Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of the Terms

These Terms of Service (the "Terms") constitute a legally binding contract between you ("you," "your," or "User") and VerifiedLawFirms LLC, a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of [State of Incorporation] ("VerifiedLawFirms," "we," "us," or "our"), governing your access to and use of the website located at verifiedlawfirms.com, together with all associated subdomains, pages, content, features, applications, application programming interfaces, and services made available by us (collectively, the "Service").

1.1 Binding Agreement

By accessing, browsing, registering for, or otherwise using the Service in any manner, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference. If you do not agree to these Terms in their entirety, you must not access or use the Service. Your continued use of the Service constitutes your ongoing acceptance of these Terms as they may be amended from time to time in accordance with Section 17.

1.2 Manner of Acceptance

You manifest your assent to these Terms by any of the following acts, each of which constitutes a clear, affirmative, and unambiguous manifestation of acceptance sufficient to form a contract under applicable principles of United States contract law, including the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act and the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (15 U.S.C. § 7001 et seq., the "E-SIGN Act"):

1. clicking, checking, or activating any button, box, or control presented in connection with these Terms that indicates acceptance;
2. creating, registering, or logging into an account;
3. submitting, claiming, or managing a law-firm listing;
4. purchasing or subscribing to any paid plan or add-on; or
5. otherwise accessing or using any portion of the Service.

1.3 Electronic Communications and Records

You consent to transact business with us electronically and to receive communications, notices, agreements, and disclosures from us in electronic form. You agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications that we provide to you electronically satisfy any legal requirement that such communications be in writing. You may withdraw this consent as to non-transactional communications as provided in Section 19, but withdrawal does not affect the legal validity of communications delivered before withdrawal.

1.4 Authority to Bind an Entity

If you accept these Terms or use the Service on behalf of a law firm, company, partnership, professional corporation, or other legal entity, you represent and warrant that you are duly authorized to bind that entity to these Terms, and in such case "you" and "your" refer jointly and severally to both you individually and the entity.

2. Definitions

For purposes of these Terms, the following capitalized terms have the meanings set forth below. Other terms are defined in context throughout these Terms.

• "Account" means a registered user profile created to access certain features of the Service.
• "Attestation" or "Verification Attestation" means an evidence-based, dated statement published on the Service indicating the status of a specific verification check applicable to a Law Firm as of a stated date, as further described in Section 5.
• "Claiming Party" means an authorized representative of a Law Firm who claims, registers, or manages a Listing.
• "Content" means all text, data, images, graphics, logos, descriptions, attestations, ratings, reviews, evidence, documents, and other materials made available on or through the Service.
• "Editorial Process" means our human-supervised review, evaluation, and approval workflow applied to Listings, evidence, Attestations, and other Content prior to publication.
• "Law Firm" means a law firm, solo practitioner, professional corporation, professional limited liability company, or other provider of legal services that is the subject of a Listing.
• "Listing" means the directory entry, profile, or page on the Service associated with a particular Law Firm.
• "News Add-On" means the paid News-item placement product described in Section 6.
• "Plans" means, collectively, the Verified Basic, Verified Pro, and Verified Premium tiers of Service described in Section 6.
• "Reviewer" means a Client Reviewer of a Law Firm who submits a review through the Service.
• "Stripe" means Stripe, Inc. and its affiliates, our third-party payment processor.
• "User Content" means any Content that a User submits, uploads, posts, transmits, or otherwise makes available through the Service, including reviews, listing information, evidence, photographs, and communications.
• "Client Reviewer" means a person who, as a condition of submitting a review, has attested that they are or were a client of a particular Law Firm and has confirmed the email address used to submit the review.

3. Eligibility

3.1 Age and Capacity

The Service is intended solely for individuals who are at least eighteen (18) years of age and who have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract under the laws of the United States and the jurisdiction in which they reside. By using the Service, you represent and warrant that you meet these requirements. The Service is not directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of thirteen (13) in violation of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (15 U.S.C. § 6501 et seq.).

3.2 Geographic Scope

The Service is operated from and directed to the United States and is intended to provide information concerning Law Firms practicing within the United States. We make no representation that the Service or any Content is appropriate, lawful, or available for use in any particular jurisdiction outside the United States. Those who choose to access the Service from outside the United States do so on their own initiative and are responsible for compliance with all applicable local laws.

3.3 Compliance with Law and Professional Rules

You represent and warrant that your use of the Service will comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations, and, where you are a licensed attorney or a Law Firm, with all applicable rules of professional conduct and attorney-advertising rules promulgated by the relevant state bar or other regulatory authority. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any information you submit, and any use you make of the Service, conforms to those rules.

4. Description of the Service

4.1 Independent Online Directory

VerifiedLawFirms operates an independent, editorially curated online directory of Law Firms practicing in the United States. The Service permits visitors to search for and review information about Law Firms by practice area and by state, to view evidence-based Verification Attestations, and to read reviews submitted by Client Reviewers. The Service permits Law Firms to claim and manage their Listings under the Plans described in Section 6.

