TERMS OF SERVICE

HireABarrister.com

Effective date: 18 February 2026 | Last updated: 18 February 2026 | Governing law: England and Wales

These Terms of Service govern your use of HireABarrister.com (the Platform). By creating an account or using the Platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, you must not use the Platform.

1. About Us

HireABarrister Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales (company number 16783218, registered office at Maddox And Co, 34-35 Butcher Row, Shrewsbury, SY1 1UW).

We operate an online marketplace that enables clients to identify and instruct independent barristers authorised for Public Access work.

We are not a law firm and do not provide legal services. No solicitor-client or barrister-client relationship exists between you and us. Nothing on the Platform constitutes legal advice.

2. Definitions

Barrister means a self-employed barrister authorised by the Bar Standards Board for Public Access work.

Client means a person or organisation seeking to instruct a Barrister through the Platform.

Engagement means a contractual relationship formed directly between a Client and a Barrister.

Client Care Letter (CCL) means the client care letter governing an Engagement.

Platform Fee means the fee charged by us to Barristers for use of the Platform.

Client Service Fee means the fee charged by us to Clients for use of Platform services.

Platform Tools means all technology features provided by the Platform, including AI-assisted intake, case management, scheduling, document storage, and communication tools. All Platform Tools are administrative aids only and do not constitute legal advice.

"We / Us / Our" means HireABarrister Ltd, company number 16783218, registered office at Maddox And Co, 34-35 Butcher Row, Shrewsbury, SY1 1UW.

You / Your means any user of the Platform.

3. Our Role and the Nature of the Platform

3.1 Marketplace Only

The Platform is a marketplace only. We facilitate introductions between Clients and Barristers. We provide technology, payment facilitation, and administrative tools. We are not a party to any Engagement. We do not supervise, direct, or control Barristers.

3.2 No Legal Advice

WE DO NOT PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE OR LEGAL SERVICES.

All Platform Tools, including but not limited to:

AI-assisted case intake and fact extraction
Case matching and Barrister suggestions
Client Care Letter generation and templates
Case management dashboards and tracking
Document storage and organisation
Calendar and scheduling tools
Communication and messaging features

are administrative aids only. They do not constitute legal advice, legal opinions, or legal recommendations. They are not a substitute for professional legal advice from a qualified Barrister. No output from any Platform Tool should be relied upon as legal advice.

Clients must rely on their instructed Barrister for all legal guidance, strategy, and advice.

3.3 What We Do Not Do

We do not:

Provide, review, endorse, or guarantee any legal work
Assess the suitability of a case for Direct Access
Recommend or endorse any particular Barrister
Determine case strategy or legal tactics
Guarantee Barristers will accept a case or attend hearings
Guarantee any specific outcome or result
Mediate or determine disputes about legal services

4. Eligibility and Accounts

4.1 All Users

You must:

Be at least 18 years old
Provide accurate and complete information
Keep your account details up to date
Use only one account
Maintain the confidentiality of your login credentials

You are responsible for all activity carried out under your account.

4.2 Barristers

Barristers must additionally:

Hold a current practising certificate from the BSB
Be authorised for Public Access work
Have completed required Public Access training
Maintain professional indemnity insurance meeting BSB requirements
Be in good standing with no unspent disciplinary sanctions
Notify us immediately of any changes to practising status, insurance, or disciplinary matters

We may verify Barrister credentials against the BSB Barristers' Register at any time. Accounts will be suspended immediately if a practising certificate expires, Direct Access authorisation is revoked, insurance lapses, or disciplinary sanctions are imposed.

5. Use of the Platform

You agree to use the Platform lawfully and in good faith. You must not:

Provide false or misleading information
Harass or abuse other users
Attempt to circumvent Platform Fees or Client Service Fees
Arrange off-platform payments to avoid fees
Use the Platform for unlawful purposes
Interfere with the operation or security of the Platform
Scrape, harvest, or collect data from the Platform
Use automated systems or bots without authorisation
Impersonate any person or entity
Upload harmful code, malware, or viruses

6. Payments and Communications

6.1 On-Platform Payments

All payments for legal services introduced through the Platform must be processed through the Platform unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing. Off-platform payments intended to avoid fees are prohibited and may result in account termination.

