INQUIRIES & MESSAGING FUNCTION RULEBOOK

Legal Sandbox Georgia LLC

Document Type: Function Rulebook (Binding) Version: 1.3 Effective Date: 13 May 2026 Document Language: English (Georgian version prevails in case of conflict) Status: Binding contract, incorporated by reference into all applicable Role Terms and Conditions

Changes in v1.1: Non-substantive housekeeping update. Removed "(forthcoming)" placeholders for Video Consultations Function Rulebook (now v1.0) and Subscriptions & Billing Function Rulebook (now v1.1). Added specific cross-references to Video Rulebook Article 7 (Direct Consultations) and Subscriptions Rulebook v1.1 / Organisation T&C Articles 5–6. No operational rules changed; no re-consent required.

Changes in v1.2: Cross-Rulebook integration with Specializations & Pricing Function Rulebook v1.0. New §1.2.2(h) excluding specialization/pricing matters. New §7.4.3 documenting book-from-calendar Quote auto-acceptance exception (Specialist's calendar publication = Standing Offer; Quote auto-accepted on Client booking; Specialist cannot decline after Pre-Authorization). New §1.1.2(h) cross-reference. No operational rules changed for standard Inquiry flow; book-from-calendar mechanics already established in Specializations & Pricing Rulebook §8 are surfaced here. No re-consent required.

Changes in v1.3: Cross-Rulebook integration with Cabinet (Litigation) Function Rulebook v1.0. Removed 'forthcoming' placeholders from §1.2.2(a), §11.6.3, §13.1.2, §16.2.1, and the 'Cabinet' definition. Added explicit cross-references to Cabinet Rulebook articles. No operational rule changes; no re-consent required for this housekeeping update.

PREAMBLE

This Inquiries & Messaging Function Rulebook ("Rulebook") establishes the rules governing the submission, processing, negotiation, payment, conversion, and dispute resolution of Service Inquiries on the legal.ge platform operated by Legal Sandbox Georgia LLC, Registration Number 405713768 (the "Platform").

This Rulebook is a binding part of the Terms and Conditions of every role permitted to submit, receive, process, or interact with Inquiries. By submitting an Inquiry, receiving an Inquiry, exchanging messages on a Platform Inquiry, paying or receiving payment for a Consultation, or otherwise interacting with the Inquiries function, You agree to be bound by this Rulebook.

In the event of any conflict between this Rulebook and a specific Role Terms and Conditions document, the Role Terms and Conditions prevail with respect to that role's specific obligations not addressed in this Rulebook; this Rulebook prevails on matters of Inquiry workflow, permissions, financial flow, and rules common to all roles.

ARTICLE 1: PURPOSE AND SCOPE

1.1 Purpose

1.1.1 This Rulebook provides a single authoritative source of truth governing the Inquiries function on the Platform.

1.1.2 This Rulebook serves to:

(a) Define the lifecycle of all Inquiries from submission through terminal state;

(b) Establish role-based permissions for submitting, receiving, negotiating, and resolving Inquiries;

(d) Allocate financial responsibility, including pre-authorization, capture, commission, and refund mechanics;

(e) Define service-level expectations and consequences for breach;

(f) Provide a fair appeal mechanism for post-payment disputes;

(g) Govern the conversion of Inquiries into Consultations and Litigation Cases.

(h) Coordinate with the Specializations & Pricing Function Rulebook §8 for book-from-calendar consultation initiation, where the standard Quote step is auto-accepted based on Specialist's Standing Offer (see §7.4.3 below).

1.2 Scope

1.2.1 This Rulebook applies to:

(a) All Inquiries in any state (New, Viewed, In Discussion, Awaiting Payment, Consultation, or Terminal);

(b) Pre-engagement messaging between Clients and Specialists on the Platform;

(d) Specialists, Company Specialists, Companies (via affiliated Specialists), Trainers (where applicable), and Users acting as Clients.

1.2.2 This Rulebook does NOT govern:

(a) Subsequent Litigation Case management — governed by the Cabinet (Litigation) Function Rulebook v1.0;

(b) Post-Consultation video session quality, technical infrastructure, and session-related mechanics — governed by the Video Consultations Function Rulebook v1.0. Note: video session recording is NOT supported in v1.0 of the Video Consultations Rulebook (see Video Rulebook Article 10);

(c) Specialist-initiated Direct Consultations with prior-engagement Clients (these are not Inquiries; they are governed by the Video Consultations Function Rulebook Article 7 which establishes magic-link issuance, eligibility limited to prior-Engagement Clients, and pricing mechanics);

(d) Subscription billing for Specialists, Companies, Trainers, and Organisations — governed by the Subscriptions & Billing Function Rulebook v1.1 and (for Organisations) by the Organisation Terms and Conditions Articles 5–6;

(e) Service Reviews of Specialists post-Consultation — governed by the Reviews & Ratings Function Rulebook;

(f) Off-Platform engagements between Clients and Specialists (where applicable per Article 13);

(g) Group or multi-party consultations beyond initial inquiry mechanics (specialized rules reserved for future Rulebook versions).

(h) Specialization selection (L2 specializations) and pricing publication (FIXED, RANGE, QUOTE pricing models for Services) — governed by the Specializations & Pricing Function Rulebook v1.0. This Rulebook governs Inquiry mechanics including the Quote process; published pricing is indicative-only marketing information separate from the binding Quote per Specializations & Pricing Rulebook §5.5.

1.3 Roles Affected

1.3.1 This Rulebook directly affects the following roles:

Role	Capability Type
User (Client)	Initiator of Inquiries; Payer
Solo Specialist	Recipient of Inquiries; Quoter; Service Provider
Company Specialist	Recipient of Inquiries; Quoter; Service Provider (with Company attribution)
Company	Beneficiary (via affiliated Specialists)
Trainer (where also Specialist)	Recipient of Inquiries (in Specialist capacity)
Moderator	Dispute Arbiter / Enforcer

1.3.2 Each affected Role's Terms and Conditions must reference this Rulebook by incorporation.

ARTICLE 2: DEFINITIONS

2.1 Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Rulebook have the meanings given in the applicable Role Terms and Conditions or in the Platform's master Terms and Conditions.

2.2 For purposes of this Rulebook:

"Appeal" means a formal contest of a Consultation's outcome by a Client per Article 12.

"Auto-Capture" means automatic capture of a pre-authorized amount after the 24-hour window if neither party has clicked "End Consultation."

"Away Mode" means a status flag a Specialist may set on their account, indicating temporary unavailability per Article 14.

"Broadcast Inquiry" means an Inquiry submitted by a Client without a specific Specialist target, visible to all verified Specialists per Article 4.4.

"Capture" means the bank operation in which pre-authorized funds are transferred from the Client's payment method to the Platform.

"Cabinet" means the Litigation Case management module of the Platform, governed by the Cabinet (Litigation) Function Rulebook v1.0.

