These terms of use are entered into by and between You and [TALKCOUNSEL] (“Company,” “we,” or “us“). The following terms and conditions[, together with any documents they expressly incorporate by reference] ([collectively, ] “Terms of Use“)[,] govern your access to and use of [www.talkcounsel.com], including any content, functionality, and services offered on or through [www.talkcounsel.com] (the “Website“)[, whether as a guest or a registered user].
Please read the Terms of Use carefully before you start to use the Website. By using the Website [or by clicking to accept or agree to the Terms of Use when this option is made available to you], you accept and agree to be bound and abide by these Terms of Use[ and our Privacy Policy incorporated herein by reference]. If you do not want to agree to these Terms of Use[ or the Privacy Policy], you must not access or use the Website.
[This Website is offered and available to users who [are [18] years of age or older][,/ and] [reside in the United States or any of its territories or possessions][, and] [OTHER COUNTRIES AS PROVIDED FOR ON THE WEBSITE]. By using this Website, you represent and warrant that you [are of legal age to form a binding contract with the Company and] meet all of the foregoing eligibility requirements. If you do not meet all of these requirements, you must not access or use the Website.]
1. The TalkCounsel Service is a platform for collaboration and communication between legal professionals and those seeking legal assistance. The TalkCounsel Service provides access to TalkCounsel’s virtual community of professional Consultant Users; easy collaboration through TalkCounsel’s communication management tools; document management and storage; and simple, secure payment and invoicing tools.
2. TalkCounsel Is Not A Law Firm. TalkCounsel does not offer legal representation. TalkCounsel does not offer any legal advice, legal opinions, recommendations, referrals, or counseling. Attorney Users are not the employees or agents of TalkCounsel. TalkCounsel is not involved in agreements between Users or in the representation of Users. At no point may TalkCounsel be held liable for the actions or omissions of any Attorney User performing consulting services for you.
3. TalkCounsel Is Not An Attorney Referral Service or Employment Agency. TalkCounsel is not an attorney referral service or employment agency. TalkCounsel does not select or endorse any individual Attorney User to service a Legal Client. While TalkCounsel uses commercially reasonable efforts to confirm that registered Attorney Users are licensed attorneys, we do not make any warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the legal ability, competence, quality, or qualifications of any Attorney User. TalkCounsel does not warrant or guarantee that Attorney Users are covered by professional liability insurance. TalkCounsel encourages Legal Clients to research any Attorney User before accepting professional advice.
4. TalkCounsel does not vouch for any of its Users. TalkCounsel simply provides a platform on which those seeking legal assistance may communicate and transact with legal professionals. TalkCounsel does not endorse any of its Attorney Users and does not sanction statements that Attorney Users make on the platform. TalkCounsel makes no representation concerning the qualifications of non-attorney legal service providers.
5. TalkCounsel Does Not Guarantee Results. From time to time, Clients may submit reviews of Attorney Users; these reviews do not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of any future legal matter. TalkCounsel will have no responsibility or liability of any kind for any User-Generated Content or legal advice you encounter on or through the Website, and any use or reliance on User-Generated Content or legal advice is solely at your own risk.
6. Use of TalkCounsel Does Not Create An Attorney-Client Relationship With TalkCounsel. TalkCounsel does not offer legal advice or services. Any use of the TalkCounsel Service is not intended to, and does not, create an attorney-client relationship. Any attorney-client relationship must be in writing and between Attorney Users and Clients. Any communication via TalkCounsel may not be held confidential. TalkCounsel is not liable for the actions or omissions of any Attorney User performing consulting services for you.
1. User Account Security. If you sign up for the Service, you will create a personalized account which includes a unique username and a password to access the Service and to receive messages from TalkCounsel. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account, and you are fully responsible for all activities that occur under the account and any other actions taken in connection with the account. You agree to notify TalkCounsel immediately of any unauthorized use of account, or any other breaches of security. We will not be responsible for any liabilities, losses, or damages arising out of the unauthorized use of your computer, mobile device, or other computing device and/or account.