4.2 Not a Lawyer Referral Service

VerifiedLawFirms is not a lawyer referral service, a prepaid or group legal services plan, a lead-generation service that matches consumers with particular attorneys, or an intermediary that selects, recommends, or endorses any particular Law Firm for any particular legal matter. We do not receive a fee for referring any matter to any Law Firm, we do not direct any User to any particular Law Firm, and we exercise no judgment as to which Law Firm any User should retain. The Service is a publisher of directory information and Attestations only.

4.3 No Legal Advice; No Practice of Law

VerifiedLawFirms is not a law firm, is not a lawyer, and does not engage in the practice of law. Nothing on the Service constitutes, and nothing on the Service should be construed as, legal advice, a legal opinion, or a substitute for the advice of a licensed attorney. The Content is provided for general informational purposes only. In recognition of the laws of every U.S. jurisdiction prohibiting the unauthorized practice of law ("UPL"), we expressly disclaim any intent to provide legal services, to apply law to the facts of any individual matter, or to recommend a course of legal action. You should not act or refrain from acting on the basis of any Content without first seeking the advice of a licensed attorney in the relevant jurisdiction.

4.4 No Attorney-Client Relationship

No attorney-client relationship is or will be formed between you and VerifiedLawFirms by reason of your use of the Service, your communication with us, your submission of any information, or your reliance on any Content. Any attorney-client relationship that may arise between you and a Law Firm is solely between you and that Law Firm, is governed exclusively by your separate engagement with that Law Firm, and does not involve VerifiedLawFirms. Communications you transmit through or in reliance on the Service are not protected by the attorney-client privilege as against VerifiedLawFirms and may not be confidential.

4.5 No Endorsement; Independent Judgment

The presence of a Law Firm in the directory, the assignment of any Plan tier, and the publication of any Attestation do not constitute an endorsement, recommendation, guarantee, or warranty by VerifiedLawFirms of that Law Firm, of the quality of its legal services, or of the outcome of any matter. You are solely responsible for evaluating, selecting, retaining, and supervising any Law Firm and for conducting your own independent investigation and due diligence. The selection of an attorney is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements, directory listings, or attestations.

4.6 Availability and Changes to the Service

We reserve the right, in our sole discretion and without liability to you, to modify, suspend, enhance, limit, or discontinue all or any part of the Service, including any feature, Plan, or Content, at any time, with or without notice. We do not warrant that the Service will be available at all times or be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free.

5. Law-Firm Listings, Claiming, and Verification

5.1 Nature of Listings

Listings may be created by VerifiedLawFirms from publicly available or independently sourced information, or claimed and managed by an authorized representative of a Law Firm. The existence of a Listing does not imply any relationship between VerifiedLawFirms and the subject Law Firm beyond that described in these Terms.

5.2 Claiming a Listing

To claim a Listing, the Claiming Party must register an Account, assert authority to act on behalf of the Law Firm, and complete the claim and verification workflow we provide. By claiming a Listing, the Claiming Party represents and warrants that:

1. the Claiming Party is duly authorized to act on behalf of the Law Firm with respect to the Listing;
2. all information submitted is accurate, current, complete, and not misleading; and
3. the Claiming Party will promptly update the Listing to maintain its accuracy.

5.3 Evidence-Based, Editorial Verification

5.3.1 Evidence and Editorial Review

Verification on the Service is manual and evidence-driven. After registering, the Claiming Party may be presented with a structured set of verification checks and may upload documentary evidence for each check. Each item of evidence is reviewed by a human editor, and each verification check is approved, declined, or held individually based on the editor's assessment of the evidence submitted. We do not represent that any particular evidence will be accepted, and the sufficiency of evidence is determined in our sole editorial discretion.

5.3.2 Nature and Limits of Attestations

A published Verification Attestation reflects only that, as of the date stated, the specified check was substantiated to our editorial satisfaction on the basis of the evidence then available. The attesting entity for purposes of any published Attestation is VerifiedLawFirms LLC. An Attestation is a point-in-time statement, is not a guarantee of any present or future fact, and is not a warranty, certification, accreditation, or license of any kind. We do not continuously monitor the underlying facts except where expressly stated.

5.3.3 Public Display of Verification Information

For each verification check, the Service publicly displays only the name of the check, a plain-English description, the status, and the date the check was last evaluated. Documentary evidence and supporting materials submitted in connection with verification are treated as confidential, are retained for our internal editorial and audit purposes, and are not published or made available to the public.

5.3.4 Recurring Checks and Suspension Events

Certain verification statuses, including those relating to bar standing, may be subject to periodic re-evaluation. In the event that a Law Firm, or any attorney whose standing underlies an Attestation, is disbarred, suspended, or otherwise loses a credential or status on which an Attestation or Plan eligibility depends, we may, in our sole discretion, revoke the affected Attestation and suspend or modify the affected Listing or Plan as provided in Section 6 and Section 16, without refund.

5.4 Verification Independent of Paid Tier

Verification status is determined solely on the basis of submitted evidence and the Editorial Process. The purchase of any Plan or add-on does not purchase, accelerate the approval of, guarantee, or otherwise influence the outcome of any verification check or Attestation. No payment confers any Attestation, and no Attestation is for sale. Plan tier and verification status are separate and independent attributes of a Listing.

