Terms of Service

1. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS

Welcome to Advocate Academy ("Company", "we", "our", "us"). These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of our website, mobile applications, and related services (collectively, the "Platform").

By creating an account or using the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by:

• These Terms of Service
• Our Privacy Policy
• Our Refund and Cancellation Policy
• Our Disclaimer
• Our Copyright Notice

2. DEFINITIONS

3. ELIGIBILITY

By using our Platform, you represent and warrant that:

3.1 Age Requirement

• You are at least 18 years of age
• If under 18, you have parental/guardian consent and supervision
• Minors may only use the Platform under adult supervision

3.2 Legal Capacity

• You have the legal capacity to enter into binding contracts
• You are not barred from using the Platform under Indian law
• You are not located in a jurisdiction where our services are prohibited

3.3 Advocate-Specific Eligibility

• Must be a practicing advocate enrolled with a Bar Council in India
• Must provide valid Bar Council enrollment number for verification
• Must maintain active practice and good standing with Bar Council
• Must not be suspended or disbarred by any Bar Council
• Must provide government ID and professional documents for verification

3.4 Trainee-Specific Eligibility

• Must be a law student (enrolled in recognized law college) OR
• Must be a law graduate (LL.B. completed) OR
• Must be a junior advocate (practicing less than 5 years)
• Students must provide valid college ID for verification

4. ACCOUNT REGISTRATION

4.1 Account Creation

• You must provide accurate, current, and complete information
• You are responsible for maintaining account security
• You must notify us immediately of unauthorized use
• We reserve the right to refuse service or terminate accounts
• One person may not maintain multiple accounts without permission

4.2 Account Types

4.3 Account Security

• You are responsible for all activities under your account
• Use strong passwords and enable 2-factor authentication when available
• We are not liable for losses from unauthorized access
• Immediately report any security breaches

4.4 Profile Information

• Profile information must be accurate and professional
• Profile pictures must be appropriate (professional headshots preferred)
• We may verify information provided against government databases
• False information may lead to immediate termination

5. PLATFORM USE

5.1 License to Use

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Platform for its intended purposes, subject to these Terms.

5.2 Prohibited Activities

You may NOT:

5.3 Content Standards

All user-generated content must:

• Be accurate and truthful
• Not violate any laws or regulations
• Not infringe intellectual property rights
• Not contain offensive or inappropriate material
• Not include confidential information of others
• Not contain spam or promotional content

5.4 Platform Availability

• We strive for 99.9% uptime but do not guarantee uninterrupted access
• Maintenance may cause temporary downtime
• We are not liable for internet or service provider issues
• We may modify or discontinue features with notice

6. TRAINING ARRANGEMENTS

6.1 Platform as Intermediary

Advocate Academy is an intermediary platform that facilitates connections between trainees and advocates. We are not a party to any training agreement between users.

6.2 Training Bookings

• Trainees can browse advocate profiles and request training sessions
• Advocates may accept or decline booking requests
• Booking is confirmed only when advocate accepts and payment is secured in wallet
• Training details (date, time, duration, topics) must be clearly specified

6.3 Training Delivery

• Trainings may be in-person (court visits, chamber sessions) or online
• Advocates must provide training as described in their profile and booking
• Trainees must attend sessions punctually and professionally
• Both parties must maintain professional conduct during trainings
• Training materials provided are for educational purposes only

6.4 Training Completion

• Trainee must confirm training completion within 24 hours
• If no confirmation, training is auto-completed after 24 hours
• Payment is released to advocate upon completion confirmation
• Both parties can rate and review each other after completion
• Certificates are generated after successful completion

6.5 Dispute Resolution

7. PAYMENTS & FEES

7.1 Platform Fees

7.2 Pricing

• Advocates set their own training fees
• All prices are in Indian Rupees (INR)
• Prices include applicable taxes (GST 18%)
• We may offer promotional discounts from time to time

7.3 Payment Methods

• Credit/Debit Cards (Visa, Mastercard, RuPay, Amex)
• Net Banking (all major banks)
• UPI (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, BHIM)
• Wallets (Paytm, Mobikwik, Amazon Pay)
• EMI options available on select cards

