Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
1. Introduction and parties. Quality Appearances provides coverage of court appearances and other legal proceedings in the State of California to licensed attorneys. In doing so, we utilize the services of associate attorneys, or "panel attorneys." The terms "We" and "Us" refer to Quality Appearances and the terms "You" and "Your" refer to you as the panel attorney completing this registration.
2. Bar license active and in good standing. You represent that you are currently an attorney in active status and in good standing with the State Bar of California. Should you change your status to inactive, or should your license become suspended, revoked or otherwise restricted, you will notify us immediately. You agree not to accept any appearance assignment nor to appear on any court appearance or legal proceeding should you become ineligible to practice law.
3. Independent Contractor. We are retaining your services under this agreement only as an independent contractor. No employer/employee relationship is created or shall be construed herein.
4. Conduct of appearance. You will appear promptly on any appearance assignment you have accepted. You will conduct yourself professionally vis-à-vis the court and opposing counsel. You will utilize the information available, as provided by the client attorney, to use your best efforts to obtain the results desired by the client attorney. You will use your best efforts to follow any reasonable instruction given by the client attorney.
5. Reporting results. You will enter results for court appearances in your online panel attorney account by 3:00pm on the day of the appearance, or if circumstances prevent meeting such deadline, then as soon thereafter as is reasonable. Results for other appearances, such as depositions or mediations, shall be entered by the end of the business day, or if concluded late in the day, then by 12:00pm the following day.
6. Remedying adverse results; payment of sanctions. Should an appearance produce an adverse result as a direct consequence of your failure to appear, failure to follow the instructions of the client attorney, or otherwise by your negligence, malfeasance or fraud, you will use your best efforts to remedy the adverse result. This shall include the drafting of any declarations, pleadings, or motions to vacate the court’s order or ruling, or to seek reversal of the adverse result. You will cooperate with the client attorney to make every reasonable effort to remedy the adverse result. Should the court impose sanctions which are a sole and direct result of your conduct, negligence or malfeasance, you will make payment in accordance with the court’s order. You further agree that you shall not be paid for the underlying court appearance and you will make any and all subsequent court appearances to remedy the adverse results without compensation.
7. Confidentiality. You will maintain the confidentiality of all information provided by us, the client attorney and her client. You shall not disclose any information obtained in the course of performing your duties for any given appearance, except as permitted by the client attorney and/or her client.
8. Payment to panel attorney. We will pay you for your services a mutually agreed fee within 45 days of the date of service.
9. Client List. Our client list is a trade secret and the property of Vahe K. Messerlian dba Quality Appearances. We have developed our clientele over many years, and our marketing efforts are ongoing. As such, you agree not to use our resources to your economic advantage and to our detriment by soliciting appearance work from our clients.
10. Entire agreement; validity of terms. These terms constitute the entire agreement between the parties herein. All prior agreements and representations are hereby terminated in their entirety and have no further force or effect. If any provision of this agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless continue in full force without being impaired or invalidated in any way.
