRIVILEGE
There are three types of documents you may encounter on the Platform: (a) documents your Attorney provides to you as part of their legal services (such as engagement letters and advice memoranda) - these are the Attorney's professional work product; (b) Client Templates you may purchase directly from the Platform (see clause 46B) - these are general informational documents; and (c) templates or documents that individual Attorneys may offer for sale through their Platform profiles - these are the Attorney's own products.
47. Uploading Documents
47.1 You may need to upload documents to the Platform for the purposes of your legal matter. You are responsible for: (a) ensuring documents are accurate and complete; (b) not uploading documents that are fraudulent, forged, or misleading; (c) not uploading documents that you do not have the right to share; and (d) following any security guidance provided by the Platform.
47A. Document Workspace
Where a matter involves more than one Attorney (for example, where your primary Attorney has referred part of your matter to a specialist in another state, or where you have instructed co-counsel), the Platform provides a document workspace with the following features:
47A.1 Shared Zone: this contains documents that all Attorneys on the matter have agreed to share with you, including engagement documentation, correspondence, and agreed terms. You can access the Shared Zone at any time through your Platform account.
47A.2 Private Zone: each Attorney has a Private Zone that you cannot access. The Private Zone contains the Attorney's internal work product, strategy notes, draft documents, research memoranda, and privileged material. This separation protects the confidentiality of each Attorney's independent legal advice and is consistent with the work product doctrine and attorney-client privilege.
47A.3 Document version control: the Platform maintains version history for documents uploaded to the Shared Zone, enabling you and your Attorney to track changes over time.
47A.4 Document labeling and organization: you and your Attorney can label and organize documents by category (for example, "correspondence," "court filings," "financial documents," "identity documents"). The Platform provides default categories and allows custom labels.
47A.5 Secure third-party document sharing: on the Premium tier, you may securely share specific documents with designated third parties (for example, an accountant, a co-owner, or a family member) through the Platform. Third-party access is read-only and time-limited unless you specify otherwise. You are responsible for ensuring that sharing documents with third parties does not inadvertently waive attorney-client privilege.
48. Your Attorney's Duty of Confidentiality
48.1 Your Attorney is required by the Rules of Professional Conduct of the applicable state (generally ABA Model Rule 1.6 as adopted) to keep the information relating to your representation confidential unless disclosure is authorized by you or is impliedly authorized to carry out the representation. This duty survives the termination of the engagement.
49. Attorney-Client Privilege
49.1 Communications between you and your Attorney for the purpose of giving or receiving legal advice are protected by attorney-client privilege. This is one of the most important legal protections available to you. Privileged communications generally cannot be compelled to be disclosed to anyone (including the Platform, courts, regulators, or government bodies) without your consent, except in limited circumstances defined by law.
49.2 You should be aware that: (a) privilege belongs to you, the client, not to the Attorney; (b) you can waive privilege, but should take legal advice before doing so; (c) sharing privileged communications with third parties may destroy the privilege; (d) privilege does not protect communications made for the purpose of furthering a crime or fraud (the "crime-fraud exception"); and (e) attorney-client privilege may not attach to communications made during the Scoping Call if no attorney-client relationship has been formed.
49.3 Work product doctrine protects materials prepared by your Attorney in anticipation of litigation from discovery by adverse parties, subject to exceptions under applicable federal and state rules of procedure.
49A. Work Product Doctrine
49A.1 In addition to attorney-client privilege, the work product doctrine (established by Hickman v. Taylor, 329 U.S. 495 (1947), and codified in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(b)(3) and analogous state rules) protects materials prepared by your Attorney in anticipation of litigation or for trial from discovery by adverse parties. This includes: (a) your Attorney's notes, memoranda, and legal research; (b) your Attorney's mental impressions, conclusions, opinions, and legal theories ("opinion work product," which receives near-absolute protection); and (c) documents prepared by or for your Attorney in anticipation of litigation. Work product protection is separate from and in addition to attorney-client privilege.
49A.2 You should be aware that: (a) work product protection belongs to your Attorney, not to you (though the common interest doctrine may provide shared protection in some circumstances); (b) work product protection can be waived by voluntary disclosure to adversaries; (c) a court may order disclosure of fact work product upon a showing of substantial need and inability to obtain equivalent information without undue hardship; and (d) opinion work product is rarely, if ever, subject to compelled disclosure.
50A. Platform Records, Audit Log, and Automated Screening
50A.2 The Platform maintains an immutable audit log of transactions, communications, and compliance events for a period of seven (7) years from the closure of the relevant matter. The audit log records: (a) all payment transactions (amounts, dates, parties, and Stripe transaction identifiers); (b) key engagement milestones (Scoping Call scheduling, Milestone Proposal submission and approval, milestone completion and confirmation); (c) compliance events (identity verification, sanctions screening, conflict check confirmations); (d) dispute events (dispute filing, communications, resolution); and (e) account actions (login, password changes, account settings changes). The audit log is maintained for the Platform's operational, regulatory, and dispute resolution purposes. You consent to the Platform maintaining these records. The audit log does not replace your Attorney's own file management and record-keeping obligations.
50. How the Platform Handles Your Information
50.1 The Platform's confidentiality commitments are set out in the Platform Privacy Notice. The Platform does not access or review the content of communications between you and your Attorney except as required for the technical operation of the Platform or as required by law.
50.2 The Platform processes your personal data as an independent controller. Your Attorney processes your personal data as a separate independent controller. The Platform and the Attorney are not joint controllers.
51. Ownership of Your Documents
51.1 You retain ownership of all documents you upload. The Platform does not claim ownership of your documents. You grant the Platform a limited license to host, store, and transmit your documents for the sole purpose of providing the Platform's services.
52. Document Retention
52.2 Document retention periods vary by state and by the type of matter. General guidelines include: (a) most state bars recommend retaining client files for a minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years from the date of file closure; (b) certain matter types require longer retention (for example, matters involving minors should generally be retained until the minor reaches the age of majority plus the applicable statute of limitations; matters involving trusts or estates should be retained for the life of the trust or a reasonable period after distribution; real estate matters should be retained for at least the applicable statute of limitations for title defects, which can be fifteen to twenty years or longer in some states); (c) tax records should be retained for at least seven (7) years in light of federal and state audit periods; (d) records related to compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act, FinCEN regulations, and OFAC sanctions must be retained for at least five (5) years; and (e) your Attorney should advise you on the specific retention period applicable to your matter.
52A. Matter Closure Through the Platform
52A.2 When your matter is concluded, the Attorney must complete the following steps through the Platform: (a) issue a closing letter summarizing the work done, the outcome achieved, and any documents being returned to you; (b) issue a final bill showing a breakdown of professional fees, Disbursements, and applicable taxes, reconciled against all milestone payments made during the matter; (c) return any funds held on your behalf in the Attorney's trust account in compliance with the trust account rules of the applicable state (generally within a prompt and reasonable time, and in any event within the timeframe required by the applicable Rules of Professional Conduct); (d) provide a file closure notification confirming that the Attorney's active file is being closed; (e) confirm whether any undertakings, representations, or continuing obligations were given during the matter and their current status; (f) notify you of any ongoing duties or obligations you may have (such as compliance with court orders, settlement terms, regulatory filings, or limitation periods for appeals); (g) provide complaint information, including the applicable state bar's disciplinary authority contact details, the Client Protection Fund, and any fee arbitration programs; (h) confirm that the Attorney's duty of confidentiality continues after the matter ends; and (i) confirm whether the Attorney will retain your file and for how long. The Platform facilitates this process through its matter closure workflow but does not review, approve, or take responsibility for the content of any closure documents.
52A.3 Following the closure of your matter, you may request that your Attorney transfer your file to a new attorney or return your file to you. Your Attorney is required by the applicable Rules of Professional Conduct (generally ABA Model Rule 1.16(d) as adopted) to take steps reasonably practicable to protect your interests upon termination of the engagement, including giving reasonable notice, allowing time for employment of other counsel, surrendering papers and property to which you are entitled, and refunding any advance payment of fee or expense that has not been earned or incurred. Your Attorney may retain a copy of the file and may assert a retaining lien for unpaid fees to the extent permitted by the law of the applicable state.
PART J - COMPLAINTS AND DISCIPLINARY MATTERS
53. Complaints About Legal Services
53.1 If you are unhappy with the legal services provided by your Attorney, you have the right to complain. This right cannot be excluded, restricted, or waived. Your Attorney should have a written complaints procedure and should tell you about it at the start of the engagement.
53A.1 Your complaint route depends on your Attorney's practice model: (a) For any Attorney, you may complain through the Platform's dispute process and through the state bar of the Delivery State. (b) If your Attorney is admitted pro hac vice, you may complain to both the host state bar and the Attorney's home state bar. (c) If your Attorney is part of a multi-state practice, the state bar of the state where your services were delivered has primary jurisdiction. (d) For solo practitioners, your complaint is against the individual. For law firm attorneys, you may have a complaint against both the individual and the firm. (e) The per-state complaint filing directory in clause 57A provides contact details for every state bar.
54. Complaint Routes
54.1 You have the following complaint routes: (a) complain to your Attorney under their internal complaints procedure; (b) raise a dispute through the Platform during the Confirmation Period (which instructs Stripe to hold funds pending resolution); (c) file a complaint with the applicable state bar's disciplinary authority (identified in the applicable state clause (clauses 852013135)); (d) file a fee dispute or fee arbitration petition with the applicable state bar where such a program exists; (e) file a claim for reimbursement with the applicable state's Client Protection Fund (where the complaint involves dishonesty or misappropriation); or (f) bring court proceedings for legal malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, or breach of contract.
55. Complaining Through the Platform
55.1 When you raise a dispute through the Platform: (a) the Platform notifies your Attorney; (b) the Platform facilitates communication between you and the Attorney; (c) the Platform does not take sides, adjudicate disputes, or determine liability; and (d) if resolution cannot be reached, the Platform will inform you of your right to escalate to the applicable state bar, the courts, or other available remedies.
56. State Bar Disciplinary Complaints
56.1 If you believe your Attorney has engaged in professional misconduct (including dishonesty, conflicts of interest, neglect, incompetence, or misappropriation of funds), you may file a complaint with the disciplinary authority of the state in which the Attorney is admitted. The applicable state clause (clauses 852013135) identifies the disciplinary authority for each state. Filing a disciplinary complaint does not require you to pay a fee and does not require an attorney.
57. Client Protection Funds
57.1 If your Attorney has been dishonest or has misappropriated client funds, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Protection Fund (or equivalent) maintained by the applicable state bar or court. The applicable state clause (clauses 852013135) identifies the Client Protection Fund for each state. These funds are typically discretionary and subject to caps set by the applicable state.
57A. How to File a Complaint About Your Attorney: State-by-State Directory
57A.1 If you wish to file a disciplinary complaint about your Attorney's conduct, you should file the complaint with the disciplinary authority of the state in which your Attorney is admitted. Most state bars accept complaints online. Below is the complaint filing authority for each state. The Platform will assist you in identifying the correct authority upon request.
57A.2 When filing a complaint, you should include: (a) the attorney's full name and bar number; (b) a description of the conduct you are complaining about; (c) relevant dates; (d) copies of relevant documents (engagement letter, invoices, correspondence); (e) your contact information; and (f) the outcome you are seeking. Disciplinary complaints are typically confidential until formal charges are filed.
57A.3 State Complaint Filing Authorities
Alabama: Alabama State Bar, Office of General Counsel. Website: www.alabar.org. Complaint method: Online complaint form or written complaint. Telephone: (334) 269-1515.
Alaska: Alaska Bar Association, Bar Counsel. Website: www.alaskabar.org. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (907) 272-7469.
Arizona: State Bar of Arizona, Attorney Discipline. Website: www.azbar.org. Complaint method: Online complaint form. Telephone: (602) 340-7280.
Arkansas: Arkansas Supreme Court, Office of Professional Conduct. Website: www.arcourts.gov. Complaint method: Written or online complaint. Telephone: (501) 376-0313.
California: State Bar of California, Office of Chief Trial Counsel. Website: www.calbar.ca.gov. Complaint method: Online complaint form at www.calbar.ca.gov/attorneys/file-a-complaint. Telephone: (800) 843-9053.
Colorado: Colorado Supreme Court, Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel. Website: www.coloradosupremecourt.com. Complaint method: Online complaint form. Telephone: (303) 457-5800.
Connecticut: Connecticut Judicial Branch, Statewide Grievance Committee. Website: www.jud.ct.gov. Complaint method: Written grievance complaint form. Telephone: (860) 568-5157.
Delaware: Delaware Supreme Court, Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Website: www.courts.delaware.gov. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (302) 651-3926.
Florida: The Florida Bar, Attorney Consumer Assistance Program. Website: www.floridabar.org. Complaint method: Online complaint form at www.floridabar.org/public/acap. Telephone: (866) 352-0707.
Georgia: State Bar of Georgia, Office of General Counsel. Website: www.gabar.org. Complaint method: Online complaint form. Telephone: (404) 527-8720.
Hawaii: Hawaii Supreme Court, Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Website: www.dbhawaii.org. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (808) 521-4591.
Idaho: Idaho State Bar, Bar Counsel. Website: www.isb.idaho.gov. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (208) 334-4500.
Illinois: Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC). Website: www.iardc.org. Complaint method: Online complaint form at www.iardc.org/filecomplaint.html. Telephone: (312) 565-2600 (Chicago) or (217) 546-3523 (Springfield).
Indiana: Indiana Supreme Court, Disciplinary Commission. Website: www.in.gov/judiciary/discipline. Complaint method: Written or online complaint. Telephone: (317) 232-1807.
Iowa: Iowa Supreme Court, Office of Professional Regulation. Website: www.iowacourts.gov. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (515) 725-8017.
Kansas: Kansas Disciplinary Administrator. Website: www.kscourts.org. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (785) 296-2486.
Kentucky: Kentucky Bar Association, Office of Bar Counsel. Website: www.kybar.org. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (502) 564-3795.
Louisiana: Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board, Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Website: www.ladb.org. Complaint method: Online complaint form. Telephone: (504) 834-1488.
Maine: Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar. Website: www.mebaroverseers.org. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (207) 623-1121.
Maryland: Maryland Attorney Grievance Commission, Bar Counsel. Website: www.mdcourts.gov/agc. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (410) 514-7051.
Massachusetts: Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers, Office of Bar Counsel. Website: www.massbbo.org. Complaint method: Online or written complaint. Telephone: (617) 728-8750.
Michigan: Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission. Website: www.agcmi.com. Complaint method: Written complaint form available online. Telephone: (313) 961-6585.
Minnesota: Minnesota Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility. Website: www.lprb.mncourts.gov. Complaint method: Online complaint form. Telephone: (651) 296-3952.
Mississippi: Mississippi Bar, Office of General Counsel. Website: www.msbar.org. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (601) 948-4471.
Missouri: Missouri Supreme Court, Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel. Website: www.mochiefcounsel.org. Complaint method: Online complaint form. Telephone: (573) 635-7400.
Montana: Montana Supreme Court, Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Website: www.montanabar.org. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (406) 841-2965.
Nebraska: Nebraska Supreme Court, Counsel for Discipline. Website: www.supremecourt.nebraska.gov. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (402) 471-2013.
Nevada: State Bar of Nevada, Office of Bar Counsel. Website: www.nvbar.org. Complaint method: Online complaint form. Telephone: (702) 382-2200.
New Hampshire: New Hampshire Supreme Court, Attorney Discipline Office. Website: www.nhattyreg.org. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (603) 224-5828.
New Jersey: New Jersey Supreme Court, Office of Attorney Ethics. Website: www.njcourts.gov/attorneys/office-attorney-ethics. Complaint method: Written grievance form. Telephone: (609) 292-8750.
New Mexico: New Mexico Supreme Court, Disciplinary Board. Website: www.nmsupremecourt.nmcourts.gov. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (505) 842-5781.
New York: Depending on judicial department: 1st Dept (Manhattan/Bronx): Attorney Grievance Committee; 2nd Dept (Brooklyn/Queens/Staten Island/Long Island/Westchester): Grievance Committee; 3rd Dept (Albany region): Committee on Professional Standards; 4th Dept (Rochester/Buffalo): Attorney Grievance Committee. Website: www.nycourts.gov/attorneys/grievance. Complaint method: Written complaint to the Grievance Committee for the department where the attorney's office is located. Telephone: 1st Dept: (212) 401-0800; 2nd Dept: (718) 923-6300; 3rd Dept: (518) 285-8350; 4th Dept: (585) 530-3180.
North Carolina: North Carolina State Bar, Office of Counsel. Website: www.ncbar.gov. Complaint method: Online complaint form at www.ncbar.gov/for-the-public/making-a-complaint. Telephone: (919) 828-4620.