"Client" means a User who has submitted, or is eligible to submit, an Inquiry to a Specialist.

"Consultation" means a service relationship between a Client and a Specialist that has commenced upon successful pre-authorization of payment for a Quote, regardless of whether the underlying service has been delivered.

"Decline" means a formal action by a Specialist refusing to engage with an Inquiry, accompanied by a categorized Decline Reason per Article 8.

"End Consultation" means a manual action by either Client or Specialist (or both) that triggers immediate Capture and finalization of a Consultation per Article 11.

"Engagement" for purposes of cross-Rulebook eligibility means a Consultation that has reached a Terminal state per Article 6.

"Inquiry" means a formal Service request submitted by a Client through the Platform Inquiry submission flow.

"Multi-Target Inquiry" means an Inquiry submitted by a Client to multiple specific Specialists simultaneously per Article 4.3.

"No Further Contact Flag" means a permanent block placed on a Specialist's ability to initiate any further communication with a specific Client per Article 5.

"Pre-Authorization" or "Pre-Auth" means the bank operation in which the Client's payment method places a hold on funds equal to the Quote amount, without transferring those funds.

"Quote" means a binding service offer issued by a Specialist in response to an Inquiry, specifying fee, scope, duration, format, and other particulars per Article 7.

"Service Category" means the classification of legal services into which an Inquiry is filed (e.g., Family Law, Corporate Law) used for routing and Specialist matching.

"Single-Target Inquiry" means an Inquiry submitted by a Client to one specific Specialist.

"SLA Window" means the time available to the Specialist to respond to a New Inquiry, determined by the Client-stated Urgency.

"Specialist" means, for purposes of this Rulebook, any Solo Specialist, Company Specialist, or Trainer in their professional service capacity, who is eligible to receive Inquiries.

"Terminal State" means an Inquiry state from which no further state transitions are possible: Declined, Expired, Withdrawn, or — for the Inquiry's transition to Consultation — Converted-to-Consultation.

"Urgency Tier" means one of three Client-selectable urgency levels (Standard, Urgent, Emergency) governing SLA Window per Article 9.

ARTICLE 3: ROLE PERMISSIONS MATRIX

3.1 Master Permissions Table

3.1.1 The following table defines what each role may do with respect to Inquiries. Detailed conditions are found in subsequent Articles.

Capability	User (Client)	Solo Spec.	Co. Spec.	Company	Moderator
Submit Inquiry	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Multi-target up to 5 Specialists	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Submit Broadcast Inquiry	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Receive Inquiries (per Specialist Profile)	❌	✅	✅	Via Spec.	❌
Accept Broadcast Inquiry	❌	✅	✅	Via Spec.	❌
Send Quote	❌	✅	✅	Via Spec.	❌
Decline Inquiry (with Reason)	❌	✅	✅	Via Spec.	❌
Withdraw own Inquiry	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Decline Quote	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Pre-authorize Payment	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
End Consultation	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
File Appeal	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Respond to Appeal	❌	✅	✅	❌	❌
Decide Appeal	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅
Suspend Inquiry	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅
Freeze Messaging Thread	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅
Authorize Refund	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅
Set "No Further Contact" Flag	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Set Away Mode	❌	✅	✅	Via Spec.	❌
Initiate Follow-up Video Consultation	❌	✅	✅	Via Spec.	❌
Disable Broadcast Intake	❌	✅	✅	Via Spec.	❌

3.1.2 "Moderator" in this table includes SUPER_ADMIN, who has identical capabilities for the Inquiries function.

3.1.3 "Via Spec." indicates the capability is exercised by an individual Specialist affiliated with the Company; the Company itself does not exercise the capability directly.

ARTICLE 4: INQUIRY SUBMISSION

4.1 Required Inquiry Fields

4.1.1 A Client submitting an Inquiry must provide:

(a) Legal issue (free-text description of the matter);

(b) Budget expectation (in GEL or as range);

(d) Preferred Communication Format — one of: Video, Phone, In-Person, Written, Group/Multi-Party (where applicable);

(e) Service Category — selected from Platform-defined categories;

(f) Geographic Location — relevant for in-person consultations;

(g) Language Preference — Georgian, English, or Russian;

(h) Estimated Timeline — when the Client needs the matter resolved;

(i) Conflict-Check Information — opposing party name and any other parties to the matter (for Specialist conflict-of-interest verification).

4.1.2 A Client may optionally include:

(a) Additional Notes (free-text, no character limit).

4.1.3 Attachments (documents, images, files) are NOT permitted at the Inquiry submission stage. Attachments may be exchanged only after the Specialist has Accepted the Inquiry. This rule exists to limit pre-engagement disclosure to a Specialist who may subsequently Decline.

4.2 Single-Target Inquiry

4.2.1 A Client may submit an Inquiry to one specific Specialist. The Inquiry is visible only to the targeted Specialist and to Platform Moderators.

4.3 Multi-Target Inquiry

4.3.1 A Client may submit a single Inquiry to multiple Specialists simultaneously, up to a maximum of five (5) targeted Specialists.

4.3.2 A Multi-Target Inquiry consists of one Inquiry record sent to multiple recipients. Each recipient sees the same Inquiry content; their individual responses are not visible to other recipients.

4.3.3 Multiple recipients may respond, decline, and engage in parallel discussions with the Client.

4.3.4 When the Client makes payment to convert the Inquiry into a Consultation with one Specialist:

(a) That Specialist's response is converted into a Consultation;

(b) The original Multi-Target Inquiry record is closed for all other recipients;

(d) Any pending Quotes from other recipients are voided.

4.4 Broadcast Inquiry

4.4.1 A Client may submit a Broadcast Inquiry, visible to all verified Specialists on the Platform without specific targeting.

4.4.2 Specialists may respond to Broadcast Inquiries on a self-selected basis. The Client may receive responses from any number of Specialists.

4.4.3 Specialists may disable Broadcast Inquiry intake entirely from their profile settings. Specialists who have disabled intake do not see Broadcast Inquiries.

4.4.4 Specialists in Away Mode (Article 14) do not see Broadcast Inquiries.

4.4.5 When the Client makes payment to convert a Broadcast Inquiry into a Consultation, the same closure rules as Section 4.3.4 apply.

4.5 Concurrent Inquiry Limits

4.5.1 A Client may have at most five (5) concurrent open Inquiries on the Platform at any time.

4.5.2 An Inquiry counts toward the 5-Inquiry limit while in any non-Terminal state (New, Viewed, In Discussion, Awaiting Payment).

4.5.3 Once an Inquiry transitions to Consultation (post-payment), it no longer counts toward the limit. The 5-limit applies to Inquiries in pre-payment states only.

4.5.4 An Inquiry counts as one (1) toward the limit regardless of how many Specialists are targeted (Single-Target = 1, Multi-Target = 1, Broadcast = 1).

