Inclusion Standards

The Avvo Rating Explained

https://support.avvo.com/hc/en-us/articles/208478156-What-is-the-Avvo-Rating-

The Avvo Rating is our effort to evaluate a lawyer’s background based on the information available in an attorney’s Avvo profile. We create the rating using a model that considers information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Any information that affects the Avvo Rating is visible in an attorney’s profile. Avvo does not provide a numerical rating for profiles that have not been claimed by that attorney.

Attorneys always have the opportunity to add information to their profiles, and those attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.
Keep in mind that these ratings speak to a lawyer’s background, but do not evaluate their knowledge of the law, past performance on individual cases, personality, or communication skills. These are elements that the Avvo Rating cannot evaluate, but can be better described in the client reviews and peer endorsements found on an attorney’s profile.

Why the Avvo Rating can help you find the right attorney:

  • How the Avvo Rating is calculated. The rating is calculated using a mathematical model, and all lawyers are evaluated on the same set of standards.
  • The Avvo Rating cannot be bought. At Avvo, all lawyers are treated equally. We don’t play favorites, and attorneys can’t pay us to improve their ratings.
  • It was developed by legal professionals and people looking for legal services. The model used to calculate the rating was developed with input from hundreds of attorneys, thousands of consumers, and many other legal professionals who deeply understand the work attorneys do. We created the Avvo Rating to reflect the type of information people have identified as important when looking to hire an attorney.
  • It’s as simple as counting to 10. Ratings fall on a scale of 1 (Extreme Caution) to 10 (Superb), helping you quickly assess a lawyer’s background based on our rating.

The Avvo Rating is based only on the information we have collected and that the attorney has provided, so we don’t recommend the Avvo Rating as the only piece of information you use to evaluate whether an attorney is right for you. The rating is a tool that provides a snapshot assessment of a lawyer’s background and should be considered alongside other information such as client reviews and peer endorsements.

Frequently Asked Consumer Questions about the Avvo Rating
How does Avvo calculate the Avvo Rating?
We calculate the rating based on public data we may have collected on each attorney and the information they have provided in their profile. The public data we collect comes from a variety of sources, including public records (state bar associations, regulatory agencies, and court records) and other published sources on the internet. This information, however, is not exhaustive, and might not include additional relevant information that could increase an attorney’s rating. Attorneys know about their own experience and have the option to add this information to their profiles – by either claiming their profile and adding information, or contacting Avvo Customer Care to provide additional information – and those details will often increase an attorney’s rating.
Avvo’s mathematical module considers and weights the information collected and provided to calculate a numerical rating, ranging from 1 to 10. Within the model, we take into account factors that consumers and legal professionals believe are relevant to an attorney’s qualifications, including experience, professional achievements, and disciplinary sanctions.

What does “Attention” or “Not Active on Avvo” mean?
Avvo publishes a numerical rating for all claimed profiles.  For lawyers who have not claimed their profile and have no public record of bar association discipline, we do not display a rating and rather indicate, “This attorney is not active on Avvo.” For lawyers with a disciplinary action in their background based on publicly available data such that their numerical rating (which is not displayed on the site) has dropped lower than “5,” we display “Attention.” We are only able to collect publicly-available information about an attorney from the state bar or other organizations that license legal professionals. When an attorney doesn’t claim their profile, we tend to have more limited information and, therefore display an Avvo Rating of either “Attention” or indicate that they are not active on Avvo. “Attention” is given if there is information in public records that, in our opinion, you should be aware of, such as disciplinary action against a lawyer. You should be aware that we rely on public data that may not be comprehensive, or frequently updated. Always research the lawyer further to get a better understanding of their disciplinary status, background, and experience.

Does Avvo publish the details of how the rating is calculated?
The data that we take into account is all displayed on an attorney’s profile. However, we do not disclose the weight we give to this information so that no one can game the system, boosting their rating through unfair advantage. Much as Google doesn’t share its search engine secrets, we don’t share the inner workings of the Avvo Rating so we can maintain the neutrality and integrity of the rating.
What do the numerical ratings mean?
10 – 9.0 Superb
8.9 – 8.0 Excellent
7.9 – 7.0 Very Good
6.9 – 6.0 Good
5.9 – 5.0 Average
4.9 – 4.0 Concern
3.9 – 3.0 Caution
2.9 – 2.0 Strong Caution
1.9 – 1.0 Extreme Caution

What if a lawyer doesn’t have a rating at all?
Avvo does not provide a numerical rating for profiles that have not been claimed by that attorney.  Avvo does not provide any rating in instances where it would not be useful, such as if the attorney is deceased or serving as a public official.
An attorney may request we remove the rating from their profile, and we honor those requests for attorneys who have not been disciplined and who are not looking for clients. These profiles will read “Avvo Rating Not Displayed”, and will not appear on practice area search listings in Avvo’s directory.

Do lawyers have to pay or sign-up to have an Avvo Rating?
Not. Avvo creates a profile for every licensed attorney we can locate, and calculates a rating for lawyers who claim their profile. Profiles are free to attorneys, and the Avvo Rating cannot be influenced by advertising or other forms of payment.

Can lawyers lie to increase their Ratings?
Attorneys can lose their licenses for falsifying data, and we don’t believe they will take that risk on their Avvo profile. We also rely on our community of users to ensure data on Avvo is as accurate as possible. If you see information on an attorney profile that you know to be incorrect, please contact us and we will investigate the issue. If an attorney is found to have intentionally posted false information, it will impact their level of professional conduct and negatively impact their Avvo Rating.

Can I remove the Avvo Rating from my profile?
Attorneys who have not been disciplined and who are not seeking legal clients may request that their numerical Avvo Rating not be displayed on their profile. If your request is approved, you will not be included in practice area search results, though licensing details and client reviews will remain visible on your profile.
Avvo’s goal is to make it easier for everyone to navigate the often-opaque legal industry. We create profiles and collect publicly available data for over 97% of US attorneys. Claiming your profile on Avvo allows you to add more information about you and your practice, allowing us to provide a more accurate Avvo Rating.
We do not “adjust” ratings by request, nor do we remove attorney profiles.

Can I add or correct information without claiming my profile?
Attorneys who have not claimed their profile may contact Avvo’s support team to request the addition or correction of data to their profile. Our support team is available via email, phone, or online chat. Contact our support team here with your inquiry, email us at [email protected].
Peer endorsements do affect your Avvo Rating, though reviews do not. This is because peer endorsements–one lawyer endorsing another’s skills and experience–are a way to assess industry recognition, which is a factor in how we calculate an attorney’s Avvo Rating. Reviews do play a very important role for people looking to hire an attorney, but we have chosen to not include that information when calculating the Avvo Rating.

How can I change my Avvo Rating?
If you are displayed as “Attention” or not active on Avvo, you still can receive a numerical rating by claiming your profile. When you claim your profile on Avvo, the automatically calculated numerical rating will display on your profile and in search results. But, as described above, the Avvo Rating can be removed from your profile display upon your request.
If you already have a numerical Avvo Rating, your score may change as you update and provide more information in your profile, especially work experience, practice areas you work in, and professional achievements. However, please make sure that the information you provide is accurate; inaccurate data could negatively impact your Avvo Rating. If you believe a public record contains inaccurate information about you that is affecting your Avvo Rating, you can contact the appropriate organization and ask to have the record changed. When we collect that data again, your rating may change to reflect the new information we can assess.
We will not change numerical ratings upon request. Because the Avvo Rating is based on a mathematical model that is applied in the same way to every attorney, we are unable to change individual ratings. When you update your profile with more information, your rating may change: the more we know about you, the better we can determine your numerical Avvo Rating.
Additionally, it is the responsibility of attorneys to ensure that any information or advertisements they place on Avvo, and any communication they may have with prospective clients through the Avvo site, comply with the rules of professional conduct regulating the form, manner, and content of communications with clients, advertising, or other matter.

