Terms of Use
1. General positions
1.1. These General Terms and Conditions are intended to regulate the relations between "Argumento" DPK, UIC 208193699, operator of the website www.argumento.bg, on the one hand, and each user of this website and the services accessible through it (the "Services") and have the force of a binding agreement between them (the "Agreement").
1.3. If you do not agree with these General Terms and Conditions or are under 18 years of age, please do not use www.argumento.bg.
1.2. The use of the Services provided by "Argumento" DPK through this website is possible only after accepting the General Terms and Conditions. By loading the website in your internet browser, you agree to these General Terms and Conditions and declare that you are over 18 years of age.
2. Definitions
For the avoidance of doubt and for your convenience, below we will explain the meaning we give to the following terms:
"Platform" - a set of interconnected websites (including subdomains) accessible through the website www.argumento.bg (the "Website"), through which it is possible to provide Services by the Operator.
"Operator" / "Platform Operator" - "Argumento" DPK ("Argumento", "we", "us", "our"), a company registered in the Commercial Register at the Registry Agency, with UIC 208193699, with its registered office and registered office at 111R Tsarigradsko Shosse Blvd., 1784 Sofia, fl. 1.
"User" - any natural or legal person ("you", "your") who uses the Platform, regardless of whether they register their User/Business Profile or not.
"User Profile" - a set of personal data and/or information that are associated with a User - a specific natural or legal person and provide access to and the ability to use the functionalities of the Platform.
"Business Profile" - a set of personal data and/or information that are associated with a User - a lawyer, exercising professional activity in accordance with the Law on the Bar, the Code of Ethics of the Lawyer, Ordinance No. 1/09.07.2004 on remuneration for legal work and entered in the register of the bar association, provide access to and the ability to use the functionalities of the Platform.
"Services" - all services and functionalities of the Platform aimed at Users.
3. Subject
3.1. In its relations with Users, Argumento acts as a provider of information in accordance with the Electronic Commerce Act. Argumento does not select, modify or initiate the transmission of information, nor does it choose its recipient. Argumento does not offer intermediary services and is not an intermediary within the meaning of the Commercial Act. Argumento does not advertise the activities of lawyers who have registered their Business Profiles on the Platform.
3.2. Argumento provides Users with the following non-exhaustive information services:
a/ The “legal AI assistant” service provides access to specialized software for general legal information, which handles artificial intelligence specially trained and educated in the field of Bulgarian legislation and case law. The use of the service is free of charge and may require the registration of a User Profile. The information provided does not constitute legal consultation or legal advice, and is not prepared or validated by a lawyer. The User uses the “legal AI assistant” service at his own risk and responsibility.
b/ The “Find a Lawyer” service is an opportunity for a User with a User Profile to send a free inquiry on a specific legal issue at any time and receive a free initial consultation and offer of legal services from a lawyer with a registered Business Profile on the Platform. The initial consultation is provided by a legal expert from the Argumento team. The allocation to a specific lawyer is made after collecting information from the initial consultation and using a specially developed algorithm to ensure maximum compliance with the nature of the inquiry made by the User and its location.
Although Argumento makes all necessary efforts, it cannot guarantee that it will provide a suitable lawyer in every case. The decision whether and how to respond, as well as under what conditions to make an offer of legal services, depends entirely on the lawyer to whom the inquiry is allocated. Argumento does not participate in negotiations for attorney fees or in the negotiation of terms for the provision of legal services and is not responsible for their implementation.
Sending a request through the Platform and receiving an offer does not automatically lead to the emergence of a legal service contract between the User and the lawyer. For the conclusion of such a contract, the User agrees to take the appropriate actions.
c/ Communication services and information exchange services. Argumento technologically ensures the functioning of the Platform and, in particular, for the purpose of:
· registering and maintaining your own User or Business profile;
· providing through your User profile a virtual view of the sent requests and received offers and invoices;
· providing through your Business profile a virtual view of the received requests, sent offers and invoices, including the payments received for them;
· providing a channel for internal communication between Users with a User Profile and Users with a Business Profile;
· providing access to the calendar of a User with a Business Profile and the ability to save an appointment;
· file exchange between Users with User Profiles and Users with Business Profiles;
d/ Payment services. Legal services are provided by the lawyer only after issuing and paying for an invoice issued by him. Argumento can technically ensure the execution of these payments through the payment methods available on the Platform.