7.4 Taxes

• GST @ 18% applicable on all services
• TDS under Section 194J applicable for advocate payments
• Invoices provided for all transactions
• Users responsible for filing own taxes

8. WALLET SYSTEM

8.1 How Wallet Works

1. Trainee adds funds to wallet or pays directly at booking
2. Funds are held in escrow (not released to advocate)
3. After training completion and confirmation, funds are released
4. Advocate can withdraw funds to bank account
5. Platform fee deducted at withdrawal stage

8.2 Wallet Rules

• Minimum wallet balance: ₹0
• Maximum wallet balance: ₹2,00,000
• Withdrawal minimum: ₹500
• Withdrawal processing: 3-5 working days (free) or instant (fee applicable)
• Wallet funds do not earn interest

8.3 Refunds to Wallet

• Refunds are credited to wallet immediately
• Wallet balance can be used for future bookings
• Request bank transfer from wallet (free once monthly)
• Unused wallet balance refundable on account closure (fee applicable)

9. USER CONDUCT & CODE OF ETHICS

9.1 Professional Conduct

• Maintain professional behavior at all times
• Respect court etiquette during in-person trainings
• Maintain confidentiality of client matters discussed
• Follow Bar Council of India rules and ethics
• Do not engage in any form of harassment or discrimination

9.2 Prohibited Conduct

• No soliciting or offering illegal services
• No sharing of confidential court documents
• No misuse of platform for personal relationships
• No false reviews or ratings manipulation
• No circumventing platform for offline payments

9.3 Reporting Violations

Report violations to: compliance@advocateacademy.com

We investigate all reports and take appropriate action, which may include:

• Warning to user
• Temporary suspension
• Permanent account termination
• Legal action if warranted

10. TERMINATION

10.1 Termination by User

You may terminate your account at any time by:

1. Going to Account Settings → Delete Account
2. Completing all pending trainings
3. Withdrawing all wallet balance
4. Submitting deletion request

10.2 Termination by Platform

We may suspend or terminate your account for:

• Violation of these Terms
• Fraudulent or illegal activity
• Harassment of other users
• Providing false information
• Non-payment of fees
• Extended inactivity (2+ years)

10.3 Effect of Termination

• Access to platform immediately revoked
• Pending trainings cancelled (refund as per policy)
• Wallet balance refunded after deduction of fees
• Data retained as per Privacy Policy (7 years)
• Terms that survive termination: Sections 1, 2, 11, 12, 13, 14

11. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

11.1 Platform Content

All content on the Platform (excluding user content) is owned by Advocate Academy and protected by:

• Indian Copyright Act, 1957
• Indian Trademarks Act, 1999
• Information Technology Act, 2000
• International intellectual property laws

11.2 User Content License

By posting content, you grant us a worldwide, royalty-free license to:

• Display, distribute, and reproduce your content
• Modify for platform compatibility
• Use for promotional purposes (with attribution)
• Sublicense to service providers

11.3 Feedback

Any suggestions or feedback you provide become our property and may be used without compensation.

12. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW:

• We provide the platform "AS IS" without warranties
• We are not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
• Our total liability shall not exceed the fees paid by you in the last 12 months
• We are not liable for user conduct or training outcomes
• We are not liable for third-party services or links

13. INDEMNIFICATION

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Advocate Academy, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Platform
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any law or third-party rights
• Your content posted on the Platform
• Your interactions with other users

14. GOVERNING LAW & DISPUTE RESOLUTION

14.1 Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by the laws of India, without regard to conflict of law principles.

14.2 Dispute Resolution Process

1. Negotiation: Parties shall attempt informal resolution for 30 days
2. Mediation: If negotiation fails, refer to mediation at Delhi High Court Mediation Centre
3. Arbitration: If mediation fails, disputes resolved by arbitration under Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
4. Venue: Arbitration shall be held in New Delhi
5. Courts: Exclusive jurisdiction of courts in New Delhi

15. MISCELLANEOUS

• Entire Agreement: These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and Advocate Academy
• Severability: If any provision is invalid, remaining provisions remain in effect
• Waiver: Failure to enforce any right is not a waiver
• Assignment: You may not assign these Terms without our consent
• Force Majeure: We are not liable for events beyond our control
• Notices: Legal notices must be sent to legal@advocateacademy.com