Does the Avvo Rating change over time?
Yes, an attorney’s Avvo Rating may change over time, and there are a few ways this could happen. First, as we collect more information about a lawyer, their Avvo Rating gets recalculated and the score may adjust based on the new information provided. Second, to the extent that we collect or receive data that cannot be immediately verified, we mark this data as “unknown” and update the score once we have reviewed it. Third, some information is given less weight as time passes. For example, the weighting the mathematical model gives to certain disciplinary actions and industry recognition items decreases as time passes, reflecting our opinion that, in these areas, the most recent information matters the most. Finally, we may periodically adjust the mathematical model used to calculate the Avvo Rating, which could result in a change to a lawyer’s numerical rating.

Selection Process Detail for Super Lawyers

https://www.superlawyers.com/about/selection_process_detail.html Every year Super Lawyers selects attorneys from all firm sizes and over 70 practice areas throughout the United States. Learn about this detailed selection process below. Nominations Independent Research Peer Evaluation Final Selection Rising Stars Selection Process STEP 1: NOMINATIONS / CREATION OF CANDIDATE POOL Lawyers enter the candidate pool by being formally nominated by a peer or if identified by the research department during the research process. Formal nominations Once a year, we invite lawyers in each state to nominate the top attorneys they’ve personally observed in action. Lawyers may nominate attorneys in their firm, but these nominations count only if each in-firm nomination is matched by at least one out-firm nomination. Each nomination carries a point value and out-firm nominations have a greater point value than in-firm nominations. Lawyers cannot nominate themselves and must limit their nominations to others who practice in the same state. Our procedures and database have several safeguards that prevent lawyers from “gaming” the system. For example, we track who nominates whom. This helps us detect any excessive “back-scratch” nominations (lawyers nominating each other) and “block nominations” (where members of the same law firm all cast identical nominations). We also prohibit lawyers from engaging in “campaigning” or solicitation of nominations from other lawyers. While important, the nomination phase is simply the first step in our process. It puts lawyers on our radar for further research and evaluation and awards points in our rating system. But we limit the value of those points so that no matter how many nominations one receives, it will not guarantee selection. Research process Our attorney-led research staff searches for lawyers who have attained certain honors, results, or credentials, which indicate a high degree of peer recognition or professional competence. For example, certification as a specialist in a particular area of practice, or admission to prestigious colleges or academies, e.g., The American College of Trial Lawyers. The staff identifies these credentials by reviewing a proprietary list of database and online sources, including national and local legal trade publications. During the research process, we discover outstanding lawyers who have been overlooked in the nomination process. These may include lawyers with national litigation practices who rarely appear in the courts of their home jurisdiction; lawyers in smaller firms or from smaller communities; and lawyers practicing in less visible or highly specialized practice areas. Informal nominations Throughout the year, readers, clients, marketing directors, and attorneys who are not eligible to formally nominate (that is, actively licensed to practice in the same state as the nominee) send us names of lawyers we should consider for inclusion. Though no points are awarded, we add these lawyers to the candidate pool for further research and evaluation. Click here to view the regions that are currently taking nominations. STEP 2: INDEPENDENT RESEARCH BY SUPER LAWYERS Our research department evaluates each lawyer in the candidate pool based on these 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement:
  • Verdicts/Settlements
  • Transactions
  • Representative Clients Experience
  • Honors/Awards
  • Special licenses/certifications
  • Position within the law firm
  • Bar and/or professional activity
  • Pro bono and community service
  • Scholarly lectures/writings
  • Education/employment background
  • Other outstanding achievements
These indicators are not treated equally; some have a higher maximum point value than others. STEP 3: PEER EVALUATION BY PRACTICE AREA The third step of the selection process is peer evaluation by practice area, also known as the “blue ribbon review.” The candidates in each practice area with the highest point totals from steps one and two above are asked to serve on a blue-ribbon panel. The panelists are then provided a list of candidates from their practice areas to review, rating them on a scale of one to five. STEP 4: FINAL SELECTION Candidates are grouped into four firm-size categories. Those with the highest point totals from each category are selected. This means solo and small firm lawyers are compared with other solo and small firm lawyers, and large firm lawyers are compared with other large firm lawyers. Five percent of the total lawyers in the state are selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers. Before Publishing The research staff checks each candidate’s standing with the local licensing authority. Each candidate is asked to aver that they have never been subject to disciplinary or criminal proceedings. Final Internet searches are performed on each candidate to ensure there are no outstanding matters that would reflect adversely on the lawyer. We also contact each lawyer to ensure the accuracy of all published information. Publication The final published list represents no more than 5 percent of the lawyers in the state. The lists are published annually in state and regional editions of Super Lawyers Magazines and inserts and special advertising sections in leading city and regional magazines and newspapers. All attorneys selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers, regardless of year, can be found on SuperLawyers.com. THE RISING STARS SELECTION PROCESS The selection process for the Rising Stars list is the same as the Super Lawyers selection process, with one exception: to be eligible for inclusion in Rising Stars, a candidate must be either 40 years old or younger or in practice for 10 years or less. All attorneys first go through the Super Lawyers selection process. Those who are not selected to the Super Lawyers list, but who meet either one of the Rising Stars eligibility requirements, go through the Rising Stars selection process. While up to five percent of the lawyers in the state are named to Super Lawyers, no more than 2.5 percent are named to the Rising Stars list. For questions on the research process, please email [email protected].

Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™

https://www.martindale.com/marketyourfirm/profiles/peer-ratings/


The gold standard in attorney ratings
Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ recognize lawyers for their strong legal ability and high ethical standards. Individuals seeking legal counsel, as well as attorneys looking to refer a colleague, use these ratings to identify, evaluate and select the most appropriate lawyer. An elite group of approximately 10 percent of all attorneys holds an AV Preeminent Rating, a designation trusted worldwide by buyers and referrers of legal services.
Martindale-Hubbell facilitates peer and client reviews to expand law firms’ marketing capability. We provide a trusted online forum for individuals, businesses and professional colleagues to promote their credentials before a wide audience, including prospects that can’t be reached in other ways. Our peer and client reviews are user-friendly and make a distinctive, compelling statement across the web, maximizing your firm’s online marketing potential.

Strong legal ability and high ethical standards
Attorneys may qualify for one of three Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings awards: AV Preeminent, Distinguished or Notable.

Complete the form at the bottom of this page. We will send you access to a form to submit your list of attorney references, who we then contact via email to complete the peer review survey. References need to be currently practicing attorneys or sitting judges* located in the United States** or Canada who are listed in the Martindale-Hubbell database. You do not need to have a paid subscription in order to have peer reviews published, but must be located in the United States** or Canada, admitted to the bar for at least three years, and have a profile on martindale.com®.
* Per local rules, judges from Connecticut, Georgia, New Jersey, and South Carolina are not eligible to participate.
** Attorneys located in Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Pacific Territories, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are also eligible to receive reviews and review others.

A lawyer who receives a minimum threshold of qualifying responses from fellow attorneys can qualify for one of three prestigious Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings: AV Preeminent®: The highest peer rating standard. This rating signifies that a large number of the lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal knowledge, communication skills, and ethical standards. Distinguished: An excellent rating for a lawyer with some experience. This rating indicates the attorney is widely respected by their peers for high professional achievement and ethical standards. Notable: This rating indicates that the lawyer has been recognized by a large number of their peers for strong ethical standards.

Martindale Hubbell’s peer review survey allows attorneys to provide feedback on a colleague’s ethical standards and legal ability. After selecting an area of practice and providing information regarding the attorney’s ethical standards, the reviewer selects scores on a 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) scale in five categories: Legal Knowledge, Analytical Capabilities, Judgment, Communication Ability and Legal Experience. Attorneys also have the option to provide additional written feedback, which displays as part of the review.

Yes, to maintain the integrity of the peer review, Martindale-Hubbell will add attorneys selected by location and practice areas to all peer reference submissions. In addition, Martindale-Hubbell will initiate reviews on attorneys as well; references in Martindale initiated reviews are selected based upon geographic location and listed practice areas.

As an attorney needs to reach the confidential threshold number of qualified responses to earn the award of a rating, the timing is dependent upon how quickly peer references complete the survey. However, in order to allow all references the opportunity to respond, there is an initial two-week window from the time surveys are sent out before an attorney can earn an award. After the two week window, we will check the status each day. When an attorney has received the confidential threshold number of qualified responses, the peer review process closes and we will notify the attorney of the results.

