Terms of Service

Effective Date: 1 August 2025

1. Introduction

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your use of the Advisent platform (“we,” “us,” or “our”), which facilitates the connection between clients seeking legal advice and lawyers offering their services. By accessing or using our website, you agree to comply with these Terms.

These Terms apply to all users of the platform, including clients and lawyers.

Definitions

“Platform” means the Advisent website and associated services. “Client” means a user seeking legal advice. “Lawyer” means a registered legal practitioner with a current practising certificate. “Consultation” means the first paid meeting booked through the Advisent platform.

2. Services Provided

Advisent is a booking platform for clients to find and book a consultation with a lawyer. Advisent is not a legal practice and does not provide legal advice.

We do not guarantee the outcome of any legal matter or the suitability of any lawyer for a particular client or case. Clients are responsible for assessing whether a lawyer meets their needs.

3. Account Registration

  • To use our services, users must create an account and provide accurate information.
  • Lawyers must confirm that they hold a current practising certificate and professional indemnity insurance, which must be maintained at all times while the lawyer has an active listing on the platform.
  • Lawyers must provide accurate and complete details about their qualifications and areas of practice, and must promptly update their profile if any information changes.
  • Advisent reserves the right to verify documents and reject or remove profiles that do not meet platform standards.
  • Lawyers and clients are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.

4. Booking and Payment

  • Clients must pay the consultation fee upfront at the time of booking.
  • Each lawyer sets their own fee for the first consultation, subject to a minimum fee as required by the platform.
  • Lawyers receive their payment after the consultation is completed, minus the 50% platform commission of the first consultation.
  • All payments are processed securely through our third-party payment provider.
  • All payments are processed via a third-party provider, and Advisent does not act as a trust account holder.

5. Cancellation & Refund Policy

  • Clients may cancel an appointment with at least 1-hour notice for a full refund.
  • Cancellations made within 1 hour of the appointment time, or non-attendance, are non-refundable. However, the lawyer may choose to offer a rescheduled appointment at their discretion through direct communication with the client.
  • Consultations that proceed as scheduled are non-refundable.
  • If a lawyer determines during the consultation that a client’s issue is outside their expertise or otherwise cannot advise, a full refund will be issued.
  • Cancellations initiated by lawyers result in a full refund to the client.
  • Repeated last-minute cancellations by either party may result in account review or suspension.

6. Responsibilities of Lawyers

Professional conduct and scope of advice

  • Lawyers must provide services that are professional, ethical, and compliant with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

By participating on the Advisent platform, lawyers agree to:

  • Provide legal advice only within your areas of competence, jurisdiction, practising certificate conditions, and insurance coverage
  • Offer clear, honest, and client-focused guidance in accordance with your professional and ethical obligations
  • Decline any consultation where a conflict of interest exists and disclose any such conflict prior to accepting a booking
  • Be accessible and responsive to confirmed clients, and deliver consultations at the agreed time using the selected format (phone, video, or in person)
  • Assume full responsibility for any engagement or agreement with a client beyond the initial consultation
  • Any engagement beyond the first consultation is between the lawyer and the client directly. Advisent is not a party to any ongoing retainer or legal services agreement.

Dispute resolution and refund policy

To maintain the integrity of the platform and protect the lawyer’s professional reputation, Advisent reserves the right to issue a full refund to the client at its discretion in the event of a dispute, complaint, or concern about the service provided.

If a refund is issued:

  • The lawyer acknowledges they will not be entitled to payment for the consultation, regardless of whether it proceeded or legal advice was given

  • The lawyer accepts that Advisent is not liable for any time spent or any consequential loss resulting from the refund decision

Professional standards and insurance requirements

The lawyer must maintain:

  • Current practising certification and membership with your applicable legal regulatory authority

  • A valid professional indemnity insurance policy covering all legal services provided through Advisent. These must remain active and compliant at all times while your profile is listed on the platform and when conducting any client consultations.

Ongoing legal and ethical compliance

The lawyer agrees to comply with:

  • All applicable professional conduct rules and legal practitioner regulations in their jurisdiction
  • Ethical standards governing their area of practice
  • All legislative, licensing, and privacy obligations related to providing legal services to clients in Australia
  • All applicable tax laws, including GST registration and reporting. Advisent does not provide tax or accounting services.

7. Limitation of Liability

  • Advisent acts solely as a booking facilitator and is not responsible for the quality or outcome of any legal advice provided by lawyers.
  • We are not liable for disputes between clients and lawyers.
  • Advisent does not warrant the competence, quality, or professional conduct of any lawyer listed on the platform. All legal services are provided solely by the lawyer, and clients accept that any legal engagement is with the lawyer directly, not with Advisent.
  • To the fullest extent permitted by law, we disclaim all liability for any loss, damages, or claims arising from use of the platform.

8. Prohibited Conduct

Users must not:

  • Provide false or misleading information
  • Attempt to solicit or complete bookings outside of the Advisent platform
  • Engage in harassment, fraud, or unethical behavior
  • Violate any applicable laws or professional conduct regulations
  • Circumventing the platform by attempting to arrange bookings or payments off-platform.
  • Posting unlawful, offensive, or unprofessional content on profiles, reviews, or messages.
  • Clients may leave reviews following a consultation. Lawyers agree not to manipulate or suppress reviews. Advisent reserves the right to remove reviews that are abusive, irrelevant, or defamatory.

9. Termination of Accounts

In the event of misconduct, fraud, or breach of these terms or professional standards, Advisent reserves the right to suspend or terminate access immediately without prior notice.

10. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms periodically. Continued use of the platform after updates constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

11. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of Australia. Any disputes shall be subject to the jurisdiction of Australian courts.

12. Intellectual Property

All content on the platform, including branding, design, and written material, remains the property of Advisent and may not be used without permission.

13. Contact Information

For questions regarding these Terms, please contact us at hello@advisent.com.au.