6.2 Communications

The Platform provides communication tools to support transparency, record keeping, and dispute handling. Barristers and Clients are expected to use Platform communications for all material communications relating to an Engagement, save where professional judgment or client care requirements reasonably require otherwise.

7. Payment Flow

7.1 Client Payments

Clients are required to pay in advance of work being started or commenced. No work may begin until payment has been authorised and cleared by Stripe, our payment processor.

No payment may be taken or processed until the Client Care Letter has been accepted by the Client.

7.2 Barrister Payouts

Once payment has cleared, funds are released to the Barrister as quickly as Stripe processing allows. Standard payouts are made to the Barrister's registered bank account. The Platform does not hold funds in long-term escrow.

Stripe's terms of service apply to all payment processing. Stripe may impose additional verification requirements on Barristers.

7.3 General

The Platform does not operate credit facilities. Barristers are not expected to chase Clients for payment.

8. Platform Fees, Client Service Fees, and VAT

8.1 Barrister Platform Fee

Barristers agree to pay a Platform Fee on professional fees received through the Platform, excluding VAT and disbursements.

The Platform Fee rate is agreed individually with each Barrister and is currently between 8 and 10 percent. The applicable rate is confirmed in writing before the Barrister accepts their first instruction through the Platform.

What the Platform Fee covers:

Client acquisition and case matching
AI-assisted case screening and intake
Client Care Letter generation tools
Case management and scheduling tools
Secure messaging and document storage
Payment processing and guaranteed payment before work commences
Platform hosting, maintenance, and support

VAT is added to the Platform Fee at the prevailing rate (currently 20%). We issue a valid VAT invoice for all Platform Fees charged. VAT-registered Barristers may reclaim VAT on Platform Fees in the usual way.

8.2 Client Service Fee

Clients pay a service fee of 5 percent of the Barrister's professional fees for each Engagement. This fee is charged for access to Platform services including:

AI-assisted case intake and fact extraction tools
Secure document storage and case file management
Encrypted messaging with your Barrister
Case progress tracking and milestone updates
Calendar and scheduling integration
Payment protection through Stripe

The Client Service Fee is clearly displayed before payment is confirmed. It is non-refundable except where the Engagement does not proceed and no Client Care Letter has been accepted.

8.3 Fee Changes

We reserve the right to modify fee structures with 30 days' written notice to affected users. Changes do not apply retrospectively to existing Engagements.

9. Client Care Letters

The Platform may generate or facilitate a Client Care Letter using information provided by the Barrister and the Client.

The Barrister must review and approve the Client Care Letter before it is issued to the Client.

The Barrister remains solely responsible for the content, accuracy, and regulatory compliance of the Client Care Letter, including cancellation, refund, and complaints terms.

No work may be started or commenced until the Client Care Letter has been accepted by the Client. No payment may be processed before Client Care Letter acceptance.

The Client Care Letter generation tool is an administrative aid only. It does not constitute legal advice and does not replace the Barrister's professional obligation to ensure the Client Care Letter complies with the BSB Handbook.

10. Barrister Obligations

Barristers remain solely responsible for:

Compliance with the BSB Handbook and Code of Conduct
Assessing suitability of matters for Direct Access
Reviewing and approving Client Care Letters
Delivering legal services with reasonable skill and care
Advising Clients when they should instruct a solicitor instead
Maintaining client confidentiality
Avoiding conflicts of interest
Attending all scheduled hearings and conferences

Barristers act as independent professionals and not as employees, agents, or partners of the Platform.

Failure to attend a scheduled hearing may result in account suspension, requirement to refund fees, and reporting to the BSB where appropriate.

11. Client Responsibilities

Clients are responsible for:

Selecting a suitable Barrister (we do not assess suitability or make recommendations)
Understanding Direct Access responsibilities, including administrative tasks that would otherwise be handled by a solicitor
Providing accurate and complete instructions
Paying agreed fees before work commences
Complying with court procedures, deadlines, and orders where applicable
Filing documents at court where the Barrister is not authorised to conduct litigation

This Platform is for privately funded matters only. Legal aid matters require solicitor involvement. If you are or become eligible for legal aid, you must seek alternative representation. Barristers will advise you if legal aid appears available.