5.5 No Automatic Publication

No Listing, edit, attestation, scraped data, artificially generated description, or other Content is published automatically. All such Content is subject to the Editorial Process and is published only upon human editorial approval. Payment for a Plan or add-on does not cause, and is not a condition that triggers, automatic publication of any Content. Certain changes you submit to a published Listing may be held as pending changes and applied only upon the next editorial publication.

5.6 Editorial Discretion; Revocability

We retain full editorial control over the Service. We may, in our sole discretion and at any time, edit, reject, decline to publish, unpublish, reclassify, suspend, or remove any Listing, Attestation, or other Content, with or without notice, including where we believe that information is inaccurate, unsubstantiated, misleading, unlawful, in violation of professional-conduct rules, or otherwise contrary to these Terms or to the integrity of the Service. Verification statuses and Attestations are revocable. The exercise of editorial discretion does not entitle you to any refund except as expressly provided in Section 6.

6. Fees, Plans, Billing, Renewals, Cancellations, and Refunds

6.1 Plans and Add-Ons

We offer the following Plans and add-ons. Current prices, features, and terms are displayed on the Service and are subject to change as provided in Section 6.8.

• Verified Basic. An annual subscription priced at $99 per year (or such other price as is then displayed) for an entry Listing that can be claimed and managed, which automatically renews as described below.
• Verified Pro. A one-time purchase priced at $199 (or such other price as is then displayed), described as a "lifetime" placement, which is non-recurring, non-refundable, and suspendable as described below.
• Verified Premium. A one-time purchase priced at $339 (or such other price as is then displayed), described as a "lifetime" placement, which is non-recurring, non-refundable, and suspendable as described below.
• Upgrades. You may upgrade a Listing to a higher tier at any time by paying the difference between the tiers' then-current prices. Upgrading from Basic to a one-time tier ends the Basic annual subscription.
• News Add-On. A per-item news placement priced at $75 per item (or such other price as is then displayed), available only as an add-on to an active Verified Pro or Verified Premium Plan.

6.2 Payment Processing through Stripe

All payments are processed by Stripe. By providing payment information, you authorize us and Stripe to charge the applicable fees, taxes, and other amounts to your designated payment method. Your use of Stripe's services is additionally subject to Stripe's own terms of service and privacy policy, and you represent that you are authorized to use the payment method you provide. We do not store full payment-card numbers; payment credentials are handled by Stripe in accordance with applicable payment-card industry standards. You are responsible for keeping your payment information current.

6.3 Taxes

All fees are stated exclusive of applicable taxes unless otherwise indicated. You are responsible for all sales, use, value-added, and similar taxes, levies, and duties imposed by any taxing authority in connection with your purchases, excluding taxes based on our net income.

6.4 Basic Plan: Auto-Renewal and Authorization

6.4.1 Recurring Billing

The Basic Plan is an automatically renewing annual subscription. By purchasing the Basic Plan, you authorize us, through Stripe, to charge your payment method the then-current annual fee on each renewal date until you cancel. Unless you cancel before the end of the then-current term, your subscription will automatically renew for successive one-year terms, and your payment method will be charged the then-current renewal price. The Verified Pro and Verified Premium Plans are one-time, non-recurring purchases and do not renew.

6.4.2 Cancellation of the Basic Plan

You may cancel automatic renewal at any time through your Account or by contacting us. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the then-current paid term. Stripe billing events do not automatically alter Listing ownership, tier, or publication state; any entitlement change is reviewed and applied manually by an administrator. Except as required by applicable law, we do not provide prorated refunds for partial subscription periods.

6.4.3 Price Changes on Renewal

We may change the price of the Basic Plan from time to time. Any price change will apply to subsequent renewal terms, and where required by law we will provide advance notice and an opportunity to cancel before the change takes effect.

6.5 Premium Plan: One-Time, Non-Refundable, and Suspendable

6.5.1 Nature of the Premium Purchase

The Premium Plan is a one-time, non-recurring purchase. The term "lifetime" refers to the lifetime of the Listing's continued eligibility and the continued operation of the Service, and does not create any perpetual, guaranteed, or irrevocable right. We do not undertake to operate the Service in perpetuity.

6.5.2 Non-Refundable

Except as expressly required by applicable law, all amounts paid for the Premium Plan are non-refundable and are not subject to proration, credit, or chargeback, including in the event of suspension, revocation, downgrade, or discontinuation as described in these Terms.

6.5.3 Suspension Without Refund

The Premium Plan is suspendable. We may suspend, downgrade, or terminate Premium features, the associated Listing, or any associated Attestation, without refund, where a basis for revocation or suspension arises, including but not limited to: disbarment, suspension, or loss of bar standing of an attorney whose status underlies the Listing or an Attestation; loss of a verification status on which Premium eligibility depends; material breach of these Terms; submission of false, fraudulent, or misleading information; or as otherwise permitted under Section 16.

6.6 News Add-On: Credits and Eligibility

News Add-On purchases are processed on a per-item basis and are available only to Listings holding an active Verified Pro or Verified Premium Plan. A purchased News item is subject to the Editorial Process and is not published automatically; editorial rejection of a News submission that violates these Terms may result in forfeiture of the corresponding fee, except where prohibited by law. Unused News credits, if any, are non-transferable and, except as required by law, non-refundable.

