Terms of Service

Last Updated: March 2, 2026  |  Effective Date: March 2, 2026

1. About FinLawExperts

FinLawExperts is an online technology platform that operates as a professional directory and appointment marketplace, enabling clients to discover and book consultations with independently practising Chartered Accountants (CAs), Company Secretaries (CS), and Advocates/Lawyers ("Experts"). We operate solely as an intermediary technology platform — we are NOT a law firm, accounting firm, legal referral service, or professional services provider of any kind.

1A. Platform Nature & Regulatory Compliance

a) Directory Service — Not Advertising

FinLawExperts functions as a neutral, technology-enabled directory where independently practising professionals list their factual professional information (qualifications, practice areas, experience, and consultation fees). This is consistent with the Bar Council of India's 2008 amendment permitting Advocates to furnish basic professional information through websites. No Expert on this platform solicits, advertises, or promotes their services through FinLawExperts. The platform merely organises publicly available professional information to help clients discover relevant professionals based on their specific requirements.

b) Client-Initiated Discovery

All connections on FinLawExperts are initiated exclusively by clients. Clients independently search for professionals based on their own requirements, compare profiles based on factual credentials, and make their own informed choice. At no point does FinLawExperts refer, recommend, or direct a client to any specific Expert. The AI-matching feature uses objective parameters (practice area, location, availability, ratings) to organise search results — it does not constitute a referral or endorsement.

c) Compliance with Professional Body Regulations

FinLawExperts respects and operates within the regulatory framework established by the Bar Council of India (BCI), the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), and the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI). Specifically:

• For Advocates: Listing on FinLawExperts is limited to factual professional information (name, qualifications, Bar Council enrollment, practice areas, and fees) as permitted under BCI rules. Advocates on this platform do not solicit clients, and their presence on this directory does not constitute advertising under Rule 36 of the Bar Council of India Rules, 1975.
• For Chartered Accountants: Listing is restricted to factual professional details in compliance with the ICAI Code of Ethics (Clause 6 & 7 of the First Schedule to the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949). No promotional or comparative claims are made on behalf of any CA.
• For Company Secretaries: Listing complies with ICSI guidelines governing professional conduct and information disclosure.

d) No Professional Relationship

FinLawExperts does not create, imply, or facilitate any attorney-client, CA-client, or professional-client relationship. Any such relationship exists exclusively between the client and the independently practising Expert. FinLawExperts has no involvement in, control over, or liability for the professional advice, services, or outcomes delivered by any Expert.

e) Expert Responsibility

Each Expert registered on FinLawExperts is an independently practising professional who is solely responsible for:

• Maintaining valid professional registration and practicing certificate with the relevant regulatory body (BCI, ICAI, or ICSI).
• Ensuring their listing information is accurate, factual, and compliant with their professional body's code of conduct.
• The quality, accuracy, legality, and appropriateness of all advice and services they provide to clients.
• Compliance with all applicable laws, professional ethics, and regulatory requirements governing their practice.

2. Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years old to use FinLawExperts.
• You must provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration.
• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account.

3. User Accounts

a) Client Accounts

• Clients sign in using Google Authentication.
• Clients can search for experts, book consultations, and leave reviews.
• Clients are responsible for providing accurate information in their service briefs.

b) Expert Accounts

• Experts must provide valid professional credentials (CA membership number or Bar Council enrollment number).
• Experts must maintain accurate and up-to-date profile information.
• Experts are solely responsible for the quality and accuracy of their professional services.
• FinLawExperts reserves the right to verify credentials and deactivate profiles that provide false information.

4. Bookings & Consultations

• A booking is confirmed only after successful payment through Razorpay.
• Consultation fees are determined by our dynamic fee engine based on expert performance metrics (rating, resolution rate, repeat client rate, and show-up rate).
• Fees range from ₹500 to ₹1,500 per consultation session.
• Expert contact details (name, phone, address) are shared with the client only after successful payment.
• Both parties are expected to honour the booked time slot.

5. Payments & Refunds

a) Payment Processing

• All payments are processed securely through Razorpay (PCI-DSS compliant).
• FinLawExperts does not store credit/debit card information.
• Payment confirmation is required before expert contact details are revealed.

b) Refund Policy

• Expert No-Show: If an expert fails to show up for a confirmed consultation, the client is entitled to a full refund. Contact us within 24 hours of the scheduled appointment.
• Client Cancellation: Cancellations made more than 24 hours before the appointment may be eligible for a refund (minus a 10% processing fee). Cancellations within 24 hours are non-refundable.
• Service Quality Issues: If you believe the consultation was grossly inadequate, you may raise a dispute within 48 hours. FinLawExperts will review and decide at its discretion.
• Refunds will be processed to the original payment method within 5-7 business days.

6. Reviews & Ratings

• Clients may leave a review and rating (1-5 stars) after a completed consultation.
• Reviews must be honest, relevant, and based on actual consultation experience.
• Reviews containing abusive language, hate speech, personal attacks, or false claims will be removed.
• FinLawExperts reserves the right to moderate and remove reviews at its discretion.
• Reviews directly impact expert fees through the dynamic fee engine.

7. Expert Responsibilities

• Experts must hold valid and current professional registrations (ICAI for CAs, Bar Council for Lawyers).
• Experts are independently responsible for the advice and services they provide.
• Experts must maintain professional conduct during all consultations.
• Experts must show up for confirmed appointments. Repeated no-shows will result in account suspension.
• Experts must not solicit clients to transact outside the FinLawExperts platform.

8. Client Responsibilities

• Clients must provide truthful information in their service briefs.
• Clients must show up for confirmed appointments.
• Clients must not use the platform to obtain expert contact details without genuine intent to consult.
• Clients must not share expert contact details obtained through the platform with third parties.

9. Prohibited Conduct

You agree NOT to:

• Use the platform for any unlawful purpose.
• Impersonate any person or entity.
• Submit false credentials or information.
• Harass, threaten, or abuse other users.
• Attempt to access other users' accounts or data.
• Scrape, crawl, or use automated tools to extract data from the platform.
• Interfere with the platform's operation or security.
• Circumvent the payment system or fee structure.

10. Intellectual Property

• The FinLawExperts name, logo, design, and all platform content are owned by FinLawExperts.
• You may not copy, reproduce, or distribute any part of the platform without written consent.
• Expert profile content remains the intellectual property of the respective expert.

11. Limitation of Liability

• FinLawExperts acts solely as an intermediary connecting clients with experts.
• We do not guarantee the accuracy of expert credentials beyond initial verification.
• We are not responsible for any loss, damage, or dispute arising from consultations.
• Our total liability shall not exceed the consultation fee paid for the relevant booking.
• We are not liable for platform downtime, data loss, or technical issues beyond our reasonable control.

12. Account Suspension & Termination

FinLawExperts reserves the right to suspend or terminate any account that:

• Violates these Terms of Service.
• Provides false or misleading information.
• Engages in fraudulent or abusive behaviour.
• Receives repeated complaints from other users.
• Fails to maintain valid professional credentials (for experts).

13. Dispute Resolution

• Any disputes between users should first be raised with FinLawExperts support via email.
• We will attempt to mediate and resolve disputes within 15 business days.
• If unresolved, disputes shall be subject to arbitration under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.
• The seat of arbitration shall be Mohali, Punjab, India.

14. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date. Continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

15. Governing Law

These Terms of Service are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India. Any legal proceedings shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in Mohali, Punjab, India.

16. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact: