Terms of use of the HUGO.legal platform for the legal service customer
1. General provisions
The web platform HUGO.legal is administered by the OÜ HUGO, registry code 12821618, address Keemia 4, 10616 Tallinn (hereinafter HUGO).
The HUGO.legal platform is an online service that mediates legal services to providers of legal aid. The HUGO.legal platform also allows you to store files related to the provision of legal services and to pay for legal aid. HUGO is a provider of information society services and does not provide legal services. HUGO.legal mediates the provision of legal services between a lawyer and a client. The lawyer provides legal services to the customer in the conformity with an authorization agreement and acts independently in his economic or professional activities. The conditions for providing legal services are determined by the lawyer. HUGO does not specify the time, place or cost of providing legal services.
There is no employment relationship between the customer and HUGO. HUGO acts as an economic agent for both the lawyer and the client. The customer authorizes HUGO to act as a paying agent with limited rights, which collects from the customer a fee for the provision of legal services. Payment for legal services from the customer to the lawyer is only made through the HUGO.legal platform. HUGO submits invoices for legal services to customers on behalf of a lawyer.
2. Requirements to the customer
The HUGO.legal platform may be used by a natural person or legal entity of at least 18 years of age. On behalf of a legal entity, the HUGO.legal platform may be used by a legal or authorized representative of a legal entity.
3. Obligations of the customer
When using the HUGO.legal platform, the customer undertakes:
- placing the order, to specify true and complete information and describe your need for legal service.
- to disclose true personal data.
- refrain from disturbing or damaging the HUGO.legal platform, software or service provided thereon.
- by the due date to pay for the legal service provided by the lawyer on the basis of invoices transmitted by HUGO.
- refrain from activities that would allow a lawyer to provide legal services to the customer without paying HUGO.legal a commission, incl. the payment made to a lawyer outside the HUGO.legal platform for legal services ordered on HUGO.legal platform.
4. Mediation of legal service between a lawyer and a customer
The HUGO.legal platform selects the legal service provider for the customer taking into account the legal field, experience and hourly fees of the lawyer. The legal service is provided under the terms and conditions set forth in the authorization agreement and the HUGO.legal platform.
The HUGO.legal platform mediates the standard terms and conditions of the agreement for the provision of legal services to the customer and to the lawyer. The lawyer and the customer may not agree on terms and conditions that conflict with the standard terms of the HUGO.legal platform authorization agreement.
The authorization agreement is concluded in a format that can be reproduced in writing. The customer’s offer (offer) for the conclusion of the agreement is deemed to have been made the moment the HUGO.legal platform offers the lawyer. The consent of the lawyer (acceptance) to enter the agreement shall be deemed to have been given the moment the HUGO.legal platform transmits the customer order to the lawyer. The customer and the lawyer do not have to perform any additional actions to enter the agency agreement.
If it becomes apparent from the circumstances of the order that the lawyer is unable to perform the task, the lawyer may exceptionally cancel the authorization agreement within three calendar days. The lawyer must notify HUGO of the extraordinary cancellation of the agreement. The lawyer does not have the right to charge the client for legal services that the lawyer performed prior to the extraordinary cancellation. Upon extraordinary cancellation of the agreement, the HUGO.legal platform shall mediate an offer of a new lawyer to the client meeting the circumstances of the customer request.
If, in the course of providing legal services, a lawyer is required to produce a document certifying his mandate or authorization, the lawyer must formalize the authorization and ask the customer for a signature to confirm the mandate.
The lawyer and the customer have the option of depositing the files on the HUGO.legal platform. The lawyer pays HUGO for the mediation of legal services.
5. Legal service fee
The lawyer provides legal services based on the hourly rate, which depends on the lawyer’s qualifications and previous work experience. The lawyer must note the timing of the legal service and the description of the service on the HUGO.legal platform.
The customer pays the lawyer a fee according to the time spent on providing legal services. The legal service fee is calculated with a 15-minute accuracy. The fee is accounted on a calendar month basis. The HUGO.legal platform may offer payment solutions for legal services, the terms of use of which will be published on the HUGO.legal platform.
The invoice will be issued for legal services provided in the previous calendar month unless otherwise agreed by the lawyer, HUGO and the customer. The lawyer may ask the customer to pay for expenses related to the legal services in advance if this is necessary for the provision of legal services.