6.7 General Refund Policy and Authorization Disputes

Except as expressly stated in these Terms or as required by applicable consumer-protection law, all fees are non-refundable, and your obligation to pay fees is non-cancelable for the then-current term. If you believe a charge was made in error, you must contact us at legal@verifiedlawfirms.com within sixty (60) days of the charge so that we may investigate; initiating a chargeback without first contacting us may be treated as a breach of these Terms and may result in suspension of your Account or Listing.

6.8 Changes to Plans, Features, and Prices

We reserve the right to add, modify, discontinue, or re-price any Plan, feature, or add-on at any time in our sole discretion. Plan definitions, features, and pricing are administered by us and may be updated. Changes to recurring-subscription pricing apply only prospectively to renewal terms and, where required, only after notice and an opportunity to cancel.

6.9 Failed Payments and Delinquency

If a charge is declined or reversed, we may, without limiting our other remedies, retry the charge, suspend or downgrade the affected Plan or Listing, and disable paid features until payment is received. You remain responsible for any amounts that remain due.

7. Accounts and Registration

7.1 Account Creation

To access certain features, you must register for an Account and provide accurate, current, and complete information. You agree to maintain and promptly update your Account information to keep it accurate, current, and complete.

7.2 Account Security

You are responsible for safeguarding your Account credentials, including any password and any two-factor authentication method, and for all activities that occur under your Account, whether or not authorized by you. You agree to notify us immediately at legal@verifiedlawfirms.com of any unauthorized use of your Account or any other breach of security. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to comply with this Section. We strongly recommend that you enable available two-factor authentication.

7.3 One Person or Entity per Account; No Transfer

Accounts are personal to the registered User or entity and may not be sold, transferred, assigned, or shared except as expressly permitted by us in writing. You may not impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity.

7.4 Account Suspension and Termination by Us

We may suspend, disable, or terminate your Account at any time, with or without notice, as provided in Section 16, including for any violation of these Terms.

8. User Content and Reviews

8.1 Responsibility for User Content

You are solely responsible for all User Content that you submit, and you represent and warrant that you own or have all necessary rights, licenses, consents, and permissions to submit such User Content and to grant the license set forth below, and that your User Content does not and will not violate these Terms, any applicable law, or the rights of any third party.

8.2 License Grant to VerifiedLawFirms

By submitting User Content, you grant to VerifiedLawFirms a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, fully paid-up, sublicensable, and transferable license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify (for formatting and display), adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, publicly perform, and publicly display such User Content in connection with operating, providing, promoting, and improving the Service and our business, in any media now known or later developed. This license survives termination of your Account with respect to User Content that you have made publicly available or that exists in backups or archives, and with respect to anonymized or aggregated derivatives. You waive, to the extent permitted by law, any moral rights in your User Content.

8.3 Feedback

If you provide us with suggestions, ideas, or other feedback regarding the Service, you grant us an unrestricted, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free license to use and exploit such feedback for any purpose without obligation or compensation to you.

8.4 Reviews by Client Reviewers

8.4.1 Eligibility to Review

Reviews of a Law Firm may be submitted only by Client Reviewers of that Law Firm, as confirmed through the client attestation and email-confirmation steps in this Section and subject to the Editorial Process. By submitting a review, you represent and warrant that you are a bona fide client or former client of the Law Firm you are reviewing, that your review reflects your genuine, firsthand experience and honest opinion, and that you have no undisclosed material connection to the Law Firm and have not been compensated to submit a review in violation of the Federal Trade Commission's guidance on endorsements and testimonials (16 C.F.R. Part 255) or any other applicable law.

8.4.2 Prohibited Review Practices

You may not submit, solicit, or facilitate fake, fraudulent, incentivized-but-undisclosed, duplicative, or retaliatory reviews; you may not condition any benefit on the content or rating of a review; and you may not post reviews on behalf of opposing parties, competitors, or persons who are not bona fide clients. Law Firms may not offer compensation in exchange for reviews or suppress, alter, or selectively solicit reviews in a manner that is misleading, consistent with the Consumer Review Fairness Act (15 U.S.C. § 45b).

8.4.3 Moderation of Reviews and User Content

All reviews and other User Content are subject to the Editorial Process. We may, but are not obligated to, screen, monitor, edit (for formatting), decline to publish, remove, or moderate User Content at any time and for any reason, including content we believe to be false, defamatory, unlawful, abusive, off-topic, or otherwise in violation of these Terms. We are not responsible for, and do not endorse, adopt, or verify the truth of, any opinions expressed in User Content. Our moderation activity does not render us the author or publisher of User Content for purposes of liability, and we reserve all protections available to interactive computer service providers, including under 47 U.S.C. § 230.

8.5 No Obligation to Use or Retain

We are under no obligation to use, display, or retain any User Content and may remove or delete User Content at any time in our sole discretion. You are solely responsible for maintaining your own backup copies of your User Content.