4. User's rights and obligations with registered profile
4.1. The User has the right to lawfully use the functionalities of the Platform in accordance with these General Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy.
4.2. The User has the right to register a User Profile on the Platform, as well as to update and supplement the information therein.
4.3. By activating his/her profile, the User declares the accuracy and up-to-dateness of the data provided and agrees to update the latter if necessary.
4.4. The User has the right to send inquiries of a legal nature through the Platform and to receive a free initial consultation and offer from a lawyer.
4.5. The User has the right to freely decide whether to enter into contractual relations with the lawyer to whom his/her inquiry has been assigned. If he/she does not wish to conclude a legal services contract with the proposed lawyer, the User has the right, for the period of the Agreement, to request Argumento to propose an alternative lawyer, by notifying the Operator of the reasons for his/her refusal and expressing his/her desire by email to office@argumento.bg.
4.6. The registration of a User Profile is indefinite. The User has the right to terminate his registration by sending a written request to this effect by email to office@argumento.bg.
4.7. The User is obliged to keep his email address and password for accessing the Platform confidential, not to use the profiles of other Users, nor to provide his User Profile for use by other persons.
4.8. The User is obliged not to disrupt the full or partial functionality of the Platform, not to overload the traffic and not to generate excessively large traffic, not to attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Platform or to the relevant computer systems, servers or network maintained by the Operator.
4.9. The User is fully responsible for the content that he publishes, provides or shares through the Services, including, but not limited to, any information (written, audio, visual and others) that he sends to other Users and is responsible without limitation for the consequences of his actions and the damages caused in full.
4.10. The User is fully responsible for entering into contractual relations with lawyers as a result of using the "Find a Lawyer" service on the Platform, as well as for the consequences arising therefrom.
5. Consumers' rights and obligations with registered business profile
5.1. The User has the right to lawfully use the functionalities of the Platform in accordance with these General Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy.
5.2. The User has the right to register a Business Profile on the Platform, in which to fill in his personal data, as well as to update and supplement the information therein.
5.3. By activating his profile, the User declares the accuracy and up-to-dateness of the data provided and agrees to update the latter if necessary; declares that he possesses the necessary competence and qualifications, as well as that he is an actively practicing lawyer, exercising his activity in accordance with the Law on the Bar, the Code of Ethics of the Lawyer, Ordinance No. 1/09.07.2004 on remuneration for legal work and entered in the register of the Bar Association.
5.4. The User has the right to receive inquiries from other Users of the Platform, to send offers through the Platform and to receive payments on invoices. The User has the right to conclude legal service contracts directly with the Users, to which the “Argumento” DPK is not a party.
5.5. The User has the right to refuse to consider a specific request if it is outside his previously specified competence, or at his own discretion, but not more than once within 1 (one) calendar month and after notifying the Operator thereof by email to office@argumento.bg.
5.6. The registration of a Business Profile is indefinite. The User has the right to terminate his registration by sending a written request to this effect by email to office@argumento.bg.
5.7. The User is obliged to ensure the correctness of the information in his Business Profile and, in particular, the scope of his competence by exhaustively listing the legal branches in which he is specialized and is willing to work, as well as the relevance of his virtual calendar, which becomes public for other Users with whom he is connected as a result of processing their requests.
5.8. The User is obliged to act in good faith and professionally and to respond to the inquiries of Users allocated to him within a reasonable period of time, but not later than 2 (two) business days, by offering legal guidance and an offer for legal services.