4.6 Profile-Based Direct Engagement

4.6.1 Specialists with a paid subscription (Solo Specialist subscription or any Company tier subscription) may, at their option, display contact information on their public Profile, including phone number, email, website, and office address.

4.6.2 Where a Specialist has displayed contact information on their Profile:

(a) Clients may contact the Specialist directly via the displayed channels;

(b) Engagements arising from such direct contact are not subject to this Rulebook;

(d) Direct off-Platform engagements do not constitute a Platform-recorded Engagement for purposes of Reviews eligibility (per Reviews & Ratings Function Rulebook, Article 4.1.2).

4.6.3 Where a Specialist has not displayed contact information on their Profile:

(a) The Inquiry system is the sole means of initiating engagement;

(b) Engagements that arise are governed by this Rulebook.

4.6.4 Specialists without a paid subscription may not display contact information on their Profile.

ARTICLE 5: SPECIALIST-INITIATED FOLLOW-UP

5.1 Scope of Specialist-Initiated Contact

5.1.1 Specialists may initiate post-engagement follow-up with Clients through the Platform's video consultation system in the following circumstances:

(a) Existing Client follow-up — re-contacting a Client who previously had an Engagement (any state);

(b) Referral from another Specialist — receiving a Client referral from a colleague Specialist (with the Client's prior consent obtained at the referring Specialist's level);

5.1.2 Specialists may NOT engage in cold outreach to Clients with whom no prior engagement or referral exists.

5.2 Mechanism

5.2.1 Specialist-initiated follow-up does NOT use the Inquiry submission flow. It is conducted through the Platform's Direct Consultation mechanism (magic-link issuance to prior-engagement Client) and is governed by the Video Consultations Function Rulebook Article 7. Eligibility is restricted to Clients with prior Engagement; cold outreach via Direct Consultation is prohibited per Inquiries Rulebook Article 13.

5.2.2 This Rulebook addresses Specialist-initiated follow-up only to the extent necessary to interact with the Client's "No Further Contact Flag."

5.3 Client Decision

5.3.1 A Client receiving a Specialist-initiated follow-up may:

(a) Accept the follow-up by responding affirmatively and engaging;

(b) Decline by paying for the consultation if the Specialist requested payment, fixing the consultation schedule;

5.4 No Further Contact Flag

5.4.1 A Client may, at any time, set a permanent "No Further Contact" flag against a specific Specialist.

5.4.2 Once the flag is set:

(a) The Specialist may not initiate any further follow-up with that Client;

(b) The Specialist's Profile is hidden from that Client's recommended/suggested listings;

(d) The flag is permanent and may be reversed only by direct action of the Client through their account settings.

5.4.3 A formal Client decline of a Specialist-initiated follow-up automatically triggers the No Further Contact Flag.

ARTICLE 6: INQUIRY LIFECYCLE

6.1 Lifecycle Overview

6.1.1 Every Inquiry moves through one or more of the following states:

NEW → VIEWED → IN DISCUSSION → AWAITING PAYMENT → CONSULTATION
                    ↓                                       ↓
                TERMINAL                               TERMINAL
                                                  (Consultation
                                                   lifecycle in
                                                   Article 11)

Terminal States: Declined, Expired, Withdrawn, Converted-to-Consultation

6.1.2 State definitions:

State	Meaning
New	Submitted by Client; awaiting Specialist's initial review
Viewed	Specialist has opened/acknowledged the Inquiry
In Discussion	Active back-and-forth messaging between Client and Specialist
Awaiting Payment	Specialist has issued a Quote; Client has not yet paid
Consultation	Pre-authorization complete; service relationship has commenced
Declined	Specialist or Client formally declined
Expired	SLA Window or activity timeout exceeded
Withdrawn	Client retracted before engagement
Converted-to-Consultation	Inquiry has transformed into Consultation; lifecycle in Article 11

6.2 New State

6.2.1 Upon Client submission, an Inquiry enters New state.

6.2.2 The Specialist is notified and has the SLA Window per Article 9 to respond.

6.2.3 Within the SLA Window, the Specialist may:

(a) View the Inquiry → State transitions to Viewed;

(b) Respond with a clarifying message → State transitions to In Discussion;

(d) Decline with a categorized Reason → State transitions to Declined.

6.2.4 If the Specialist takes no action within the SLA Window:

(a) For Single-Target: Inquiry auto-Expires;

(b) For Multi-Target: that Specialist's recipient state Expires; other recipients continue independently;

(c) For Broadcast: no SLA pressure on individual Specialists; the Inquiry remains open for response indefinitely (subject to Section 6.5).

6.3 Viewed State

6.3.1 Once the Specialist has opened the Inquiry, the state moves to Viewed.

6.3.2 The SLA Window continues to run from original submission time.

6.3.3 The Specialist must take further action (Respond, Quote, Decline) before SLA Window expiry.

6.4 In Discussion State

6.4.1 Active messaging between Client and Specialist constitutes In Discussion.

6.4.2 During In Discussion:

(a) Either party may send messages without character limit;

(b) Attachments may be exchanged (now permitted; restriction in Section 4.1.3 applies only to submission stage);

(d) Either party may withdraw or decline → moves to Terminal;

(e) Inactivity for seven (7) consecutive days auto-Expires the Inquiry.

6.5 Awaiting Payment State

6.5.1 Once the Specialist sends a Quote, the state moves to Awaiting Payment.

6.5.2 The Client has twenty-four (24) hours from Quote receipt to:

(a) Pay (initiating Pre-Authorization) → moves to Consultation;

(b) Decline the Quote → moves to Declined;

6.5.3 If the Client takes no action within 24 hours, the Quote auto-Expires; the Inquiry returns to In Discussion state if the Client wishes to continue messaging, or moves to Expired if no further activity within the inactivity window of Section 6.4.2(e).

6.6 Transition to Consultation

6.6.1 Successful Pre-Authorization of payment causes the Inquiry to transition to Consultation state.

6.6.2 Upon transition:

(a) The Inquiry record is preserved;

(b) For Multi-Target / Broadcast Inquiries: all other recipients see the Inquiry close (Section 4.3.4);

6.7 Terminal States

6.7.1 Declined — Specialist or Client formally terminated. No further state transitions.

6.7.2 Expired — SLA Window or inactivity timeout exceeded. No further state transitions.

6.7.3 Withdrawn — Client retracted the Inquiry. No further state transitions.

6.7.4 Converted-to-Consultation — Successful payment; Consultation lifecycle begins per Article 11.

ARTICLE 7: QUOTE MECHANICS

7.1 Quote Issuance

7.1.1 A Specialist may issue a Quote in response to an Inquiry at any time during New, Viewed, or In Discussion states.

7.1.2 A Quote MUST specify:

(a) Total Fee — the binding total amount;

(b) Currency — Georgian Lari (GEL); foreign currency is not permitted in v1.0;

(d) Estimated Duration / Time Commitment — anticipated time required;

(e) Communication Format — must match the Inquiry's preferred format or specify an alternative the Client must agree to;

(f) Payment Timing — immediate (default) or milestone-based, where applicable;

(g) Inclusions and Exclusions — what is and is not covered.

