1. Definitions

1. Agreed Fee
2. Commission
3. Further Work
4. Further Commission
5. The Allocated Client
6. The Bill, including the panel lawyer or their firm’s invoices
7. The Business
8. The Final Bill
9. The Introduction
10. The Monthly Submission
11. The Panel Lawyer
12. The Portal
13. The Previous Bill
14. The Previous Month
15. The Proposed Client
16. The Proposed Panel Lawyer
17. The Referrer
18. Their Firm(s), including firms at which the Panel Lawyer practises

2. The Referrer

2.1 The Referrer’s rights

• To be paid Commission for a successful referral.
• To be kept updated about the billing of the Allocated Case through monthly updates submitted by the Panel Lawyer on the Portal.
• To request information from the Business about monthly billing and Commission if this does not appear on the Portal.

2.2 The Referrer’s duties

1. To provide accurate information about themselves, their specialism and bank account information.
2. To provide accurate information about the referred case, including client and opponent names for conflict checks.
3. To provide details of jurisdiction, specialist area, sub-specialist area, amount involved and any applicable deadlines.
4. To agree Commission with the Business.

3. The Panel Lawyer

3.1 The Panel Lawyer’s rights

To expect the Portal to be maintained to allow monthly submissions.

3.2 The Panel Lawyer’s duties

1. Register on the Portal and accurately confirm jurisdiction, specialism, sub-specialism, availability and years of experience.
2. Provide details of the firm or firms at which they practise.
3. Agree Commission for the Proposed Client and any Further Work.
4. Complete the Monthly Submission through the Portal where a client is allocated to them.
5. Inform the Business of any Further Work proposed for the Allocated Client.
6. Run conflict checks and notify the Business of any conflict.
7. Not solicit the Proposed Client.
8. Confirm that the Proposed Client has been informed of the referral and has provided written consent where required.

3.2.9 Monthly Submission

The Panel Lawyer must log on to the Portal and complete the Monthly Submission within the first 7 days of each month.

• The date of the Bill for the preceding month and the amount of the Bill.
• The date the Business was paid Commission and the amount paid.
• Confirmation where no Bill was raised because no work was undertaken in the Previous Month.

3.2.10 Payment obligations

The Panel Lawyer is to pay the Business the applicable Commission on the Bill within the first 7 days of the month for work undertaken in the previous month.

The Panel Lawyer agrees not to pay Commission directly to the Referrer or any third party.

4. The Business

4.1 The Business’s rights

1. To decide whether to allow a Proposed Panel Lawyer to join the Portal.
2. To negotiate Commission with the Referrer and the Panel Lawyer.
3. To notify the Panel Lawyer and Referrer if monthly submission or Commission payment is not made on time.
4. To take appropriate action for non-payment of Commission or failure to provide required information.
5. To remove a Panel Lawyer or terminate membership for breach of these terms.
6. To direct Commission payments to another nominated entity where required.
7. To introduce new terms subject to agreement.

4.2 The Business’s duties

• Provide basic details about the case and Prospective Client so suitability can be assessed.
• Maintain the Portal.
• Comply with data protection legislation of England and Wales.
• Refer cases according to jurisdiction and specialism.

5. Exclusions

No duty or liability is owed by the Business to the Proposed or Allocated Client, Panel Lawyer or Referrer, other than payment of Commission to the Referrer where applicable.

The Business is not liable to pay the Referrer if the Panel Lawyer does not pay the Business.

The Business has discretion to decide what action is appropriate in the event of default by the Panel Lawyer.

The Business may assign any chose in action against the Panel Lawyer to the Referrer in the event of non-payment or breach.

6. Choice of Law

The Referrer and Panel Lawyer agree that English law applies. The Business may elect mediation and/or arbitration in London. The English courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction to determine any dispute.

7. Testimonials

Due to the sensitive nature of client relationships and legal considerations, testimonials presented are illustrative examples reflecting feedback and experiences shared by partners.