Attorneys who have received peer reviews, but not enough to reach the threshold number of qualified responses to earn a peer review award, will have those reviews displayed with a Peer-Reviewed status.

Internet Brands®

https://www.internetbrands.com/ibterms/supplementallegalterms/

Supplemental Terms for Legal Sites and Services
MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands and its affiliates (collectively, “our,” “us,” or “we”) operate websites, provide products and services through mobile and other applications, and develop software that are governed, as applicable, by our Terms of Use (our “TOU”). Certain terms used in this document have the meanings set forth in our TOU. These supplemental terms (the “Supplemental Terms of Use” or this “Supplemental TOU”) apply to our sites and services related to the legal industry and are incorporated into our TOU. If there is any conflict between this Supplemental TOU and our TOU, this Supplemental TOU will control. This Supplemental TOU does not apply to those sites and services that do not display or link to this Supplemental TOU, or that have their own supplemental terms of use. By using our sites and services, you are a “user” and you accept and agree to our TOU and this Supplemental TOU as a legal contract between you and us. It is your responsibility to review this Supplemental TOU and our TOU. If at any time you find the TOU or Supplemental TOU unacceptable or if you do not agree, please do not use our sites and services. We may revise this Supplemental TOU at any time and without notice to you.

Generally
Our sites and services provide access to independent attorneys, self-help services, including general information related to the law, and lawyers designed to help users safely cope with their own legal needs. Our sites and services also provide services to lawyers and other legal professionals.

We are not lawyers or a law firm and we do not provide legal, business or tax advice. None of our representatives are lawyers and they also do not provide legal, business or tax advice. The accuracy, completeness, adequacy or currency of the content is not warranted or guaranteed. Our sites and services are not substitutes for the advice or services of an attorney. We recommend you consult a lawyer or other appropriate professional if you want legal, business or tax advice.

We strive to keep our content and documents accurate, current and up-to date. However, because the law changes rapidly, we cannot guarantee that all of the information on the site and services is completely current. The law is different from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be subject to interpretation by different courts. The law is a personal matter, and no general information or legal tool like the kind we provide can fit every circumstance. Furthermore, the legal information contained on the site and services is not legal advice and is not guaranteed to be correct, complete or up-to-date. Therefore, if you need legal advice for your specific problem, or if your specific problem is too complex to be addressed by our tools, you should consult a licensed attorney in your area. Our sites and services are not intended to create any attorney-client relationship, and your use of our sites and services does not and will not in any circumstance create an attorney-client relationship between you and us. We are not a lawyer referral service and the sites and services and other resources and information are for personal use only.

Lawyer Services for Users
Our sites and services offer you several ways to identify and locate an attorney (or other legal services), including advertisements for lawyers, a searchable directory of lawyers and law firms, or our lawyer service provides information on lawyers and law firms willing to contact you with your permission (collectively, “lawyer services”). The inclusion of lawyers and law firms in the lawyer services requires only a payment by such lawyers or law firms and we make no recommendation as to any such lawyers or law firms. The decision to retain an attorney is an important one, and one that you must make carefully based on your own judgment and evaluation of that attorney. If you are using the lawyer services, you should read the following terms and conditions below. If you disagree with these terms and conditions, please do not use the lawyer services.

  • At no time is an attorney-client relationship fostered or created with us through the performance of any such lawyer services.
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    • Utah: No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. Past successes cannot be an assurance of future success because each matter must be decided on its own merits.
    • Wyoming: No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. Past results afford no guarantee of future results; each matter is different and must be judged on its own merits. The Wyoming State Bar does not certify any lawyer as a specialist or expert. Anyone considering a lawyer should independently investigate the lawyer’s credentials and ability, and not rely upon advertisements or self-proclaimed expertise.

Self-help Services.
Our sites and services offer you ways to access legal information and handle legal matters yourself with do-it-yourself products and services (the “self-help services”). If you are using the self-help services, you should read the terms and conditions below. If you disagree with these terms and conditions, please do not use the self-help services.