North Dakota: North Dakota Supreme Court, Disciplinary Board. Website: www.ndcourts.gov. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (701) 328-2908.
Ohio: Ohio Supreme Court, Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Website: www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/odc. Complaint method: Online complaint form. Telephone: (614) 461-0256.
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Bar Association, Office of General Counsel. Website: www.okbar.org. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (405) 416-7007.
Oregon: Oregon State Bar, Disciplinary Counsel. Website: www.osbar.org. Complaint method: Online complaint form. Telephone: (503) 620-0222.
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board, Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Website: www.padisciplinaryboard.org. Complaint method: Online complaint form. Telephone: (717) 731-7073.
Rhode Island: Rhode Island Supreme Court, Disciplinary Counsel. Website: www.courts.ri.gov. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (401) 222-3270.
South Carolina: South Carolina Supreme Court, Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Website: www.sccourts.org/discipline. Complaint method: Online complaint form. Telephone: (803) 734-2038.
South Dakota: South Dakota State Bar, Disciplinary Board. Website: www.statebarofsouthdakota.com. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (605) 224-7554.
Tennessee: Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility. Website: www.tbpr.org. Complaint method: Online complaint form. Telephone: (615) 361-7500.
Texas: State Bar of Texas, Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel. Website: www.texasbar.com/grievances. Complaint method: Online complaint form at www.texasbar.com/grievances. Telephone: (800) 932-1900.
Utah: Utah State Bar, Office of Professional Conduct. Website: www.utahbar.org. Complaint method: Online complaint form. Telephone: (801) 531-9110.
Vermont: Vermont Professional Responsibility Board. Website: www.vermontjudiciary.org. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (802) 859-3000.
Virginia: Virginia State Bar, Office of Bar Counsel. Website: www.vsb.org. Complaint method: Online complaint form at www.vsb.org/site/regulation/file-complaint. Telephone: (804) 775-0522.
Washington: Washington State Bar Association, Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Website: www.wsba.org. Complaint method: Online complaint form at www.wsba.org/for-the-public/file-a-grievance. Telephone: (206) 727-8207.
West Virginia: West Virginia Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Website: www.wvodc.org. Complaint method: Written or online complaint. Telephone: (304) 558-7999.
Wisconsin: Wisconsin Supreme Court, Office of Lawyer Regulation. Website: www.wicourts.gov/courts/offices/olr.htm. Complaint method: Written or online complaint. Telephone: (877) 315-6941.
Wyoming: Wyoming State Bar, Bar Counsel. Website: www.wyomingbar.org. Complaint method: Written complaint. Telephone: (307) 632-9061.
58. Complaints About the Platform
58.1 If your complaint is about the Platform's service (not about your Attorney's legal services), you should contact the Platform using the details in clause 82. The Platform will acknowledge your complaint within two (2) business days and provide a substantive response within ten (10) business days. State bar disciplinary authorities have jurisdiction over attorneys, not over the Platform. You may direct complaints about the Platform to the applicable state's attorney general, consumer protection office, or the Federal Trade Commission.
59. Complaining After Funds Have Been Released
59.1 Release of funds to your Attorney does not prevent you from: (a) using your Attorney's complaints procedure; (b) filing a state bar disciplinary complaint; (c) pursuing fee arbitration; (d) bringing court proceedings; or (e) claiming under your Attorney's Malpractice Insurance. However, if funds have already been released, the Platform cannot recall them through its internal process.
60. The Client Protection Fund
60.1 If your Attorney has been dishonest or has failed to account for money, you may be eligible to make a claim on the Client Protection Fund maintained by the applicable state bar or court, as identified in the applicable state clause (clauses 852013135). The Client Protection Fund is typically a discretionary scheme and may not cover all losses. Your Attorney should inform you whether a Client Protection Fund is available to you before you engage them.
District of Columbia: District of Columbia Court of Appeals, Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Website: www.dcodc.org. Complaint method: Online complaint form at www.dcodc.org. Telephone: (202) 638-1501.
PART K - DATA PROTECTION AND PRIVACY
61. How We Use Your Data
61.1 The Platform processes your personal information in accordance with its Privacy Notice (available on the Platform's website) and all applicable federal and state privacy and data protection laws.
62. Applicable Privacy Laws
62.1 The Platform complies with applicable state comprehensive privacy laws, including (where applicable to you based on your state of residence): the California Consumer Privacy Act / California Privacy Rights Act (CCPA/CPRA); the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA); the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA); the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA); the Utah Consumer Privacy Act (UCPA); the Iowa Consumer Data Protection Act (ICDPA); the Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act; the Tennessee Information Protection Act (TIPA); the Montana Consumer Data Privacy Act; the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act (OCPA); the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA); the Delaware Personal Data Privacy Act (DPDPA); the New Hampshire Privacy Act; the New Jersey Data Privacy Act (NJDPA); the Nebraska Data Privacy Act (NDPA); the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act (MODPA); the Minnesota Consumer Data Privacy Act (MCDPA); and any other state comprehensive privacy law enacted after the date of these Terms. The specific privacy law applicable in each state is identified in the applicable state clause (clauses 852013135).
62.2 The Platform also complies with: (a) state data breach notification laws (all 50 states, D.C., and U.S. territories have breach notification laws); (b) the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) and similar biometric privacy laws in Texas and Washington; (c) the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) where applicable; (d) the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA); (e) the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) where applicable; and (f) the CAN-SPAM Act (15 U.S.C. § 7701 et seq.) and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA, 47 U.S.C. § 227) for marketing communications.
63. Your Privacy Rights
63.1 Where applicable state privacy law grants you specific rights (such as the right to know, access, delete, correct, port, or opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information), the Platform will honor those rights in accordance with the applicable law.
63.2 The Platform does not sell your personal information. The Platform does not use personal information for purposes incompatible with the purposes for which it was collected without your consent.
64. Cookies, Marketing, and Communications
64.1 The Platform uses cookies and similar technologies in accordance with its Cookie Policy (published on the Platform's website). You may manage cookie preferences through the Platform's settings or your browser.
64.2 The Platform sends transactional notifications (including booking confirmations, payment receipts, and deadline reminders) which are necessary for the performance of the contract. The Platform may also send promotional communications subject to your communication preferences. You may opt out of non-essential communications at any time through your account settings or by using the unsubscribe mechanism in each communication. The Platform complies with the CAN-SPAM Act and the TCPA.
64A. SMS and Text Message Communications
64A.1 The Platform may send you SMS or text messages in connection with your use of the Platform. These messages fall into two categories: (a) transactional messages, which are directly related to your use of the Platform and include booking confirmations, payment receipts, Confirmation Period reminders, dispute notifications, and security alerts (these messages are sent as part of the Platform's service and do not require separate marketing consent); and (b) promotional messages, which include marketing communications, special offers, and re-engagement reminders.
64A-A.1 Certain pricing models offered by Attorneys on the Platform involve payment arranged directly between You and the Attorney, outside the Platform. For these arrangements: (a) no payment is processed through the Platform; (b) the Platform does not hold funds in escrow; (c) the buyer protection fee does not apply; (d) fee disputes are between You and the Attorney; and (e) the Platform tracks milestones for project management purposes only.
64A-A.2 Where a Attorney offers a pricing model involving external payment, the Attorney is required by their regulator to provide You with full costs information before You agree to the arrangement.
64A-A.3 In exceptional circumstances, the Platform reserves the right to instruct Stripe to release Held Funds at its reasonable discretion. The Platform will notify both parties before taking such action.
64A-A.4 The Platform supports multiple milestone types with distinct payment implications: (a) standard (held by Stripe until confirmed); (b) conditional (tied to an event); (c) recurring (periodic); (d) retainer drawdown; (e) hourly block; (f) percentage-of-value; (g) immediate release (no escrow protection); (h) instalment; and (i) scope-only (no payment through Platform). Immediate release milestones do not benefit from escrow protection.
64A.2 The Platform will not send you promotional SMS or text messages unless you have provided your prior express written consent, as required by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA, 47 U.S.C. § 227) and its implementing regulations (47 CFR § 64.1200). Your consent is obtained through a clear and conspicuous disclosure and opt-in mechanism presented at the time of registration or at the time you provide your mobile telephone number. Your consent is not a condition of purchasing any goods or services from the Platform.
64A.3 You may opt out of promotional SMS or text messages at any time by: (a) replying STOP to any promotional message; (b) adjusting your communication preferences in your Platform account settings; or (c) contacting the Platform. The Platform will process your opt-out within ten (10) days. Opting out of promotional messages does not affect transactional messages, which will continue as long as you have an active Platform account.
64A.4 Standard message and data rates may apply to SMS and text messages sent by the Platform, depending on your mobile carrier and plan. The Platform is not responsible for any charges imposed by your carrier.
64.3 You may manage your privacy choices at any time through the Platform's account settings, including: (a) marketing preferences; (b) profile visibility; (c) data sharing preferences; and (d) account deletion requests.
64B. Geolocation Data
64B.1 The Platform may collect and use geolocation data (information about your approximate geographic location derived from your IP address, device settings, or, with your consent, your device's GPS or location services) for the following purposes: (a) to determine the applicable recording consent law for your Scoping Call (clause 9A.4.1), which requires the Platform to know whether you are located in an All-Party Consent State; (b) to match you with Attorneys licensed in your state; (c) to apply the correct state-specific regulatory provisions (clauses 85-135); (d) to calculate and collect applicable sales tax (clause 36C); (e) to comply with OFAC sanctions screening requirements (clause 22); and (f) to detect and prevent fraud.
64B.2 The Platform uses IP-based geolocation by default, which provides approximate location at the city or state level without requiring your active consent. If the Platform requests access to your device's precise location services (GPS), it will do so through your device's standard permission request and you may decline. Declining precise location access does not prevent you from using the Platform, but may affect the accuracy of state-specific features.
64B.3 The Platform does not sell your geolocation data. Geolocation data is retained only for so long as necessary for the purposes described in clause 64B.1 and is then deleted or anonymized. In states with comprehensive privacy laws that provide rights over geolocation data (including California under the CCPA/CPRA, which classifies precise geolocation as "sensitive personal information"), the Platform will honor your rights under the applicable law.
64C. Account Deletion and Data Portability
64C.1 You may request deletion of your Platform account at any time by: (a) using the account deletion feature in your Platform account settings; or (b) contacting the Platform using the details in clause 82. Upon receiving your request, the Platform will process the deletion within thirty (30) days, subject to the following steps: (i) verify your identity to prevent unauthorized account deletions; (ii) confirm whether you have any active matters, outstanding payments, or pending disputes (which must be resolved before account deletion can be completed); and (iii) process the deletion within thirty (30) days of verification, or such shorter period as required by the applicable state privacy law.
64C.2 When your account is deleted: (a) your profile, account settings, and Platform-generated data will be permanently deleted; (b) your Scoping Call recordings and AI Scope Scripts will be deleted (subject to any retention required for active matters, pending disputes, or legal obligations); (c) the Platform's immutable audit log (clause 50A) will be retained for the applicable retention period (seven years from matter closure) as required for regulatory, dispute resolution, and legal compliance purposes, but will be pseudonymized to the extent practicable; (d) your Attorney retains their own independent file and records, which are not affected by Platform account deletion; and (e) you will no longer be able to access the Platform or any data associated with your account.
64C.3 Before deleting your account, you may request a copy of your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format (data portability). Where applicable state privacy law grants you a right to data portability (including under the CCPA/CPRA and other state privacy laws listed in clause 62.1), the Platform will provide your data within the timeframe required by the applicable law. The exported data will include: (a) your account information; (b) matter summaries and milestone history; (c) payment transaction history; (d) communications sent through the Platform's messaging system; and (e) any documents you uploaded to the Platform. The exported data will not include: (i) the Platform's proprietary algorithms, matching data, or internal analytics; (ii) information belonging to other users (including Attorneys); or (iii) the Platform's audit log.
64C.4 The Platform recommends that you export your data before requesting account deletion. Once deletion is complete, the Platform cannot recover your data (except for audit log records retained under clause 50A). You are advised to retain your own copies of all documents, correspondence, and records that you may need in the future.
65. Data Breach and Data Sharing
65.1 If the Platform becomes aware of a personal data breach affecting your data, it will notify you and the applicable state attorney general or other regulatory authority in accordance with the data breach notification laws of the applicable state(s).
65.2 When you engage an Attorney through the Platform, your information is shared with that Attorney for the purpose of providing legal services. Your Attorney processes your data as a separate independent controller and is responsible for their own privacy and data protection compliance.
65.3 The Platform uses service providers who may process data within the United States. Where data is transferred outside the United States, appropriate safeguards are in place.
65A.1 The Platform uses the following categories of third-party data processor: (a) database and authentication; (b) payment processing; (c) video infrastructure (call data deleted within twenty-four hours); (d) speech-to-text transcription (raw audio not retained); (e) AI processing (inputs not used for model training); (f) transactional email; (g) automation; (h) fact verification (verifiable claims only, no personal data transmitted); and (i) semantic search and embedding. Each operates under a binding data processing agreement. A list of processors is available on request.
65B.1 The Platform uses cookies and third-party scripts in four categories: (a) essential (always active); (b) functional (can be disabled); (c) analytics (can be disabled); and (d) marketing (can be disabled).
65B.2 No non-essential cookies are loaded until You have explicitly consented. You may manage preferences at any time via the cookie settings in the Platform's footer.
65C.1 The Platform retains personal data for the following periods: (a) consultation transcripts and AI Scope Scripts: thirty (30) days (automatically deleted); (b) messages: retained indefinitely (legal audit and dispute evidence); (c) financial records: seven (7) years; (d) identity verification documents: until expiry plus ninety (90) days; (e) analytics events: ninety (90) days (configurable); (f) scope reports: retained indefinitely (part of the order record); (g) compliance flags: retained indefinitely; (h) consent records: retained for the duration of the Platform's operation; (i) audit log entries: retained permanently and cannot be deleted (Article 17(3)(b) and (e) UK GDPR); (j) account data: retained until deletion requested, subject to legal obligations; (k) Plan My Case session data (including action plans, detected practice areas, and feedback): ninety (90) days for anonymous sessions (automatically deleted), retained indefinitely for registered users; and (l) documents uploaded to Plan My Case: ninety (90) days (automatically deleted), accessible only via time-limited signed URLs.(j) account data: retained until deletion requested, subject to legal obligations; (k) Plan My Case session data (including action plans, detected practice areas, extracted document text, AI-generated document summaries, and feedback): ninety (90) days for anonymous sessions (automatically deleted), retained indefinitely for registered users (including extracted document content and AI-generated document summaries, which are retained as part of the session record beyond the ninety (90) day file deletion period); and (l) documents uploaded to Plan My Case: ninety (90) days (automatically deleted), accessible only via time-limited signed URLs. You may delete Your account or individual Plan My Case plans at any time via the self-service deletion options in Your account settings or portal. Upon deletion, all associated Plan My Case session records (including plans, extracted text, summaries, and question-and-answer data), all uploaded files still in storage, and all recommendation records linked to Your sessions are permanently removed.
65C.2 Where the Platform is required by law to retain personal data beyond the periods stated above, the Platform will retain the minimum data necessary for the minimum period required.
65E.1 The Platform provides a feature called Plan My Case, which generates AI-powered action plans based on a user's description of a legal situation. Plan My Case is available before a user accepts these Terms and before any engagement with an Attorney begins. Clauses 65E.2 to 65E.12 apply only if You used Plan My Case prior to booking a consultation through the Platform. If You did not use Plan My Case, these clauses do not apply to You.
65E.2 If You used Plan My Case, You acknowledge that it provides general legal information only. It does not provide legal advice, case assessments, outcome predictions, or recommendations specific to Your individual circumstances. No attorney-client relationship was created between You and any Attorney or Legal Professional as a result of Your use of Plan My Case. You should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of a Plan My Case action plan without first obtaining independent legal advice from a qualified Attorney.
65E.3 Where You booked a consultation through the Platform from a Plan My Case action plan, the following information from Your Plan My Case session is shared with Your matched Attorney or Legal Professional through the Platform's booking system: (a) the practice area(s) detected from Your situation description; (b) the type of Attorney recommended by the action plan; (c) the jurisdiction identified for Your matter; (d) any urgency indicators identified by the action plan; and (e) any compliance flags detected during Your Plan My Case session (including, where applicable, indicators of domestic abuse or other safeguarding concerns). This information is shared to enable Your Attorney to prepare for the Scoping Call and to trigger any required compliance procedures. Your original situation description and any documents You uploaded to Plan My Case are not shared with Your matched Attorney. Where You book a consultation through the Platform from a Plan My Case action plan, You may optionally choose to share Your saved Plan My Case report with Your matched Attorney or Legal Professional. Sharing is initiated by You during the booking process through an optional attachment dropdown; no Plan My Case data is shared automatically. If You choose to share, the following information is provided to Your matched Attorney or Legal Professional: (a) the action plan summary; (b) the practice area(s) detected from Your situation description; (c) the complexity assessment; (d) the estimated cost ranges; (e) the recommended action steps; and (f) Your original situation description. You may also choose whether to include AI-generated summaries of any documents You uploaded during the Plan My Case session by ticking or unticking the document sharing option during booking. Your raw uploaded documents are never shared with Your matched Attorney; only AI-generated summaries are shared, and only where You have expressly opted to include them. If You do not attach a Plan My Case report during booking, no Plan My Case data is shared with Your matched Attorney.