5.9. When drawing up a proposal for concluding a legal services contract, the User is obliged to determine a lawyer's fee in a reasonable amount and in accordance with the requirements of Regulation No. 1/09.07.2004 on the minimum amount of lawyer's fees.
5.10. The User is obliged to notify the Platform Operator in the event that payment under a legal services contract concluded through the "Find a Lawyer" service is made using payment methods external to the Platform. If the User does not notify the Operator, the latter has the right to block his Business Profile and irrevocably terminate his relations with him and his access to the Platform.
5.11. The User is obliged not to publicly disclose any information, data and messages provided to him by a User of the Platform when using the Services.
5.12. In this sense, the User is fully responsible for any damages caused and administrative and property sanctions suffered, which are a direct and immediate consequence of his actions and behavior, committed in violation of any point of these General Terms and Conditions.
5.13. The User is obliged to keep his email address and password for accessing the Platform secret, not to use the profiles of other Users, nor to provide his User Profile for use by other persons.
5.14. The User is obliged not to disrupt the full or partial functionality of the Platform, not to overload the traffic and not to generate excessively large traffic, not to attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Platform or to the relevant computer systems, servers or network maintained by the Operator.
5.15. The User is fully responsible for the content he publishes, provides or shares through the Services, including, but not limited to, any information (written, audio, visual and others) he sends to other Users and is responsible without limitation for the consequences of his actions and the damages caused in full.
6. Rights and obligations of the platform operator
6.1. The Operator has the right to make changes to the Platform and the Services in connection with the maintenance, development and improvement of the quality of the Services, to expand or narrow the scope of the Services at any time, at its own discretion and without obligation to indicate reasons for its commercial decisions.
6.2. The Operator has the right to update the financial conditions for the provision of its Services at any time in order to bring them into line with market levels, and the Operator shall duly notify the affected categories of Users of such changes.
6.3. The Operator has the right to temporarily or permanently block access to the Services and User profiles in the following cases:
a/in the presence of specific indications of a violation by the User of these General Terms and Conditions or applicable legislation;
b/in the use of expressions and language that violate good taste, applicable legislation, are offensive, untrue, glorify violence, are racist, discriminatory, sexist and the like;
c/ in the event of payments made under a legal services contract as a result of using the “Find a Lawyer” service on the Platform and failure to notify the Operator within 2 (two) business days.
6.4. The Operator shall exercise due care in selecting the lawyers with whom it partners to provide the Services, including conducting due diligence to prove the identity of the lawyers and the fact that they are actually registered in the register of the bar association and actively practicing. Nevertheless, the Operator cannot guarantee that at the time of concluding a legal services contract with a given lawyer, the same has valid lawyer’s rights and possesses the necessary competencies and qualifications to perform the contract.
6.5. The Operator shall exercise due care to maintain the legal information on the Platform up-to-date, reliable and comprehensive. Despite all efforts, due to dynamically changing legislation and case law, some of it may not be completely correct. If you need legal advice regarding a specific case, it is advisable to contact a lawyer.
6.6. The Operator is obliged, in the event that a lawyer refuses to consider a User's request that has been assigned to him, to provide, if possible, another lawyer to take over the performance of the Service.
7. Responsibility
7.1. The Information and Services provided through the Website have the sole purpose of assisting Users in complying with legal requirements and protecting their legal interests. Although the Operator takes due care, as specified in Art. 6.5. and 6.6. above, the Operator does not provide legal services and legal advice per se within the meaning of the Bar Act, nor does it provide legal services through its employees from the "Customer Service" department. At no time are any client-attorney relationships established between the User and the Operator. The Operator is not liable for failure to fulfill obligations under a legal services contract concluded as a result of using the "Find a Lawyer" service on the Platform. The Operator does not provide any guarantees, express or implied, regarding the quality and reliability of the Information and Services provided. In case of doubt about the quality of the Services provided through the Platform, their content or reliability, the User should discontinue their use. If the User nevertheless continues to use the information and Services of the Platform, the responsibility lies entirely with him with all the consequences arising therefrom.
