Terms of Use – Lawyers (Global)

SOS Expat by WorldExpat OÜ (the "Platform", "SOS", "we")

Version 2.2 – Last updated: June 16, 2025

1Definitions

Application / Site / Platform: digital services operated by WorldExpat OÜ enabling the connection between users (the "Users") and lawyers (the "Lawyers").

Connection: the technical/operational introduction made by the Platform between a User and a Lawyer, represented by (i) the transmission of contact details, (ii) opening a communication channel (call, message, video), or (iii) the Lawyer accepting a request submitted via the Platform.

Country of Intervention: the jurisdiction primarily targeted by the Request at the time of the Connection. Failing that, the country of residence of the User at the time of the request; in case of multiple jurisdictions, the one most closely related to the subject of the Request.

Connection Fee: fees owed to SOS for each Connection (art. 7): €19 if paid in EUR or $25 USD if paid in USD, provided that SOS Expat may modify these amounts and/or publish local scales per country/currency, with prospective effect.

Request: the legal situation/project presented by the User.

Payment Provider(s): third-party services used to collect the User's single payment and distribute funds.

2Purpose, Scope, and Acceptance

2.1. These Terms govern access to and use of the Platform by Lawyers.

2.2. SOS Expat acts solely as a technical intermediary for connections. SOS Expat does not practice law, provide legal advice, or participate in the Lawyer–User relationship.

2.3. Electronic Acceptance (click-wrap). The Lawyer accepts the Terms by checking the dedicated box during registration and/or by using the Platform. This constitutes an electronic signature and contractual consent. SOS may retain proof logs (timestamps, technical identifiers).

2.4. Changes. SOS may update the Terms and/or fee schedules (per country/currency) at any time, with prospective effect after publication on the Platform. Continued use constitutes acceptance.

2.5. Duration: indefinite.

3Lawyer Status – Independence and Compliance

3.1. The Lawyer acts as an independent professional; no employment, mandate, agency, partnership, or joint venture is created with SOS Expat.

3.2. The Lawyer is solely responsible for: (i) their degrees, titles, bar/equivalent registrations, and practice authorizations; (ii) their professional liability insurance valid and appropriate for the Countries of Intervention; (iii) compliance with local laws and professional rules (ethics, advertising/solicitation, conflicts of interest, professional secrecy, AML/KYC, taxation, consumer protection, etc.).

3.3. SOS Expat does not supervise or evaluate the content or quality of the Lawyer’s advice and assumes no responsibility in this regard.

3.4. Professional capacity (B2B). The Lawyer declares acting exclusively for professional purposes. Consumer protection regimes do not apply to the SOS Expat–Lawyer relationship.

4Account Creation, Verification, and Security

4.1. Requirements: valid right to practice in at least one jurisdiction, proof of identity and qualifications, valid professional liability insurance.

4.2. Process: account creation, document submission, manual validation which may include a video interview and KYC/AML checks via Providers.

4.3. Accuracy & Updates: the Lawyer guarantees the accuracy and currency of information; one (1) account per Lawyer.

4.4. Security: the Lawyer protects their credentials; any activity via the account is deemed performed by them; immediate reporting of any compromise.

4.5. Inactivity & termination. After 365 days of inactivity, the account may be automatically deactivated following notification. The Lawyer may close their account at any time after fulfilling their outstanding obligations. SOS Expat may suspend or terminate an account for violation of the Terms, without prejudice to other remedies.

4.6. Electronic communications. The Lawyer consents to receive any notifications related to the Terms by electronic means (email, in-app notification, publication on the Platform).

5Rules of Use – Conflicts, Confidentiality, Non-Circumvention

5.1. Conflicts of interest. The Lawyer conducts appropriate screening before any advice. In case of conflict, they withdraw and inform the User.

5.2. Professional secrecy & confidentiality. The Lawyer respects confidentiality/professional secrecy according to the applicable law of the Country of Intervention. Exchanges are not recorded by SOS, except as required by law.

5.3. Non-circumvention. SOS Expat does not receive any commission on fees. Each new Connection with a new User via the Platform incurs Connection Fees. Circumventing the Platform to avoid these fees for a new introduction is prohibited.

5.4. Prohibited behavior. Identity/title impersonation, illegal content, manipulation, collusion/boicotting to harm the Platform, violation of sanctions/export laws, or any illegal activity.

5.5. Availability. The Platform is provided "as is"; uninterrupted availability is not guaranteed (maintenance, incidents, force majeure). Access may be restricted if required by law.

