Aaine
Trust & safety

Trust built into discovery.

Manual verification, clear contact paths, safety reporting for everyone, and profiles that show what matters before you reach out.

Manual verification.

Every lawyer is reviewed by our team — bar or law society registration, identity, references, and disciplinary history — before they appear in the directory.

Clear contact options.

Lawyers control what they share — phone, email, WhatsApp, chamber address, or Aaine message — so you know how to start the conversation.

Safety reporting for everyone.

Report fake profiles, privacy concerns, harassment, or account issues anytime. Platform safety reporting does not require a paid plan.

Profiles built for trust.

Practice areas, languages, experience, and verification status are shown upfront — so discovery starts with substance, not guesswork.

How to reach out safely

Four habits that keep discovery trustworthy.

Aaine helps you find verified lawyers and contact them. These habits help you stay safe while you talk it through.

Check the Verified mark.

The gold Verified mark next to a lawyer’s name means we’ve manually checked their bar standing, identity, and references. If it’s not there, the profile has not been verified yet.

Use the contact options they share.

Reach out through the channels listed on the profile. Mention you found them on Aaine so your enquiry is easy to recognise.

Keep early context clear and proportional.

Share enough for the lawyer to understand your matter — without sending sensitive documents before you’re comfortable doing so.

Report anything that feels wrong.

Credential misrepresentation, harassment, impersonation, or pressure to share payment details for verification fees outside Aaine can all be reported to the trust team.

What the Verified mark actually means

The gold Verified mark on a profile means our team has manually confirmed the lawyer’s bar registration, identity, and practice references against primary sources, and run a check for active disciplinary issues. Verification is a check of credentials and standing — it’s not an endorsement of the lawyer’s strategy, advice, or outcome on any specific matter.

For the full sequence and timing, see How verification works.

Fees and payments

Aaine does not currently run consultation booking or client escrow. Lawyer verification fees and paid plan billing (where offered) are processed by our payment partners. Professional fees for legal work are agreed directly between you and the lawyer. For payment or account questions, use the Contact page.

Reviews and lawyer responses

Where reviews or similar public feedback are available, they must be honest and attributable. Lawyers may respond once and can flag content that breaches professional conduct (confidential matter details, personal attacks). We may edit or remove content that violates our standards.

Identity, documents, and data protection

Identity documents uploaded for verification are encrypted at rest, accessible only to the verification team, never shown to clients, and removed from active storage 90 days after verification completes. Full detail is in our Privacy policy.

What to report — and how

Platform safety and account issues can be reported to the trust team. Especially:

  • A profile appears to misrepresent credentials or identity.
  • You received unsolicited or inappropriate messages.
  • You suspect impersonation or account takeover.
  • A lawyer asked for verification-style payments outside Aaine’s official flow.
  • You believe a review or public claim was fabricated or coercive.
  • Any other platform safety or privacy concern.

Reach the trust team through the Contact page. Reports are confidential, and we’ll never share the reporter’s identity with the lawyer or client involved without consent.

What we expect from lawyers

  • Hold a current, unrestricted practising certificate from your bar association or law society.
  • Keep your public profile accurate, including practice areas, languages, and contact options you choose to display.
  • Handle client communications and documents in line with your professional conduct rules.
  • Do not misrepresent verification status or invent reviews.
  • Notify us within 7 days if your standing changes.

What we expect from clients

  • Use Aaine for genuine legal-help requests, and share accurate context when contacting a lawyer.
  • Treat lawyers professionally in messages and calls.
  • Do not harass counsel, scrape the directory, or submit false reports in bad faith.
  • Use the contact and report channels for safety issues when something feels wrong.
Have a safety concern? We'll review every report.
Contact trust teamFind a lawyer
Trust & Safety · Aaine