9. Acceptable Use; Prohibited Conduct

You agree that you will not, and will not permit, enable, or encourage any third party to, do any of the following in connection with the Service:

1. use the Service for any unlawful, fraudulent, deceptive, or unauthorized purpose, or in violation of any applicable law, regulation, or rule of professional conduct;
2. submit any information that is false, inaccurate, misleading, or that you do not have the right to submit, including in connection with claiming a Listing or submitting evidence or reviews;
3. engage in, solicit, or facilitate the unauthorized practice of law, or hold yourself out through the Service in a manner prohibited by applicable attorney-advertising or professional-conduct rules;
4. impersonate any person or entity, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity, including any Law Firm;
5. upload, transmit, or distribute any material that is defamatory, obscene, harassing, threatening, abusive, hateful, invasive of privacy, or that infringes or misappropriates any intellectual-property, publicity, or privacy right;
6. upload or transmit any virus, worm, malware, or other harmful code, or interfere with, disrupt, or impose an unreasonable load on the Service or its infrastructure;
7. attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Service, other Accounts, or any systems or networks connected to the Service, or circumvent any access, authentication, rate-limiting, or security measure;
8. use any robot, spider, scraper, crawler, or other automated means to access, harvest, scrape, index, or copy any portion of the Service or its Content, except as expressly permitted in writing or by a published robots policy;
9. collect or harvest personal information of other Users, or use the contact information of any Law Firm or User for unsolicited commercial communications in violation of the CAN-SPAM Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, or other applicable law;
10. resell, sublicense, frame, mirror, or commercially exploit the Service or any Content except as expressly authorized; or
11. encourage or assist any third party in doing any of the foregoing.

9.1 Communications and Anti-Spam Compliance

Any commercial electronic communications that you send using or in connection with information obtained through the Service must comply with the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing Act of 2003 (15 U.S.C. § 7701 et seq., the "CAN-SPAM Act") and all other applicable laws, including by providing accurate header and subject information, a valid physical postal address, a clear and conspicuous opt-out mechanism, and prompt honoring of opt-out requests. With respect to communications that we send to you, we will likewise honor opt-out requests for non-transactional marketing communications; certain transactional and relationship messages relating to your Account, billing, or Listings are not subject to opt-out and may continue to be sent.

9.2 Enforcement

We reserve the right, but undertake no obligation, to investigate and take appropriate action against any User who violates this Section, including removing Content, suspending or terminating Accounts and Listings, reporting conduct to law-enforcement authorities, and pursuing any other remedy available at law or in equity.

10. Intellectual Property

10.1 Ownership of the Service

The Service and all Content other than User Content, including all software, source code, text, graphics, designs, user interfaces, the "VerifiedLawFirms" name and logo, all compilations and arrangements of directory data, all Attestations, and all related intellectual property, are owned by VerifiedLawFirms or its licensors and are protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, trade-dress, patent, trade-secret, and other intellectual-property laws, including the copyright protection afforded to original compilations under the Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.).

10.2 Limited License to You

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, we grant you a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable license to access and use the Service and to view Content for your own personal or internal business purposes. No other right or license is granted, and all rights not expressly granted are reserved by VerifiedLawFirms and its licensors.

10.3 Restrictions

Except as expressly permitted, you may not copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, download, display, post, transmit, modify, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or create derivative works of any portion of the Service or its Content, or extract or re-utilize any substantial part of the directory data, in any form or by any means.

10.4 Trademarks

"VerifiedLawFirms" and our logos and other marks are trademarks or service marks of VerifiedLawFirms. You may not use our marks without our prior written consent. Other names, logos, and marks appearing on the Service, including those of Law Firms, are the property of their respective owners, and their appearance does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by VerifiedLawFirms.

11. DMCA Copyright Policy

VerifiedLawFirms respects the intellectual-property rights of others and complies with the notice-and-takedown procedures of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 512 (the "DMCA"). It is our policy, in appropriate circumstances and in our sole discretion, to disable or terminate the Accounts of Users who are deemed to be repeat infringers.

11.1 Notification of Claimed Infringement

If you are a copyright owner or an agent thereof and you believe that any Content available on the Service infringes your copyright, you may submit a written notification to our Designated Copyright Agent pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3) that includes substantially the following:

1. a physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright that is allegedly infringed;
2. identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple works are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works;
3. identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity, with information reasonably sufficient to permit us to locate the material, such as the URL;
4. information reasonably sufficient to permit us to contact you, such as your name, address, telephone number, and email address;
5. a statement that you have a good-faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and
6. a statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that you are authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright that is allegedly infringed.

11.2 Designated Copyright Agent

Notifications of claimed infringement should be sent to our Designated Copyright Agent at: VerifiedLawFirms LLC, Attn: DMCA Designated Agent, [DMCA Agent Mailing Address], email: legal@verifiedlawfirms.com. Only DMCA notices should be directed to the Designated Copyright Agent; other inquiries will not receive a response through that channel.

11.3 Counter-Notification

If you believe that Content you submitted was removed or disabled by mistake or misidentification, you may submit a written counter-notification to our Designated Copyright Agent pursuant to 17 U.S.C. § 512(g)(3) that includes substantially the following:

1. your physical or electronic signature;
2. identification of the material that has been removed or to which access has been disabled, and the location at which the material appeared before it was removed or disabled;
3. a statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good-faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled; and
4. your name, address, and telephone number, and a statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which your address is located (or, if your address is outside the United States, for any judicial district in which we may be found), and that you will accept service of process from the person who provided the original notification or an agent of such person.