65E.4 If You used Plan My Case, You acknowledge that Your situation description and any answers to clarifying questions were processed by the Platform's AI processing provider. A separate fact verification provider was used to verify factual claims (such as government fees, filing deadlines, and statutory thresholds) contained in Your action plan. The fact verification provider received only extracted factual claims and did not receive Your situation description, personal details, or uploaded documents. This separation is a data minimisation measure under applicable state privacy law. By accepting these Terms, You confirm that You understand and accept this processing.
65E.5 If You received a Plan My Case action plan, any estimated costs shown in that plan are indicative only. Government fees and statutory thresholds marked as verified were checked against official sources at the time of plan generation but may have changed. Attorney fee estimates are approximate ranges drawn from the Platform's knowledge base and do not represent a quotation from any Attorney. The Milestone Proposal provided by Your matched Attorney following the Scoping Call supersedes all cost estimates in Your Plan My Case action plan.
65E.6 If You uploaded documents to Plan My Case, You acknowledge that: (a) You gave explicit consent to AI processing of those documents at the point of upload; (b) the documents are stored in encrypted private storage (AES-256 at rest) and are accessible only via time-limited signed URLs; (c) the documents are automatically deleted ninety (90) days after upload; (d) the Platform's AI provider processed extracted text from the documents to generate Your action plan but did not retain the document content after processing; and (e) the Platform's fact verification provider did not receive any uploaded document content. Uploaded documents are not transferred to Your matched Attorney through the Platform. If Your Attorney requires copies of these documents, You must provide them directly. If You uploaded documents to Plan My Case, You acknowledge that: (a) You gave explicit consent to AI processing of those documents at the point of upload; (b) the documents are stored in the Platform's encrypted private storage infrastructure and are accessible only via time-limited signed URLs; (c) the documents are automatically deleted ninety (90) days after upload; (d) the Platform's AI provider processed extracted text from the documents to generate Your action plan but did not retain the document content after processing; (e) the Platform's fact verification provider did not receive any uploaded document content; (f) after uploading, the Platform produces a structured summary of each document (including document type, parties, dates, amounts, key terms, and jurisdiction) which You review and confirm before the Platform generates Your action plan; (g) if a document cannot be read (for example, a scanned image or corrupted file), the Platform will inform You and ask You to describe the document instead; and (h) You may remove individual documents from a plan at any time, or delete an entire plan from Your portal, which triggers immediate deletion of the associated documents from storage and all related records from the database; You do not need to wait for the ninety (90) day automatic deletion. Uploaded documents are not transferred to Your matched Attorney through the Platform. If Your Attorney requires copies of these documents, You must provide them directly.
65E.7 If the Platform's automated keyword detection identified an emergency or safeguarding concern during Your Plan My Case session (such as domestic abuse, mental health crisis, housing emergency, or arrest), this information is carried forward to the consultation booking system when You book a Scoping Call from Your action plan. Your matched Attorney or Legal Professional will be informed that a compliance flag has been raised so that they can take appropriate steps in accordance with their regulatory obligations.65E.8 Where You booked a consultation through the Platform from a Plan My Case action plan, the applicable fee is the Connection Fee set out in clause 34.1. The fee applicable to Your consultation is determined at the point of booking, not at the point of plan generation.65E.9 If You used Plan My Case, nothing in Your action plan binds Your matched Attorney or Legal Professional. Your Attorney is required to conduct their own independent assessment of Your matter and is not obliged to follow, adopt, or agree with any step, cost estimate, or recommendation contained in Your action plan. The Scoping Call and any subsequent Milestone Proposal represent the start of the professional engagement and supersede the Plan My Case action plan in all respects.
65E.10 Plan My Case action plans are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without any warranty, whether express or implied, as to accuracy, completeness, currency, fitness for a particular purpose, or suitability for Your specific circumstances. The Platform does not warrant that any information in a Plan My Case action plan is correct, current, or complete, including government fees, filing deadlines, statutory thresholds, or Attorney fee estimates, even where such information is marked as verified. The Platform accepts no liability, under any circumstances or under any legal theory (whether in contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, or otherwise), for any loss, damage, cost, expense, or consequence of any kind arising from Your use of, reliance on, or inability to use Plan My Case or any action plan generated by it. This exclusion applies whether or not the Platform was advised of the possibility of such loss. Nothing in this clause excludes or limits the Platform's liability for death or personal injury caused by its negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited by applicable law.
65E.11 All intellectual property in the Plan My Case feature, including the underlying knowledge base, pricing data, practice area taxonomy, AI prompts, scoring algorithms, and verification methodology, is and remains the exclusive property of the Platform. If You received a Plan My Case action plan, the Platform grants You a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to use that action plan for Your own personal, non-commercial purposes in connection with Your legal matter only. You must not: (a) redistribute, publish, share, or make available any action plan (in whole or in part) to any third party, except to an Attorney You have instructed in connection with the matter; (b) use Plan My Case to systematically generate action plans for the purpose of extracting, compiling, or reproducing the Platform's knowledge base data, fee benchmarks, or regulatory information; (c) use any action plan for commercial purposes, including selling, licensing, or incorporating plan content into any product or service; or (d) present any action plan to any person as legal advice or as a substitute for independent legal advice. The Platform reserves the right to suspend or terminate Your access to Plan My Case if it reasonably believes You are using the feature in breach of this clause.
65E.12 If You used Plan My Case, You are solely responsible for any decision You make, or any action You take or refrain from taking, on the basis of a Plan My Case action plan. If You share, forward, or otherwise make available any Plan My Case action plan to a third party (whether or not in breach of clause 65E.11), You indemnify and hold harmless the Platform, its officers, directors, employees, and agents against all claims, losses, damages, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from or in connection with that third party's use of or reliance on the action plan. This indemnity is without monetary limit and survives termination of these Terms.
PART L - LIABILITY AND DISCLAIMERS
66. Platform Limitations
66.1 The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available." To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Platform disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. The Platform does not guarantee: (a) the quality or outcome of any legal services; (b) the accuracy or completeness of Attorney profiles; (c) that any particular Attorney is suitable for your matter; (d) that the Platform will be available without interruption; or (e) that all information on the Platform is up to date.
66A. No Attorney-Client Relationship with the Platform
66A.1 No attorney-client relationship exists or is created between you and the Platform at any time, under any circumstances, regardless of the nature or extent of the Platform's services or your interactions with the Platform. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing: (a) the Platform's provision of technology tools (including the AI Scope Script, milestone builder, scheduling system, dispute facilitation process, and any other Platform feature) does not create an attorney-client relationship; (b) communications between you and Platform personnel (including case advisers, compliance handlers, and customer service representatives) do not create an attorney-client relationship; (c) the fact that the Platform collects, stores, or transmits information about your legal matter does not create an attorney-client relationship; and (d) no communication with the Platform is protected by attorney-client privilege (as the Platform is not an attorney). You should not share information with the Platform that you would only share with an attorney in a privileged context.
66B. No Fiduciary Relationship
66B.1 No fiduciary relationship, relationship of trust and confidence, or special relationship exists between you and the Platform. The Platform is a commercial counterparty providing technology services pursuant to these Terms. The Platform does not owe you fiduciary duties, including duties of loyalty, care, good faith (beyond the implied covenant applicable to all contracts), full disclosure, or avoidance of conflicts of interest. You are responsible for making your own decisions about which Attorney to engage and whether to accept or reject any Milestone Proposal.
67. Platform's Liability
67.1 The Platform does not exclude or limit liability for: (a) death or personal injury caused by its negligence; (b) fraud or intentional misrepresentation; or (c) any other matter that cannot be excluded by law.
67.2 The Platform is a technology marketplace only. The Platform is not liable, and accepts no liability whatsoever, for: (a) the acts, omissions, advice, errors, negligence, misconduct, or malpractice of any Attorney; (b) the quality, accuracy, completeness, suitability, timeliness, or outcome of any legal services provided by any Attorney; (c) any Legal Fees charged by any Attorney or any dispute about the reasonableness, fairness, or accuracy of those fees; (d) any loss, damage, cost, or expense arising from the attorney-client relationship between you and your Attorney; (e) any breach by an Attorney of the Rules of Professional Conduct, fiduciary duties, or any other professional obligation; (f) any failure by an Attorney to maintain insurance, trust accounts, or bar registration; (g) any disciplinary action taken against an Attorney; or (h) any document, advice, work product, or communication prepared or sent by an Attorney through the Platform.
67.2A Your sole remedies against your Attorney for matters described in clause 67.2 are: (a) the Platform's dispute resolution process; (b) a complaint to the applicable state bar disciplinary authority (see clause 57A); (c) a claim on the applicable Client Protection Fund; or (d) a civil claim against the Attorney directly.
67.3 Subject to clause 67.1, the Platform's liability to you is limited exclusively to direct losses arising from a failure of the Platform's own technology services (the matching service, payment processing infrastructure, video consultation technology, AI scope report generation, document workspace, and account management). The Platform shall not be liable for: (a) indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages of any kind; (b) loss of profit, revenue, data, business, or opportunity; (c) the cost of procuring substitute legal services; (d) any loss arising from your failure to provide accurate information; or (e) any loss arising from circumstances beyond the Platform's reasonable control.
67.3A Subject to clause 67.1, the Platform's maximum total cumulative liability to you for all claims of any kind arising out of or in connection with these Terms, the Platform's services, or your use of the Platform, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, statutory liability, or any other legal or equitable theory, shall not exceed the total Platform Fees (excluding Legal Fees, Disbursements, and taxes) actually paid by you to the Platform in the thirty (30) days immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim. For the avoidance of doubt, Legal Fees paid to your Attorney through the Platform are not Platform Fees and are excluded from this calculation. The Platform's liability cap is based solely on the Connection Fees, AI Consultation Fees, Compliance Verification Fees, and Buyer Protection Fees you have paid to the Platform.
67.3B The Platform's liability under these Terms is limited exclusively to the functionality, availability, and performance of the Platform's technology services (including the marketplace, matching algorithm, video conferencing infrastructure, AI Scope Script generation, Stripe payment facilitation, and dispute resolution workflow). The Platform is not liable, under any circumstances or under any legal theory (whether in contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, or otherwise), for: (a) the conduct, acts, omissions, negligence, fraud, misconduct, or regulatory non-compliance of any Attorney or Legal Professional, or Client; (b) the quality, accuracy, completeness, legality, suitability, or outcome of any legal services provided by any Attorney or Legal Professional; (c) any advice given or not given by any Attorney or Legal Professional; (d) any document or work product prepared by any Attorney or Legal Professional; (e) the handling, safeguarding, or misappropriation of Client Money by any Attorney or Legal Professional; (f) any failure by any Attorney or Legal Professional to comply with their regulatory obligations, professional conduct rules, or insurance requirements; or (g) any act or omission of any Client, including the provision of false information, misuse of the Platform, or failure to verify a legal professional's credentials. The Platform's role is that of a technology intermediary. It does not supervise, direct, control, or monitor the delivery of legal services.
67A. Exclusion of Consequential and Special Damages
67A.1 To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall the Platform, its directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates, successors, or assigns be liable to you or any third party for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages of any kind (including damages for lost profits, lost revenue, lost savings, loss of business opportunity, loss of data or goodwill, service interruption, computer damage, system failure, or the cost of substitute services) arising out of or in connection with these Terms or your use of the Platform, regardless of the legal theory (whether contract, tort, warranty, strict liability, or otherwise) and regardless of whether the Platform was advised of or should have known of the possibility of such damages.
67B. Aggregate Liability Cap
67B.1 The aggregate liability cap in clause 67.3A applies to all claims. For the avoidance of doubt: (a) Legal Fees paid to your Attorney are not included in the calculation of the cap; (b) Disbursements paid through the Platform are not included; (c) Stripe processing fees are not included; (d) taxes are not included. The cap is calculated solely on Platform service fees (Connection Fees, AI Consultation Fees, Compliance Verification Fees, and Buyer Protection Fees) actually paid by you to the Platform in the thirty (30) days immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim. If you have not paid any Platform Fees in that period, the Platform's maximum liability is one hundred dollars ($100.00). This limitation applies to the aggregate of all claims you may bring against the Platform and is not a per-incident cap.
67C. Jury Trial Waiver
67C.1 To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, you and the Platform each irrevocably and unconditionally waive the right to a trial by jury in any action, proceeding, or counterclaim arising out of or in connection with these Terms, the Platform's services, or your use of the Platform. This waiver applies whether the action is in contract, tort, equity, or otherwise, and whether the claims are brought as original claims, counterclaims, cross-claims, or third-party claims. You acknowledge that this waiver is a material inducement for the Platform to enter into these Terms. If this jury trial waiver is found to be unenforceable in the jurisdiction of any particular claim, the arbitration provision in clause 75 shall apply to that claim in lieu of jury trial.
67D. Statute of Limitations
67D.1 To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, any claim or cause of action arising out of or in connection with these Terms, the Platform's services, or your use of the Platform must be filed within one (1) year after the claim or cause of action arose, regardless of any statute of limitations to the contrary. If a claim is not filed within this one-year period, it is permanently barred. This clause does not apply to claims that, under applicable law, cannot be subject to a shortened limitations period.
67E. Assumption of Risk
67E.1 You acknowledge and agree that: (a) the selection of an Attorney is your decision and your responsibility; (b) the Platform does not guarantee the quality, competence, or suitability of any Attorney; (c) legal outcomes are inherently uncertain and depend on facts, law, and circumstances beyond the control of either the Platform or your Attorney; (d) the Platform's display of an Attorney's profile, credentials, reviews, or Credibility Badges does not constitute a guarantee or representation about that Attorney's ability to achieve any particular result; and (e) you assume the risk inherent in selecting and engaging an Attorney through a technology marketplace.
67F. Independent Contractor Status
67F.1 Each Attorney listed on the Platform is an independent professional, not an employee, agent, partner, joint venturer, franchisee, or independent contractor of the Platform. The Platform does not control, direct, or supervise any Attorney's legal work. The Platform does not set Attorneys' hours, methods, fees (other than the separate Platform Fees), or the manner in which they provide legal services. No joint venture, partnership, employment, franchise, or agency relationship is intended or created between the Platform and any Attorney by these Terms or by the operation of the Platform.
67G. No Class Arbitration
67G.1 The arbitration provision in clause 75 provides for arbitration on an individual basis only. The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims, may not preside over any form of class, collective, or representative arbitration proceeding, and may not award relief to any person other than the individual party seeking relief. If a court determines that the class arbitration waiver in this clause is unenforceable for any reason, then the arbitration provision in clause 75 shall be deemed void and any class, collective, or representative action must be brought exclusively in the federal or state courts located in New York County, New York.
67H. Confidentiality of Arbitration
67H.1 Any arbitration proceeding conducted under clause 75 shall be confidential. Neither party shall disclose the existence, content, or results of the arbitration to any third party, except: (a) as required by law, regulation, or court order; (b) to the party's legal counsel, accountants, or other professional advisers who are bound by confidentiality obligations; (c) to enforce the arbitration award in a court of competent jurisdiction; or (d) in connection with a claim that the arbitration agreement is unenforceable. The arbitrator shall issue appropriate protective orders to preserve the confidentiality of the proceeding and any information exchanged during the arbitration.
67I. Limitation on Arbitrator Authority
67I.1 The arbitrator's authority is limited to deciding the individual dispute between you and the Platform. The arbitrator shall have no authority to: (a) award punitive, exemplary, or treble damages against the Platform, except where such damages are expressly required by a non-waivable statute that applies to the claim; (b) award injunctive or declaratory relief that would affect any person other than the individual party; (c) make any ruling, finding, or award that does not conform to these Terms; or (d) award any relief that a court in the State of New York could not award under applicable law. The arbitrator shall apply the substantive law of the State of New York (or the law of the applicable state to the extent required by clause 81.1) and shall not have authority to disregard or refuse to enforce any provision of these Terms.
67J. Intellectual Property and Injunctive Relief
67J.1 Notwithstanding the arbitration provision in clause 75, either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent the actual or threatened infringement, misappropriation, or violation of intellectual property rights, trade secrets, or confidential information. Claims for injunctive relief to protect intellectual property may be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction and are not subject to the mandatory arbitration, notice-and-cure, or class-action-waiver provisions of these Terms.