6Lawyer–User Relationship (off-Platform)

6.1. After the Connection, the Lawyer and User may contract off-Platform (SOS Expat does not intervene in fee setting or collection, except for the single payment mechanism described below).

6.2. The Lawyer issues fee agreements according to local law, collects/remits applicable taxes, and complies with local rules (advertising, solicitation, conflicts of interest, consumer law).

6.3. SOS Expat is not responsible for the quality, accuracy, or outcome of the Lawyer's advice.

7Fees, Single Payment, and Taxes

7.1. Connection Fees (flat rate). €19 (EUR) or $25 (USD) per Connection, excluding taxes and Payment Provider fees. SOS Expat may modify these amounts and/or publish local scales per country/currency, with prospective effect.

7.2. Single payment and distribution. The User makes a single payment via the Platform covering (i) the Lawyer’s fees (as agreed between Lawyer and User) and (ii) SOS Expat’s Connection Fees. SOS Expat (or its Provider) collects this payment, deducts its Connection Fees, then transfers the balance to the Lawyer. The Lawyer authorizes SOS Expat to make these deductions and distributions.

7.3. Due & non-refundable. Connection Fees are due upon Connection and are non-refundable (except at SOS Expat's discretion in case of failure solely attributable to the Platform, to the extent allowed by law).

7.4. User refunds. If a refund is granted to the User, it is charged to the Lawyer’s share: SOS Expat may withhold/offset the corresponding amount from future payments to the Lawyer or request repayment if no payments are forthcoming. No refund of Connection Fees is due, except at SOS Expat's discretion.

7.5. Currencies & conversion. Multiple currencies may be offered; Provider conversion rates/fees may apply.

7.6. Taxes. The Lawyer remains responsible for their tax obligations. SOS Expat collects and remits, where required, VAT/local equivalent on Connection Fees.

7.7. Offset. SOS Expat may offset any amount the Lawyer owes (for a User refund or other) against any amount owed to the Lawyer.

8Payments – KYC/AML – Sanctions

8.1. Payments are processed by third-party Providers. The Lawyer agrees to their KYC/AML terms and processes.

8.2. SOS Expat may defer, withhold, or cancel payments in case of suspected fraud, non-compliance, or legal order.

8.3. Access may be restricted in sanctioned/embargoed territories if required by law. The Lawyer declares not to appear on any sanctions list and to comply with applicable export controls.

9Personal Data (Global Framework – GDPR/DSA)

9.1. Roles. For User data received for Connections, SOS Expat and the Lawyer each act as data controllers for their respective purposes, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR).

9.2. Bases & purposes. Contract performance (Connection), legitimate interests (security, fraud prevention, improvement), legal compliance (AML, sanctions), and, if applicable, consent.

9.3. International transfers with appropriate safeguards where required (standard contractual clauses, adequacy decisions, etc.).

9.4. Rights & contact. Exercise of rights (access, rectification, erasure, portability, objection) via the Platform contact form.

9.5. Security. Reasonable technical/organizational measures; breach notification according to applicable laws (72 hours under GDPR).

9.6. The Lawyer processes received data in accordance with the law of the Country of Intervention and professional secrecy.

9.7. DSA Compliance. The Platform operates as an intermediary service within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act). SOS Expat implements mechanisms for reporting illegal content and cooperates with competent authorities in accordance with the DSA.

10Intellectual Property

The Platform, its trademarks, logos, databases, and content are protected. No rights are granted to the Lawyer except a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access during the Terms. Content provided by the Lawyer (profile, photo, descriptions) is licensed globally, non-exclusively, to SOS Expat for hosting and display on the Platform.

11Warranties, Liability, and Indemnification

11.1. No guarantee regarding legal services; SOS Expat does not ensure outcome, quality, or volume of business.

11.2. Platform "as is"; no guarantee of continuous availability.

11.3. Limitation of liability: to the extent permitted, SOS Expat’s total liability to the Lawyer is limited to direct damages and may not exceed the total Connection Fees received by SOS Expat for the transaction giving rise to the claim.

11.4. Exclusions: no indirect/consequential/special/punitive damages (loss of profits, clients, reputation, etc.).

11.5. Indemnification: the Lawyer indemnifies and holds SOS Expat (and its affiliates, officers, employees, agents) harmless from any claim/damage/costs (including attorney fees) related to (i) breaches of the Terms/laws, (ii) their content, (iii) their advice/omissions.

11.6. Waiver of recourse. The Lawyer expressly and irrevocably waives any recourse against SOS Expat for (i) damages arising from the provision of legal services, (ii) indirect losses, (iii) contractual disputes with Users, (iv) any failure of services provided by the Lawyer. This waiver applies to the maximum extent permitted by law.