2. Relationship with Attorney Users. Because we cannot guarantee the fitness of any of our Attorney Users for your specific needs, we encourage Clients to research any Attorney User before accepting professional advice. Clients may also request a written legal engagement agreement specifying the terms, scope, limitations, and conditions of the representation.
3. No Reliance on User-Generated Content. User-Generated Content posted on the Website, such as blog posts, is provided for informational purposes only, with no assurance that the User-Generated Content is true, correct, or accurate. User-Generated Content is not a substitute for professional legal advice or a solicitation to offer legal advice regarding specific facts. You should not delay or forego seeking legal advice or disregard professional legal advice based on User-Generated Content. Delay in seeking such legal advice could result in waiver of any claims you may have, depending on the applicable statute(s) of limitation. User-Generated Content is not regulated by any state or national bar association.
4. Compliance with Laws. You represent and warrant that: (i) you have the authority to, and are of legal age in your jurisdiction to, bind yourself to this Agreement; (ii) your use of the Service will be solely for purposes that are permitted by this Agreement; (iii) your use of the Service will not infringe or misappropriate the intellectual property rights of any third party; and (iv) your use of the Service will comply with all local, state and federal laws, rules, and regulations, and with all other TalkCounsel policies.
5. TalkCounsel Is Not A Party To Contracts. Clients may contract with Attorney Users through posting and acceptance of Jobs. Such contracts are solely between the Client and the Attorney User. TalkCounsel will not be a party to any contracts for Jobs submitted through our Service. TalkCounsel facilitates these contracts by supplying a platform for communication management and payment tools.
6. All Legal Fees Are Paid To Attorney Users. TalkCounsel does not provide legal services and does not charge for legal services. Payments made to Attorney Users via TalkCounsel’s billing platform are transferred directly to the Attorney User’s payment account, less any associated service and processing fees (e.g. credit card fees).
7. Attorney Users Shall Receive Payment Through The Service For All User Transactions. As a Attorney User of TalkCounsel, you agree to process all retainers, invoices, all amounts billed to any Clients at all times (“Payments”) on the TalkCounsel platform. You agree to process such Payments through the TalkCounsel platform even if the Clients request that you perform a different assignment or matter from the job request posted via TalkCounsel. If a Client is either unwilling or unable to make payment via TalkCounsel, Attorney User agrees to notify TalkCounsel of any new payment arrangement. Payment by a Client to Attorney User, made outside of the service without prior notification to TalkCounsel, constitutes a full waiver by both parties of any TalkCounsel payment guarantees dispute protections as discussed below, even as they may relate to prior payments made within the service.
8. Client-Attorney User Dispute Resolution Procedures. In the event that a Client has a good faith belief that the nature or quality of the legal services rendered by a Attorney User in connection with the relevant Job are not consistent with industry standards or the provisions of the related Bid or these Terms and Conditions, or the amounts invoiced for the legal services provided by such Attorney User are not consistent with such Bid (such matter, a “Services-Related Disputed Matter”), he or she shall be permitted to dispute the job before approving the job for completion otherwise the approval will be consider a waiver.
We may revise and update these Terms of Use from time to time in our sole discretion. All changes are effective immediately when we post them[, and apply to all access to and use of the Website thereafter]. [However, any changes to the dispute resolution provisions set out in Governing Law and Jurisdiction will not apply to any disputes for which the parties have actual notice [on or] before the date the change is posted on the Website.]
Your continued use of the Website following the posting of revised Terms of Use means that you accept and agree to the changes. You are expected to check this page [from time to time/frequently/each time you access this Website] so you are aware of any changes, as they are binding on you.
We reserve the right to withdraw or amend this Website, and any service or material we provide on the Website, in our sole discretion without notice. We will not be liable if for any reason all or any part of the Website is unavailable at any time or for any period. From time to time, we may restrict access to some parts of the Website, or the entire Website, to users, including registered users.
You are responsible for both:
Making all arrangements necessary for you to have access to the Website.
Ensuring that all persons who access the Website through your internet connection are aware of these Terms of Use and comply with them.