68. Attorney's Liability
68.1 Your Attorney is responsible for the legal services they provide. If your Attorney causes you loss through malpractice, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, or breach of contract, you may have a claim against the Attorney (and their Malpractice Insurance carrier). The Platform is not liable for acts or omissions of Attorneys.
68.2 The Platform provides various tools and features to facilitate the engagement between you and your Attorney, including an AI transcription service, a milestone builder, document templates, an acceptance engine, and a scheduling system. The provision of these tools does not make the Platform a party to the retainer between you and your Attorney, does not make the Platform responsible for the legal services your Attorney provides, and does not create any attorney-client relationship between you and the Platform.
68A. Survival
68A.1 The following provisions survive the termination or expiration of these Terms and continue in full force and effect: clause 1 (Definitions), clause 2A (Express Disclaimer of Regulated Status), clause 15 (Truthfulness Warranty), clause 49 (Attorney-Client Privilege), clause 50 (Platform Information Handling), clause 52 (Document Retention), clause 66 through 67F (Liability, Disclaimers, and Litigation Protections), clause 68A (Survival), clause 70 (Indemnity), clause 70A (Seek Professional Advice), clause 73 (Intellectual Property), clause 75 (Dispute Resolution and Arbitration), clause 76 (Severability), clause 81 (Governing Law and Jurisdiction), and any other provision that by its nature or context is intended to survive.
68B. Attorney's Indemnity to the Platform: What This Means for You
68B.1 Every Attorney on the Platform has given the Platform a comprehensive indemnity under New York law (set out in clause 35 of the Attorney Terms). This indemnity requires the Attorney to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Platform and its parent company (Esol Corporation Limited) against any and all claims, losses, and costs arising from the Attorney's legal services. This indemnity covers fifteen categories, including:
(a) Any legal service the Attorney provides or fails to provide to you, including any act, omission, error, delay, negligence, or misconduct.
(b) Any malpractice or professional negligence.
(c) Any breach of fiduciary duty (duties of loyalty, confidentiality, communication, and conflict avoidance).
(d) Any violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
(e) Any dispute about the Attorney's Legal Fees.
(f) Any failure to properly handle client trust accounts or IOLTA funds.
(g) Any inaccuracy in the Attorney's profile or qualifications.
(h) Any failure to maintain required malpractice insurance.
(i) Any disciplinary proceeding or sanction.
(j) Any regulatory action directed at the Platform that arises from the Attorney's conduct.
(k) Any claim by a third party arising from the Attorney's use of the Platform.
(l) Any claim arising from the Attorney's use of contract attorneys, paralegals, or staff.
68B.2 The Attorney's indemnity to the Platform is:
(a) Uncapped - there is no monetary limit on what the Attorney must pay the Platform under this indemnity.
(b) A primary obligation - the Attorney must indemnify the Platform directly, without requiring the Platform to first claim against the Attorney's malpractice insurer or any other source.
(c) Governed by New York law.
(d) Permanent - the indemnity survives the termination of the Attorney's account indefinitely.
68B.3 What this means for you in practice: the Platform has structured its relationship with Attorneys so that if an Attorney's conduct causes a problem, the Attorney (not the Platform) bears the financial and legal responsibility. This is why the Platform's liability is limited to its own technology services (clause 67.3) and why the Platform is not liable for the Attorney's legal services (clause 67.2). The Attorney has accepted sole responsibility for their services and has indemnified the Platform accordingly.
68B.4 Your remedies if you suffer loss from your Attorney's conduct remain: (a) the Platform's dispute resolution process (clause 39); (b) a complaint to the applicable state bar disciplinary authority (clause 57A); (c) a claim on the applicable Client Protection Fund (clause 60); (d) a direct malpractice or breach of fiduciary duty claim against the Attorney; and (e) a claim against the Attorney's malpractice insurance carrier (where the Attorney carries insurance). The Platform will assist you in identifying the correct authority and, where appropriate, will exercise its rights under the Attorney's indemnity on your behalf.
68B.5 For the avoidance of doubt, the Attorney's indemnity to the Platform does not limit, reduce, or replace your own rights against the Attorney. Your rights under the attorney-client relationship, the Rules of Professional Conduct, the common law of malpractice and fiduciary duty, and any applicable consumer protection statute are entirely separate from and additional to the Attorney's indemnity to the Platform.
69. Force Majeure
69.1 Neither the Platform nor you shall be liable for failure or delay caused by circumstances beyond reasonable control, including natural disasters, epidemics, pandemics, acts of war, terrorism, government action, power failure, internet failure, cyberattacks, or civil unrest.
69A. Notice and Cure
69A.1 Except for claims of intellectual property infringement or claims seeking injunctive or equitable relief, before filing any claim or proceeding against the Platform (whether in arbitration, court, or any other forum), you must first provide the Platform with written notice describing the claim in reasonable detail (a "Notice of Claim"). The Notice of Claim must be sent to the Platform at the contact details in clause 82. The Platform shall have sixty (60) days from receipt of the Notice of Claim to investigate and attempt to resolve the claim informally. You agree not to file any claim or proceeding until the sixty-day cure period has expired without resolution. If the Platform resolves the claim to your reasonable satisfaction within the cure period, you agree not to pursue the claim further.
70. Your Indemnity
70.1 To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Platform and its directors, officers, employees, agents, and affiliates against all losses, liabilities, damages, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from: (a) any breach of these Terms by you; (b) any false, misleading, or incomplete information provided by you (including source of funds declarations); (c) any unlawful use of the Platform by you; (d) any claim by a third party arising from your use of the Platform or the legal services; (e) any failure to cooperate with your Attorney's ethical or regulatory obligations; (f) any breach of the truthfulness warranty in clause 15; or (g) your use of, reliance on, or application of any template, document, guide, or other material purchased from or made available through the Platform without seeking appropriate professional legal advice.
70.2 The indemnity in clause 70.1 does not apply to the extent that losses arise from the Platform's own negligence, fraud, or willful misconduct.
70A. Seek Professional Advice
70A.1 As set out in clause 2A, the Platform is a technology service and does not provide legal, regulatory, tax, or financial advice of any kind.
70A.2 If you are unsure how to use, apply, or interpret any template, document, guide, checklist, tool, feature, or information available on or through the Platform, you should seek the advice of a qualified attorney. If you proceed without seeking professional advice where you are unsure, you do so at your own risk and the Platform accepts no liability.
70A.3 This applies to all scenarios on the Platform, including: (a) Client Templates you purchase from the Platform (clause 46B); (b) templates or documents that individual Attorneys offer for sale through their profiles; (c) documents your Attorney provides to you during a matter; (d) any information on Attorney profiles, practice area descriptions, or pricing indicators; (e) any content in the Platform's help center, FAQs, or guidance materials; (f) any output from Platform tools including the AI Scope Script and AI case summary; (g) any search results, matching results, or ranking results displayed by the Platform; and (h) any Credibility Badge, experience indicator, or similar designation displayed on an Attorney's profile. If you proceed without seeking professional advice where you are unsure, you do so at your own risk and the Platform accepts no liability.
70B. Prevailing Party and Attorneys' Fees
70B.1 In any arbitration, litigation, or other proceeding arising out of or in connection with these Terms in which the Platform is the prevailing party, you shall pay the Platform's reasonable attorneys' fees, costs, and expenses incurred in connection with the proceeding, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. This clause does not apply in any state where prevailing-party fee-shifting is prohibited or limited by statute for the type of claim at issue.
70C. Release
70C.1 To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, you release the Platform, its directors, officers, employees, agents, affiliates, successors, and assigns from any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including attorneys' fees) arising out of or in connection with: (a) the acts, omissions, negligence, malpractice, or misconduct of any Attorney; (b) the quality, outcome, or suitability of any legal services provided by any Attorney; (c) any dispute between you and an Attorney; (d) the content of any Attorney's profile, advertising, or communications; and (e) any third-party claims arising from your engagement with an Attorney. If you are a California resident, you expressly waive the protections of California Civil Code section 1542, which provides: "A general release does not extend to claims that the creditor or releasing party does not know or suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release and that, if known by him or her, would have materially affected his or her settlement with the debtor or released party."
70D. AI Agent, Cyber Fraud, and Bad Faith Actor Indemnity
70D.1 Any person who accesses, uses, or transacts through the Platform by means of an AI agent, automated bot, software robot, web scraper, artificial intelligence system, machine learning system, or any other non-human automated process (collectively, "AI Agents") without the Platform's prior written authorisation, and any person who deploys, directs, controls, or benefits from such AI Agent (the "Deployer"), and any person who is the beneficial owner of or has a financial interest in the Deployer or the AI Agent (the "Beneficial Owner"), shall jointly and severally indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Platform Indemnified Parties, all Attorneys on the Platform, and all Clients on the Platform from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees, expert witness fees, forensic investigation costs, and the costs of system remediation and data recovery) arising from or connected with the AI Agent's access to or use of the Platform.
70D.2 This indemnity is: (a) unlimited in amount; (b) joint and several as between the Deployer, the Beneficial Owner, and any other person who knowingly assisted, facilitated, or conspired with the Deployer; (c) governed by the laws of the State of New York; (d) enforceable by the Platform, by any Attorney, and by any Client who suffers loss; and (e) not subject to any limitation, cap, or exclusion elsewhere in these Terms.
70D.3 The Platform shall not bear any liability to any person for any loss, damage, cost, or expense arising from or connected with: (a) cyber fraud, hacking, phishing, ransomware, denial-of-service attacks, or any other form of cyberattack directed at the Platform, Attorneys, or Clients; (b) AI-generated fraud, impersonation, misrepresentation, or identity theft conducted through the Platform; (c) deepfake technology, synthetic identity fraud, or any AI-generated content used to deceive any person transacting through the Platform; (d) any transaction initiated, influenced, or completed by an unauthorised AI Agent; (e) any manipulation of the Platform's matching algorithm, bidding system, review system, or other features by automated means; (f) any data breach, data exfiltration, or unauthorised data access caused by a bad faith actor; or (g) any other illegal activity, dark web activity, or activity conducted in bad faith through the Platform.
70D.4 The Platform implements commercially reasonable security measures (including encryption, authentication, monitoring, and access controls) to protect the Platform and its users from cyber threats and AI abuse. However, no technology system is immune from all threats. By using the Platform, you acknowledge that: (a) the Platform cannot guarantee that AI Agents, bots, or bad faith actors will never access the Platform; (b) the Platform is not an insurer against cyber crime, AI fraud, or the criminal acts of third parties; and (c) your exclusive remedies against a bad faith actor are those available under applicable law, including remedies under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (18 U.S.C. § 1030), state computer crime statutes, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (18 U.S.C. § 2511), and the common law of fraud and trespass to chattels.
70D.5 If you become aware of any AI Agent, bot, or suspected bad faith actor operating on the Platform, you must notify the Platform immediately through the reporting mechanism on the Platform or by contacting the Platform using the details in clause 82. Failure to report promptly does not extinguish your rights but may limit the Platform's ability to mitigate the damage.
71G.1 The Platform tracks the version of these Terms and will prompt You to re-accept when a new version is published. Re-acceptance is required before continued use. The Platform will provide reasonable notice of material changes.
71H.1 The Platform may enable, disable, or modify features for operational, compliance, security, or technical reasons at any time. Where a material change affects a paid subscription feature, the Platform will provide reasonable notice.
71H.2 Certain Platform features are subject to limits that vary by subscription tier. Current limits are on the Platform's pricing page. The Platform may modify limits with reasonable notice.
71. Changes to These Terms
71.1 The Platform may update these Terms from time to time. Any changes will be communicated to you immediately by email and through the Platform. Updated Terms apply only to new transactions (meaning new Scoping Call requests submitted after the date of the update) and do not apply to matters already in progress. However, if an amendment is required for critical regulatory or legal reasons (including changes mandated by federal or state law, court order, state bar rule, or regulatory authority), the updated Terms will apply to all matters, including matters in flight, and the Platform will notify both you and your Attorney of the change and its effect on your matter. If you do not agree to non-critical changes, you may stop using the Platform, but matters already in progress will continue under the Terms that applied when you requested the Scoping Call.
71E. These Terms Do Not Constitute Legal Advice
71E.1 These Terms, including all Parts, clauses, and state-specific provisions, are commercial contractual terms governing your relationship with the Platform. They do not constitute legal advice, regulatory advice, tax advice, financial advice, or professional advice of any kind. The Platform is not a law firm, is not licensed to practice law in any state, and is not competent to provide legal advice. Nothing in these Terms should be construed as legal advice or as a recommendation to take or refrain from taking any particular course of action.
71E.2 These Terms contain references to the Rules of Professional Conduct, federal and state statutes, bar disciplinary procedures, client protection funds, and other legal and regulatory concepts. These references are included to explain your rights and the regulatory framework that applies to your Attorney. They do not constitute the Platform's interpretation or advice on how those laws apply to your specific situation.
71E.3 If you are in any doubt about the meaning or effect of any provision of these Terms, your rights under these Terms, your rights against your Attorney, or any other matter arising from or connected with these Terms, you should obtain independent legal advice from a qualified attorney who understands your specific situation before accepting these Terms or engaging an Attorney through the Platform. The Platform cannot advise you on your legal position and accepts no liability for any loss arising from your failure to obtain independent legal advice.
71A.1 What happens on termination depends on your Attorney's practice model: (a) If your Attorney is a solo practitioner who becomes incapacitated or dies, the Platform will assist you in finding substitute counsel. (b) If your Attorney is at a law firm, another attorney in the firm may be able to continue your matter with your consent. (c) If your Attorney is Of Counsel and their relationship with the firm ends, they must inform you and either complete the work or help you transfer to another attorney. (d) If your Attorney is pro hac vice and their admission is revoked, local counsel will continue your matter. (e) In all cases, your Attorney must return your file, refund unearned fees, and protect your interests on withdrawal (ABA Model Rule 1.16(d)).
72. Term and Termination
72.1 These Terms apply from the point you submit a request to schedule a Scoping Call through the Platform and continue until terminated.
72.2 You may close your account at any time by contacting the Platform. Closure does not affect obligations that have already arisen, including any outstanding fees, indemnity obligations, or ongoing matters with Attorneys.
72.3 The Platform may terminate or suspend your account in its sole discretion, including where it reasonably believes: (a) you have breached these Terms; (b) your account has been compromised; (c) you are using the Platform for unlawful purposes; (d) continued access would prejudice Clients, Attorneys, or the public interest; or (e) you have failed to cooperate with identity verification or sanctions screening requirements.
73. Intellectual Property
73.1 All intellectual property in the Platform (including its design, software, content, and branding) belongs to the Platform or its licensors. You may not copy, reproduce, or distribute any Platform content without prior written consent.
74. Notices
74.1 Notices to you may be sent by email to the address associated with your account. Notices to the Platform should be sent to the address in clause 82.
75. Dispute Resolution
75.1 If you have a dispute with the Platform (not with an Attorney), the following dispute resolution procedure applies:
75A. No Oral Modifications
75A.1 These Terms may not be modified, amended, or supplemented except: (a) by a written instrument signed by an authorized representative of the Platform (for modifications by the Platform, in accordance with clause 71); or (b) by your express written agreement. No oral statement, course of dealing, or course of performance shall modify or amend these Terms. No employee, agent, case adviser, or representative of the Platform has authority to modify these Terms orally or to make any representation inconsistent with these Terms.
76. Severability
76.1 If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions continue in full force and effect. The unenforceable provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable while preserving its intent.
77. Waiver
77.1 Failure to enforce any provision of these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that provision or the right to enforce it in the future.
78. Assignment
78.1 You may not assign or transfer your rights under these Terms without the Platform's prior written consent. The Platform may assign its rights under these Terms to any successor, affiliate, or acquirer.
78A. Platform Assignment
78A.1 The Platform may assign, transfer, delegate, or sublicense any or all of its rights and obligations under these Terms to any affiliate, successor, or acquirer of all or substantially all of the Platform's business or assets, or in connection with any merger, consolidation, reorganization, or sale of assets, without your prior consent and without notice, except that the Platform will notify you of any such assignment within thirty (30) days after it takes effect. The assignee or successor will assume all of the Platform's rights and obligations under these Terms. Your rights under these Terms will not be materially diminished by any such assignment.
79. Third Party Rights
79.1 These Terms do not confer any rights on any third party, except that Attorneys registered on the Platform are intended third-party beneficiaries of clause 15 (Truthfulness Warranty) and clause 70 (Your Indemnity) and may enforce those provisions directly.