11.7. No representation: nothing creates mandate, employment, partnership, or joint venture between SOS Expat and the Lawyer.

11.8. Force majeure. SOS Expat is not liable for delays or failures caused by force majeure events (natural disaster, war, pandemic, cyberattack, power or internet outage, government decision, strike, etc.).

11.9. Survival: articles 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 survive termination.

12Governing Law – Arbitration – Estonian Jurisdiction – Class Actions

12.1. Substantive law: for each Connection, the SOS Expat–Lawyer relationship is governed by the laws of the Country of Intervention, subject to local public policy rules and mandatory international norms. Supplementarily and for interpretation/validity of these Terms and for any matter not governed by the Country of Intervention's law, Estonian law applies.

12.2. Mandatory ICC Arbitration: any dispute between SOS Expat/Lawyer is finally resolved under the ICC Arbitration Rules. Seat: Tallinn, Estonia. Language: French. The tribunal applies the substantive law defined in 12.1. Confidential procedure.

12.3. Waiver of class actions: to the extent permitted, all collective/group/representative actions are excluded; individual claims only.

12.4. Exclusive jurisdiction of Estonian courts: for any non-arbitrable claims and for enforcement of awards or urgent measures, the Estonian courts (with jurisdiction in Tallinn) have exclusive jurisdiction. The Lawyer waives any forum or inconvenience objection.

12.5. Pre-arbitration mediation. Before any arbitration, the parties agree to attempt to resolve the dispute amicably through good faith negotiation for a period of thirty (30) days from written notice of the dispute.

13International Protection Clauses

13.1. Anti-corruption. The Lawyer agrees not to offer, promise, or pay bribes or undue benefits to public or private officials. The Lawyer complies with applicable anti-corruption laws (FCPA, UK Bribery Act, Sapin II Act, etc.).

13.2. Confidentiality of communications. Communications made through the Platform (messages, calls, videos) are confidential. The Lawyer shall not record, disclose, or use them for purposes other than the agreed service, except with written authorization or legal obligation.

13.3. Non-solicitation. During the term of these Terms and twelve (12) months after termination, the Lawyer shall not directly solicit Users met through the Platform to avoid Connection Fees.

13.4. Exclusive responsibility of the Lawyer. The Lawyer is solely responsible for the quality, accuracy, and legality of the advice and services provided. The Lawyer is entirely responsible for compliance with legal and regulatory provisions of the country where they practice. SOS Expat does not guarantee the legal advice delivered by the Lawyer and disclaims any liability for any harm suffered by a User due to the Lawyer's services.

13.5. No legal advisory relationship. SOS Expat is not a law firm, nor a legal services provider. The Platform is limited to connection services. Any legal advisory relationship is established exclusively between the Lawyer and the User, outside of SOS Expat. Any case concluded with a client shall be handled outside of SOS Expat.

13.6. Lawyer-User disputes. Any dispute between a Lawyer and a User falls exclusively within their direct relationship. SOS Expat does not intervene in such disputes and cannot be held liable as a party, guarantor, or mediator. SOS Expat is in no way responsible for disputes between Lawyer and client.

14Miscellaneous

14.1. Assignment: SOS Expat may assign the Terms to a group entity or successor; the Lawyer may not assign without SOS Expat's written consent.

14.2. Entire agreement: the Terms constitute the complete agreement and replace any prior agreement regarding the same subject.

14.3. Notices: by publication on the Platform, in-app notification, or via the contact form.

14.4. Interpretation: headings are indicative. No contra proferentem rule.

14.5. Languages: translations may be provided; English prevails for interpretation.

14.6. Partial invalidity: if a provision is invalid/unenforceable, the remainder remains in effect; replacement by a valid provision of equivalent effect where possible.

14.7. Non-waiver: failure to exercise a right does not constitute a waiver.

15Contact

For any legal question or request: https://sos-expat.com/contact

ARTICLE - CURRENCY EXCHANGE FEES

1. Client payments may be made in euros (EUR) or US dollars (USD), at the client's discretion.

2. The provider acknowledges and accepts that if the payment currency differs from their Stripe bank account currency, currency conversion fees (approximately 2% of the amount) will be automatically applied by Stripe.

3. These conversion fees are entirely borne by the provider and are deducted from the amount paid to them.

4. The net amount received by the provider may therefore vary depending on the exchange rates in effect at the time of settlement.

5. SOS-Expat cannot be held responsible for currency fluctuations or fees applied by payment service providers (Stripe, PayPal).