The customer must compensate the lawyer for the costs related to the legal services such as state fees, transport, translation, etc. The lawyer and the customer separately agree on the reimbursement of expenses. The lawyer may incur the costs of providing legal services if the customer has given its approval. The approval must be certified by a lawyer.
The lawyer is responsible for the withholding and payment of labour taxes or other taxes and payments accompanying the provision of legal services. The term for payment of the legal service fee is indicated on an invoice mediated via the HUGO.legal platform. Upon payment of the fee to the HUGO bank account, the customer payment obligation towards the lawyer is deemed to be fulfilled.
6. Settlement of payment disputes
Disputes arising from or related to the provision of legal services shall be settled between the customer and the lawyer. HUGO may settle a dispute regarding legal fees between the customer and the lawyer and offer compromise solutions.
7. Assessment of a lawyer
The customer may assess the legal service provided by the lawyer on the HUGO.legal platform. The rating and comments given to the lawyer are public on the HUGO.legal platform. HUGO has the right to determine the terms and conditions for publishing the reviews.
Assessment to a lawyer on the HUGO.legal platform are based on the customer reviews and are not a confirmation of the quality, legal knowledge or personal qualities of the legal service provided by a lawyer. It is not possible to predict the outcome of providing legal services on the grounds of an assessment of a lawyer on the HUGO.legal platform.
8. Storage of documents
The lawyer may record documents accompanying the provision of legal services on the HUGO.legal platform. If the lawyer cancels the authorization agreement, violates the terms of use of the the HUGO.legal platform or the obligations under the authorization agreement of the lawyer and the client, HUGO may grant the access to the documents to another lawyer with the consent of the client. The customer agrees that the documents will be used in the machine-learning program of the HUGO.legal platform. The processing of personal data in the machine-learning program takes place in the anonymised form.
9. Database
The HUGO.legal platform is a database of individuals, lawyers, materials and documents regarding parties that wish to order legal services. It is a database within the meaning of the Copyright Act, and the exclusive rights of the creator of the database belong to HUGO. Using the HUGO.legal platform, the customer will only be entitled to use the database to the extent necessary for ordering a legal service through the HUGO.legal platform. The customer may not copy the databases without the relevant consent of HUGO.
10. Liability
The HUGO.legal shall not be held liable for:
- the performance of the authorization agreement by a lawyer.
- lawyer knowledge and skills.
- execution of the authorization agreement.
- damages caused to the customer in the course of providing legal services.
- damages to the customer arising from the use of the platform.
- preservation of documents stored on the platform.
- technical failures, faults and interruptions on the platform. Relevant circumstances shall not be considered a breach of the terms.
The HUGO.legal platform is offered under the technical conditions as they are at the moment of use. HUGO is not obliged to develop the HUGO.legal platform according to the customer needs but may take into the account the client’s suggestions for developing the HUGO.legal platform.
HUGO shall be liable to the customer for any damage caused by gross negligence or intentional act. The maximum amount of damage compensated by HUGO is EUR 500. The customer must submit a claim for damages within 12 calendar months of becoming aware of the damage.
11. Suspension of access to the platform
HUGO may suspend the customer’s right to use the HUGO.legal platform if the customer breaches the Terms of Use, the Authorization Agreement, or if HUGO finds that the Customer has behaved inappropriately and / or unworthily against a lawyer or HUGO.
12. Other provisions
The customer is aware that the lawyer provides legal services on the HUGO legal platform considering the customer needs, and, when exercising the lawful 14-day right of withdrawal, the customer is obliged to pay for legal services to the extent that the lawyer provided until the right of withdrawal is exercised.
HUGO reserves the right to change the Terms of Use without the consent of the Customer. If the customer does not agree to the terms, he must stop using the HUGO.legal platform. If the customer continues to use the HUGO.legal platform, the customer is deemed to have accepted the Terms of Use.
These Terms of Use and any rights and obligations arising therefrom or related thereto shall be governed by laws of the Republic of Estonia. Disputes arising from or related to the Terms of Use are resolved by negotiation. If a dispute cannot be resolved by negotiation, the dispute shall be resolved in the manner prescribed by law.