71I.1 If Your account or a Attorney's account is suspended or terminated while active orders exist: (a) active orders continue for a reasonable wind-down period; (b) Held Funds (held by Stripe) for completed milestones are released; (c) Held Funds (held by Stripe) for incomplete milestones are refunded; (d) the Platform may, with Your consent, assign Your matter to another Attorney; and (e) pending items expire after fourteen (14) days.
71J.1 The Platform maintains a permanent, non-deletable audit log of all significant actions on the Platform. Entries cannot be edited or deleted by any person, including administrators. This constitutes a lawful restriction on the right to erasure under Article 17(3)(b) and (e) of the UK GDPR.
80B. Electronic Acceptance
80B.1 By creating an account on the Platform, clicking "I Agree," "Accept," or any similar button, or by using the Platform after these Terms have been made available to you, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. This electronic acceptance constitutes your legally binding signature and agreement to these Terms under the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-SIGN Act, 15 U.S.C. § 7001 et seq.) and the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) as adopted by the applicable state. You agree that no physical, handwritten, or wet-ink signature is required to make these Terms binding on you.
Payment Card Security
Payment card data (including credit card and debit card numbers) is processed by Stripe, the Platform's payment processor, and is not stored on the Platform's servers. Stripe is certified to PCI-DSS Level 1 (the highest level of payment card industry security certification). The Platform does not have access to your full card details at any time. You may pay using any payment method accepted by Stripe through the Platform (which may include debit card, credit card, ACH bank transfer, and other payment methods supported by Stripe in the United States). Where a refund is due (whether because services were not delivered, a dispute is resolved in your favor, or the engagement is terminated before services are completed), the refund is processed through Stripe to the original payment method. Refund processing times depend on your card issuer and may take five to ten business days. Where a chargeback is initiated by your card issuer, the Platform cooperates with Stripe's chargeback procedure and may request information from the Attorney. Stripe charges a dispute fee (at Stripe's then-current rate) which is borne by the party whose Stripe account is affected.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
The Platform uses cookies and similar technologies in accordance with its Cookie Policy (published on the Platform's website) and applicable federal and state law. Cookies fall into four categories: (a) strictly necessary cookies, which are required for the Platform to function (such as session authentication and security tokens) and do not require consent; (b) functional cookies, which remember your preferences (such as language and display settings) to improve your user experience; (c) analytics cookies, which collect anonymized or pseudonymized data about how users interact with the Platform (such as pages visited and time spent) to help improve the service; and (d) marketing cookies, which may track browsing activity to deliver relevant content and measure campaign effectiveness. On first visiting the Platform, a cookie consent banner is displayed. You may accept all cookies, reject non-essential cookies, or select which categories to allow. You may change your cookie preferences at any time through the Platform's cookie settings. You may also manage cookies through your browser settings. Blocking certain cookies may affect Platform functionality. In states with comprehensive privacy laws that grant opt-out rights for targeted advertising (including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Virginia, and others listed in the applicable state clause (clauses 852013135)), the Platform will honor your opt-out preferences for marketing cookies.
Your Privacy Rights
Under applicable federal and state privacy and data protection laws, you may have the following rights in relation to your personal information (the specific rights available to you depend on the privacy law of your state of residence, as identified in the applicable state clause (clauses 852013135)): (a) right to know / right of access: to obtain confirmation of whether your personal information is being processed and, if so, to receive a copy or a description of the categories and specific pieces of personal information collected; (b) right to delete / right to erasure: to request that the Platform delete your personal information, subject to exceptions permitted by law; (c) right to correct / right to rectification: to request that inaccurate personal information be corrected; (d) right to data portability: to receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to transmit it to another service provider; (e) right to opt out of sale or sharing: if the Platform engages in "sale" or "sharing" of personal information as defined by applicable state law (the Platform does not currently sell your personal information); (f) right to opt out of targeted advertising: to opt out of the processing of your personal information for targeted advertising purposes; (g) right to limit use of sensitive personal information: in states that provide this right (such as California under the CPRA); (h) right to non-discrimination: the Platform will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights; and (i) right to appeal: if the Platform denies your privacy request, you may have the right to appeal the decision. To exercise any of these rights, contact the Platform's Privacy Office at the contact details published on the Platform. The Platform will respond within the timeframe required by the applicable state privacy law (typically 30 to 45 days). If the Platform requires an extension, you will be informed within the initial response period.
Marketing Communications and Your Choices
You may manage your communication preferences at any time through your Platform account settings, including: (a) marketing preferences: you may opt out of marketing emails by clicking the unsubscribe link in any marketing email or by adjusting your communication preferences in your account settings. The Platform complies with the CAN-SPAM Act (15 U.S.C. § 7701 et seq.) and will process opt-out requests within ten (10) business days. The Platform will not send marketing emails without your prior consent (or where permitted by the CAN-SPAM Act's existing business relationship exception); (b) SMS and text messages: the Platform will not send marketing SMS or text messages without your prior express written consent, as required by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA, 47 U.S.C. § 227). Transactional messages (such as booking confirmations and payment receipts) do not require separate consent. You may opt out of SMS communications by replying STOP; (c) push notifications: you may manage push notification preferences through your device settings; (d) profile visibility: you may control which elements of your profile are visible to other users; (e) data sharing: you may control whether your data is shared with third parties for purposes beyond the delivery of the Platform's services (the Platform does not share your personal information with third parties for their own marketing purposes without your consent); and (f) account deletion: you may request deletion of your account and personal information by contacting the Platform. The Platform will process the request within thirty (30) days, subject to any legal obligation to retain certain records (including the audit log described in clause 50A.2 and any records required to be maintained under applicable law).
Data Backup and Continuity
The Platform maintains regular backups of Platform data (including matter records, document metadata, engagement history, payment records, and audit logs) as part of its business continuity and disaster recovery arrangements. Backups are encrypted using AES-256 or equivalent and stored in a geographically separate data center within the United States. The Platform's business continuity plan includes: (a) recovery time objective (RTO) of four (4) hours for critical systems; (b) recovery point objective (RPO) of one (1) hour for transactional data; (c) annual disaster recovery testing; and (d) regular backup integrity verification. The Platform does not guarantee the preservation of documents uploaded by Clients or Attorneys beyond the retention periods stated in these Terms. Clients are advised to retain their own copies of all documents uploaded to the Platform.
Website Acceptable Use
You must not use the Platform: (a) for any purpose that is unlawful or prohibited by these Terms; (b) to transmit or procure the sending of unsolicited or unauthorized advertising, promotional material, or spam; (c) to impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity; (d) to interfere with or disrupt the Platform or servers or networks connected to the Platform; (e) to attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Platform, user accounts, or computer systems or networks connected to the Platform, in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (18 U.S.C. § 1030) and applicable state computer crime laws; (f) to scrape, crawl, or use automated tools to extract data from the Platform without the Platform's prior written permission; (g) to reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any part of the Platform; or (h) to upload or transmit viruses, malware, ransomware, or other malicious code. User-generated content (including reviews, comments, and feedback) must be accurate, lawful, and not infringe any third party's rights (including intellectual property rights and rights of privacy). The Platform may remove user-generated content that breaches these standards and may terminate or suspend accounts for repeated or serious breaches.
Entire Agreement
80.1A These Terms, together with the Platform Privacy Notice and any applicable state-specific addenda, constitute the entire agreement between you and the Platform in relation to your use of the Platform. These Terms supersede all prior separate buyer terms documents, including any prior versions of these Terms, any separate Buyer Terms and Conditions, Buyer Source of Funds Declaration Terms, Buyer Right to Complain Terms, Buyer Payment and Fund Protection Terms, Buyer Document Upload and Confidentiality Terms, and Platform Confidentiality Terms. In the event of any conflict between these Terms and the Platform Privacy Notice, these Terms prevail to the extent of the inconsistency, except with respect to matters specifically addressed in the Privacy Notice.
PART M - GENERAL PROVISIONS:
(a) Informal Resolution: you and the Platform shall first attempt to resolve the dispute informally. The parties shall use good faith efforts to resolve the dispute within thirty (30) days.
(b) Mediation: if the dispute cannot be resolved informally, either party may initiate mediation administered by JAMS or another mutually agreed provider, with the mediation conducted in New York, New York or by video conference.
(c) Arbitration: if the dispute is not resolved through mediation within sixty (60) days, either party may initiate binding arbitration administered by JAMS pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act (9 U.S.C. 00a7 1 et seq.) under its Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures. The arbitration shall be conducted in New York, New York (or by video conference if you reside more than 100 miles from New York City). The arbitrator's decision shall be final and binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction.
(d) Class action waiver: to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, you and the Platform agree that each may bring claims against the other only in your or its individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, consolidated, or representative action. If this waiver is found to be unenforceable, then this entire arbitration provision shall be null and void with respect to such claim.
(e) Small claims exception: notwithstanding the above, either party may bring an individual action in small claims court in the county of your residence or in New York County, New York.
(f) Injunctive relief: nothing in this clause prevents either party from seeking injunctive or other equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction.
(g) Opt-out: you may opt out of the arbitration provision by sending written notice to the Platform within thirty (30) days of accepting these Terms. If you opt out, disputes will be resolved exclusively in the federal or state courts located in New York County, New York.
80. Entire Agreement
80.1 These Terms, together with the Platform Privacy Notice and any applicable state-specific addenda, constitute the entire agreement between you and the Platform in relation to your use of the Platform.
81. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
81.1 These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles, provided however that: (a) the professional conduct, ethical obligations, trust account requirements, disciplinary procedures, and regulatory requirements applicable to your Attorney are governed by the laws and rules of the state(s) in which the Attorney is licensed and in which the legal services are delivered (the Delivery State); (b) state consumer protection claims arising from the delivery of legal services may be brought under the consumer protection laws of the Delivery State or your state of residence, whichever provides you with greater protection; (c) data privacy rights are governed by the privacy laws of your state of residence and any other state whose privacy law is applicable to the processing of your personal information; and (d) where there is a conflict between these Terms and the mandatory provisions of the law of the Delivery State, the mandatory provisions of the law of the Delivery State prevail.
81.2 Subject to the arbitration provision in clause 75, the federal and state courts located in the County of New York, State of New York, shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms, except that: (a) you may bring an action in the courts of your state of residence if permitted by the consumer protection laws of that state; and (b) either party may bring an action in small claims court in the county of your residence.
81A. Governing Law: Which Law Applies to Which Dispute
81A.1 To avoid any doubt, these Terms create two distinct categories of relationship, and different law governs each:
(a) Disputes between you and the Platform (including disputes about Platform Fees, Platform services, account suspension, data privacy, and these Terms themselves) are governed by the laws of the State of New York. The courts of New York County, New York have exclusive jurisdiction (subject to the arbitration clause in clause 75).
(b) Disputes between you and your Attorney (including disputes about the quality of legal services, Legal Fees, malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, and professional conduct) are governed by the law of the Delivery State - the state in which the legal services were primarily delivered to you. The Delivery State is determined under clause 14F and is displayed on your matter dashboard.
(c) If your Attorney is admitted in multiple states (for example, Texas, New York, and California) and delivers services to you in California, then California law governs your Attorney's professional conduct, ethical obligations, trust account duties, and disciplinary framework for that matter. It does not matter that your Attorney is also admitted in Texas and New York, or that your Attorney is physically located in a different state. What matters is where the services were delivered.
(d) If your Attorney is physically in State A, admitted in States A, B, and C, and delivers services to you (the client) in State C, then State C is the Delivery State and State C's rules govern the Attorney's professional conduct on your matter.
(e) Consumer protection claims may be brought under the consumer protection laws of the Delivery State or your state of residence, whichever provides you with greater protection.
(f) Data privacy claims are governed by the privacy laws of your state of residence and any other state whose privacy law is applicable.
Authorized Representatives for Organizations
If you are registering on the Platform on behalf of an organization (including a corporation, partnership, LLC, non-profit, public body, or other entity), the following provisions apply: (a) the person accepting these Terms must have authority to bind the organization (the Platform may require evidence of this authority, such as a board resolution or delegated authority letter); (b) your organization must designate one or more authorized representatives to use the Platform; (c) your organization is responsible for ensuring that authorized representatives are properly authorized, that accurate records are maintained, and that the Platform is notified promptly when an authorized representative's authority is revoked; and (d) actions taken by an authorized representative through the Platform are binding on your organization.
Corporate Legal Department Provisions
If you are a corporate legal department or in-house legal team, the following additional provisions apply: (a) your organization may register through the General Counsel, Chief Legal Officer, or other senior attorney with authority to bind the organization; (b) in-house attorneys who are themselves state-bar-licensed may provide legal services to their employer but are subject to the Rules of Professional Conduct of the state in which they practice; (c) external attorneys engaged through the Platform remain independently licensed and are not under the direction of your organization for regulatory purposes; and (d) your organization must provide the corporate name, state of formation, principal place of business, and the identity of the authorized representative(s) at registration.
Service Availability and Planned Maintenance
Maint.1 The Platform will use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the availability of the Platform and to minimize disruptions to your use of the Platform. However, the Platform does not guarantee uninterrupted, continuous, or error-free operation. The Platform may be temporarily unavailable due to: (a) planned maintenance, which the Platform will endeavor to schedule during off-peak hours and to notify you of in advance by email or through the Platform (typically with at least 48 hours' notice for routine maintenance and at least 7 days' notice for extended maintenance); (b) emergency maintenance required to address security vulnerabilities, data integrity issues, or other urgent technical matters (for which advance notice may not be possible); (c) factors beyond the Platform's reasonable control, including third-party service outages, internet infrastructure failures, natural disasters, and force majeure events (clause 69); and (d) any other circumstance described in the Platform's service level documentation published on the Platform's website.
Maint.2 The Platform is not liable for any loss, damage, or inconvenience arising from any period of unavailability, whether planned or unplanned. If the Platform is unavailable for an extended period that materially affects your ability to use the Platform, you may contact the Platform to discuss a pro-rata credit of your subscription fee for the period of unavailability. Any such credit is at the Platform's discretion and does not constitute an admission of liability.
82. Contact
82.1 eSolicitors US (a division of Esol Corporation Limited, UK Company Number 16927988). Contact details for notices, complaints, and general inquiries are published on the Platform's website at www.esolicitors.com/us.
PART N - STATE-SPECIFIC REGULATORY PROVISIONS AND DISCLOSURES
83. Application of State Law to Legal Services
83.0 The state-specific provisions in this Part apply to your matter regardless of your Attorney's practice model (whether they are a solo practitioner, law firm attorney, Of Counsel attorney, contract attorney, or virtual practitioner). The protections in your state's provisions are in addition to the general protections in Parts A through M. If your Attorney practises in a different state from where your services are delivered, the provisions of the state where services are delivered (the "Delivery State") apply.
83.1 The legal services you receive through the Platform are subject to the regulatory framework of the state in which those services are delivered. The following principles apply in all fifty (50) states and the District of Columbia:
83A. Enshrinement of State-by-State Regulatory Provisions
83A.1 The state-by-state regulatory reference provisions set out in clauses 85 through 135 of these Terms (formerly designated as "the applicable state clause (clauses 852013135)") are incorporated into and form an integral part of the operative terms of this agreement. They are not a separate schedule, appendix, or annexure. Each state-by-state regulatory entry has the same legal force and effect as any other clause of these Terms.
83A.2 Where legal services are delivered to you in a particular state, the regulatory provisions set out in the corresponding state entry in clauses 85 through 135 identify the applicable: (a) state bar association; (b) disciplinary and regulatory authority; (c) client protection fund; (d) trust account and IOLTA rules; (e) primary consumer protection statute; (f) data privacy law; (g) fee rules and referral restrictions; (h) malpractice insurance requirements; (i) recording consent law; (j) unauthorized practice of law statute; (k) lawyer referral service regulation; (l) court system; and (m) notable regulatory features. Your Attorney's professional obligations are governed by the regulatory framework identified in the applicable state entry.
83A.3 The Platform updates the state-by-state regulatory provisions from time to time to reflect changes in state law, rules, or regulatory structure. The version in effect at the time legal services are delivered to you applies to your engagement. Material changes to the regulatory provisions for your Delivery State will be notified to you in accordance with clause 71 (Changes to These Terms).:
(a) Attorney Regulation: your Attorney is regulated by the state bar and/or supreme court of each state in which they are admitted to practice. The applicable regulatory authority, disciplinary body, and Rules of Professional Conduct for each state are set out in the applicable state clause (clauses 852013135).
(b) Fee Arrangements: Attorney fees must comply with the Rules of Professional Conduct of the Delivery State. Fee-splitting between attorneys and non-lawyers (including the Platform) is generally prohibited under the applicable state's version of ABA Model Rule 5.4. The Platform's fee structure is designed to comply with this prohibition: Platform Fees are charged as a separate technology service fee, not as a share of legal fees.