11.4 Restoration After Counter-Notification

Upon receipt of a valid counter-notification, we may restore the removed Content in not less than ten (10) nor more than fourteen (14) business days following receipt, unless the original complaining party notifies us that it has filed an action seeking a court order to restrain the allegedly infringing activity, all in accordance with the DMCA.

11.5 Misrepresentations

You acknowledge that, under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material is infringing, or that material was removed or disabled by mistake or misidentification, may be liable for damages, including costs and attorneys' fees.

12. Third-Party Links and Services

The Service may contain links to, or interoperate with, third-party websites, products, or services that are not owned or controlled by VerifiedLawFirms, including Stripe and the websites of Law Firms. We do not control, endorse, monitor, or assume responsibility for any third-party websites, products, or services, including their content, privacy practices, accuracy, availability, or any transaction you may enter into with any third party. Your dealings with, and reliance on, any third party, including any Law Firm you may retain, are solely between you and that third party, and you access third-party resources at your own risk. We encourage you to review the terms and privacy policies of any third party with which you interact.

13. Disclaimers of Warranties

13.1 "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE"

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE SERVICE, THE CONTENT, ALL ATTESTATIONS, AND ALL OTHER MATERIALS AND SERVICES MADE AVAILABLE ON OR THROUGH THE SERVICE ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS, WITH ALL FAULTS AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. VERIFIEDLAWFIRMS, ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND ITS LICENSORS AND SUPPLIERS, EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, REPRESENTATIONS, AND CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, QUIET ENJOYMENT, ACCURACY, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING OUT OF COURSE OF DEALING, USAGE, OR TRADE.

13.2 No Warranty as to Content, Attestations, or Law Firms

WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, VERIFIEDLAWFIRMS DOES NOT WARRANT, GUARANTEE, OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION REGARDING: (a) THE ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, COMPLETENESS, TIMELINESS, OR CURRENCY OF ANY CONTENT, INCLUDING ANY ATTESTATION, RATING, REVIEW, OR LISTING; (b) THE COMPETENCE, QUALIFICATIONS, LICENSURE, FITNESS, CHARACTER, OR CONDUCT OF ANY LAW FIRM OR ATTORNEY; (c) THE OUTCOME OF ANY LEGAL MATTER; OR (d) THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, ERROR-FREE, OR FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS. ANY ATTESTATION IS A DATED, POINT-IN-TIME EDITORIAL STATEMENT AND IS NOT A GUARANTEE OF ANY PRESENT OR FUTURE FACT. NO ADVICE OR INFORMATION, WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN, OBTAINED FROM VERIFIEDLAWFIRMS OR THROUGH THE SERVICE CREATES ANY WARRANTY NOT EXPRESSLY STATED HEREIN.

13.3 Informational Purpose; No Professional Advice

THE CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL, PROFESSIONAL, OR OTHER ADVICE. YOUR USE OF, AND RELIANCE ON, THE SERVICE AND ANY CONTENT IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

13.4 Jurisdictional Limits

SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN WARRANTIES OR THE LIMITATION OF CERTAIN STATUTORY RIGHTS, SO SOME OF THE ABOVE EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN SUCH CASES, THE DISCLAIMERS IN THIS SECTION APPLY TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

14. Limitation of Liability

14.1 Exclusion of Certain Damages

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL VERIFIEDLAWFIRMS OR ITS MEMBERS, MANAGERS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, CONTRACTORS, LICENSORS, OR SUPPLIERS (COLLECTIVELY, THE "VERIFIEDLAWFIRMS PARTIES") BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, GOODWILL, BUSINESS, DATA, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR YOUR ACCESS TO OR USE OF, OR INABILITY TO ACCESS OR USE, THE SERVICE, THE CONTENT, OR ANY LAW FIRM, WHETHER BASED ON WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STATUTE, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, AND WHETHER OR NOT ANY VERIFIEDLAWFIRMS PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

14.2 Aggregate Cap on Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY OF THE VERIFIEDLAWFIRMS PARTIES FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICE WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (a) THE TOTAL AMOUNTS YOU ACTUALLY PAID TO VERIFIEDLAWFIRMS FOR THE SERVICE DURING THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM, OR (b) ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS ($100.00).

14.3 Essential Basis of the Bargain; Allocation of Risk

YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE DISCLAIMERS AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY SET FORTH IN THESE TERMS REFLECT A REASONABLE AND BARGAINED-FOR ALLOCATION OF RISK CONSISTENT WITH THE CONVENTIONS RECOGNIZED UNDER THE UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE AND OTHER APPLICABLE LAW, THAT THEY ARE AN ESSENTIAL BASIS OF THE BARGAIN BETWEEN YOU AND VERIFIEDLAWFIRMS, AND THAT VERIFIEDLAWFIRMS WOULD NOT PROVIDE THE SERVICE WITHOUT THESE LIMITATIONS. THESE LIMITATIONS APPLY EVEN IF A LIMITED REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.