7.2 Quote is Binding and Non-Revisable

7.2.1 Once issued, a Quote is binding on the Specialist for the validity period.

7.2.2 A Specialist may NOT unilaterally revise a Quote. To change terms, the Specialist must withdraw the Quote and submit a new one.

7.2.3 Only one (1) active Quote may exist per Inquiry at any time. A new Quote replaces the prior Quote, which becomes void.

7.3 Quote Validity Period

7.3.1 A Quote is valid for 24 hours from issuance, matching the Awaiting Payment SLA Window per Section 6.5.

7.3.2 Upon expiration of the validity period without Client action, the Quote auto-voids; the Inquiry returns to In Discussion (Section 6.5.3).

7.4 Quote Acceptance

7.4.1 The Client accepts a Quote by initiating payment per Article 10. Initiation of Pre-Authorization constitutes Quote acceptance.

7.4.2 A Quote does not bind the Client until Pre-Authorization is successfully completed.

7.4.3 Exception — Book-from-Calendar Auto-Acceptance:

(a) The Specializations & Pricing Function Rulebook §8 introduces a book-from-calendar consultation initiation path in which the Specialist publishes Available Slots in the Platform calendar at a published consultation_fee;

(b) Where a Client books an Available Slot directly:

(i) The Platform auto-creates an Inquiry with the Specialist's consultation_fee as the Quote price;

(ii) The Specialist's calendar publication constitutes a Standing Offer under Specializations & Pricing Rulebook §8.3;

(iii) The Quote is auto-accepted by virtue of the Standing Offer; no separate Specialist Quote issuance step is required;

(iv) The Client completes Pre-Authorization per Article 10; the booking is binding upon successful Pre-Authorization;

(v) The Specialist cannot decline a valid book-from-calendar booking after Pre-Authorization, except per Specializations & Pricing Rulebook §8.5.2 (genuine inability to honor with reschedule);

(c) This exception applies only to bookings initiated through the book-from-calendar flow. Standard Inquiry submissions (Article 4) continue to require explicit Specialist Quote issuance per Article 7.1;

(d) Capture, Post-Consultation Appeals, and all other Inquiry mechanics under this Rulebook apply identically to book-from-calendar consultations; only the Quote step is modified.

ARTICLE 8: DECLINE AND WITHDRAWAL

8.1 Specialist Decline

8.1.1 A Specialist may Decline an Inquiry at any time before Pre-Authorization. Specialist Decline requires selection of a categorized Reason from the following list:

(a) Conflict of Interest — Specialist has a conflict that prevents engagement;

(b) Outside My Practice Area — matter falls outside Specialist's competencies;

(d) Schedule Too Full — Specialist has insufficient capacity;

(e) Budget Mismatch — Client's stated budget too low for proposed work;

(f) Geographic Mismatch — In-person consultation not feasible;

(g) Language Barrier — Specialist cannot provide service in Client's preferred language;

(h) Other (free text required).

8.1.2 Decline Reasons are visible to:

(a) The Client (so they understand the rejection);

(b) Platform Moderators (for pattern detection and quality monitoring).

8.1.3 Decline Reasons are NOT visible to other Specialists or to the public.

8.1.4 Patterns of Specialist Decline behavior (e.g., consistently declining matters that fall within stated practice areas) may be reviewed by the Platform under operational policy. Specific thresholds and consequences are not part of this Rulebook.

8.2 Client Withdrawal

8.2.1 A Client may withdraw an Inquiry at any time before Pre-Authorization without penalty.

8.2.2 Withdrawal may occur:

(a) During New / Viewed states — Specialist has not engaged substantively;

(b) During In Discussion — Client decides not to proceed;

8.2.3 Withdrawal is final — the Inquiry record cannot be reactivated.

8.3 Client Decline of Quote

8.3.1 Where a Specialist has issued a Quote, the Client may explicitly Decline (rather than simply Withdraw or letting the Quote expire).

8.3.2 Client Decline does not require a categorized Reason.

8.4 Withdrawal During Inquiry Stage by Specialist

8.4.1 A Specialist who initially engaged and now wishes to withdraw must complete a Decline Reason per Section 8.1.

ARTICLE 9: SLA WINDOWS — URGENCY TIERS

9.1 Urgency Tiers

9.1.1 At submission, the Client selects one of three Urgency Tiers, each with an associated SLA Window for Specialist response:

Tier	SLA Window	Use Case
Standard	48 hours	Routine matters, no immediate deadline
Urgent	24 hours	Time-sensitive matters, near-term deadline
Emergency	6 hours	Critical matters requiring immediate attention

9.2 SLA Application

9.2.1 The SLA Window applies to Specialist response time during New and Viewed states.

9.2.2 The clock starts at the moment of Inquiry submission and runs continuously, including non-business hours.

9.2.3 Specialist actions that satisfy the SLA Window:

(a) Sending a clarifying message;

(b) Sending a Quote;

9.2.4 Mere viewing of the Inquiry without further action does not satisfy the SLA Window.

9.3 SLA Breach Consequences

9.3.1 Upon SLA Window expiration without Specialist action:

(a) Single-Target Inquiry: auto-Expires;

(b) Multi-Target Inquiry: that Specialist's recipient instance Expires; other recipients continue independently.

9.3.2 The Platform may track Specialist SLA compliance and apply consequences (visibility reduction, warnings, suspension) under operational policy. Specific quantitative thresholds are not part of this Rulebook.

9.4 Urgency Misuse

9.4.1 Clients shall not misrepresent the urgency of their Inquiry. Misuse (e.g., setting Emergency Tier for non-emergency matters to manipulate Specialist response) may result in account warnings and, in patterns, suspension.

ARTICLE 10: PAYMENT — PRE-AUTHORIZATION AND CAPTURE

10.1 Payment Architecture

10.1.1 The Platform operates on a bank pre-authorization and delayed-capture model, NOT classic escrow.

10.1.2 Under this model:

(a) Client payment initiation places a Pre-Authorization hold on the Client's payment method;

(b) Funds remain on the Client's account, frozen against the specific transaction reference;

(d) The Platform does NOT hold Client funds during the Consultation lifecycle.

10.2 Pre-Authorization

10.2.1 Pre-Authorization is the bank operation by which the Client's payment method (typically a card processed via Bank of Georgia API) places a hold on the Quote amount.

10.2.2 Successful Pre-Authorization causes the Inquiry to transition to Consultation state.

10.2.3 Pre-Authorization windows held by the issuing bank typically extend up to 30 days. The Platform conducts all Capture operations within the bank-permissible window.