(c) Trust Accounts: your Attorney must comply with the trust account rules of the Delivery State (generally based on ABA Model Rule 1.15 as adopted). The applicable state clause (clauses 852013135) identifies the trust account rules and IOLTA program for each state.
(d) Client Protection Funds: most states maintain a Client Protection Fund (or equivalent) to reimburse clients who suffer financial loss due to attorney dishonesty. The applicable state clause (clauses 852013135) identifies the applicable fund for each state.
(e) Unauthorized Practice of Law: the Platform does not practice law. If the Platform's activities are found by any court or regulatory authority to constitute the unauthorized practice of law in any state, the Platform will modify its operations in that state to the extent necessary to comply.
(f) Referral Fee Rules: each state has rules governing attorney referral services and referral fees. The Platform is not a lawyer referral service. The Connection Fee is a technology service fee paid by the Client to the Platform, not a referral fee paid to or by an Attorney.
(g) Advertising and Solicitation: Attorney profiles on the Platform may constitute attorney advertising under the Rules of Professional Conduct of certain states. Each Attorney is responsible for ensuring that their profile complies with the advertising rules of their state(s) of admission. The Platform does not review or approve Attorney profile content for advertising compliance.
(h) Mandatory Disclosures: in states that require specific disclosures to clients (for example, regarding fee arrangements, malpractice insurance, disciplinary history, or the right to file complaints), the Attorney is solely responsible for making such disclosures.
(i) Malpractice Insurance: most US states do not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance, though several states require disclosure of insurance status. The Platform encourages all Attorneys to carry adequate malpractice insurance and to disclose their insurance status on their profiles.
84. State-Specific Notices
84.1 New York: if your Attorney practices in New York, the engagement is subject to the New York Rules of Professional Conduct (22 NYCRR Part 1200), including mandatory written retainer agreements for certain matters (22 NYCRR Part 1215), mandatory fee arbitration for fee disputes (22 NYCRR Part 137), attorney advertising rules (Rules 7.1-7.5 and their filing requirements), and trust account requirements under Judiciary Law § 497 and 22 NYCRR Part 1200, Rule 1.15. The New York Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection provides reimbursement for losses caused by attorney dishonesty.
84.2 California: if your Attorney practices in California, the engagement is subject to the California Rules of Professional Conduct and the State Bar Act (Bus. & Prof. Code § 6000 et seq.), including mandatory written fee agreements where fees are expected to exceed $1,000 (Rule 1.5.2), specific contingency fee requirements (Rule 1.5(b)-(c)), the CCPA/CPRA privacy rights, and the Client Security Fund. California law provides additional consumer protections under the Consumer Legal Remedies Act and the Unfair Competition Law.
84.3 Texas: if your Attorney practices in Texas, the engagement is subject to the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, including mandatory written fee agreements for contingency matters, the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA) which provides treble damages for certain consumer claims, and trust account requirements under Rule 1.14. The State Bar of Texas maintains a Client Security Fund and offers fee dispute resolution.
84.4 Florida: if your Attorney practices in Florida, the engagement is subject to the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, including specific contingency fee rules for personal injury matters (Rule 4-1.5(f)), attorney advertising regulation, trust account rules under Rule 5-1.1, and the Clients' Security Fund. The Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA) provides additional consumer protections.
84.5 Illinois: if your Attorney practices in Illinois, the engagement is subject to the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct. The Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) applies to biometric data collected during video Scoping Calls - the Platform does not use facial recognition or biometric identification technology, and obtains appropriate consent. The Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) handles disciplinary matters.
84.6 Louisiana: Louisiana is the only US state with a civil law tradition based on the Napoleonic Code. Legal concepts, terminology, and court procedures may differ significantly from common-law states. If your Attorney practices in Louisiana, they will explain any material differences.
84.7 Arizona and Utah: Arizona permits Alternative Business Structures (ABS) including non-lawyer ownership of law firms. Utah operates a Regulatory Sandbox permitting innovative legal service delivery models. If your Attorney practices within one of these frameworks, they will disclose this.
84.8 District of Columbia: D.C. uniquely permits non-lawyer ownership interests in law firms under D.C. Rule 5.4(b), subject to specific conditions. The D.C. Bar's Office of Disciplinary Counsel and the Board on Professional Responsibility handle disciplinary matters.
84.9 All-Party Consent States (Recording): if you or your Attorney are located in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, or Washington at the time of the Scoping Call, the Platform implements enhanced recording consent procedures as described in clause 9A.4.1.
Copyright and DMCA Takedown
The Platform respects intellectual property rights and expects its users to do the same. The Platform complies with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA, 17 U.S.C. § 512) and will respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement that comply with the DMCA.
DMCA.1 If you believe that content on the Platform infringes your copyright, you may submit a DMCA takedown notice to the Platform's designated DMCA agent at the contact details published on the Platform's website. Your notice must include: (a) a physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or authorized agent; (b) identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed; (c) identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing and its location on the Platform; (d) your contact information (address, telephone number, and email address); (e) a statement that you have a good faith belief that use of the material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and (f) a statement, under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is accurate and that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.
DMCA.2 Upon receipt of a valid DMCA takedown notice, the Platform will: (a) promptly remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing material; (b) notify the user who posted the material; and (c) provide the user with an opportunity to submit a counter-notification. If the Platform receives a valid counter-notification, the Platform will forward it to the complaining party and restore the material within ten (10) to fourteen (14) business days unless the complaining party notifies the Platform that it has filed a court action seeking a restraining order.
DMCA.3 The Platform may terminate the accounts of users who are repeat infringers of copyright in appropriate circumstances.
Accessibility
Access.1 The Platform is committed to making its services accessible to all users, including users with disabilities. The Platform endeavors to comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA, as published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), and with the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as applied to websites and mobile applications under applicable federal guidance and case law. The Platform also endeavors to comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. § 794d) to the extent applicable.
Access.2 If you experience any difficulty accessing or using the Platform due to a disability, or if you require a reasonable accommodation, please contact the Platform using the details in clause 82. The Platform will make reasonable efforts to address your accessibility needs and to provide the information or services you are seeking through an alternative accessible means.
Access.3 The Platform periodically conducts accessibility audits using both automated tools and manual testing. The Platform's current accessibility conformance status is published on the Platform's website in an Accessibility Statement. The Platform welcomes feedback on accessibility and will use such feedback to improve the accessibility of its services.
Export Controls and International Use
Export.1 The Platform is operated from the United States and is intended for use by users located in the United States. You may not use the Platform or export, re-export, or transfer any data, content, or technology obtained through the Platform in violation of United States export control laws and regulations, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR, 15 CFR Parts 730-774) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR, 22 CFR Parts 120-130), or in violation of any applicable sanctions administered by OFAC (clause 22).
Export.2 You represent and warrant that: (a) you are not located in, and will not access the Platform from, any country or territory that is the subject of comprehensive United States sanctions; (b) you are not a person or entity listed on any United States government restricted party list; and (c) you will not use the Platform to transmit, transfer, or make available any information, content, or technology in violation of applicable export control laws.
Government Use Restrictions
Gov.1 The Platform and its documentation are "commercial items" as defined in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 2.101, consisting of "commercial computer software" and "commercial computer software documentation," as those terms are used in FAR 12.212 and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 227.7202. If the Platform is acquired by or on behalf of any agency or instrumentality of the United States government, the government's rights in the Platform and its documentation are limited to those rights set forth in these Terms, consistent with FAR 12.212 and DFARS 227.7202-1 through 227.7202-4.
CLAUSES 85-135: STATE-BY-STATE REGULATORY PROVISIONS
The following clauses form an integral part of these Terms pursuant to clause 83A. Where legal services are delivered to you in a particular state, the clause for that state identifies the regulatory framework governing your Attorney's professional obligations. Each clause has the same legal force and effect as any other clause of these Terms.
85. Alabama
If your Attorney practices in Alabama or if legal services are delivered to you in Alabama, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Alabama State Bar and is subject to discipline through the Alabama State Bar Disciplinary Commission; Office of General Counsel. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Alabama RPC, Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Alabama Law Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund. Alabama does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Alabama is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (Ala. Code § 13A-11-30), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: fee-splitting with non-lawyers prohibited (Rule 5.4); referral fees governed by Rule 7.2(b); contingency fees permitted but regulated; written fee agreements required for contingency matters. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Alabama under Ala. Code § 34-3-6, enforced by Alabama State Bar. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Alabama Deceptive Trade Practices Act, Ala. Code § 8-19-1 et seq. Alabama does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: Alabama breach notification (Ala. Code § 8-38-1 et seq.); federal and common law apply.
86. Alaska
If your Attorney practices in Alaska or if legal services are delivered to you in Alaska, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Alaska Bar Association (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Alaska Bar Association Discipline Board; Bar Counsel. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Alaska RPC, Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Alaska Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. Alaska does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Alaska is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (AS § 42.20.310), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; IOLTA required; contingency fees regulated; fee disputes handled through Alaska Bar fee arbitration. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Alaska under AS § 08.08.230. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Alaska Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act, AS § 45.50.471 et seq. Alaska does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: Alaska breach notification (AS § 45.48.010).
87. Arizona
If your Attorney practices in Arizona or if legal services are delivered to you in Arizona, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the State Bar of Arizona (unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Presiding Disciplinary Judge; State Bar of Arizona; Arizona Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Arizona RPC ER 1.15; IOLTA through Arizona Foundation for Legal Services. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Protection Fund. Arizona does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Arizona is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (A.R.S. § 13-3005), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: arizona permits Alternative Business Structures (ABS) under reformed ER 5.4 (effective Jan. 2021); non-lawyer ownership of law firms permitted; referral fee rules liberalized; Arizona Legal Paraprofessional program permits limited practice by non-lawyers. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Arizona under A.R.S. § 32-2152. Broadened by ABS and paraprofessional reforms. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act, A.R.S. § 44-1521 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Arizona are governed by the Arizona data breach notification (A.R.S. § 18-552); no comprehensive privacy statute.
88. Arkansas
If your Attorney practices in Arkansas or if legal services are delivered to you in Arkansas, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Arkansas Bar Association and is subject to discipline through the Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Arkansas RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Arkansas IOLTA Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund. Arkansas does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Arkansas is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (Ark. Code § 5-60-120), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard ABA Model Rule 5.4 restrictions; contingency fees regulated; fee disputes handled through bar. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Arkansas under Ark. Code § 16-22-501. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, Ark. Code § 4-88-101 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Arkansas are governed by the Arkansas Personal Information Protection Act (Ark. Code § 4-110-101 et seq.).
89. California
If your Attorney practices in California or if legal services are delivered to you in California, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the State Bar of California (unified bar; ~270,000 active members, largest US bar) and is subject to discipline through the State Bar of California; State Bar Court (Hearing Department and Review Department); California Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with California RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through The State Bar of California. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund. California does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance but does require attorneys to disclose to clients whether they carry insurance (mandatory disclosure of lack of insurance to clients (Rule 1.4.2; Bus. & Prof. Code § 6102.5)). California is an all-party consent state for recording purposes (Cal. Penal Code § 632); recording without all-party consent is a criminal offense. The Platform implements enhanced recording consent procedures for Scoping Calls where you or your Attorney are located in California, as described in clause 9A.4.1. Regarding fee arrangements: fee-splitting restrictions per Rule 5.4 (no ABS); contingency fees regulated by Rule 1.5(b)-(c) with sliding scale disclosure; mandatory written fee agreement where fees expected to exceed $1,000 (Rule 1.5.2); mandatory fee arbitration available (Bus. & Prof. Code § 6200-6206); lawyer referral service must be certified by State Bar or local bar (Bus. & Prof. Code § 6155). The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in California under Bus. & Prof. Code § 6125-6127 (criminal misdemeanor), actively enforced by State Bar UPL unit. Regarding lawyer referral services: lawyer referral services must be certified by State Bar or local bar association (Bus. & Prof. Code § 6155); fee-generating referral requirements. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act (Civ. Code § 1750 et seq.); Unfair Competition Law (Bus. & Prof. Code § 17200 et seq.); False Advertising Law (Bus. & Prof. Code § 17500 et seq.). Your data privacy rights in California are governed by the California Consumer Privacy Act / California Privacy Rights Act (CCPA/CPRA), Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.100 et seq.; California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) enforces; CalOPPA; Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA).
90. Colorado
If your Attorney practices in Colorado or if legal services are delivered to you in Colorado, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Colorado Bar Association (voluntary); Colorado Supreme Court (regulatory authority) and is subject to discipline through the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel; Presiding Disciplinary Judge; Colorado Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Colo. RPC 1.15; IOLTA through Colorado Lawyer Trust Account Foundation (COLTAF). If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Attorney's Fund for Client Protection. Colorado does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Colorado is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (C.R.S. § 18-9-303), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; contingency fees regulated; cannabis law practice permitted and active. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Colorado under enforced by Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Colorado Consumer Protection Act, C.R.S. § 6-1-101 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Colorado are governed by the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA), C.R.S. § 6-1-1301 et seq. (effective July 2023); Colorado AG enforcement; breach notification (C.R.S. § 6-1-716).
91. Connecticut
If your Attorney practices in Connecticut or if legal services are delivered to you in Connecticut, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Connecticut Bar Association (voluntary); Connecticut Judicial Branch (regulatory) and is subject to discipline through the Statewide Grievance Committee; Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel; Disciplinary Counsel. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Connecticut RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Connecticut Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund. Connecticut does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Connecticut is an all-party consent state for recording purposes (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-570d; § 53a-187 through 53a-189). The Platform implements enhanced recording consent procedures for Scoping Calls where you or your Attorney are located in Connecticut, as described in clause 9A.4.1. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; fee disputes handled through Statewide Grievance Committee; contingency fee caps in medical malpractice. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Connecticut under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-88, enforced through Superior Court. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA), Conn. Gen. Stat. § 42-110a et seq. (broad remedies including punitive damages). Your data privacy rights in Connecticut are governed by the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA), Conn. Gen. Stat. § 42-515 et seq. (effective July 2023); breach notification (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 36a-701b).
92. Delaware
If your Attorney practices in Delaware or if legal services are delivered to you in Delaware, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Delaware State Bar Association (voluntary) and is subject to discipline through the Office of Disciplinary Counsel; Board on Professional Responsibility; Delaware Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Delaware RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Delaware Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. Delaware does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Delaware is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (11 Del. C. § 2402), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; Court of Chancery governs corporate/equity disputes; significant corporate law practice. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Delaware under 10 Del. C. § 5501-5502. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Delaware Consumer Fraud Act, 6 Del. C. § 2511 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Delaware are governed by the Delaware Personal Data Privacy Act (DPDPA), 6 Del. C. § 12D-101 et seq. (effective Jan. 2025); breach notification (6 Del. C. § 12B-101 et seq.).
93. Florida
If your Attorney practices in Florida or if legal services are delivered to you in Florida, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the The Florida Bar (integrated/unified bar; ~110,000 members) and is subject to discipline through the The Florida Bar; Florida Board of Bar Examiners; Florida Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, Rule 5-1.1 (Trust Accounts); IOLTA through The Florida Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Clients' Security Fund. Florida does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Florida is an all-party consent state for recording purposes (Fla. Stat. § 934.03); criminal felony to record without consent. The Platform implements enhanced recording consent procedures for Scoping Calls where you or your Attorney are located in Florida, as described in clause 9A.4.1. Regarding fee arrangements: fee-splitting restrictions per Rule 4-5.4; personal injury contingency fees specifically regulated by Rule 4-1.5(f)(4)(B) with sliding scale and court approval requirements; aggressive attorney advertising regulation (Rules 4-7.11 through 4-7.21); The Florida Bar aggressively enforces advertising rules; fee disputes through Florida Bar fee arbitration. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Florida under Fla. Stat. § 454.23. The Florida Bar Standing Committee on UPL actively investigates and prosecutes (criminal misdemeanor). Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA), Fla. Stat. § 501.201 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Florida are governed by the Florida Digital Bill of Rights (FDBR), Fla. Stat. § 501.701 et seq. (effective July 2024; applies to entities with over $1B revenue); Florida Information Protection Act (breach notification, Fla. Stat. § 501.171).
94. Georgia
If your Attorney practices in Georgia or if legal services are delivered to you in Georgia, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the State Bar of Georgia (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the State Disciplinary Board; Office of General Counsel; Supreme Court of Georgia. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Georgia RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Georgia Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund. Georgia does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Georgia is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (O.C.G.A. § 16-11-62), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; contingency fees regulated; fee disputes handled through bar. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Georgia under O.C.G.A. § 15-19-51. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act, O.C.G.A. § 10-1-390 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Georgia are governed by the Georgia breach notification law (O.C.G.A. § 10-1-912); no comprehensive state privacy statute.