To access the Website or some of the resources it offers, you may be asked to provide certain registration details or other information. It is a condition of your use of the Website that all the information you provide on the Website is correct, current, and complete. You agree that all information you provide to register with this Website or otherwise, including, but not limited to, through the use of any interactive features on the Website, is governed by our Privacy Policy, and you consent to all actions we take with respect to your information consistent with our Privacy Policy.
If you choose, or are provided with, a user name, password, or any other piece of information as part of our security procedures, you must treat such information as confidential, and you must not disclose it to any other person or entity. You also acknowledge that your account is personal to you and agree not to provide any other person with access to this Website or portions of it using your user name, password, or other security information. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized access to or use of your user name or password or any other breach of security. You also agree to ensure that you exit from your account at the end of each session. You should use particular caution when accessing your account from a public or shared computer so that others are not able to view or record your password or other personal information.
We have the right to disable any user name, password, or other identifier, whether chosen by you or provided by us, at any time [in our sole discretion for any or no reason, including] if, in our opinion, you have violated any provision of these Terms of Use.
The Website and its entire contents, features, and functionality (including but not limited to all information, software, text, displays, images, video, and audio, and the design, selection, and arrangement thereof) are owned by the Company, its licensors, or other providers of such material and are protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property or proprietary rights laws.
These Terms of Use permit you to use the Website for your personal, non-commercial use only. You must not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, republish, download, store, or transmit any of the material on our Website, except as follows:
You must not:
You must not access or use for any commercial purposes any part of the Website or any services or materials available through the Website.
[If you wish to make any use of material on the Website other than that set out in this section, please address your request to: [hello@talkcounsel.com].]
If you print, copy, modify, download, or otherwise use or provide any other person with access to any part of the Website in breach of the Terms of Use, your right to use the Website will stop immediately and you must, at our option, return or destroy any copies of the materials you have made. No right, title, or interest in or to the Website or any content on the Website is transferred to you, and all rights not expressly granted are reserved by the Company. Any use of the Website not expressly permitted by these Terms of Use is a breach of these Terms of Use and may violate copyright, trademark, and other laws.
The Company name, the terms [COMPANY TRADEMARKS], [the Company logo,] and all related names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans are trademarks of the Company or its affiliates or licensors. You must not use such marks without the prior written permission of the Company. All other names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans on this Website are the trademarks of their respective owners.
You may use the Website only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms of Use. You agree not to use the Website:
Additionally, you agree not to:
The Website may contain message boards, chat rooms, personal web pages or profiles, forums, bulletin boards[, LIST ANY OTHER INTERACTIVE FEATURES], and other interactive features (collectively, “Interactive Services“) that allow users to post, submit, publish, display, or transmit to other users or other persons (hereinafter, “post“) content or materials (collectively, “User Contributions“) on or through the Website.
All User Contributions must comply with the Content Standards set out in these Terms of Use.
Any User Contribution you post to the site will be considered non-confidential and non-proprietary. By providing any User Contribution on the Website, you grant us and [our affiliates and service providers, and each of their and] our [respective] licensees, successors, and assigns the right to use, reproduce, modify, perform, display, distribute, and otherwise disclose to third parties any such material [for any purpose/according to your account settings].
You represent and warrant that:
You understand and acknowledge that you are responsible for any User Contributions you submit or contribute, and you, not the Company, have full responsibility for such content, including its legality, reliability, accuracy, and appropriateness.
We are not responsible or liable to any third party for the content or accuracy of any User Contributions posted by you or any other user of the Website.
We have the right to:
Without limiting the foregoing, we have the right to cooperate fully with any law enforcement authorities or court order requesting or directing us to disclose the identity or other information of anyone posting any materials on or through the Website. YOU WAIVE AND HOLD HARMLESS THE COMPANY [AND ITS AFFILIATES, LICENSEES, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS] FROM ANY CLAIMS RESULTING FROM ANY ACTION TAKEN BY [THE COMPANY/ANY OF THE FOREGOING PARTIES] DURING, OR TAKEN AS A CONSEQUENCE OF, INVESTIGATIONS BY EITHER [THE COMPANY/SUCH PARTIES] OR LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES.
