Part 1 — Terms of Service for Lawyers
Governs any lawyer's or law firm's ("Lawyer," "you") subscription to and use of Start Your Case ("Start Your Case," "we," "us"), a platform that markets Lawyers to prospective clients who submit case information through Start Your Case's intake form.
1. Acceptance of Terms
By creating a Lawyer account, subscribing to a practice area and city, or otherwise using Start Your Case's lawyer portal, you agree to these Lawyer Terms. If you don't agree, don't create an account or use the service.
2. Description of the Service
Start Your Case is a marketing and lead-generation platform. We advertise your practice, collect and pre-screen case information from prospective clients ("Leads") through an online intake form, and route qualifying Leads that match your subscribed practice area and city to you.
Start Your Case is not a law firm, does not practice law, does not provide legal advice to Leads, and does not employ, supervise, or direct any Lawyer's legal work. Start Your Case is a marketing vendor to Lawyers — not a lawyer referral service, and not a party to any engagement between a Lawyer and a Lead.
3. Subscription, Billing & Fees
Flat monthly fee, not per-lead. You pay Start Your Case a fixed monthly subscription fee, set per practice area and city combination, for marketing access and Lead routing. This fee is not contingent on the number, quality, or outcome of any Lead, case, or referral, and is not a percentage of any fee you earn from a client.
Billing. Fees are billed monthly in advance through our payment processor (Stripe) to the payment method on file, and renew automatically until cancelled.
Fee changes. We may change your monthly fee with at least 30 days' written notice (email is sufficient). Continuing your subscription after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the new fee.
No refunds. Fees are non-refundable, including for partial months, unused capacity, or Leads you were unable to convert. If we terminate your account without cause, we will refund the unused pro-rated portion of the current billing period.
Non-payment. If a payment fails or your billing status becomes past due, your account may be suspended (no new Leads routed to you) until the balance is resolved. Continued non-payment may result in termination under Section 10.
4. Lawyer Eligibility & Professional Responsibilities
You represent and warrant that you are a lawyer licensed and in good standing with the applicable law society or bar in the province(s) where you practice and accept Leads, and that you carry professional liability (malpractice) insurance as required by that law society.
You are solely responsible for complying with all rules of professional conduct that apply to you, including rules governing advertising, marketing, solicitation, and the use of lead-generation or referral services. If your law society restricts or prohibits arrangements like this one, it is your responsibility to confirm your participation is permitted before subscribing, and to stop using Start Your Case if that ever changes.
5. Nature of the Relationship — No Fee-Sharing or Referral Arrangement
Start Your Case is a marketing service paid a flat monthly subscription fee, set in advance and unrelated to any specific Lead, case, engagement, or outcome. Start Your Case does not receive a percentage of, or any fee contingent on, any fee you earn from a client, and does not "refer" clients to you in exchange for compensation tied to that referral. Nothing in these terms creates a partnership, joint venture, agency, or fee-sharing arrangement between Start Your Case and any Lawyer.
6. Lead Exclusivity & Assignment
Within a subscribed practice area and city, Start Your Case will not knowingly assign the same practice-area-and-city combination to more than one active Lawyer at a time, and will route matching Leads to you as they come in, on the routing logic described in the lawyer portal (currently: exact practice area plus exact city match).
This exclusivity applies only to automatic routing. Start Your Case does not guarantee any minimum number, frequency, or quality of Leads, and Leads may also be assigned manually by an administrator outside this routing logic (for example, when no subscribed Lawyer covers a Lead's city). Start Your Case may also change, discontinue, or modify its routing logic, subscription structure, or the list of available cities/practice areas at its discretion, with reasonable notice for material changes.
7. No Guarantee of Results, Quality, or Client Outcomes
Start Your Case does not guarantee the volume, quality, accuracy, or suitability of any Lead, that any Lead will retain you, that you will be compensated by any Lead, or any outcome of any legal matter. Leads submit information voluntarily and Start Your Case relies on that information without independently verifying it. Start Your Case does not review, vet, supervise, or take any responsibility for the legal advice or legal services you provide.
8. The Attorney-Client Relationship
Any attorney-client relationship formed as a result of a Lead is strictly between you and that Lead. Start Your Case is not a party to that relationship, is not responsible for its formation, scope, or terms, and has no involvement in the legal services provided. You are solely responsible for conflict checks, engagement letters, fee arrangements, confidentiality, and all professional obligations owed to your clients.
9. Prohibited Conduct
You agree not to: misrepresent your credentials, licensure, or the practice areas/cities you serve; share, resell, or sub-license Leads or Lead data to any other lawyer or third party; attempt to circumvent Start Your Case's routing or exclusivity by soliciting Leads outside your subscribed practice area/city; use Leads' contact information for purposes unrelated to the matter they submitted; or use the platform for any unlawful purpose or in a manner that violates your professional conduct rules.
10. Term & Termination
Your subscription continues month-to-month until cancelled. You may cancel at any time from the lawyer portal or by written notice; cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period, and you will stop receiving new auto-routed Leads at that point (Leads already assigned to you are unaffected). Start Your Case may suspend or terminate your account for non-payment, violation of these terms, loss of licensure or insurance, or conduct that could expose Start Your Case or its users to legal or professional risk.