14.4 Jurisdictional Limits

SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES, SO SOME OR ALL OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS, THE LIABILITY OF THE VERIFIEDLAWFIRMS PARTIES IS LIMITED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

15. Indemnification

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the VerifiedLawFirms Parties from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, proceedings, liabilities, damages, losses, judgments, settlements, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees and disbursements) arising out of or relating to: (a) your access to or use of the Service; (b) your User Content, including any review or Listing information you submit; (c) your violation of these Terms or of any applicable law or rule of professional conduct; (d) your violation of any right of any third party, including any intellectual-property, privacy, publicity, or contractual right; (e) any dispute between you and any Law Firm, any Client Reviewer, or any other User; or (f) your misrepresentation of authority or facts. We reserve the right, at our own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you, in which event you agree to cooperate with us. You may not settle any such matter in a manner that imposes any obligation on, or admits fault by, any VerifiedLawFirms Party without our prior written consent.

16. Term and Termination

16.1 Term

These Terms commence upon your first acceptance and continue in effect for so long as you access or use the Service or maintain an Account, and survive thereafter as to provisions that by their nature should survive.

16.2 Termination or Suspension by Us

We may, in our sole discretion and without liability, suspend, restrict, downgrade, or terminate your Account, your access to the Service, any Listing, any Attestation, or any Plan or add-on, with or without notice and with or without cause, including where we believe that: (a) you have breached or are likely to breach these Terms; (b) you have submitted false, fraudulent, or misleading information; (c) an attorney or Law Firm associated with a Listing has lost bar standing or been disbarred, suspended, or sanctioned; (d) a verification status underlying a Listing or Plan no longer holds; (e) your conduct may expose us or any third party to liability or harm; or (f) we are required to do so by law. Where a Premium Plan or any one-time or prepaid fee is involved, such suspension, downgrade, or termination is, except as required by law, without refund.

16.3 Termination by You

You may terminate these Terms at any time by ceasing all use of the Service and closing your Account. Cancellation of a recurring subscription is governed by Section 6.4. Termination does not entitle you to any refund except as expressly provided in Section 6 or required by law.

16.4 Effect of Termination

Upon termination, your right to access and use the Service ceases immediately, and we may deactivate or delete your Account and any associated Listings and Content, subject to our right to retain Content as described in Section 8 and as required for legal, audit, or backup purposes. Termination does not relieve you of any payment obligation accrued prior to termination.

16.5 Survival

The following Sections, and any other provisions that by their nature should survive, will survive termination: 2 (Definitions), 4.2 to 4.5, 5.2 (representations), 6.5.2 to 6.7, 8.2 to 8.3, 10, 13, 14, 15, 17.5, 18, 19, 20, and 21.

17. Dispute Resolution; Binding Arbitration; Class-Action Waiver

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING YOUR RIGHT TO FILE A LAWSUIT IN COURT, TO HAVE A JURY TRIAL, AND TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION.

17.1 Agreement to Arbitrate; Federal Arbitration Act

You and VerifiedLawFirms agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service, including the formation, interpretation, breach, termination, validity, enforceability, or scope of these Terms or of this arbitration agreement (each, a "Dispute"), will be resolved exclusively by final and binding arbitration, rather than in court, except as otherwise expressly provided below. This arbitration agreement is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. § 1 et seq. (the "FAA"), and evidences a transaction involving interstate commerce. The arbitrator, and not any federal, state, or local court, has exclusive authority to resolve any Dispute relating to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability, or formation of this arbitration agreement, including any claim that all or any part of it is void or voidable; provided, however, that the enforceability of the Class-Action Waiver in Section 17.4 may be determined only by a court and not by an arbitrator.

17.2 Informal Resolution

Before initiating arbitration, the parties agree to first attempt to resolve any Dispute informally for a period of at least thirty (30) days. To begin, you must send a written notice of Dispute to legal@verifiedlawfirms.com describing the nature and basis of the claim and the relief sought. If the Dispute is not resolved within thirty (30) days of receipt, either party may commence arbitration.

17.3 Arbitration Procedures, Rules, and Venue

The arbitration will be administered by a nationally recognized arbitration administrator agreed upon by the parties, or, absent agreement, by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") under its Consumer Arbitration Rules (or, for non-consumer Disputes, its Commercial Arbitration Rules), as then in effect and as modified by these Terms. The arbitration will be conducted by a single arbitrator. The seat and venue of the arbitration will be [Arbitration Venue, City, State], although, for the convenience of a consumer claimant, telephonic, video, or document-only proceedings may be conducted as permitted by the applicable rules. The arbitrator will apply the governing law specified in Section 18 and will have authority to award any remedy available in an individual action in court, subject to the limitations in these Terms. Judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

17.4 Class-Action and Representative-Action Waiver

YOU AND VERIFIEDLAWFIRMS AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN AN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, COLLECTIVE, CONSOLIDATED, OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not otherwise preside over any form of a representative or class proceeding. If a court decides that applicable law precludes enforcement of any part of this waiver as to a particular claim for relief, then that claim, and only that claim, will be severed from the arbitration and may be brought in court, while all other claims remain subject to arbitration.

17.5 Small-Claims and Injunctive Exceptions

Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may (a) bring an individual action in small-claims court for Disputes within that court's jurisdiction, and (b) 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 or confidentiality rights.