10.2.4 If a Pre-Authorization expires before Capture (e.g., consultation cannot be scheduled within the window):

(a) The Pre-Authorization hold is released;

(b) The Inquiry/Consultation is suspended pending operational resolution;

10.3 Capture

10.3.1 Capture is the bank operation by which Pre-Authorized funds transfer from the Client's payment method to the Platform.

10.3.2 Capture occurs upon any of the following events:

(a) Both parties click "End Consultation" — immediate Capture;

(b) Auto-Capture — automatic Capture 24 hours after the scheduled Consultation end time, if neither party has clicked "End Consultation" and no Appeal has been filed;

10.3.3 The 24-hour Auto-Capture window exists to:

(a) Catch forgotten end-of-Consultation actions; AND

(b) Provide the Client a window to file an Appeal per Article 12.

10.3.4 Specialists are encouraged to prompt Clients to click "End Consultation" promptly to enable immediate Capture.

10.4 Commission Split at Capture

10.4.1 At the moment of Capture, the captured amount is automatically split:

(a) 88% to the Specialist's ledger / payout account;

(b) 12% to the Platform as commission.

10.4.2 The split is automatic and instantaneous; no separate transaction is created.

10.4.3 Capture failure cases (e.g., insufficient funds at the issuing bank, card cancellation, technical issuer-side failure):

(a) The Specialist bears the loss in cases of Capture failure;

(b) The Platform shall make reasonable efforts to retry Capture within bank-permissible windows;

(d) Specialists are advised to consider Capture risk for high-value engagements.

10.5 Free Consultations

10.5.1 Specialists may offer free initial consultations (e.g., 15-minute or 30-minute discovery calls) at their discretion.

10.5.2 Free consultations:

(a) Skip the "Awaiting Payment" state entirely;

(b) Are recorded as a Consultation with zero principal fee;

(c) Are subject to a flat platform service fee of 10 GEL payable by the Specialist on each completed free consultation, captured from the Specialist's account at the moment of consultation completion.

10.5.3 The 10 GEL fee compensates the Platform for hosting infrastructure and administrative costs of free consultations.

10.6 Refunds — Specialist Fault

10.6.1 Where an Appeal results in a refund decision (full or partial) due to Specialist fault per Article 12:

(a) Pre-Auth release case — if Capture has not yet occurred, the Pre-Authorization hold is released; the Client retains all their money; no transfer occurs;

(b) Post-Capture refund case — if Capture has already occurred, the Platform refunds the Client and reconciles internally:

(i) For a full refund: the captured amount is returned to the Client;

(ii) For a partial refund: only the agreed refund portion is returned;

(iii) The 12% commission portion is debited from the Specialist's next consultation payout as a penalty (in addition to the loss of the consultation fee).

10.6.2 The pre-Capture release case is the predominant scenario where consultation has not yet occurred or has just concluded; the post-Capture refund case is rare.

10.7 Currency

10.7.1 All Quote fees and payments are denominated in Georgian Lari (GEL).

10.7.2 Foreign currency Quotes are not permitted in v1.0.

ARTICLE 11: CONSULTATION LIFECYCLE

11.1 Consultation Begins

11.1.1 A Consultation commences upon successful Pre-Authorization of payment for an accepted Quote.

11.1.2 At commencement:

(a) The Inquiry record transitions to Consultation;

(b) The Specialist is notified;

(d) Scheduling, where required, is coordinated through the Platform.

11.2 Video Consultation Delivery

11.2.1 For video consultations, the Platform tracks call segment duration to verify that the consultation occurred.

11.2.2 The minimum delivery threshold for Capture eligibility is:

(a) Both Client and Specialist present in the video session for any duration (≥1 minute);

(b) Video presence is recorded in the Platform's call segment ledger.

11.2.3 Video consultation quality is NOT controlled by the Platform; quality concerns are addressed through the Reviews & Ratings system. The Platform's role is to verify that the consultation occurred, not to assess its quality.

11.3 Phone and In-Person Consultations

11.3.1 Phone and in-person consultations are NOT duration-tracked by the Platform in v1.0.

11.3.2 Capture for phone and in-person consultations relies on:

(a) Both parties clicking "End Consultation"; OR

(b) Auto-Capture per Section 10.3.2(b).

11.3.3 The Platform may adjust this in future versions of this Rulebook to add tracking mechanisms for phone and in-person consultations.

11.4 Written Consultations

11.4.1 For written consultations:

(a) The Specialist marks the deliverable as "Delivered" through the Platform;

(b) The Client has 5 days from delivery marking to:

(i) Accept the deliverable (triggers immediate Capture); OR

(ii) File an Appeal per Article 12.

11.4.2 If neither acceptance nor Appeal occurs within 5 days, Auto-Capture proceeds.

11.5 Consultation Conclusion

11.5.1 A Consultation concludes upon any of:

(a) Both parties clicking "End Consultation";

(b) Auto-Capture after the 24-hour window per Section 10.3.2(b);

11.5.2 Upon conclusion:

(a) Capture is performed (if not already);

(b) Commission split is executed;

(d) The Consultation qualifies as an Engagement for purposes of Reviews & Ratings eligibility (Reviews Rulebook Article 4.1.1).

11.6 Conversion to Litigation Case

11.6.1 A Specialist may, at their option, propose conversion of a completed Consultation into a Litigation Case in the Cabinet.

11.6.2 Conversion to Litigation Case requires:

(a) The originating Consultation has reached Terminal state (concluded per Section 11.5);

(b) The Specialist initiates the conversion (Client cannot initiate);

(c) The Client provides fresh consent by signing a new engagement letter or case agreement, separate from the original Consultation acceptance;

(d) The original Consultation fee remains separate from any Cabinet retainer.

11.6.3 Cabinet operations are governed by the Cabinet (Litigation) Function Rulebook v1.0 ("Cabinet Rulebook"). This Rulebook addresses conversion only to the extent of the Inquiry-to-Cabinet handoff per Cabinet Rulebook §3.1.1(a). Cases may also be created independently of any Inquiry per Cabinet Rulebook §3.1.1(b).

ARTICLE 12: APPEALS

12.1 Right to Appeal

12.1.1 A Client may file an Appeal contesting the outcome of a Consultation within 24 hours of the scheduled Consultation end (or the Specialist's "Delivered" marking for written consultations).

12.1.2 Appeals filed after this 24-hour window are not accepted.

12.1.3 Filing an Appeal pauses Auto-Capture pending Moderator decision.

12.2 Permitted Appeal Grounds

12.2.1 Appeals may be filed only on the following grounds:

(a) Specialist did not deliver promised service — work agreed in the Quote was not performed;

(b) Specialist no-show — Specialist did not appear for the scheduled video consultation;

(c) Specialist quality below reasonable professional standard — service was inadequately performed (distinct from the Reviews & Ratings system);

(d) Specialist breached confidentiality — Specialist disclosed Client information in violation of obligations;

(e) Specialist had undisclosed conflict of interest — Specialist failed to disclose a material conflict;

(f) Fraud or misrepresentation — Specialist materially misrepresented qualifications, scope, or other particulars;

(g) Other (free text required).