However, we [cannot/do not undertake to] review [all] material before it is posted on the Website, and cannot ensure prompt removal of objectionable material after it has been posted. Accordingly, we assume no liability for any action or inaction regarding transmissions, communications, or content provided by any user or third party. We have no liability or responsibility to anyone for performance or nonperformance of the activities described in this section.
These content standards apply to any and all User Contributions and use of Interactive Services. User Contributions must in their entirety comply with all applicable federal, state, local, and international laws and regulations. Without limiting the foregoing, User Contributions must not:
If you believe that any User Contributions violate your copyright, please see our Copyright Policy for instructions on sending us a notice of copyright infringement. It is the policy of the Company to terminate the user accounts of repeat infringers.
The information presented on or through the Website is made available solely for general information purposes. We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. We disclaim all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on such materials by you or any other visitor to the Website, or by anyone who may be informed of any of its contents.
This Website [may include/includes] content provided by third parties, including materials provided by other users, bloggers, and third-party licensors, syndicators, aggregators, and/or reporting services. All statements and/or opinions expressed in these materials, and all articles and responses to questions and other content, other than the content provided by the Company, are solely the opinions and the responsibility of the person or entity providing those materials. These materials do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Company. We are not responsible, or liable to you or any third party, for the content or accuracy of any materials provided by any third parties.
We may update the content on this Website from time to time, but its content is not necessarily complete or up-to-date. Any of the material on the Website may be out of date at any given time, and we are under no obligation to update such material.
All information we collect on this Website is subject to our Privacy Policy]. By using the Website, you consent to all actions taken by us with respect to your information in compliance with the Privacy Policy.
All purchases through our site or other transactions for the sale of [goods][,/ or][services][,] [or][information] formed through the Website, or resulting from visits made by you, are governed by our Terms of Sale which are hereby incorporated into these Terms of Use.
[Additional terms and conditions may also apply to specific portions, services, or features of the Website. All such additional terms and conditions are hereby incorporated by this reference into these Terms of Use.]]
You may link to our homepage, provided you do so in a way that is fair and legal and does not damage our reputation or take advantage of it, but you must not establish a link in such a way as to suggest any form of association, approval, or endorsement on our part[ without our express [written] consent].
This Website may provide certain social media features that enable you to:
[The website from which you are linking, or on which you make certain content accessible, must comply in all respects with the Content Standards set out in these Terms of Use.]
You agree to cooperate with us in causing any unauthorized framing or linking immediately to stop. We reserve the right to withdraw linking permission without notice.
We may disable all or any social media features and any links at any time without notice in our discretion.
If the Website contains links to other sites and resources provided by third parties, these links are provided for your convenience only. This includes links contained in advertisements, including banner advertisements and sponsored links. We have no control over the contents of those sites or resources, and accept no responsibility for them or for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them. If you decide to access any of the third-party websites linked to this Website, you do so entirely at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of use for such websites.
The owner of the Website is based in the State of [NEW YORK] in the United States. We provide this Website for use only by persons located in the United States and countries provided for on the website. Access to the Website may not be legal by certain persons or in certain countries. If you access the Website from outside the United States, you do so on your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws.
You understand that we cannot and do not guarantee or warrant that files available for downloading from the internet or the Website will be free of viruses or other destructive code. You are responsible for implementing sufficient procedures and checkpoints to satisfy your particular requirements for anti-virus protection and accuracy of data input and output, and for maintaining a means external to our site for any reconstruction of any lost data. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, WE WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY A DISTRIBUTED DENIAL-OF-SERVICE ATTACK, VIRUSES, OR OTHER TECHNOLOGICALLY HARMFUL MATERIAL THAT MAY INFECT YOUR COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, COMPUTER PROGRAMS, DATA, OR OTHER PROPRIETARY MATERIAL DUE TO YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE OR TO YOUR DOWNLOADING OF ANY MATERIAL POSTED ON IT, OR ON ANY WEBSITE LINKED TO IT.
YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE, ITS CONTENT, AND ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE WEBSITE, ITS CONTENT, AND ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS, WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ANY PERSON ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY MAKES ANY WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPLETENESS, SECURITY, RELIABILITY, QUALITY, ACCURACY, OR AVAILABILITY OF THE WEBSITE. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY REPRESENTS OR WARRANTS THAT THE WEBSITE, ITS CONTENT, OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE WILL BE ACCURATE, RELIABLE, ERROR-FREE, OR UNINTERRUPTED, THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, THAT OUR SITE OR THE SERVER THAT MAKES IT AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS, OR THAT THE WEBSITE OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE WILL OTHERWISE MEET YOUR NEEDS OR EXPECTATIONS.
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, THE COMPANY HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY WARRANTIES THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.
[TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL THE COMPANY, ITS AFFILIATES, OR THEIR LICENSORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OFFICERS, OR DIRECTORS BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, UNDER ANY LEGAL THEORY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE WEBSITE, ANY WEBSITES LINKED TO IT, ANY CONTENT ON THE WEBSITE OR SUCH OTHER WEBSITES, INCLUDING ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PERSONAL INJURY, PAIN AND SUFFERING, EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, LOSS OF REVENUE, LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS OR ANTICIPATED SAVINGS, LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF GOODWILL, LOSS OF DATA, AND WHETHER CAUSED BY TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), BREACH OF CONTRACT, OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF FORESEEABLE.
The limitation of liability set out above does not apply to liability resulting from our gross negligence or willful misconduct [or death or bodily injury caused by products you purchase through the site].]
THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, licensors, and service providers, and its and their respective officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, licensors, suppliers, successors, and assigns from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to your violation of these Terms of Use or your use of the Website, including, but not limited to, your User Contributions, any use of the Website’s content, services, and products other than as expressly authorized in these Terms of Use, or your use of any information obtained from the Website.
All matters relating to the Website and these Terms of Use, and any dispute or claim arising therefrom or related thereto (in each case, including non-contractual disputes or claims), shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of [NEW YORK STATE] without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of [NEW YORK STATE] or any other jurisdiction).
Any legal suit, action, or proceeding arising out of, or related to, these Terms of Use or the Website shall be instituted exclusively in Nigeria, [although we retain the right to bring any suit, action, or proceeding against you for breach of these Terms of Use in your country of residence or any other relevant country]. You waive any and all objections to the exercise of jurisdiction over you by such courts and to venue in such courts.
At Company’s sole discretion, it may require You to submit any disputes arising from these Terms of Use or use of the Website, including disputes arising from or concerning their interpretation, violation, invalidity, non-performance, or termination, to final and binding arbitration under the Rules of Arbitration of the American Arbitration Association applying New York law.]
[ANY CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM YOU MAY HAVE ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OF USE OR THE WEBSITE MUST BE COMMENCED WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR AFTER THE CAUSE OF ACTION ACCRUES; OTHERWISE, SUCH CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM IS PERMANENTLY BARRED.]
No waiver by the Company of any term or condition set out in these Terms of Use shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or condition or a waiver of any other term or condition, and any failure of the Company to assert a right or provision under these Terms of Use shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.
If any provision of these Terms of Use is held by a court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable for any reason, such provision shall be eliminated or limited to the minimum extent such that the remaining provisions of the Terms of Use will continue in full force and effect.
The Terms of Use[, /and] our Privacy Policy[,]] [and] [Terms of Sale[,]] [and] constitute the sole and entire agreement between you and [TALKCOUNSEL] regarding the Website and supersede all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations, and warranties, both written and oral, regarding the Website.
This website is operated by [TALKCOUNSEL] [www.talkcounsel.com].
All notices of copyright infringement claims should be sent to the copyright agent designated in our Copyright Policy in the manner and by the means set out therein.
All other feedback, comments, requests for technical support, and other communications relating to the Website should be directed to: [hello@talkcounsel.com].