95. Hawaii
If your Attorney practices in Hawaii or if legal services are delivered to you in Hawaii, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Hawaii State Bar Association (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Office of Disciplinary Counsel; Disciplinary Board; Hawaii Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Hawaii RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA program. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Clients' Security Fund. Hawaii does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Hawaii is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (HRS § 803-42), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; contingency fees regulated. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Hawaii under HRS § 605-14 through 605-17. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Hawaii Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices, HRS § 480-2. Hawaii does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: Hawaii breach notification (HRS § 487N).
96. Idaho
If your Attorney practices in Idaho or if legal services are delivered to you in Idaho, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Idaho State Bar (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Professional Conduct Board; Bar Counsel; Idaho Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Idaho RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Idaho Law Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund. Idaho does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance but does require attorneys to disclose to clients whether they carry insurance (Mandatory disclosure required (IRPC Rule 1.4(c))). Idaho is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (Idaho Code § 18-6702), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Idaho under Idaho Code § 3-420. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Idaho Consumer Protection Act, Idaho Code § 48-601 et seq. Idaho does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: Idaho breach notification (Idaho Code § 28-51-104).
97. Illinois
If your Attorney practices in Illinois or if legal services are delivered to you in Illinois, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Illinois State Bar Association (voluntary); ARDC (regulatory) and is subject to discipline through the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC); Hearing Board; Review Board; Illinois Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Illinois RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Protection Program. Illinois does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Illinois is an all-party consent state for recording purposes (720 ILCS 5/14-1 through 5/14-2); eavesdropping is a felony; recent reform narrowed scope but still requires all-party consent for private conversations. The Platform implements enhanced recording consent procedures for Scoping Calls where you or your Attorney are located in Illinois, as described in clause 9A.4.1. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; fee disputes through ARDC; contingency fees regulated. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Illinois under 705 ILCS 205/1. Attorney Act enforced by AG and state's attorneys. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, 815 ILCS 505/1 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Illinois are governed by the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), 740 ILCS 14/1 et seq. (strongest biometric privacy law in US; private right of action; statutory damages $1,000/$5,000 per violation); Illinois Personal Information Protection Act (815 ILCS 530); Illinois breach notification.
98. Indiana
If your Attorney practices in Indiana or if legal services are delivered to you in Indiana, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Indiana State Bar Association (voluntary) and is subject to discipline through the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission; Hearing Officer. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Indiana RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Indiana Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Clients' Financial Assistance Fund. Indiana does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Indiana is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (Ind. Code § 35-33.5-5-5), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Indiana under Ind. Code § 33-43-2-1. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act, Ind. Code § 24-5-0.5-1 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Indiana are governed by the Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act (effective Jan. 2026); breach notification (Ind. Code § 24-4.9).
99. Iowa
If your Attorney practices in Iowa or if legal services are delivered to you in Iowa, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Iowa State Bar Association (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board; Grievance Commission. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Iowa RPC Rule 32:1.15; IOLTA through Iowa State Bar Association. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Trust Fund. Iowa does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Iowa is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (Iowa Code § 808B.2), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; integrated bar. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Iowa under Iowa Code § 602.10111. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act, Iowa Code § 714H.1 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Iowa are governed by the Iowa Consumer Data Protection Act (ICDPA) (effective Jan. 2025); breach notification (Iowa Code § 715C).
100. Kansas
If your Attorney practices in Kansas or if legal services are delivered to you in Kansas, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Kansas Bar Association (voluntary) and is subject to discipline through the Disciplinary Administrator; Kansas Board for Discipline of Attorneys; Kansas Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with KRPC 1.15; IOLTA through Kansas Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Clients' Protection Fund. Kansas does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Kansas is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (K.S.A. § 21-6101), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Kansas under contempt of court. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Kansas Consumer Protection Act, K.S.A. § 50-623 et seq. Kansas does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: Kansas breach notification (K.S.A. § 50-7a01).
101. Kentucky
If your Attorney practices in Kentucky or if legal services are delivered to you in Kentucky, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Kentucky Bar Association (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Kentucky Bar Association; Office of Bar Counsel; Board of Governors; Kentucky Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with SCR 3.130(1.15); IOLTA through Kentucky IOLTA Fund. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Clients' Security Fund. Kentucky does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Kentucky is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (KRS § 526.010), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; integrated bar. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Kentucky under KRS § 524.130. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act, KRS § 367.110 et seq. Kentucky does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: Kentucky breach notification (KRS § 365.732).
102. Louisiana
If your Attorney practices in Louisiana or if legal services are delivered to you in Louisiana, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Louisiana State Bar Association (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board; Office of Disciplinary Counsel; Hearing Committees; Louisiana Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Louisiana RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Louisiana Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Assistance Fund. Louisiana does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Louisiana is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (La. R.S. 15:1303), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; civil law jurisdiction; community property regime under Louisiana Civil Code; forced heirship rules; contingency fees regulated. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Louisiana under La. R.S. 37:213. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, La. R.S. 51:1401 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Louisiana are governed by the Louisiana Database Security Breach Notification Law (La. R.S. 51:3071 et seq.); no comprehensive privacy statute.
103. Maine
If your Attorney practices in Maine or if legal services are delivered to you in Maine, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Maine State Bar Association (voluntary) and is subject to discipline through the Board of Overseers of the Bar; Grievance Commission; Maine Supreme Judicial Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Maine RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Maine Justice Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Protection Fund. Maine does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Maine is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (15 M.R.S. § 709), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Maine under 4 M.R.S. § 807. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Maine Unfair Trade Practices Act, 5 M.R.S. § 207 et seq. Maine does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: Maine breach notification (10 M.R.S. § 1348).
104. Maryland
If your Attorney practices in Maryland or if legal services are delivered to you in Maryland, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Maryland State Bar Association (voluntary) and is subject to discipline through the Attorney Grievance Commission; Peer Review Panels; Court of Appeals of Maryland (now Supreme Court of Maryland). Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Maryland RPC Rule 19-301.15; IOLTA through Maryland Legal Services Corporation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Protection Fund of the Bar of Maryland. Maryland does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Maryland is an all-party consent state for recording purposes (Md. Code Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 10-402); felony for willful violation. The Platform implements enhanced recording consent procedures for Scoping Calls where you or your Attorney are located in Maryland, as described in clause 9A.4.1. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; fee disputes through bar-sponsored programs. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Maryland under Md. Code Bus. Occ. & Prof. § 10-601. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Maryland Consumer Protection Act, Md. Code Com. Law § 13-101 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Maryland are governed by the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act (MODPA) (effective Oct. 2025); Maryland breach notification (Md. Code Com. Law § 14-3504).
105. Massachusetts
If your Attorney practices in Massachusetts or if legal services are delivered to you in Massachusetts, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Massachusetts Bar Association (voluntary) and is subject to discipline through the Board of Bar Overseers; Office of Bar Counsel; Supreme Judicial Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Massachusetts RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through IOLTA Committee of the Supreme Judicial Court. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Clients' Security Board. Massachusetts does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Massachusetts is an all-party consent state for recording purposes (M.G.L. c. 272 § 99); criminal felony; strictly enforced. The Platform implements enhanced recording consent procedures for Scoping Calls where you or your Attorney are located in Massachusetts, as described in clause 9A.4.1. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; fee disputes through bar-sponsored programs; contingency fee regulation. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Massachusetts under M.G.L. c. 221 § 46A. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act (Chapter 93A), M.G.L. c. 93A § 1 et seq.; provides treble damages and attorneys' fees; one of strongest consumer protection statutes in US. Your data privacy rights in Massachusetts are governed by the Massachusetts data breach notification (M.G.L. c. 93H); Massachusetts data security regulations (201 CMR 17.00; one of most prescriptive data security regulations in US); no comprehensive privacy statute.
106. Michigan
If your Attorney practices in Michigan or if legal services are delivered to you in Michigan, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the State Bar of Michigan (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Attorney Grievance Commission; Attorney Discipline Board; Michigan Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with MRPC 1.15; IOLTA through Michigan State Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Protection Fund. Michigan does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Michigan is a one-party consent state for recording purposes One-party consent for telephone/electronic; all-party consent required for in-person (eavesdropping) (MCL § 750.539c-539d), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; fee disputes through State Bar grievance process. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Michigan under contempt proceedings through circuit court. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, MCL § 445.901 et seq. Michigan does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: Michigan Identity Theft Protection Act (MCL § 445.61 et seq.).
107. Minnesota
If your Attorney practices in Minnesota or if legal services are delivered to you in Minnesota, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Minnesota State Bar Association (voluntary) and is subject to discipline through the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility; Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board; Minnesota Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Minnesota RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Minnesota State Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Board. Minnesota does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Minnesota is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (Minn. Stat. § 626A.02), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; fee disputes through OLPR. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Minnesota under Minn. Stat. § 481.02. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Minnesota Prevention of Consumer Fraud Act, Minn. Stat. § 325F.68 et seq.; Minnesota Deceptive Trade Practices Act, § 325D.43 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Minnesota are governed by the Minnesota Consumer Data Privacy Act (MCDPA) (effective July 2025); breach notification (Minn. Stat. § 325E.61).
108. Mississippi
If your Attorney practices in Mississippi or if legal services are delivered to you in Mississippi, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the The Mississippi Bar (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the The Mississippi Bar; Committee on Professional Responsibility; Mississippi Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Mississippi RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Mississippi Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund. Mississippi does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Mississippi is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (Miss. Code § 41-29-531), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; separate Chancery Court for equity matters. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Mississippi under Miss. Code § 73-3-55. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Mississippi Consumer Protection Act, Miss. Code § 75-24-1 et seq. Mississippi does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: Mississippi breach notification (Miss. Code § 75-24-29).
109. Missouri
If your Attorney practices in Missouri or if legal services are delivered to you in Missouri, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the The Missouri Bar (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel; Advisory Committee; Missouri Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Missouri RPC Rule 4-1.15; IOLTA through Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation (MOLTAF). If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund. Missouri does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Missouri is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 542.402), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; fee disputes through bar. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Missouri under Supreme Court Rule 5.29. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act, Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.010 et seq. Missouri does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: Missouri breach notification (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.1500).
110. Montana
If your Attorney practices in Montana or if legal services are delivered to you in Montana, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the State Bar of Montana (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Office of Disciplinary Counsel; Commission on Practice; Montana Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Montana RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Montana Justice Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. Montana does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Montana is an all-party consent state for recording purposes (MCA § 45-8-213); prior consent of all parties required. The Platform implements enhanced recording consent procedures for Scoping Calls where you or your Attorney are located in Montana, as described in clause 9A.4.1. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; no intermediate appellate court. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Montana under MCA § 37-61-201. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Montana Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act, MCA § 30-14-101 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Montana are governed by the Montana Consumer Data Privacy Act (effective Oct. 2024); breach notification (MCA § 30-14-1704).
111. Nebraska
If your Attorney practices in Nebraska or if legal services are delivered to you in Nebraska, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Nebraska State Bar Association (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Counsel for Discipline; Committee on Inquiry; Nebraska Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Nebraska RPC § 3-501.15; IOLTA through Nebraska Lawyers Trust Account Foundation (NLTAF). If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund. Nebraska does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Nebraska is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 86-290), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; integrated bar. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Nebraska under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 7-101. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Nebraska Consumer Protection Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 59-1601 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Nebraska are governed by the Nebraska Data Privacy Act (NDPA) (effective Jan. 2025); breach notification (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 87-802).
112. Nevada
If your Attorney practices in Nevada or if legal services are delivered to you in Nevada, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the State Bar of Nevada (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the State Bar of Nevada; Southern Nevada Disciplinary Board; Northern Nevada Disciplinary Board; Nevada Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Nevada RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Nevada Law Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund. Nevada does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Nevada is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (NRS § 200.620), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; gaming law practice significant. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Nevada under NRS § 7.285. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Nevada Deceptive Trade Practices Act, NRS § 598.0903 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Nevada are governed by the Nevada SB 220 (opt-out right for sale of personal information, NRS § 603A.340); Nevada breach notification (NRS § 603A.220).
113. New Hampshire
If your Attorney practices in New Hampshire or if legal services are delivered to you in New Hampshire, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the New Hampshire Bar Association (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Attorney Discipline Office; Professional Conduct Committee; New Hampshire Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with New Hampshire RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through NH Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Indemnity Fund. New Hampshire does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance but does require attorneys to disclose to clients whether they carry insurance (Mandatory disclosure required (NH Rule 1.4(c))). New Hampshire is an all-party consent state for recording purposes (RSA § 570-A:2); criminal offense. The Platform implements enhanced recording consent procedures for Scoping Calls where you or your Attorney are located in New Hampshire, as described in clause 9A.4.1. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in New Hampshire under RSA § 311:7. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the New Hampshire Consumer Protection Act, RSA § 358-A:1 et seq. Your data privacy rights in New Hampshire are governed by the New Hampshire Privacy Act (effective Jan. 2025); breach notification (RSA § 359-C:20).
114. New Jersey
If your Attorney practices in New Jersey or if legal services are delivered to you in New Jersey, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the New Jersey State Bar Association (voluntary) and is subject to discipline through the Office of Attorney Ethics (OAE); District Ethics Committees; Disciplinary Review Board (DRB); New Jersey Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with NJ RPC 1.15; NJ Court Rule 1:21-6 (trust account rules); IOLTA through IOLTA Fund of the Bar of New Jersey. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection (one of oldest in US). New Jersey does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. New Jersey is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (N.J.S.A. § 2A:156A-4), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; CFA provides treble damages for consumers; mandatory fee arbitration available through district fee arbitration committees; lawyer referral services must comply with RPC 7.3 and may require court approval. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in New Jersey under N.J.S.A. § 2C:21-22. Unauthorized practice committee actively investigates. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (CFA), N.J.S.A. § 56:8-1 et seq.; provides treble damages and attorneys' fees; broadly construed by NJ courts. Your data privacy rights in New Jersey are governed by the New Jersey Data Privacy Act (NJDPA) (effective Jan. 2025); breach notification (N.J.S.A. § 56:8-163).
115. New Mexico
If your Attorney practices in New Mexico or if legal services are delivered to you in New Mexico, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the State Bar of New Mexico (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Disciplinary Board; Office of Disciplinary Counsel; New Mexico Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with NM RPC Rule 16-115; IOLTA through New Mexico State Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Protection Fund. New Mexico does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. New Mexico is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (NMSA § 30-12-1), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; community property state; tribal law practice significant. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in New Mexico under NMSA § 36-2-27. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the New Mexico Unfair Practices Act, NMSA § 57-12-1 et seq. New Mexico does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: NM breach notification (NMSA § 57-12C-1).
116. New York
If your Attorney practices in New York or if legal services are delivered to you in New York, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA; voluntary; plus NYC Bar Association, county bars) and is subject to discipline through the Attorney Grievance Committees (1st Department: Manhattan/Bronx; 2nd Department: Brooklyn/Queens/Staten Island/Nassau/Suffolk/Westchester etc.; 3rd Department: Albany region; 4th Department: Rochester/Buffalo region); Appellate Division of the Supreme Court; Committee on Professional Standards. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with NY RPC Rule 1.15; Judiciary Law § 497; 22 NYCRR Part 1200; IOLTA through IOLA Fund of the State of New York. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection of the State of New York. New York does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. New York is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (N.Y. Penal Law § 250.00; N.Y. CPLR § 4506), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: fee-splitting with non-lawyers prohibited (Rule 5.4); referral fees governed by Rule 7.2; mandatory written engagement letter for certain matters (22 NYCRR Part 1215: domestic relations, personal injury, real estate); mandatory fee arbitration for fee disputes (22 NYCRR Part 137; applies to fees of $1,000 to $50,000); attorney advertising rules (Rules 7.1-7.5) with filing requirements (attorney advertisements must be filed with the Attorney Grievance Committee within a specified period); IOLTA under Judiciary Law § 497; retainer statements required in certain matters; hourly rates among highest in US. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in New York under Judiciary Law § 478-486 (criminal misdemeanor under § 485). Unauthorized use of title 'lawyer' or 'attorney' is a criminal offense. Committees on UPL actively investigate. Regarding lawyer referral services: lawyer referral services in New York must comply with the Appellate Division rules; NYC Bar Lawyer Referral Service is a certified service; for-profit referral services are scrutinized under Rule 7.2 and Judiciary Law. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the New York General Business Law § 349 (Deceptive Acts and Practices; provides $50 statutory damages, treble damages up to $1,000, and attorneys' fees) and § 350 (False Advertising). Your data privacy rights in New York are governed by the New York SHIELD Act (Gen. Bus. Law § 899-aa; requires reasonable security for private information; expanded breach notification requirements); NYC biometric information privacy provisions (NYC Admin. Code § 22-1201 et seq.); proposed NY Privacy Act (not yet enacted as of March 2026).
117. North Carolina
If your Attorney practices in North Carolina or if legal services are delivered to you in North Carolina, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the North Carolina State Bar (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the North Carolina State Bar; Grievance Committee; Disciplinary Hearing Commission; NC Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with NC RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through NC IOLTA. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund. North Carolina does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. North Carolina is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (N.C.G.S. § 15A-287), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; state bar certified specialization program (bankruptcy, criminal, estate planning, family, immigration, real property, social security disability, workers' comp). The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in North Carolina under N.C.G.S. § 84-4 through 84-8, actively enforced by State Bar. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the North Carolina Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, N.C.G.S. § 75-1.1 et seq. (treble damages; broadly construed). Your data privacy rights in North Carolina are governed by the NC breach notification law (N.C.G.S. § 75-65); no comprehensive state privacy statute.
118. North Dakota
If your Attorney practices in North Dakota or if legal services are delivered to you in North Dakota, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the State Bar Association of North Dakota (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Disciplinary Board; Inquiry Committee; Supreme Court of North Dakota. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with ND RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through ND Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. North Dakota does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. North Dakota is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (N.D.C.C. § 12.1-15-02), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in North Dakota under N.D.C.C. § 27-11-01. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the North Dakota Consumer Fraud Act, N.D.C.C. § 51-15-01 et seq. North Dakota does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: ND breach notification (N.D.C.C. § 51-30-01).
119. Ohio
If your Attorney practices in Ohio or if legal services are delivered to you in Ohio, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Ohio State Bar Association (voluntary) and is subject to discipline through the Office of Disciplinary Counsel; Board of Professional Conduct; Supreme Court of Ohio. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Ohio Prof.Cond.R. 1.15; IOLTA through Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. Ohio does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance but does require attorneys to disclose to clients whether they carry insurance (Mandatory disclosure required (Prof.Cond.R. 1.4(c))). Ohio is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (ORC § 2933.52), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; mandatory fee arbitration available in some jurisdictions. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Ohio under ORC § 4705.01 et seq., enforced by Supreme Court through UPL committee. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act, ORC § 1345.01 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Ohio are governed by the Ohio Data Protection Act (safe harbor for businesses with cybersecurity programs; ORC § 1354.01 et seq.); Ohio breach notification (ORC § 1349.19).
120. Oklahoma
If your Attorney practices in Oklahoma or if legal services are delivered to you in Oklahoma, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Oklahoma Bar Association (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Oklahoma Bar Association; Professional Responsibility Tribunal; Professional Responsibility Commission; Oklahoma Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Oklahoma RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Oklahoma Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client's Security Fund. Oklahoma does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Oklahoma is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (13 O.S. § 176.4), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; tribal law practice significant (McGirt v. Oklahoma implications). The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Oklahoma under 5 O.S. § 26. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Oklahoma Consumer Protection Act, 15 O.S. § 751 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Oklahoma are governed by the Oklahoma breach notification (24 O.S. § 163); no comprehensive state privacy statute.
121. Oregon
If your Attorney practices in Oregon or if legal services are delivered to you in Oregon, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Oregon State Bar (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Disciplinary Counsel; Disciplinary Board; Oregon Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Oregon RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Oregon Law Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund. Oregon is the only state in the United States that requires all active bar members to carry malpractice insurance. Your Attorney must maintain malpractice insurance through the Oregon State Bar Professional Liability Fund (PLF); the only state in the US requiring all active bar members to carry malpractice insurance; minimum coverage: $300,000 per claim / $300,000 aggregate. Oregon is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (ORS § 165.540), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; mandatory malpractice insurance (Oregon is the only US state that requires all active members of the bar to carry malpractice insurance through the Professional Liability Fund); cannabis law practice permitted; Oregon has implemented paraprofessional licensing pilot. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Oregon under ORS § 9.160 and § 9.166. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Oregon Unlawful Trade Practices Act, ORS § 646.605 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Oregon are governed by the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act (OCPA) (effective July 2024); Oregon breach notification (ORS § 646A.604).
122. Pennsylvania
If your Attorney practices in Pennsylvania or if legal services are delivered to you in Pennsylvania, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Pennsylvania Bar Association (voluntary) and is subject to discipline through the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania; Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC operates in 4 districts); Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Pennsylvania RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Pennsylvania IOLTA Board. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Lawyers Fund for Client Security. Pennsylvania does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance but does require attorneys to disclose to clients whether they carry insurance (Mandatory disclosure required (Pa.R.P.C. 1.4(c))). Pennsylvania is an all-party consent state for recording purposes (18 Pa.C.S. § 5703-5704); felony offense for unlawful interception; strictly enforced. The Platform implements enhanced recording consent procedures for Scoping Calls where you or your Attorney are located in Pennsylvania, as described in clause 9A.4.1. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; mass tort practice hub (Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Complex Litigation Center). The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Pennsylvania under 42 Pa.C.S. § 2524. Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee investigates. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (UTPCPL), 73 P.S. § 201-1 et seq. (treble damages up to $100; AG enforcement). Your data privacy rights in Pennsylvania are governed by the PA breach notification law (73 P.S. § 2303); no comprehensive state privacy statute.
123. Rhode Island
If your Attorney practices in Rhode Island or if legal services are delivered to you in Rhode Island, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Rhode Island Bar Association (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Disciplinary Counsel; Disciplinary Board; Supreme Court of Rhode Island. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with RI RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through RI Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Reimbursement Fund. Rhode Island does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Rhode Island is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-5.1-13), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Rhode Island under R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-27-14. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Rhode Island Deceptive Trade Practices Act, R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-13.1-1 et seq. Rhode Island does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: RI breach notification (R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-49.3).
124. South Carolina
If your Attorney practices in South Carolina or if legal services are delivered to you in South Carolina, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the South Carolina Bar (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Office of Disciplinary Counsel; Commission on Lawyer Conduct; Commission on Judicial Conduct; SC Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with SC RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through SC Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. South Carolina does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. South Carolina is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (S.C. Code § 17-30-30), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; state bar specialty certification available. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in South Carolina under S.C. Code § 40-5-310. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the South Carolina Unfair Trade Practices Act, S.C. Code § 39-5-10 et seq. Your data privacy rights in South Carolina are governed by the SC Insurance Data Security Act; SC breach notification (S.C. Code § 39-1-90).
125. South Dakota
If your Attorney practices in South Dakota or if legal services are delivered to you in South Dakota, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the State Bar of South Dakota (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Disciplinary Board; Supreme Court of South Dakota. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with SD RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through SD Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. South Dakota does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance but does require attorneys to disclose to clients whether they carry insurance (Mandatory disclosure required (SDCL § 16-18-20.1)). South Dakota is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (SDCL § 23A-35A-20), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; dynasty trust/asset protection trust hub; no state income tax. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in South Dakota under SDCL § 16-18-34. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the South Dakota Deceptive Trade Practices Act, SDCL § 37-24-1 et seq. South Dakota does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: SD breach notification (SDCL § 22-40-19 et seq.).
126. Tennessee
If your Attorney practices in Tennessee or if legal services are delivered to you in Tennessee, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Tennessee Bar Association (voluntary) and is subject to discipline through the Board of Professional Responsibility; Hearing Panels; Tennessee Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Tennessee RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Tennessee Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Tennessee Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. Tennessee does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Tennessee is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (Tenn. Code § 40-6-303), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; state bar specialty certification available in several areas. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Tennessee under Tenn. Code § 23-3-103. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act, Tenn. Code § 47-18-101 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Tennessee are governed by the Tennessee Information Protection Act (TIPA) (effective July 2025); breach notification (Tenn. Code § 47-18-2107).
127. Texas
If your Attorney practices in Texas or if legal services are delivered to you in Texas, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the State Bar of Texas (integrated/unified bar; ~100,000+ active members, second-largest US bar) and is subject to discipline through the State Bar of Texas; Commission for Lawyer Discipline; State Bar Grievance Committee; Board of Disciplinary Appeals; Supreme Court of Texas. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.14 (trust accounts); IOLTA through Texas Access to Justice Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund. Texas does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Texas is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (Tex. Penal Code § 16.02), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: fee-splitting restrictions per Rule 5.04; contingency fees regulated by Rule 1.04; mandatory written fee agreement for contingency matters; mandatory fee dispute resolution through State Bar Act; lawyer referral service registration required (Tex. Gov't Code § 81.035); State Bar of Texas operates lawyer referral service. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Texas under Tex. Gov't Code § 81.101-81.104. UPL Committee of the State Bar actively investigates. Also Tex. Penal Code § 38.123 (barratry). Regarding lawyer referral services: lawyer referral services must register with State Bar of Texas (Tex. Gov't Code § 81.035); for-profit referral services regulated; barratry (illegal solicitation) aggressively prosecuted. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act (DTPA), Tex. Bus. & Com. Code § 17.41 et seq.; provides treble damages for knowing or intentional violations; one of strongest DTPA statutes in US. Your data privacy rights in Texas are governed by the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA) (effective July 2024); Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act (CUBI, Tex. Bus. & Com. Code § 503.001); breach notification (Tex. Bus. & Com. Code § 521.053).
128. Utah
If your Attorney practices in Utah or if legal services are delivered to you in Utah, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Utah State Bar (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Office of Professional Conduct; Screening Panel; Ethics and Discipline Committee; Utah Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Utah RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Utah Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. Utah does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Utah is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (Utah Code § 77-23a-4), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: utah Regulatory Sandbox (administered by Utah Supreme Court's Office of Legal Services Innovation) permits non-lawyer ownership and innovative legal service delivery models, including technology platforms providing legal services under sandbox supervision; Rule 5.4 substantially modified within sandbox; sandbox entities must report outcomes and consumer protection metrics. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Utah under Utah Code § 78B-3-103. But Regulatory Sandbox creates exceptions for approved entities. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Utah Consumer Sales Practices Act, Utah Code § 13-11-1 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Utah are governed by the Utah Consumer Privacy Act (UCPA) (effective Dec. 2023); breach notification (Utah Code § 13-44-101).
129. Vermont
If your Attorney practices in Vermont or if legal services are delivered to you in Vermont, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Vermont Bar Association (voluntary) and is subject to discipline through the Professional Responsibility Board; Disciplinary Counsel; Vermont Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Vermont RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Vermont Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund. Vermont does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Vermont is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (13 V.S.A. § 1051), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Vermont under 3 V.S.A. § 129. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Vermont Consumer Protection Act, 9 V.S.A. § 2451 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Vermont are governed by the Vermont Data Broker Law (9 V.S.A. § 2446 et seq.; requires data broker registration); comprehensive breach notification (9 V.S.A. § 2430); Vermont was early mover on data broker regulation.
130. Virginia
If your Attorney practices in Virginia or if legal services are delivered to you in Virginia, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Virginia State Bar (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Virginia State Bar; District Committees; Disciplinary Board; Virginia Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Virginia RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Virginia Law Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Protection Fund. Virginia does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance but does require attorneys to disclose to clients whether they carry insurance (Mandatory disclosure required (Va. RPC 1.4(c); must inform client in writing if not carrying insurance)). Virginia is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (Va. Code § 19.2-62), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; government contracts practice hub (Northern Virginia/DC corridor). The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Virginia under Va. Code § 54.1-3904. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Virginia Consumer Protection Act, Va. Code § 59.1-196 et seq. Your data privacy rights in Virginia are governed by the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) (effective Jan. 2023; first comprehensive state privacy law after California); Va. Code § 59.1-575 et seq.; enforced by AG; breach notification (Va. Code § 18.2-186.6).
131. Washington
If your Attorney practices in Washington or if legal services are delivered to you in Washington, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA; integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Office of Disciplinary Counsel; WSBA Disciplinary Board; Washington Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Washington RPC 1.15; IOLTA through Legal Foundation of Washington. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Protection Fund. Washington does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Washington is an all-party consent state for recording purposes (RCW § 9.73.030); consent of all parties required; violation is a gross misdemeanor. The Platform implements enhanced recording consent procedures for Scoping Calls where you or your Attorney are located in Washington, as described in clause 9A.4.1. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; Licensed Legal Technician (LLLT) program authorized limited practice of law by non-lawyers (program was wound down in 2020 but legacy practitioners remain active); Limited Practice Officer (LPO) program permits non-lawyers to select and prepare legal documents for real estate closings. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Washington under RCW § 2.48.170 and § 2.48.180. But LPO and legacy LLLT programs create limited exceptions. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Washington Consumer Protection Act (CPA), RCW § 19.86 et seq.; broad remedies including treble damages up to $25,000. Your data privacy rights in Washington are governed by the Washington My Health My Data Act (RCW § 19.373; health data privacy, effective March 2024); WA biometric provisions (RCW § 19.375); breach notification (RCW § 19.255.010); no comprehensive general privacy statute as of March 2026 (WA Privacy Act has been introduced multiple times but not enacted).
132. West Virginia
If your Attorney practices in West Virginia or if legal services are delivered to you in West Virginia, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the West Virginia State Bar (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Office of Disciplinary Counsel; Lawyer Disciplinary Board; Hearing Panel Subcommittees; WV Supreme Court of Appeals. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with WV RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through West Virginia State Bar. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Lawyer Disciplinary Fund (with client reimbursement component). West Virginia does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. West Virginia is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (W. Va. Code § 62-1D-3), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in West Virginia under W. Va. Code § 30-2-4. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act, W. Va. Code § 46A-1-101 et seq. West Virginia does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: WV breach notification (W. Va. Code § 46A-2A-101 et seq.).
133. Wisconsin
If your Attorney practices in Wisconsin or if legal services are delivered to you in Wisconsin, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the State Bar of Wisconsin (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Office of Lawyer Regulation; Preliminary Review Committee; Referee; Wisconsin Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Wisconsin SCR 20:1.15; IOLTA through Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation (WisTAF). If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Wisconsin Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. Wisconsin does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Wisconsin is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (Wis. Stat. § 968.31), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; fee disputes through State Bar fee arbitration; Wisconsin is one of only two states (with New Hampshire) that grants a "diploma privilege" allowing graduates of in-state law schools (University of Wisconsin and Marquette University) to be admitted to the bar without passing the bar exam. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Wisconsin under Wis. Stat. § 757.30. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Wisconsin Deceptive Trade Practices Act, Wis. Stat. § 100.18 et seq. Wisconsin does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: Wisconsin breach notification (Wis. Stat. § 134.98).
134. Wyoming
If your Attorney practices in Wyoming or if legal services are delivered to you in Wyoming, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the Wyoming State Bar (integrated/unified bar) and is subject to discipline through the Board of Professional Responsibility; Bar Counsel; Wyoming Supreme Court. Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with Wyoming RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through Wyoming State Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Client Security Fund. Wyoming does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. Wyoming is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (Wyo. Stat. § 7-3-702), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: standard Rule 5.4 restrictions; no state income tax; LLC and business formation pioneer. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in Wyoming under Wyo. Stat. § 33-5-117. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the Wyoming Consumer Protection Act, Wyo. Stat. § 40-12-101 et seq. Wyoming does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: Wyoming breach notification (Wyo. Stat. § 40-12-501 et seq.).
135. District of Columbia
If your Attorney practices in District of Columbia or if legal services are delivered to you in District of Columbia, the following provisions apply. Your Attorney is regulated by the District of Columbia Bar (integrated/unified bar; unique because many members are admitted but practice elsewhere) and is subject to discipline through the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC); Board on Professional Responsibility (BPR); D.C. Court of Appeals (highest D.C. court for disciplinary matters). Your Attorney must maintain client trust accounts in compliance with D.C. RPC Rule 1.15; IOLTA through D.C. Bar Foundation. If your Attorney engages in dishonest conduct resulting in financial loss to you, you may be eligible for reimbursement from the Clients' Security Fund (renamed from Client Security Trust Fund). District of Columbia does not require attorneys to carry malpractice insurance or to disclose their insurance status to clients. District of Columbia is a one-party consent state for recording purposes (D.C. Code § 23-542), and the standard Scoping Call consent mechanism described in clause 9A.3B applies. Regarding fee arrangements: d.C. uniquely permits non-lawyer partners and owners in law firms under D.C. Rule 5.4(b) (passive financial interest permitted if non-lawyer does not interfere with attorney's professional judgment); D.C. Rule 5.4 is the most permissive Rule 5.4 in the United States; federal agency and SCOTUS practice hub; D.C. Bar has very large membership but many are government attorneys or admitted but practicing elsewhere. The unauthorized practice of law is prohibited in District of Columbia under D.C. Code § 11-2502. But D.C. Rule 5.4 creates unique framework for non-lawyer ownership. Consumer protections applicable to your engagement are provided by the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act, D.C. Code § 28-3901 et seq. District of Columbia does not currently have a comprehensive state data privacy statute. Applicable data privacy protections include: D.C. breach notification (D.C. Code § 28-3851 et seq.); federal privacy framework applies (many federal agencies in D.C.).