12.3 Appeal Process

12.3.1 The Client files the Appeal through the Platform interface, identifying the Permitted Ground(s) and providing supporting reasoning.

12.3.2 Upon Appeal filing:

(a) Auto-Capture is paused;

(b) The Specialist is notified and given 5 days to respond;

12.3.3 The Specialist response should address the Appeal grounds and provide any relevant context.

12.3.4 Following the Specialist's response (or after 5 days if no response), Moderators review the Appeal and have 7 days to render a decision.

12.3.5 Total Appeal timeline:

(a) Client files: within 24 hours of Consultation end;

(b) Specialist responds: 5 days;

(d) Total maximum: ~13 days from Consultation end, well within typical 30-day Pre-Auth windows.

12.4 Appeal Fee

12.4.1 Appeals are free for Clients. No filing fee is required.

12.5 Possible Outcomes

12.5.1 Moderator decisions may result in any of the following outcomes:

(a) Full Refund — Pre-Authorization is released; Client retains all funds; no Capture occurs; Specialist receives nothing for the consultation;

(b) Partial Refund — Capture proceeds for a reduced amount agreed by Moderator (e.g., 60% of Quote captured for partial delivery); commission split applies to the captured portion; the un-captured portion is released;

(d) Reschedule Order — Where the issue is a missed video session that can reasonably be rescheduled, the Moderator may order a reschedule rather than a refund.

12.5.2 In Full Refund cases due to Specialist fault, the post-Capture commission penalty per Section 10.6.1(b)(iii) applies if any Capture had occurred.

12.6 Specialist No-Show — Special Treatment

12.6.1 Specialist no-show to a scheduled video consultation is the only ground that:

(a) Mandates reschedule offer first — the Specialist must be given an opportunity to reschedule before refund is granted;

(b) Refund is granted only if the Specialist refuses to reschedule or fails to appear at the rescheduled time.

12.6.2 Other Appeal grounds may be decided directly without mandatory reschedule offer.

12.7 Client No-Show

12.7.1 Where the Client fails to appear for a scheduled video consultation:

(a) The Specialist keeps 50% of the Quote fee (reflecting the time blocked but not delivered);

(b) The Client receives a 50% Pre-Authorization release;

12.7.2 Client no-show outcomes do not require Appeal proceedings; they are handled administratively at consultation closure.

12.8 Technical Failure

12.8.1 Where a video consultation cannot be conducted due to technical failure (call drops, connection issues, Platform outage):

(a) The Platform offers automatic reschedule;

(b) No penalty applies to either party;

12.8.2 Determination of "technical failure" is at the Platform's discretion, considering call segment data and other available information.

12.9 Decision Finality

12.9.1 Moderator decisions on Appeals are final and not subject to further appeal within the Platform.

12.9.2 A party may submit a written request for reconsideration. The Platform may, but is not obligated to, respond.

12.9.3 The party retains any rights they may have under applicable Georgian law to seek judicial relief.

ARTICLE 13: MESSAGING AND ANTI-CIRCUMVENTION

13.1 Messaging Scope

13.1.1 Inquiry-stage messaging covers:

(a) Pre-engagement clarifications between Client and Specialist;

(b) Quote negotiation;

13.1.2 Messaging during Consultation phase (post-payment) is governed by Cabinet (Litigation) Function Rulebook v1.0 Article 12 (Cabinet Chat) for case-related messaging where the engagement converts to a Litigation Case.

13.2 Privilege

13.2.1 All messaging exchanged between a Client and a Specialist on the Platform is treated as privileged attorney-client communication from first contact, where the Specialist is a Licensed Attorney.

13.2.2 This protective stance is more expansive than traditional attorney-client privilege rules in some jurisdictions, where privilege attaches only upon engagement formation. The Platform extends privilege to pre-engagement messaging to protect Client interests.

13.2.3 Specialists shall conduct themselves in messaging consistent with privilege expectations, including but not limited to refraining from sharing or disclosing such communications outside the Specialist-Client relationship.

13.2.4 Specialists who are not Licensed Attorneys do not generate privileged communications, but Platform confidentiality rules still apply to messaging.

13.3 Platform Access to Messaging

13.3.1 Platform Moderators do NOT proactively access messaging threads.

13.3.2 Moderator access to messaging is limited to:

(a) Disputes filed by either party — when an Appeal is filed or a complaint is reported;

(b) Automated detection flags per Section 13.4;

13.3.3 Routine messaging is encrypted at rest and in transit and is not viewed by Platform staff.

13.3.4 A Client's filing of an Appeal or report constitutes implicit limited consent to Moderator access of the relevant messaging thread for dispute resolution purposes.

13.4 Anti-Circumvention — Sharing of Off-Platform Contact

13.4.1 Sharing of off-Platform contact information (phone, email, off-Platform messaging handles) within Inquiry-stage messaging is discouraged but not prohibited in v1.0.

13.4.2 The Platform may employ automated pattern detection (regex-based) to identify messages containing phone or email patterns and flag such messages for review.

13.4.3 The Platform may, in its discretion, issue automated warnings to parties exchanging contact information, reminding them that engagements arising from off-Platform contact do not have Platform protection or commission flow.

13.4.4 Specific consequences for repeated contact-sharing are at the Platform's discretion under operational policy.

13.5 Message Moderation

13.5.1 When a thread is flagged or reported, Moderators may:

(a) Obscure or redact specific messages that violate the Platform's terms of service or Code of Conduct;

(b) Freeze the entire messaging thread (no further messages may be sent);

(d) Add internal Moderator notes for record-keeping and pattern detection.

13.5.2 Moderation decisions are final under this Rulebook; no formal appeal process is provided beyond the Appeal mechanism for post-payment disputes per Article 12.

13.6 Pre-Payment Disputes

13.6.1 Disputes regarding behavior during Inquiry-stage messaging (e.g., abusive language, insufficient responsiveness) are resolved through:

(a) Standard reporting flow;

(b) Decline Reasons accompanying Specialist Decline;

13.6.2 Pre-payment disputes do not have the same formal Appeal mechanism as post-payment disputes per Article 12, because no payment has been pre-authorized.

ARTICLE 14: AWAY MODE AND SPECIALIST AVAILABILITY

14.1 Away Mode

14.1.1 Specialists may set an "Away Mode" status indicating temporary unavailability.

14.1.2 While in Away Mode:

(a) Specialists do NOT receive new Single-Target Inquiries — submitted Inquiries are immediately rejected with "Specialist unavailable" notice to the Client;

(b) Specialists are excluded from Multi-Target Inquiry recipient lists;

(d) Active in-progress Inquiries remain in their current state and continue to be subject to applicable SLAs.

