General Terms and Conditions Last Modified: January 19, 2025

Introduction

Thank you for using TopLegal.

TopLegal is a legal platform owned and operated by STC ("TopLegal", "we", or "us"). We are based in the United Kingdom. Our registered office is at [insert office address], and our VAT number is [insert VAT number].

Agreement Between You and TopLegal

These General Terms and Conditions ("Terms") form an agreement ("Agreement") between you and TopLegal. They govern your use of the information, software, products, and services made available through the TopLegal platform (the "Platform"). By using the Platform, you agree to these Terms as well as our Privacy Policy.

This Agreement applies to any use of the Platform, including as a guest, subscriber, or otherwise.

You are responsible for ensuring that you have appropriate arrangements to access the Platform and that your contact details provided to us are correct and up to date. You are also responsible for ensuring that anyone who accesses the Platform through your internet connection is aware of these Terms and complies with them.

The Platform is offered to you conditional upon your acceptance of these Terms. Please read these Terms carefully before using the Platform. By using the Platform, you agree to be bound by them.

You must be the legal age of majority in your country of residence to use the Platform. Use of the Platform is not permitted by anyone under the age of 18.

In other words By using TopLegal, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. You also need to be at least 18 to use the Platform.

TopLegal Legal Information is Not a Substitute for Legal Advice

TopLegal provides a platform for legal information and self-help. The content and documents provided by TopLegal, along with information related to law ("Legal Information"), are intended for private use and do not constitute legal advice. We cannot guarantee that the Legal Information is accurate, up to date, or suitable for every situation.

The documents available on the Platform are customisable templates intended to serve as a starting point for creating legal documents. They should be adapted to meet your specific needs. For tailored legal advice, you should consult a qualified lawyer.

As TopLegal is not a regulated law firm, communications between you and TopLegal may not be protected by legal professional privilege.

Your use of the Platform does not create a lawyer-client relationship between you and TopLegal, or between you and any TopLegal employee or representative. You are responsible for representing yourself in any legal matters unless otherwise engaged with a lawyer independently.

In other words TopLegal provides legal templates and information but is not a substitute for legal advice. Consult a lawyer if you need personalised legal assistance.

Subscriptions Based on Document Usage

TopLegal operates on a document-based subscription model. Depending on your subscription plan, you will have access to a specified number of legal documents per month or year.

Unused document allowances do not roll over to subsequent billing periods unless explicitly stated in your subscription terms. Additional documents outside your subscription allowance may be purchased separately.

Please refer to our Membership and Pricing page for more details on available subscription plans.

Trial Offers and Paid Subscriptions

TopLegal may offer trial subscriptions for limited use of our services ("Trial Offers"). If you opt for a Trial Offer, you must provide a valid payment method (e.g., credit card) at the time of signup. At the end of the Trial Offer, you will automatically be transitioned to a paid subscription unless you cancel before the trial period ends.

Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing period (monthly or annually), and your payment method will be charged unless you cancel. You can cancel or adjust your subscription at any time through your account settings on the Platform.

In other words We offer document-based subscriptions and trial periods. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled before the renewal date.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

If you decide to cancel your subscription, you can do so through your account settings or by contacting our customer support team at [insert contact email].

Refund Policy:

1. You have 14 days (the "Statutory Period") from the start of your subscription to request a refund.
2. If you cancel within the Statutory Period but have already used the service, we may deduct fees for the number of documents accessed or services used before cancellation.
3. No refunds will be issued under the following circumstances:
4. The Statutory Period has expired, and your subscription is active.
5. You have downloaded or accessed documents after explicitly consenting to waive your right to cancel.
6. You have engaged in paid services (e.g., Ask a Lawyer consultations) during the Statutory Period.

In other words You can request a refund within 14 days of starting your subscription. If you've used the service, we may deduct fees for usage. Refunds aren't available after the 14-day period or for downloaded documents.

Ask a Lawyer Service

As part of your subscription, you may have access to the "Ask a Lawyer" service, where you can submit legal questions. Questions may be answered by paralegals or independent lawyers ("Lawyers"). Please note:

1. Responses are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice.
2. Complex matters may require a consultation or separate engagement with a lawyer, which will be subject to additional fees.
3. Independent Lawyers are not employees or representatives of TopLegal. Any agreement between you and an independent lawyer is separate and not governed by these Terms.

