Terms of Service

LawyerBuddy is a technology platform and intermediary under Section 2(1)(w) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 ("IT Act"). The Platform enables: (i) automated preliminary legal and tax information generated through large language model technology ("Automated Legal Information Service"); and (ii) discovery, engagement, and secure payment to independent advocates enrolled with the Bar Council of India ("Counsel", "Lawyer") through a competitive bidding marketplace ("Marketplace").

LawyerBuddy is not a law firm. We do not practise law, render legal opinions, or appear before any court, tribunal, or authority. Any advocate-client relationship arises solely between you and the Counsel you choose to engage, and is governed by Indian advocate-client privilege and professional rules under the Advocates Act, 1961 and the Bar Council of India Rules.

You represent and warrant that you: (a) are at least eighteen (18) years of age and competent to contract under Section 11 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872; (b) are a resident of India or otherwise lawfully accessing the Platform; (c) have not been previously suspended or removed from the Platform; and (d) will provide accurate information and keep it current. We do not knowingly collect information from minors. If we learn an account belongs to a minor, we will suspend it and delete the data.

The Platform supports sign-in via Indian mobile number (with one-time password sent via SMS through MSG91) and via Google OAuth. You are responsible for: maintaining the confidentiality of access codes, your registered phone, and your Google credentials; all activity that occurs under your account; and promptly notifying us at grievance@lawyerbuddy.io of any unauthorised use. We may suspend or terminate access where we reasonably believe your account has been compromised, used unlawfully, or used in breach of these Terms.

The Automated Legal Information Service provides general legal information generated by large language models hosted by third-party providers (currently OpenAI, USA). It is intended to help you understand legal concepts, draft questions, and prepare for a consultation with a Counsel.

Automated responses are not legal advice. Such output: (i) is not a substitute for professional advice from a licensed advocate; (ii) does not create any advocate-client relationship with LawyerBuddy or its personnel; (iii) does not carry attorney-client privilege; (iv) may be inaccurate, outdated, or inapplicable to your specific facts; and (v) must not be relied upon for filings, court appearances, or any decision having legal consequences without independent verification by a qualified Counsel.

You acknowledge that your queries and uploaded documents are transmitted to third-party language-model service providers for processing as described in our Privacy Policy. Do not submit information that you do not want transmitted to a third-party language-model service provider.

You retain all rights to the content you submit (queries, briefs, documents, messages — "User Content"). You grant LawyerBuddy a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to host, store, transmit, process, and display your User Content solely for the purpose of operating the Platform, including transmission to third-party language-model service providers and payment processors strictly as described in our Privacy Policy.

You represent and warrant that your User Content does not infringe any third-party rights, is lawful, and does not include information whose disclosure would violate another person's privacy or breach a confidentiality obligation you owe to a third party.

You agree not to:

• Use the Platform for any unlawful purpose, or in violation of any law in India;
• Impersonate any person, advocate, or entity;
• Solicit, send, or accept payments, contact details, or services outside the Platform for any engagement initiated on the Platform (this includes UPI handles, PhonePe, GPay, bank transfers, personal phone numbers, or external chat tools). Communications and payments must remain on-Platform until the case is closed and the 7-day cooldown has elapsed. Violation will result in immediate suspension and forfeiture of any pending escrow.
• Upload viruses, malware, or content that defames, harasses, or threatens others;
• Attempt to scrape, reverse-engineer, or circumvent rate limits and security controls;
• Use the Platform to harvest data about Counsel for promotional purposes.

The Platform's in-built chat applies an automated screen for off-platform solicitation keywords. Flagged messages are reviewed by our trust & safety team and may result in account suspension under Section 13.

The Platform, including the brand "LawyerBuddy", logos, software, designs, system prompts, curated taxonomies, and aggregated metrics, is owned by the Company and protected under the Indian Copyright Act, 1957, the Trade Marks Act, 1999, and applicable international treaties. You are granted a limited, revocable, non-transferable licence to access and use the Platform for your personal, non-commercial purposes.