14.2 Effect on Active Inquiries

14.2.1 Setting Away Mode does NOT pause or extend SLAs for already-active Inquiries.

14.2.2 Specialists who anticipate unavailability should resolve active Inquiries (Decline, Quote, or pass to colleague Specialist) before setting Away Mode.

14.3 Specialist Mid-Inquiry Departure

14.3.1 Where a Specialist suspends, terminates, or otherwise leaves the Platform mid-Inquiry:

(a) For Solo Specialists: active Inquiries auto-Decline with reason "Specialist unavailable"; refunds processed if any payment has been made;

(b) For Company Specialists: active Inquiries are offered for transfer to other Specialists at the Affiliated Company; if no transfer is possible, treatment is the same as for Solo Specialists.

14.3.2 Transfers under Section 14.3.1(b) require:

(a) The Affiliated Company's authorization;

(b) The Client's consent;

14.4 Client Mid-Inquiry Termination

14.4.1 Where a Client's account is terminated mid-Inquiry:

(a) Active Inquiries auto-Withdraw;

(b) Specialists are notified;

ARTICLE 15: NOTIFICATIONS

15.1 Mandatory Notifications

15.1.1 The Platform shall provide notifications to relevant parties for the following Inquiry events:

Event	Notify
New Inquiry submitted	Specialist (if targeted/eligible)
Inquiry Viewed	Client
Specialist response message	Client
Quote sent	Client
Quote received	Client
Inquiry Declined by Specialist (with Reason)	Client
Inquiry Withdrawn by Client	Specialist
Quote acceptance / payment Pre-Authorized	Specialist
SLA expiry imminent	Specialist (warning); Client (impending Expiry)
Inquiry Expired	Both parties
Multi-Target Inquiry closed elsewhere	Other recipients
Consultation scheduled	Both parties
Consultation reminders	Both parties (e.g., 24h, 1h before)
Consultation ended	Both parties
Auto-Capture imminent (24h reminder)	Client
Capture completed	Both parties
Appeal filed	Specialist
Appeal decision rendered	Both parties
Specialist-initiated follow-up received	Client
No Further Contact Flag set	(no notification to Specialist; flag is silent)

15.2 Notification Channels

15.2.1 Notifications are delivered via:

(a) In-app notification (mandatory);

(b) Email to the address on file (mandatory);

15.3 Notification Failure

15.3.1 The Platform makes reasonable efforts to ensure notifications are delivered.

15.3.2 Notification failure (bounced email, Platform downtime) does NOT extend SLAs, payment windows, or Appeal deadlines.

15.3.3 Both parties are responsible for maintaining accurate contact information and reasonable monitoring of their Platform Account.

ARTICLE 16: DATA RETENTION

16.1 Inquiry Records

16.1.1 Inquiry records (including all metadata, state transitions, and resolution outcomes) for Inquiries that reach Terminal states (Declined, Expired, Withdrawn) are retained for 12 months following the Terminal date, after which they are deleted.

16.1.2 Inquiry records that converted to Consultation are retained per Section 16.2.

16.2 Consultation Records

16.2.1 Consultation records are retained per Cabinet (Litigation) Function Rulebook v1.0 Article 20 for matters that converted to Litigation Cases (5-year post-Closure retention standard), and per general Platform retention practices for standalone Consultations.

16.3 Messaging Content

16.3.1 Inquiry-stage messaging content is retained indefinitely for audit and dispute defense purposes, regardless of whether the parent Inquiry reaches a Terminal state or converts.

16.3.2 Indefinite retention is subject to Section 16.6 (Override by Legal Obligation) and to the Platform's master Privacy Policy.

16.4 Decline Reasons and Pattern Data

16.4.1 Decline Reasons and other Specialist behavioral data are retained indefinitely for Specialist quality analytics and pattern detection.

16.5 No Further Contact Flags

16.5.1 "No Further Contact" flags are permanent, with no automatic expiration. Reversal requires direct Client action through account settings.

16.6 Override by Legal Obligation

16.6.1 Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Platform may retain any Inquiry, Consultation, messaging, or related data for any period required by applicable law, regulatory requirement, or pending legal proceeding.

16.7 Privileged Communications

16.7.1 Privileged communications (per Article 13.2) are retained subject to the same rules as other messaging, with the additional protection that disclosure is permitted only:

(a) On legal compulsion (court order, subpoena);

(b) On dispute filing by the parties (limited consent);

(d) For Platform internal compliance and security operations on a need-to-know basis.

ARTICLE 17: PROHIBITED CONDUCT

17.1 Client Prohibitions

17.1.1 Clients shall not:

(a) Submit fraudulent or fabricated Inquiries;

(b) Misrepresent the urgency of their matter (Urgency Tier abuse);

(d) Engage in patterns of submission-and-withdrawal designed to harass Specialists;

(e) File frivolous or knowingly false Appeals;

(f) Use messaging as a vehicle for harassment, discrimination, or unlawful content;

(g) Coordinate with others to manipulate Specialist behavior or reviews.

17.2 Specialist Prohibitions

17.2.1 Specialists shall not:

(a) Issue Quotes containing knowingly false representations;

(b) Decline Inquiries on prohibited grounds (e.g., discriminatory bases under applicable Georgian law);

(d) Initiate follow-up contact with Clients who have set a "No Further Contact" flag;

(e) Pressure or coerce Clients into accepting Quotes or releasing payment;

(f) Misuse messaging for harassment or unlawful content;

(g) Manipulate SLA windows through patterns of evasive responses.

17.3 Mutual Prohibitions

17.3.1 Both parties shall not:

(a) Use Inquiry messaging to share content prohibited by applicable Georgian law;

(b) Disclose third-party confidential information without authorization;

17.4 Consequences

17.4.1 Consequences scale with severity:

Severity	Possible Consequences
Minor	Warning
Standard	Account warning; reduced visibility; restriction of features
Serious	Account suspension; loss of subscription privileges
Severe	Account termination; permanent loss of Platform access

17.4.2 Specific consequence application is at Moderator/SUPER_ADMIN discretion.

ARTICLE 18: LIABILITY ALLOCATION

18.1 Specialist Liability

18.1.1 The Specialist is solely liable for:

(a) The truthfulness, accuracy, and completeness of Quotes;

(b) Delivery of services consistent with the agreed Quote;

(d) Confidentiality of Client communications;

(e) Any third-party claim arising from the engagement.

18.2 Client Liability

18.2.1 The Client is solely liable for:

(a) Truthful and complete representation of their matter in the Inquiry;

(b) Payment obligations upon Quote acceptance;

(d) Frivolous or fraudulent Appeals.