In other words You can submit legal questions via Ask a Lawyer. Responses are not legal advice. For complex matters, you may need to separately engage a lawyer.

Fees and Changes to Fees

We reserve the right to change our pricing or subscription terms, but any changes will apply prospectively. If you do not agree to a price increase, you may cancel your subscription before the new pricing takes effect.

Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled before the renewal date. By subscribing, you authorise us to charge your payment method for the applicable fees.

Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

TopLegal provides the Platform "as is" without any warranties or guarantees. We are not responsible for:

1. Errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in the Legal Information provided.
2. Any decision made or action taken based on the use of the Platform.
3. Losses or damages arising from your use of or inability to use the Platform.

Our liability is limited to the maximum extent permitted by law and will not exceed the fees you have paid to us in the 12 months preceding the claim.

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of Scotland. Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Platform will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Scotland.

In other words We are not liable for how you use our services or any errors in the information provided. Legal disputes will be handled in Scotland.

TopLegal Company Formation Service

Ordering

TopLegal, a legal platform owned by STC and based in the UK, offers a company formation service. As part of that service, TopLegal occasionally partners with suppliers to fulfill company formation, registered agent, or other company filings. By purchasing a company formation from TopLegal, you grant us the right to authorise our supplier to file with Companies House, as an authorised person for and on your behalf, the statutory forms required to implement the Company Formation Service. Please note that we may need to ask you to provide proof of your identity, and the provision of the Company Formation Service is subject to the receipt of this information. You understand and agree that TopLegal will share certain personally identifiable information with the applicable supplier.

Limitation of Liability

We do not accept liability for errors or omissions in the company formation information you submit through our website or for any company formation applications subsequently rejected by Companies House.

We do not accept liability should your company be struck off and/or removed from the register if your company fails to meet statutory requirements.

It is your responsibility to ensure that any company name you choose is available for registration and can lawfully be used by you. We accept no liability for your choice of name.

Services Not Included as Part of the Company Formation Service

TopLegal’s Company Formation Service does not include any of the following for any purchase options we offer on the website:

1. Accountancy advisory services;
2. Tax advice;
3. Auditing of your books;
4. Any other service not expressly mentioned;
5. Any advice regarding the suitability or adequacy of any company you may register using our Company Formation Service.

We recommend that you seek independent advice before purchasing a Company Formation service from us. Alternatively, you can speak to a suitably qualified lawyer using our "Ask a Lawyer" service.

Refund Policy

If you purchase our Company Formation Service but change your mind before submitting the company details to Companies House, we will refund all monies paid to us, from which we reserve the right to deduct a £20.00 administration charge. This charge covers our merchant charges (both on the purchase and the refund), as well as other incidental expenses. Refunds cannot be given once the company details have been submitted to Companies House.

In Other Words

We offer company formation services but are not liable for the information you submit or the outcome of your application. If you change your mind, we cannot refund you once the company details have been submitted to Companies House.

Validity of Electronic Signatures

TopLegal enables you to send and receive valid electronic signatures in the United Kingdom under the Electronic Identification and Trust Services for Electronic Transactions (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/89) (the "UK eIDAS Regulation"). TopLegal does not authenticate users’ signatures or identities.

By using the website and services, you consent to using electronic signatures on TopLegal. You also agree that no certification authority or other third-party verification is needed to validate your electronic signature and that the lack of such certification or third-party verification will not affect the enforceability of your electronic signature or any resulting contract signed using TopLegal’s technology.

In Other Words

TopLegal’s electronic signature service offers you legally binding signatures.

Data Protection

Any personal information you provide to us via the website is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms.

In Other Words

For information on how we collect, use, and share your personal information, read our privacy policy.

Intellectual Property Rights

For the purposes of these Terms, "Intellectual Property Rights" means any and all intellectual property rights, whether registered or unregistered, including but not limited to any patents, trademarks, domain names, URLs, design rights, copyright, software rights, database rights, rights in and to business names, product names and logos, processes, trade secrets, confidential information, and any similar rights in any jurisdiction.