7.2. The Operator is not liable in the event of material and non-material damages suffered, lost profits, unrealized business goals, profits and profitability for the User, resulting from the use of the Platform. In this sense, the User should not rely entirely on the information and Services provided through the Platform to decide on his future legal actions, but should consult a lawyer competent in his legal matter.
7.3. The Operator is not liable for failure to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement in the event of force majeure and random events, as well as due to technical or other objective reasons, including orders of government authorities.
7.4. The Operator is not liable for the time during which the Platform was not accessible due to force majeure or other objective circumstances over which the Operator has no control.
7.5. The Operator is not responsible for the availability and correctness of all functionalities of the Platform over time.
7.5. The User undertakes to indemnify and hold harmless the Platform Operator and its employees from legal claims and other claims of third parties (regardless of whether they are justified or not), for all damages and expenses (including, but not limited to, attorneys' fees and legal costs) arising from or in connection with a culpable violation of this Agreement, third party rights or legal provisions related to the use of the Services by the User.
8. Confidentiality
8.1. Any non-public information shared by one of the parties to this Agreement (“Disclosing Party”) to another party to the Agreement (“Receiving Party”) and which is expressly indicated as confidential or would reasonably be considered as such given the specific circumstances shall be considered confidential.
8.2. The Receiving Party undertakes not to disclose or use confidential information provided by the Disclosing Party for purposes other than the provision of the Services and the performance of its obligations under this Agreement.
8.3. The User and the Platform Operator undertake to protect each other’s rights and legitimate interests, as well as to keep their trade secrets that have become known to them in the process of performing this Agreement.
8.4. The User and the Operator undertake, during and after the termination of the Agreement, not to make public any written or oral correspondence conducted between them. The publication of correspondence in print and electronic media, Internet forums, personal or public websites, etc. can be considered public domain.
9. Intellectual Property
9.1. Unless otherwise stated, all materials on the Website, including images, graphic elements, logos and text files, are the sole property of the Operator.
9.2. The information and materials on www.argumento.bg, including the software code, are subject to copyright and are protected by the Copyright and Related Rights Act.
9.3. A Website User has no right to copy, reproduce, distribute, display, share, sell or use in any other way and for any purpose its content or parts thereof without the express prior written consent of "Argumento" DPK. An exception to this rule is the User's personal data and information.
9.4. Information and materials from the Website or parts thereof may be used only after the express prior written consent of the Operator and only on condition that the appropriate reference is made to them.
10. Personal data
10.1. The Operator processes personal data in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act and Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27.04.2016 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (the “Regulation”/ “GDPR”).
10.2. The Operator collects and processes personal data of Users for the purpose of providing the Services, applying all appropriate measures to ensure their confidentiality. More information about your rights, the procedure for their exercise and the Operator’s responsibility is contained in our Privacy Policy, which is an integral part of these General Terms and Conditions.
11. Other conditions
11.1. In the event of a conflict between these General Terms and Conditions and agreements in a special agreement between the Platform Operator and the User, the provisions of the special agreement shall prevail.
11.2. Any invalidity of any provision of these General Terms and Conditions shall not result in the invalidity of the remaining provisions and the Agreement as a whole. The Parties agree to interpret and replace the invalid provision with the closest legal provision that pursues a similar purpose.
11.3. For all issues not settled by these General Terms and Conditions, the provisions of the current legislation of the Republic of Bulgaria shall apply.
11.4. Any disputes arising between the User and the Platform Operator shall be resolved by the Parties through negotiations in the spirit of mutual concessions. When they cannot be resolved, the latter shall be referred for consideration by the competent court in the city of Sofia, Bulgaria.
11.5. The Operator reserves the right to change these General Terms and Conditions at any time to reflect legislative and technical changes, as well as for other reasons at its discretion. The User undertakes to regularly inform himself about the current version of the General Terms and Conditions.
These General Terms and Conditions shall enter into force for all Users on 13.05.2024 with the last amendment on 17.03.2025.