17.6 Right to Opt Out of Arbitration

You may opt out of this arbitration agreement (Section 17) by sending written notice of your decision to opt out to legal@verifiedlawfirms.com within thirty (30) days after you first accept these Terms. The notice must include your name, the email associated with your Account, and a clear statement that you wish to opt out of arbitration. If you opt out, neither you nor VerifiedLawFirms will be bound by the arbitration provisions of Section 17, but the remainder of these Terms, including Section 18, will continue to apply. Opting out of arbitration does not affect any prior arbitration agreement you may have with us.

17.7 Severability and Survival of This Section

If any portion of this Section 17 (other than the Class-Action Waiver) is found unenforceable, that portion will be severed and the remainder enforced. If the Class-Action Waiver is found unenforceable as to a particular claim, that claim will proceed in court as provided in Section 17.4. This Section 17 survives termination of these Terms and of your relationship with VerifiedLawFirms.

18. Governing Law and Venue

These Terms and any Dispute are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of [Governing-Law State], without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles, except that the FAA governs the interpretation and enforcement of the arbitration agreement in Section 17. To the extent any Dispute is not subject to arbitration, and for any action permitted to be brought in court under these Terms, the parties consent to the exclusive personal jurisdiction and venue of the state and federal courts located in [Governing-Law County and State], and waive any objection to such courts on the basis of inconvenient forum or otherwise. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you and VerifiedLawFirms waive any right to a trial by jury in any proceeding arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service.

19. Notices

19.1 Notices to You

We may provide notices to you by email to the address associated with your Account, by posting on the Service, or by other reasonable means. You are responsible for keeping your contact information current. Notices are deemed given when sent to your email address or posted on the Service.

19.2 Notices to Us

Except where a specific address is designated (such as the DMCA Designated Agent in Section 11.2), legal notices to VerifiedLawFirms must be sent in writing to: VerifiedLawFirms LLC, Attn: Legal, [Notice Mailing Address], with a copy by email to legal@verifiedlawfirms.com. Notices are deemed given upon confirmed receipt.

20. Modifications to the Terms and the Service

20.1 Changes to the Terms

We may amend these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will provide reasonable notice, such as by posting the updated Terms on the Service with a revised effective date or by notifying you by email. Changes are effective upon posting unless otherwise stated. Your continued access to or use of the Service after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the amended Terms. If you do not agree to the amended Terms, you must stop using the Service. For changes to the arbitration agreement in Section 17, the opt-out right in Section 17.6 applies to the changes as provided therein, and no amendment will apply retroactively to a Dispute of which we had actual notice before the amendment.

20.2 Changes to the Service

We may modify, suspend, or discontinue the Service or any feature, Plan, or add-on as provided in Sections 4.6 and 6.8, in our sole discretion and without liability.

21. General Provisions

21.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any additional terms applicable to a specific Plan, add-on, or feature that we present to you, constitute the entire agreement between you and VerifiedLawFirms regarding the Service and supersede all prior or contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations, and communications, whether written or oral, on that subject. Additional terms presented for a specific feature are incorporated by reference and, in the event of a conflict with these Terms as to that feature, control to the extent of the conflict.

21.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, or, if it cannot be so modified, will be severed, and the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

21.3 No Waiver

No failure or delay by VerifiedLawFirms in exercising any right under these Terms will operate as a waiver of that right, and no single or partial exercise of any right will preclude any further exercise of it. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by an authorized representative of VerifiedLawFirms to be effective.

21.4 Assignment

You may not assign, transfer, or delegate these Terms or any of your rights or obligations hereunder, by operation of law or otherwise, without our prior written consent, and any attempted assignment in violation of this Section is void. VerifiedLawFirms may freely assign or transfer these Terms, in whole or in part, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets. Subject to the foregoing, these Terms bind and inure to the benefit of the parties and their permitted successors and assigns.

21.5 Relationship of the Parties

Nothing in these Terms creates any partnership, joint venture, agency, fiduciary, franchise, or employment relationship between you and VerifiedLawFirms. Neither party has authority to bind the other.

21.6 No Third-Party Beneficiaries

Except for the VerifiedLawFirms Parties identified in Sections 14 and 15, these Terms do not confer any rights or remedies upon any person other than you and VerifiedLawFirms.

21.7 Force Majeure

VerifiedLawFirms will not be liable for any delay or failure to perform resulting from causes beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, natural disasters, fire, flood, epidemic or pandemic, war, terrorism, civil unrest, governmental action, labor disputes, power or internet failures, denial-of-service attacks, or failures of third-party services, suppliers, or telecommunications providers.

21.8 Interpretation

The section headings in these Terms are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation. The words "include," "includes," and "including" are deemed to be followed by "without limitation." References to "Sections" are to sections of these Terms unless otherwise stated. These Terms will not be construed against the drafter.

21.9 Export and Government Use

You represent that you are not located in, and will not use the Service in violation of, any United States export-control or sanctions law, and that you are not on any U.S. government list of prohibited or restricted parties.

21.10 Statute of Limitations

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any claim arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service must be filed within one (1) year after the claim arose; otherwise, the claim is permanently barred.

22. Contact

If you have any questions, concerns, or notices regarding these Terms or the Service, please contact us at: VerifiedLawFirms LLC, Attn: Legal, [Notice Mailing Address], email: legal@verifiedlawfirms.com. Copyright-infringement notices must be directed to the Designated Copyright Agent as provided in Section 11.2.