Ownership. The sites and services are owned and operated by us. All right, title and interest in and to the materials provided on the site and services, including but not limited to information, documents, logos, graphics, sounds and images (the “Materials”) are owned either by us or by our respective third party authors, developers or vendors (“Third Party Providers”). Except as otherwise expressly provided by us, none of the Materials may be copied, reproduced, republished, downloaded, uploaded, posted, displayed, transmitted or distributed in any way and nothing on the site or services shall be construed to confer any license under any of our intellectual property rights, whether by estoppel, implication or otherwise. We do not sell, license, lease or otherwise provide any of the Materials other than those specifically identified as being provided by us. Any rights not expressly granted herein are reserved by us.

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The self-help services are provided on an “as-is” basis without any warranties of any kind. Any data and information you enter into any forms, products or services will appear exactly as entered by you in any such documents, products or services that you order through the self-help services. You are solely responsible for providing current, accurate, complete and adequate data and information, and verifying the currentness, accuracy, completeness and adequacy of any data and information provided, through the self-help services. We do not and will not verify or correct any data or information provided by you through the self-help services. We will not replace or exchange any products or services or provide any refunds for any products or services (1) purchased by you which include any non-current, inaccurate, incomplete, or inadequate data or information or (2) purchased by you based on non-current, inaccurate, incomplete, or inadequate data or information provided by you through the self-help services.

Notwithstanding the TOU, certain self-help services may require you to enter personal, confidential or proprietary information of a third party. You represent and warrant that you have (1) obtained all rights, licenses or other permissions from any third party necessary to use the self-help services and to grant the rights to us to use such information pursuant to the TOU, and (2) that your use of any third party personal, confidential or proprietary information does not and will not violate any privacy, intellectual property rights or any other rights of any third party.

Links to Third Party Sites. Our site and services may contain links to websites controlled by parties other than us (each a “Third Party Site”). We work with a number of partners and affiliates whose sites are linked with our sites and services. We may also provide links to other citations or resources with whom it is not affiliated. We are not responsible for and do not endorse or accept any responsibility for the availability, contents, products, services or use of any Third Party Site, any website accessed from a Third Party Site or any changes or updates to such sites. We make no guarantees about the content or quality of the products or services provided by such sites. We are not responsible for webcasting or any other form of transmission received from any Third Party Site. We are providing these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement by us of the Third Party Site, nor does it imply that we sponsor, are affiliated or associated with, guarantee, or are legally authorized to use any trade name, registered trademark, logo, legal or official seal, or copyrighted symbol that may be reflected in the links. You acknowledge that you bear all risks associated with access to and use of content provided on a Third Party Site and agree that we are not responsible for any loss or damage of any sort you may incur from dealing with a third party. You should contact the site administrator for the applicable Third Party Site if you have any concerns regarding such links or the content located on any such Third Party Site.

Intellectual Property Applications. As part of an order for certain trademark and provisional patent products, you may be required to submit materials to us . such as specimens, drawings, or copies of your work . in order for us to complete your order and submit your document(s) to the relevant government office. Furthermore, you understand that while we may retain digital copies of your submission, we do not retain physical copies of my submissions and will not return those materials.

(a) Trademark and Patent. By placing your order, you give us the express authority to file your application with the USPTO. You understand that you may be contacted by the USPTO for other information after my application has been filed.

(b) Trademark TEAS Electronic Filing and Communications. We may authorize the USPTO, on your behalf, to contact you at the email address you have provided in your order. You agree to submit documents and communications electronically using the USPTO TEAS system. You understand that if you fail to comply with these requirements, the USPTO may charge you an additional $50 processing fee per class and that we will not pay it on your behalf.

If you use the self-help services, you agree that: TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL WE BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOST PROFITS OR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES) ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SELF-HELP SERVICES OR FOR ANY INFORMATION OR SERVICES PROVIDED TO YOU THROUGH THE SELF-HELP SERVICES. TO THE EXTENT THE FOREGOING LIMITATION OF LIABILITY IS PROHIBITED, OUR SOLE OBLIGATION TO YOU FOR DAMAGES WILL BE LIMITED TO $100.00.