12. Testimonials

After an Engagement concludes, Clients may receive an invitation to provide a testimonial about their experience.

Testimonials are voluntary. Submission of a testimonial grants us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual licence to use, edit, and publish the testimonial on the Platform and in marketing materials.

We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, not to publish any testimonial. We may edit testimonials for length, clarity, or to remove identifying information, without altering the substance.

Barristers may opt out of having testimonials displayed on their profile. Where a Barrister opts out, testimonials will not be shown on their profile but may still be used in anonymised form in general Platform marketing.

Testimonials must be honest and based on genuine experience. We may remove any testimonial that we reasonably believe to be false, misleading, defamatory, or in breach of confidentiality.

We are not responsible for the content or accuracy of testimonials.

13. Refunds, Cancellations, and Complaints

13.1 Refunds and Cancellations

Refunds and cancellations are governed by:

The Barrister's Client Care Letter
Our Refund and Cancellation Policy (published separately)
Applicable UK consumer law, including the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013

The Platform may facilitate refunds but does not determine entitlement. Refund entitlement for legal services is a matter between Client and Barrister as set out in the Client Care Letter.

13.2 Consumer Cooling-Off Period

Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, Clients may have a 14-day right to cancel from the date of the agreement. However, where a Client has requested that work begin within the cooling-off period and the Barrister has commenced work with the Client's express consent, the right to cancel may be reduced or lost. The Client Care Letter will set out the applicable cancellation terms.

13.3 Complaints About Legal Services

Complaints about legal services are the responsibility of the Barrister.

We are not able to investigate, assess, or determine complaints about the quality or conduct of legal services. This is a regulatory requirement: barristers are independently regulated by the Bar Standards Board and must maintain their own complaints procedures.

If you have a complaint about legal services:

Contact the Barrister directly using their complaints procedure as set out in the Client Care Letter
If unresolved, contact the Legal Ombudsman at www.legalombudsman.org.uk or 0300 555 0333
Report serious misconduct to the Bar Standards Board at www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

The Platform provides administrative tools to help Barristers manage complaints (such as tracking, templates, and deadline reminders). These tools are administrative aids for the Barrister's use only and do not represent Platform involvement in the complaints process.

13.4 Complaints About the Platform

For complaints about Platform services (not legal services), contact us at legal@hireabarrister.com. We will acknowledge complaints within 5 business days and aim to resolve them within 20 business days.

14. Intellectual Property

14.1 Platform Ownership

The Platform and all its contents are owned by or licensed to HireABarrister Ltd and are protected by copyright, trademark, database right, and other intellectual property laws. This includes:

Platform design, layout, user interface, and functionality
The HireABarrister name, logo, branding, and all associated trademarks
All text, graphics, images, icons, and visual elements
Software, source code, algorithms, and databases
AI models, prompts, and outputs generated by Platform Tools
Client Care Letter templates and document templates
Case intake workflows and matching algorithms
All compilations of data and content

14.2 Limited Licence

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to access and use the Platform for its intended purpose only. This licence does not include any right to:

Copy, reproduce, or distribute Platform content
Modify, adapt, or create derivative works from Platform content
Reverse-engineer, decompile, or disassemble Platform software
Use Platform content for any commercial purpose outside the Platform
Frame, mirror, or scrape any part of the Platform
Use our branding, trademarks, or trade dress without written permission
Extract or re-utilise any part of the Platform database

14.3 User Content

You retain ownership of content you submit to the Platform (case descriptions, messages, documents, testimonials). By submitting content, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to use, store, process, display, and transmit that content for the purpose of operating and improving the Platform.

For testimonials specifically, you grant us an additional licence to edit, publish, and use testimonials in marketing materials as set out in Section 12.

14.4 AI-Generated Content

Content generated by Platform Tools (including AI-generated case summaries, Client Care Letter drafts, and matching outputs) is owned by HireABarrister Ltd. Where such content forms part of a Client Care Letter or other document used in an Engagement, the Barrister is granted a licence to use that content for the purposes of the Engagement only.