Our processing of your personal data is governed by our Privacy Policy, which complies with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 ("DPDPA") and the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011. You consent to such processing by using the Platform.

By creating an account, you consent to receive communications from LawyerBuddy regarding your account, transactions, OTPs, case status, payment confirmations, security alerts, grievance acknowledgements, platform updates, and offers — by SMS, WhatsApp, email, push notifications, and voice calls to the contact details you provide. These communications are essential to the operation of the Platform.

You may opt out of non-essential communications by writing to grievance@lawyerbuddy.io or via your account preferences. Service-related communications (OTP, case status, escrow, grievance) cannot be opted out of while your account is active.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Platform is provided "as is" and "as available", without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We disclaim warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, non-infringement, and uninterrupted operation.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, in no event shall LawyerBuddy, its directors, officers, employees, or affiliates be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages, including loss of profits, data, goodwill, or business opportunities, arising out of or in connection with your use of the Platform.

Our aggregate liability to you for any and all claims arising out of or relating to the Platform shall not exceed the total Platform Fees actually received by us from you in the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim, or ₹10,000, whichever is higher.

You agree to indemnify and hold LawyerBuddy, its officers, directors, and employees harmless from any claim, loss, liability, demand, or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of: (a) your breach of these Terms; (b) your violation of any law or third-party right; (c) any User Content you submit; or (d) any dispute between you and a Counsel that does not arise from LawyerBuddy's gross negligence or wilful misconduct.

We may suspend or terminate your account, with or without notice, for: breach of these Terms; suspected fraud or unlawful use; non-payment; off-platform solicitation; chargebacks; or as required by law or court order. You may close your account at any time by emailing grievance@lawyerbuddy.io. On termination, your right to access the Platform ends, but provisions on Confidentiality, Liability, Indemnity, IP, Governing Law and Dispute Resolution survive.

In accordance with Rule 3(2) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, we have appointed a Grievance Officer:

• Grievance Officer: Mr. Deepak Chandrkant Salvi (Sr. Operating Officer)
• Email: grievance@lawyerbuddy.io
• Phone: +91 70222 76677
• Address: No. 90, Industrialist Area, GR Icon, 104, 5th Block, Koramangala VI Block, Bangalore South, Bangalore – 560095, Karnataka, India (CIN: U62099KA2026PTC219811)

Acknowledgement within twenty-four (24) hours and resolution within fifteen (15) days from receipt. Full details: Grievance Redressal Policy.

These Terms are governed by the laws of India. Any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Platform shall first be attempted to be resolved through good-faith negotiation between the parties through the Grievance Officer for thirty (30) days.

Failing resolution, the dispute shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The seat and venue of arbitration shall be Bengaluru, Karnataka, India; the language shall be English; and the tribunal shall consist of a sole arbitrator appointed by mutual agreement, failing which by the High Court of Karnataka. Subject to the arbitration clause, the courts at Bengaluru, Karnataka shall have exclusive jurisdiction.

Nothing in this clause prevents you from approaching a Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 for matters within its jurisdiction.

Neither party shall be liable for any failure or delay in performance caused by circumstances beyond reasonable control, including acts of God, war, terrorism, epidemics, government action, internet or telecommunications failures, or third-party service outages.

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be notified by email, SMS, or in-app notice at least seven (7) days before they take effect. Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

Severability: If any provision of these Terms is held unenforceable, the remainder shall continue in full force.

No waiver: Failure to enforce any right shall not constitute a waiver.

Assignment: You may not assign these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign to an affiliate or in connection with a merger or sale.

Entire agreement: These Terms together with the Privacy Policy, Refund Policy, Disclaimer and Grievance Policy constitute the entire agreement between us regarding the Platform.

For questions about these Terms, contact us at grievance@lawyerbuddy.io.