Divorce Services Terms; Payment. The additional terms in this section apply to customers who purchase our Self-Help Mediation or Divorce Filing Services.

  1. Authorization for Filing. If you would like us to file documents on your behalf, you must complete the “Authorization for Filing” form and return it to us. This form will be provided to you after you purchase the services and authorizes us to submit documents to the court for processing on your behalf. Furthermore, it allows us to receive copies of court documents and other communications on your behalf. If you do not provide a signature on the “Authorization for Filing” form, we will be unable to submit your paperwork to the court.
  2. Service. We provide service of process by mail, where applicable, for no additional charge.
  3. Court. Some local and state courts may require a hearing to finalize your divorce.  We cannot represent you in court or at any hearings. If you have any additional questions about your hearing, you will need to consult an attorney.
  4. Court Filing Fees. You are responsible for payment of all required court filing fees in addition to any payments already made for the divorce services.  You will need to provide us with a check addressed to the court for the applicable fee, which we will submit with your paperwork. We will verify the amount with the county you are filing in and provide this information to you.
  5. Mediation Fees. Your purchase includes up to 8 hours of total mediation time with one of our mediators. If you would like to add additional time, you can purchase mediation sessions in two-hour increments at the rate of $200 per hour.
  6. Terminating the Mediation. If you decide during the mediation process to end the mediation, you may be entitled to a refund, but will remain responsible for payment for the mediator’s time up to the point of termination. We will refund you your payment, less the hourly rate of $187.50 per hour for hours spent on the mediation. This refund policy only applies up to the completion of the Marital Settlement Agreement. After the Marital Settlement Agreement has been completed and signed, you will not be entitled to any refund.
  7. Refunds. Any refunds will be credited to the method(s) of payment used to purchase the services.

 

Attorney Ethics Notice; Rules.
If you are an attorney participating in any aspect of our sites or services, including but not limited to interactive areas, (a) you agree not to provide specific legal advice in any of your content and to draft content which is competent, appropriate, educational, and in accordance with your state bar’s attorney ethics requirements; (b) you represent and warrant that you are an attorney in good standing with a license to practice law in at least one of the 50 United States of America or the District of Columbia; (c) you agree to promptly notify us of any grievance, claim, reprimand, or censure brought against you, as well as resignation or other loss of license; and (d) you acknowledge that the Rules of Professional Conduct of the jurisdictions where you are licensed (“Rules”) apply to all aspects of your participation and that you will abide by these Rules. These Rules include, but are not limited to, the rules relating to advertising, solicitation of clients, rules regarding the establishment of attorney-client relationships, failure to maintain client confidences, unauthorized practice of law, and misrepresentations of fact. We disclaim all responsibility for your compliance with these Rules. We highly recommend that you include a disclaimer regarding the aforementioned advertising and ethics issues. We will have no liability to you arising out of or related to your compliance or noncompliance with such laws and rules, or related to our inclusion or failure to include a disclaimer.

No Solicitation.
You will not distribute to any persons or entities identified via our site any content or material containing solicitations or advertising of any kind without our express prior written permission. Attorneys and law firms are prohibited from soliciting employment from prospective clients through our sites or any of its interactive features. In no event may any person or entity solicit any users with data retrieved from our sites.

Inquiries and Contact Term.
BY USIN
OUR SITES AND SERVICES OR ACCESSING, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPT THAT SUBMITTING YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER TO US VIA THE SITES AND SERVICES CONSTITUTES AN INQUIRY TO US, AND THAT WE OR OUR AFFILIATES MAY CONTACT YOU AT THE NUMBER SUBMITTED EVEN IF SUCH NUMBER APPEARS ON ANY STATE OR FEDERAL DO NOT CALL LISTS (TAKING INTO ACCOUNT INQUIRY EXCEPTION TIME FRAMES AS APPROPRIATE).

You authorize us to contact you by telephone at the number you have provided. Telephone calls may include prerecorded or artificial voice messages and calls using an automatic telephone dialing system. Your consent is not a condition of your purchase.

You agree that any calls to or from us may be monitored or recorded for training or quality assurance purposes.