Terms of Service

These Terms of Service govern access to and use of BRL Matters, a web-based case-management and communication platform operated by Barshay, Rizzo & Lopez, PLLC (“Firm,” “we,” “us,” or “our”).

By creating an account, clicking “I Agree,” signing in after being presented with these Terms, or otherwise using BRL Matters, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to these Terms and our Privacy Policy.

1. Purpose of BRL Matters

BRL Matters is provided to facilitate case administration, document management, communications, scheduling, workflow management, and related law-practice functions.

The Platform is intended solely for use by individuals whom the Firm has expressly authorized, including Firm attorneys and personnel, current clients, co-counsel, vendors, experts, medical providers, and other approved participants.

2. Relationship to Legal Representation

Use of BRL Matters does not, by itself:

• (a) create an attorney-client relationship;
• (b) expand or modify the scope of an existing attorney-client relationship;
• (c) constitute an agreement by the Firm to represent any person in a new matter;
• (d) modify an engagement letter, retainer agreement, court order, stipulation, or other governing agreement; or
• (e) constitute legal advice to anyone who is not already a client of the Firm concerning the applicable matter.

Any attorney-client relationship and the scope of the Firm’s representation are governed by the applicable written engagement or retainer agreement.

Nothing in these Terms limits the Firm’s professional, ethical, fiduciary, or legal obligations to a client, including any obligation that cannot lawfully be limited or waived.

3. Eligibility and Authorized Access

You may use BRL Matters only if:

• (a) the Firm has authorized your access;
• (b) the information you provide is accurate and complete;
• (c) you are legally capable of agreeing to these Terms; and
• (d) your use complies with applicable law, court rules, confidentiality obligations, and professional responsibilities.

Authorization to access one matter does not authorize access to another matter. You may access only the matters, records, and functions made available through your account.

You may not attempt to circumvent access restrictions or obtain information that the Firm has not affirmatively authorized you to access.

4. Account Credentials

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and security of your username, password, multifactor- authentication method, recovery codes, and other account credentials.

You agree to:

• (a) use a unique and reasonably secure password;
• (b) not share your account or credentials with another person;
• (c) not permit another person to use the Platform through your account;
• (d) sign out when using a shared or unsecured device;
• (e) maintain the security of devices used to access the Platform; and
• (f) notify the Firm promptly if you know or suspect that your account, credentials, or device has been compromised.

The Firm may require a password reset, multifactor authentication, identity verification, or other security measures as a condition of continued access.

5. Permitted Use

You may use BRL Matters only for legitimate purposes related to an authorized legal matter, Firm operation, or service relationship.

You may not:

• (a) access or attempt to access another user’s account;
• (b) upload malicious code, ransomware, spyware, or other harmful material;
• (c) probe, scan, test, or attempt to circumvent security controls;
• (d) interfere with the Platform’s operation or availability;
• (e) use automated scraping, crawling, extraction, or data-mining tools;
• (f) alter, reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to derive the Platform’s source code, except where applicable law expressly prohibits such a restriction;
• (g) upload material that you are not legally authorized to possess or disclose;
• (h) use the Platform to threaten, harass, defraud, impersonate, or unlawfully monitor another person;
• (i) use information obtained through the Platform for an unauthorized personal, commercial, litigation, or competitive purpose; or
• (j) use the Platform in violation of law, a court order, a protective order, a confidentiality agreement, or a professional obligation.

6. Confidentiality and Privilege

Information available through BRL Matters may include confidential, privileged, attorney-work-product, personally identifiable, medical, financial, employment, insurance, litigation, and other sensitive information.

Your access to such information does not waive any applicable privilege, protection, confidentiality designation, or ownership right.

You agree to:

• (a) maintain the confidentiality of information obtained through the Platform;
• (b) use the information only for the purpose for which access was granted;
• (c) avoid downloading or storing information on unsecured or shared devices;
• (d) not forward, reproduce, publish, or disclose information to an unauthorized person; and
• (e) comply with applicable protective orders, confidentiality agreements, litigation holds, and professional obligations.

Any inadvertent disclosure through the Platform shall be treated consistently with applicable law and professional-responsibility requirements. Receipt of information does not authorize its use when the recipient knows or reasonably should know that access or disclosure was unauthorized.

7. Communications and Deadlines

BRL Matters may permit users to send messages, upload documents, receive notices, and view calendar or matter information.

Unless the Firm expressly confirms otherwise in writing:

• (a) uploading a document does not constitute filing it with a court, agency, arbitrator, or other tribunal;
• (b) sending a message does not constitute service of legal process;
• (c) a calendar entry does not replace an official docket, court notice, scheduling order, or independent deadline calculation;
• (d) automated reminders are provided as an administrative convenience and should not be treated as the exclusive means of monitoring a deadline; and
• (e) the Platform should not be used for emergencies or other matters requiring immediate attention.

A communication is not necessarily received or reviewed when it is transmitted. Urgent matters should be communicated directly to the responsible attorney or Firm representative using an established telephone number or other agreed method.