18.3 No Platform Endorsement

18.3.1 The Platform does not endorse, verify, or vouch for any Specialist or Quote.

18.3.2 The Platform's role is to facilitate connection and payment processing; the Platform does not guarantee outcomes, service quality, or professional competence.

18.3.3 Capture failure risk is borne by the Specialist per Section 10.4.3.

18.4 Indemnification

18.4.1 The Specialist shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Platform from and against all claims, damages, losses, and expenses arising from:

(a) Their Quote, conduct, or service delivery;

(b) Violation of Section 17.2 (Specialist Prohibitions);

18.4.2 The Client shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Platform from and against all claims, damages, losses, and expenses arising from:

(a) Their Inquiry or messaging conduct;

(b) Violation of Section 17.1 (Client Prohibitions);

ARTICLE 19: GOVERNING LAW AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION

19.1 Governing Law

19.1.1 This Rulebook is governed by the laws of Georgia.

19.2 Forum

19.2.1 Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Rulebook that cannot be resolved through Platform mechanisms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Tbilisi, Georgia, consistent with the Platform's master Terms and Conditions.

19.3 Language

19.3.1 This Rulebook is published in English, Georgian, and Russian. In the event of any conflict between language versions, the Georgian version prevails.

ARTICLE 20: AMENDMENTS AND RE-CONSENT

20.1 Platform's Right to Amend

20.1.1 The Platform reserves the right to amend this Rulebook at any time, in its sole discretion, with immediate effect upon publication.

20.2 Re-Consent on Amendment

20.2.1 Upon publication of any amendment, the Platform shall present a re-consent prompt to all affected Users on their next Platform login or on next interaction with the Inquiries function, whichever is earlier.

20.2.2 Continued use of the Inquiries function after publication of an amendment constitutes acceptance of the amended Rulebook.

20.2.3 A User who declines to re-consent shall lose Inquiry-related privileges. Existing in-flight Inquiries are completed under the rules in effect at the time of submission.

20.3 No Grace Period

20.3.1 Amendments take effect immediately upon publication. No grace period applies.

ARTICLE 21: CROSS-REFERENCES TO ROLE T&Cs

21.1 Incorporation

21.1.1 This Rulebook is incorporated by reference into each of the following Role Terms and Conditions:

(a) User Terms and Conditions;

(b) Solo Specialist Terms and Conditions;

(d) Company Terms and Conditions;

(e) Trainer Terms and Conditions (where Trainers also act as Specialists);

(f) Moderator Terms and Conditions.

21.2 Conflict Resolution

21.2.1 Conflicts between this Rulebook and a Role Terms and Conditions document are resolved as follows:

(a) Matters specific to a single role are governed by the applicable Role T&C;

(b) Matters of Inquiry workflow, lifecycle, financial flow, appeals, and rules common across roles are governed by this Rulebook;

21.3 Required Cross-Reference Updates to Existing Role T&Cs

21.3.1 The following existing Role T&Cs require amendment to reference this Rulebook:

Role T&C	Required Action
Solo Specialist T&C	Add reference + replace any consultation/inquiry-related provisions
Company Specialist T&C	Add reference + replace any consultation/inquiry-related provisions
Company T&C	Add reference for Specialist inquiry intake oversight
Trainer T&C	Add reference for Specialist-capacity inquiry handling
User T&C	Add reference for Client inquiry submission rights
Moderator T&C	Add reference for inquiry dispute arbitration

ARTICLE 22: SEVERABILITY AND ENTIRE RULEBOOK

22.1 Severability

22.1.1 If any provision of this Rulebook is held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid; if not possible, the provision shall be severed, and the remaining provisions shall continue in force.

22.2 Entire Rulebook

22.2.1 This Rulebook, together with the master Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, Cookies Policy, and applicable Role Terms and Conditions, constitutes the entire agreement regarding the Inquiries & Messaging function on the Platform.

22.3 No Waiver

22.3.1 The Platform's failure to enforce any provision shall not constitute a waiver. Any waiver must be in writing to be effective.

ARTICLE 23: VERSION HISTORY

Version	Date	Author	Description
1.0	13 May 2026	Legal Sandbox Georgia LLC	Initial publication

SCHEDULE B: SUMMARY OF KEY OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS

Parameter	Value	Source
Maximum concurrent open Inquiries per Client	5	Art. 4.5.1
Maximum recipients in Multi-Target Inquiry	5	Art. 4.3.1
Inquiry attachments at submission	Not permitted	Art. 4.1.3
Standard Urgency SLA	48 hours	Art. 9.1.1
Urgent Urgency SLA	24 hours	Art. 9.1.1
Emergency Urgency SLA	6 hours	Art. 9.1.1
In Discussion inactivity timeout	7 days	Art. 6.4.2(e)
Awaiting Payment / Quote validity	24 hours	Art. 6.5.2, 7.3.1
Required Decline Reason categories	8	Art. 8.1.1
Communication formats supported	5 (Video, Phone, In-Person, Written, Group)	Art. 4.1.1(d), 1.2.2(g)
Currency	GEL only	Art. 10.7
Platform commission	12%	Art. 10.4.1
Free consultation Platform fee	10 GEL flat	Art. 10.5.2(c)
Auto-Capture window after Consultation end	24 hours	Art. 10.3.2(b)
Written consultation Client review window	5 days	Art. 11.4.1(b)
Bank Pre-Auth window (typical)	Up to 30 days	Art. 10.2.3
Capture failure risk	Specialist bears	Art. 10.4.3
Commission penalty on Specialist-fault refund	Deducted from next consultation	Art. 10.6.1(b)(iii)
Client no-show retention to Specialist	50% of Quote	Art. 12.7.1
Appeal filing window	24 hours from Consultation end	Art. 12.1.1
Specialist response window to Appeal	5 days	Art. 12.3.2(b)
Moderator decision window on Appeal	7 days	Art. 12.3.4
Total Appeal timeline (max)	~13 days	Art. 12.3.5
Appeal fee	None / Free	Art. 12.4
Cabinet conversion threshold	Consultation completed	Art. 11.6.2(a)
Profile contact info disclosure	Subscription-gated	Art. 4.6
Cold outreach by Specialists	Prohibited	Art. 5.1.2
Pre-payment messaging privilege	All Specialist-Client messaging from first contact	Art. 13.2.1
Moderator access to messaging	On dispute / flag / legal process only	Art. 13.3.2
"No Further Contact" flag	Permanent, Client-reversible	Art. 5.4.2(d)
Contact-sharing in pre-payment messages	Discouraged but allowed	Art. 13.4.1
Inquiry retention after Terminal	12 months	Art. 16.1.1
Messaging retention	Indefinite	Art. 16.3
Decline Reasons retention	Indefinite	Art. 16.4
Notifications	Full v1.0 system, mandatory	Art. 15
Amendment grace period	None	Art. 20.3

END OF RULEBOOK