11. Disclaimers & Limitation of Liability
THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE," WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. START YOUR CASE DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, OR SECURE.
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, START YOUR CASE WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, CLIENTS, OR GOODWILL, ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE OR ANY LEAD, INCLUDING ANY ACT, OMISSION, OR PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE BY YOU IN PROVIDING LEGAL SERVICES TO A LEAD. START YOUR CASE'S TOTAL LIABILITY FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF THESE TERMS WILL NOT EXCEED THE FEES YOU PAID START YOUR CASE IN THE THREE (3) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM.
12. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold Start Your Case harmless from any claim, loss, or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising from: the legal services or advice you provide to any Lead; your breach of these terms; or your violation of any law, regulation, or law society rule.
13. Confidentiality & Data Handling
Lead information is provided to you solely to evaluate and, where appropriate, pursue an engagement with that Lead. You will handle it in accordance with your professional confidentiality obligations and applicable privacy law, and will not use or disclose it for any other purpose.
14. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution
These terms are governed by the laws of the Province of Alberta and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles.
15. Changes to These Terms
We may update these terms from time to time. We will provide reasonable notice of material changes (e.g. by email or an in-portal notice). Continued use of the service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.
16. Contact
Questions about these terms can be sent to [INSERT CONTACT EMAIL].
↑ Back to topPart 2 — Terms of Use for Consumers
Governs your ("you," "user") use of Start Your Case's website and intake form to submit information about a legal matter ("Case") in the hope of being connected with a lawyer ("Lawyer").
1. Acceptance of Terms
By submitting the intake form or otherwise using this site, you agree to these Consumer Terms and to our privacy policy. If you don't agree, please don't submit your information.
2. Description of the Service
Start Your Case is a free platform that collects information about your legal matter and, where a subscribing Lawyer's practice area and city match your Case, connects you with that Lawyer. Start Your Case is not a law firm. We do not practice law, do not provide legal advice, and do not review or evaluate the legal merits of your Case beyond basic screening to route it to a relevant Lawyer.
3. No Attorney-Client Relationship with Start Your Case
Submitting information through Start Your Case does not create an attorney-client relationship with Start Your Case, and nothing on this site is legal advice. An attorney-client relationship, if one is formed, exists only directly between you and the Lawyer you engage — and only once that Lawyer confirms they are taking your case.
4. No Guarantee of a Match, Response, or Outcome
Submitting your Case does not guarantee that a Lawyer will be assigned to it, that any Lawyer will contact you, that any Lawyer will agree to take your case, or any particular legal outcome. If no subscribing Lawyer currently covers your practice area and city, your Case may go unmatched, or may be reviewed and assigned manually, which can take longer.
5. Free to Use
Start Your Case never charges you to submit a Case or to be matched with a Lawyer. Start Your Case is paid by Lawyers through flat monthly subscription fees — never a fee taken from you or from any amount you may pay a Lawyer.
6. Accuracy of Information You Submit
You agree to provide accurate, truthful information about your Case and contact details. Start Your Case relies on this information to route your Case and does not independently verify it; inaccurate information may prevent you from being matched or contacted.
7. Lawyers Are Independent
Every Lawyer on Start Your Case is an independent third party, not an employee, partner, or agent of Start Your Case. Start Your Case does not supervise, direct, or take responsibility for the legal advice or legal services any Lawyer provides, and does not guarantee any Lawyer's competence, availability, or fit for your matter. You are responsible for evaluating and deciding whether to engage any Lawyer you're connected with.
8. No Legal Advice from Start Your Case
The intake form's questions, any automated evaluation of your Case, and any other content on this site are provided for routing purposes only and are not legal advice. Do not rely on anything on this site as a substitute for advice from a licensed lawyer about your specific situation, and be aware that submitting information here does not stop any deadline (such as a limitation period) from running.
9. Privacy & Use of Submitted Information
Information you submit is shared with the Lawyer(s) your Case is routed or assigned to, so they can follow up with you, and is otherwise handled as described in our [LINK TO PRIVACY POLICY].
10. Disclaimers & Limitation of Liability
THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE," WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND. START YOUR CASE DOES NOT WARRANT THAT YOU WILL BE MATCHED WITH A LAWYER, THAT ANY LAWYER WILL RESPOND, OR ANY OUTCOME OF YOUR LEGAL MATTER. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, START YOUR CASE IS NOT LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE, YOUR INTERACTIONS WITH ANY LAWYER, OR ANY LEGAL SERVICES A LAWYER PROVIDES OR FAILS TO PROVIDE, INCLUDING ANY PROFESSIONAL NEGLIGENCE OR MALPRACTICE BY THAT LAWYER. Because the service is free to consumers, Start Your Case's total liability to you for any claim is limited to $100 CAD.
11. Governing Law
These terms are governed by the laws of the Province of Alberta and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein.
12. Changes to These Terms
We may update these terms from time to time; the current version will always be posted here. Continued use of the site after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.
13. Contact
Questions about these terms can be sent to [INSERT CONTACT EMAIL].
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