8. Documents and User-Submitted Information

You represent that you are authorized to upload, transmit, or enter any information you submit through the Platform.

You retain whatever rights you otherwise possess in information you submit. You grant the Firm and its service providers a limited right to process, transmit, reproduce, store, back up, and display that information as reasonably necessary to operate, secure, maintain, support, and administer the Platform and the applicable matter.

Nothing in these Terms determines ownership of a client file, attorney work product, litigation materials, or other records. Such rights are governed by applicable law, professional obligations, court orders, and the applicable engagement agreement.

9. Privacy

The Firm’s collection and handling of personal information through BRL Matters are described in the BRL Matters Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

The Platform may generate technical records relating to account access, authentication, device or browser information, IP addresses, user actions, document activity, system errors, and security events. These records may be used to operate the Platform, administer matters, investigate suspected misuse, protect information, satisfy legal obligations, and maintain system security.

The Firm operates BRL Matters and may access, review, preserve, and retain system activity and records for security, administration, compliance, and legitimate business and legal purposes, to the extent permitted by law. This does not diminish any attorney-client privilege, work-product protection, or duty of confidentiality that applies to a client’s communications and information.

10. Electronic Communications

You consent to receiving Platform-related communications electronically, including account notices, security alerts, administrative messages, updated policies, and matter-related notifications.

You are responsible for maintaining accurate contact information and promptly updating any email address, telephone number, or other account information that changes.

Electronic communications may not be secure when transmitted outside the Platform. Users should not place confidential or highly sensitive information in an ordinary unencrypted email unless authorized and appropriate under the circumstances.

11. Availability and Maintenance

The Firm may perform maintenance, install updates, modify features, restrict functionality, or temporarily suspend access when reasonably necessary for security, maintenance, legal compliance, operational requirements, or protection of users and information.

The Firm does not guarantee that the Platform will be available without interruption or error. Users should maintain alternative procedures for time-sensitive communications, court deadlines, and essential records.

The Firm will use reasonable efforts to maintain the Platform appropriately, but no information system can be represented as entirely immune from outages, errors, unauthorized access, or security incidents.

12. Third-Party Services

BRL Matters may depend upon or connect with third-party hosting, authentication, email, document-storage, communications, payment, calendar, practice-management, or other technology services.

Third-party services may be governed by their own agreements and privacy practices. The Firm is not responsible for a third-party service used independently by a user or accessed outside the Platform.

The Firm may replace, discontinue, or modify third-party integrations when reasonably necessary.

13. Intellectual Property

Except for user-submitted information and third-party materials, BRL Matters and its software, design, interface, text, graphics, logos, workflows, compilation, and related materials are owned by or licensed to the Firm and are protected by applicable intellectual-property laws.

The Firm grants each authorized user a limited, revocable, nonexclusive, nontransferable right to use the Platform solely for its intended purpose. No ownership rights are transferred to a user.

The names BRL Matters, Barshay, Rizzo & Lopez, PLLC, and associated logos and branding may not be used without written authorization.

14. Suspension or Termination

The Firm may suspend, restrict, or terminate access when:

• (a) the user is no longer authorized;
• (b) the applicable matter or relationship has ended;
• (c) the Firm reasonably suspects unauthorized access or misuse;
• (d) continued access presents a security or confidentiality risk;
• (e) the user violates these Terms; or
• (f) suspension is reasonably necessary to comply with law, a court order, professional obligations, or Firm policy.

Termination of Platform access does not determine whether a person is entitled to receive documents or information through another method. Requests for records will be evaluated under applicable law, professional obligations, court orders, and engagement agreements.

15. Administrative Tool; No Warranty Regarding Outcomes

BRL Matters is an administrative and communications tool. It does not guarantee any legal result, litigation outcome, settlement, recovery, deadline calculation, document completeness, or court acceptance.

Users remain responsible for reviewing information for accuracy and promptly notifying the Firm of any apparent error.

Nothing in this section disclaims or limits the Firm’s professional obligations, liability for legal malpractice, liability for gross negligence or willful misconduct, or any other responsibility that cannot lawfully be limited.

16. Changes to These Terms

The Firm may revise these Terms to reflect changes in the Platform, security practices, legal requirements, or Firm operations.

Material changes will be presented through the Platform, by email, or by another reasonable method. Where appropriate, the Firm may require users to affirmatively accept revised Terms before continuing to use the Platform.

The “Last updated” date identifies the current version.

17. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.

Nothing in these Terms modifies the jurisdiction, venue, arbitration, or dispute-resolution provisions of an applicable engagement agreement or other written contract.

18. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, that provision shall be enforced to the maximum extent permitted, and the remaining provisions shall remain effective.

19. Contact Information

Questions concerning these Terms may be directed to:

Barshay, Rizzo & Lopez, PLLC
445 Broadhollow Road, Suite CL18
Melville, New York 11747
Email: support@brlfirm.com
Telephone: (631) 210-7272