TopLegal shall retain and be assigned all rights, title, interest, and Intellectual Property Rights in relation to the legal forms, legal documents, letters, legal guides, articles, and all other content found on the website (the "Content").

Except as otherwise provided in these Terms, you must not:

1. Reproduce, modify, translate or create derivative works of any Content;
2. Sell, license, sublicense, rent, lease, distribute, copy, publicly display, publish, adapt, or edit any Content;
3. Circumvent or disable any security or technical features of the Content.

TopLegal® is a registered trademark of TopLegal UK Limited. The names of any companies or products mentioned on the website may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

All Content is Copyright © TopLegal and/or its suppliers, affiliates, and partners. All rights reserved.

In Other Words

TopLegal’s intellectual property belongs to us. You agree not to copy or sell any of our intellectual property.

No Unlawful or Prohibited Use

As a condition of your use of the website, you will not use the website for any purpose that is unlawful or prohibited by these Terms. You will not use the website in any manner which could damage, disable, overburden, or impair the website, or interfere with any other party’s use and enjoyment of the website. You will neither obtain nor attempt to obtain any materials or information through any means not intentionally provided for on the website.

The content is protected by copyright and all other applicable Intellectual Property Rights set out above. Content is for your personal use only and not for resale. Your use of the website does not entitle you to resell any content from the website. For the avoidance of doubt, your use of the website constitutes your acceptance of these Terms and your promise that you will not resell or otherwise attempt to commercially benefit from the content without our written express consent.

Our status (and those of any identified contributors) as the authors of material on the website must always be acknowledged, and you must not use the material in a derogatory manner. If you print off, copy, or download any part of the website in breach of these Terms, your right to use the website will cease immediately, and you must, at our option, return or destroy any copies of the materials you have made.

In Other Words

You agree not to use our website for any unlawful or prohibited purpose.

Acceptable Use of Communication Services

The website may contain services such as bulletin board services, chat areas, news groups, forums, communities, personal web pages, calendars, and/or other message or communication facilities designed to enable you to communicate with the public at large or with a group (collectively, "Communication Services"). You agree to use the Communication Services only to post, send, and receive messages and material that are proper and related to the particular Communication Service.

You agree that when using a Communication Service, you will not:

1. Defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten, or otherwise breach the legal rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others;
2. Publish, post, upload, distribute, or disseminate any inappropriate, profane, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, or unlawful topic, name, material, or information;
3. Upload files that contain software or other material protected by intellectual property laws (or by rights of privacy or publicity) unless you own or control these rights or have received all necessary consents;
4. Upload files that contain viruses, corrupted files, or any other similar software or programs that may damage the operation of another's computer;
5. Advertise or offer to sell or buy any goods or services for any business purpose, unless such Communication Service specifically allows such messages;
6. Conduct or forward surveys, contests, pyramid schemes, or chain letters;
7. Download any file posted by another user of a Communication Service that you know, or reasonably should know, cannot be legally distributed in such manner;
8. Falsify or delete any author attributions, legal or other proper notices, or proprietary designations or labels of the origin or source of software or other material contained in a file that is uploaded;
9. Restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying the Communication Services;
10. Breach any code of conduct or other guidelines that may be applicable for any particular Communication Service;
11. Harvest or otherwise collect information about others, including email addresses, without their consent;
12. Breach any applicable laws or regulations.

We reserve the right, in our own discretion, to review and remove materials posted to a Communication Service, in whole or in part. TopLegal reserves the right to terminate your access to any or all of the Communication Services at any time without notice if we reasonably believe that you have breached these Terms or are misusing the Communication Services in any way.

Always use caution when giving out any personally identifying information about yourself or your children in any Communication Service. We do not control or endorse the content, messages, or information found in any Communication Service and, therefore, we specifically disclaim any liability with regard to the Communication Services and any actions resulting from your participation in any Communication Service. Managers and hosts are not our authorised spokespersons, and their views do not necessarily reflect our views.

Materials uploaded to a Communication Service may be subject to posted limitations on usage, reproduction, and/or dissemination. You are responsible for keeping within these limitations if you download the materials.

In Other Words

We offer many ways to communicate through our website, like message boards, chat areas, forums, and more. You agree to use those services as intended and not to post anything illegal or abusive.