These Lawyer Marketplace Terms ("Marketplace Terms") apply whenever you request or provide legal services through the Dharaa platform. In these terms:

• "Client" (or "you") means a user who requests legal services from an advocate through Dharaa.
• "Partner" or "Advocate" means an independent legal practitioner enrolled with a State Bar Council in India who offers services through the Dharaa marketplace.
• "Engagement" means a single request for legal services and the work delivered against it.
• "Platform", "Dharaa", "we", "us" means the operator of the Dharaa platform.

By requesting or accepting an engagement, both the Client and the Partner agree to these Marketplace Terms.

Dharaa is a technology platform that connects Clients with independent advocates. Dharaa is not a law firm, does not practise law, and does not provide legal advice. We do not employ the advocates listed in the marketplace, and we do not supervise, direct, or control the professional legal services they provide.

• No attorney–client relationship with Dharaa. Any lawyer–client relationship is formed solely between the Client and the Advocate. Dharaa is not a party to that relationship.
• Independent professionals. Advocates are independent contractors responsible for their own professional conduct, advice, and compliance with the Bar Council of India and applicable State Bar Council rules.
• Platform / facilitation fee. Dharaa charges a technology and facilitation fee for providing the marketplace, payment handling, document tooling, and support. This fee is a charge for platform services and is not a share of an advocate's professional/legal fees.
• No solicitation. Listings and profiles are made available at the advocate's request and are not an advertisement or solicitation of legal work by Dharaa.

Only advocates who are enrolled with a State Bar Council in India and entitled to practise may offer services on the marketplace. Before an advocate is activated, Dharaa carries out a credential review, which may include:

• verifying the advocate's Bar Council enrolment number and State Bar Council / High Court of enrolment;
• reviewing supporting documents (such as a Bar Council identity card, enrolment certificate, or Certificate of Practice); and
• confirming identity and contact details.

Advocates who clear this review may display a "Verified" badge. The badge indicates that Dharaa has reviewed the credentials submitted to us; it is not a guarantee of the quality of any advice and does not make Dharaa responsible for the advocate's work. Advocates must keep their credentials current and notify us promptly if their entitlement to practise changes.

A typical engagement moves through the following stages:

1. Request — the Client selects an advocate and describes what they need (optionally linking a Dharaa document or uploading files).
2. Quote — the advocate proposes a fee and scope for the work.
3. Accept and pay — the Client accepts the quote and pays the quoted amount. Payment is held by the platform and is not released to the advocate until the work is completed.
4. In progress — the advocate carries out the work.
5. Delivered — the advocate delivers the work product (for example, a reviewed or drafted document, or a written opinion).
6. Completed — the Client confirms completion. The fee, less the platform facilitation fee, is then credited to the advocate for payout.

Some engagements (for example, a quick consultation) may be offered without a separate paid quote where a fixed fee applies.

• All fees are quoted and charged in Indian Rupees (INR) and are processed securely through our payment partner.
• The Client pays the quoted fee when accepting an engagement. The platform holds these funds and credits the advocate (net of the platform facilitation fee) once the engagement is completed.
• Dharaa's platform / facilitation fee is deducted from the engagement amount before payout to the advocate. The applicable rate is disclosed to advocates at onboarding.
• Taxes (including GST) apply as required by law. Advocates are responsible for their own tax obligations on the fees they earn; Dharaa accounts for tax on its platform fee as applicable.
• Payouts to advocates are made to their registered account on the platform's payout schedule.

Because legal work is consumed as it is performed, the right to cancel and receive a refund depends on how far the engagement has progressed:

Approved refunds are credited to the original payment method. Depending on your bank or payment provider, refunds typically take 5–7 business days to reflect after they are initiated.

Either the Client or the Advocate may raise a dispute once an engagement is in progress or has been delivered, by describing the problem. While a dispute is open, the engagement is paused and the held funds are not released, so that the matter can be reviewed fairly. Messaging between the parties remains open.

A Dharaa operator reviews the dispute and the engagement history and decides an outcome:

• Refund to Client — the held amount (in full or in part) is refunded to the Client.
• Release to Advocate — the engagement is treated as completed and the fee (net of the platform fee) is released to the Advocate.
• Dismiss — the engagement returns to its previous state to continue.

We aim to handle disputes promptly and impartially. Dharaa's role in a dispute is limited to facilitating a fair resolution of the payment; it is not a legal adjudication of the underlying matter and does not create any liability for Dharaa in respect of the advice given.

In accordance with the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, Dharaa has appointed a Grievance Officer for the marketplace. If you have a complaint about an engagement, a refund, or the marketplace, you may contact:

We will acknowledge your grievance within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt and use reasonable efforts to resolve it within one (1) month, in line with applicable law. This grievance process is in addition to the dispute mechanism in Section 7.

• The advice is the advocate's. Any legal advice, opinion, or work product is provided by the Advocate in their independent professional capacity. The Advocate is solely responsible for its accuracy, quality, and compliance with professional standards.
• No guarantee of outcome. Neither Dharaa nor an Advocate guarantees any particular legal result. Legal outcomes depend on facts, law, and circumstances outside our control.
• Not a substitute for independent judgement. Marketplace services and any AI-generated drafts on the platform are aids, not a substitute for the considered professional judgement of a qualified advocate retained for your specific matter.
• Limitation of liability. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Dharaa's aggregate liability arising out of or relating to an engagement is limited to the platform facilitation fee it earned on that engagement. Dharaa is not liable for the acts, omissions, advice, or work product of any Advocate, or for the conduct of any Client.
• Confidentiality. Advocates and Clients are expected to keep engagement communications and documents confidential. How Dharaa handles personal data is described in our Privacy Policy.

Clients and Advocates must use the marketplace lawfully and in good faith, must not attempt to take engagements or payments off-platform to avoid fees or protections, and must not misuse the dispute or refund processes. Dharaa may suspend or remove any account that breaches these Marketplace Terms, the Terms of Service, or applicable law.

These Marketplace Terms are governed by the laws of India. Subject to the dispute and grievance processes above, the courts of New Delhi, India have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising out of or relating to the marketplace, consistent with our Terms of Service.

• Marketplace support / grievances: support@dharaa.ai
• Legal: legal@dharaa.ai
• Response time: within 24 hours on business days (Monday–Friday, 9 AM – 6 PM IST)