Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using OpenCounsel ("Platform"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use our services. OpenCounsel operates in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Ghana.

2. About Our Service

OpenCounsel is a legal services matching platform that connects individuals seeking legal assistance with qualified lawyers registered with the Ghana Bar Association (GBA).

Important: OpenCounsel is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. We facilitate connections between consumers and lawyers but do not participate in or guarantee the outcome of any legal engagement.

3. User Accounts

For Consumers:

• You may submit cases without creating an account
• You must provide accurate contact information
• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your case reference number

For Lawyers:

• You must be a registered member of the Ghana Bar Association
• Your GBA number will be verified before account activation
• You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials
• You must keep your profile information accurate and up-to-date

4. Platform Use

You agree not to:

• Use the platform for any unlawful purpose
• Provide false or misleading information
• Impersonate any person or entity
• Interfere with the proper functioning of the platform
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems
• Use automated systems to access the platform without permission

5. Subscription and Payments (Lawyers)

• Subscription plans and lead fees are detailed on our pricing page
• All payments are processed securely through Paystack
• Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled before the renewal date
• Lead fees are charged when you respond to a case (after free leads are exhausted)
• Refunds are handled on a case-by-case basis

6. Lawyer-Client Relationship

Any engagement between a consumer and a lawyer facilitated through OpenCounsel creates a direct lawyer-client relationship between those parties. OpenCounsel is not a party to this relationship and bears no responsibility for:

• The quality of legal services provided
• Fee negotiations between lawyers and clients
• The outcome of any legal matter
• Disputes between lawyers and clients

7. Disclaimers

THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND. WE DO NOT GUARANTEE:

• Uninterrupted or error-free service
• The accuracy of lawyer profiles or verifications
• That a suitable lawyer will be available for every case
• Any specific outcome from using our platform

8. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by Ghanaian law, OpenCounsel and its affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the platform.

9. Intellectual Property

All content, features, and functionality of the platform, including text, graphics, logos, and software, are owned by OpenCounsel and protected by intellectual property laws.

10. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to the platform at any time for violation of these terms or for any other reason at our discretion. Lawyers may cancel their subscriptions at any time through the billing dashboard.

11. Governing Law

These Terms of Service shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Ghana. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Ghana.

12. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. We will notify users of material changes by posting the updated terms on this page. Continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the new terms.

13. Contact Us

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

• Email: legal@opencounsel.com
• General Inquiries: Contact Page