14.5 Barrister Work Product

Barristers retain full ownership of their legal advice, opinions, pleadings, and other professional work product. We claim no ownership over legal work produced by Barristers.

14.6 Enforcement

We will take action to protect our intellectual property rights. Unauthorised use of Platform content, branding, or technology may result in account termination, injunctive relief, and claims for damages.

15. Data Protection and Privacy

We process personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy, UK GDPR, and the Data Protection Act 2018. Our Privacy Policy is published separately and is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

Our Data Protection Officer is Joe Lafferty. Contact: info@hireabarrister.com.

Communications between Clients and Barristers may be subject to legal professional privilege. However, communications through the Platform may not always attract privilege. You should discuss confidentiality expectations with your Barrister.

16. Suspension and Termination

16.1 Our Rights

We may suspend or terminate an account, with or without notice, where we reasonably believe that:

These Terms have been breached
The Platform has been misused
There has been an attempt to circumvent fees
Conduct poses a risk to other users or to the Platform
A Barrister's practising status or insurance has lapsed
Fraudulent activity is suspected

16.2 Your Rights

You may close your account at any time by contacting us. Upon termination, active Engagements must be completed, outstanding fees must be paid, and pending disputes must be resolved.

16.3 Effect of Termination

Termination does not affect obligations accrued prior to termination. Sections on Indemnities, Liability, Intellectual Property, Data Protection, and Dispute Resolution survive termination.

We may retain data as required by law (minimum 6 years for financial records). You may request export of your data before termination.

17. Indemnities

17.1 Barrister Indemnity

Barristers indemnify us against all claims, damages, losses, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

Their provision of legal services
Professional negligence or misconduct
Breach of professional obligations or BSB Code of Conduct
Failure to attend hearings or complete agreed work
Misrepresentation of qualifications or experience
Complaints to the BSB or Legal Ombudsman
Breach of client confidentiality
Breach of these Terms

17.2 Client Indemnity

Clients indemnify us against all claims, damages, losses, and expenses arising from:

Their use of the Platform
Their instructions to Barristers
Information they provide
Failure to comply with court rules, deadlines, or orders
Disputes with Barristers about fees or services
Breach of these Terms

18. Liability

To the extent permitted by law:

We exclude liability for Barrister conduct, legal work, and legal outcomes
We exclude liability for the accuracy, content, or compliance of Client Care Letters (this is the Barrister's responsibility)
We exclude liability for any output of Platform Tools, which are administrative aids only and not legal advice
We exclude liability for indirect or consequential loss
Our total aggregate liability is limited to fees paid to us in the preceding 12 months

Nothing in these Terms excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded under English law.

Your statutory rights as a consumer are not affected.

19. Dispute Resolution

19.1 Disputes Between Clients and Barristers

We are not involved in disputes between Clients and Barristers. Such disputes are solely between the parties. See Section 13.3 for complaint routes.

19.2 Disputes With Us

For disputes with HireABarrister Ltd:

Contact us at legal@hireabarrister.com to attempt informal resolution. We will respond within 15 business days.
If unresolved, either party may pursue resolution through the courts of England and Wales.

19.3 Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the law of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction.

If you are a consumer, nothing in these Terms affects your statutory rights or your right to bring claims in court.

20. General Provisions

Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, and Refund and Cancellation Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Platform. Engagements between Clients and Barristers are governed by their separate contracts (Client Care Letters).

Severability: If any provision is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full force.

Waiver: Our failure to enforce any right does not constitute a waiver.

Assignment: You may not assign these Terms without our written consent. We may assign our rights and obligations without restriction.

Force Majeure: We are not liable for failure to perform due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

Electronic Communications: You consent to receive communications from us electronically.

Changes to Terms: We may update these Terms from time to time. Where changes are material, registered users will be notified and given the opportunity to review them. Changes do not apply retrospectively to existing Engagements.

21. Contact

HireABarrister Ltd

Email: legal@hireabarrister.com

Data Protection Officer: Joe Lafferty, info@hireabarrister.com

Registered Office: Maddox And Co, 34-35 Butcher Row, Shrewsbury, SY1 1UW

Company Number: 16783218

By creating an account or using the Platform, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms of Service.