Silkworm Terms of Service

Effective date: 26/01/2026
Version: 1.0

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the Silkworm platform (“Silkworm”, “Service”), operated by Silkworm Systems Ltd (“we”, “us”, “our”). By creating an account or using the Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

1. The Service

Silkworm is a software tool designed to assist legal professionals by analysing and organising uploaded legal documents.

Silkworm:

  • provides decision-support only
  • does not provide legal advice
  • does not replace professional legal judgment
  • does not guarantee completeness, accuracy, or correctness of outputs

All outputs must be reviewed and verified by a qualified legal professional before use.

2. Eligibility and Accounts

You may use Silkworm only if:

  • you are a qualified legal professional, or
  • you are supervised by one, and
  • you are authorised to upload the documents you provide to the Service.

You are responsible for:

  • maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials
  • all activity occurring under your account
  • ensuring appropriate supervision of junior users

We may suspend or terminate access if these Terms are breached.

3. User Responsibilities and Professional Judgment

You acknowledge and agree that:

  • Silkworm outputs may be incomplete, inaccurate, or misleading
  • page references or citations do not guarantee correctness
  • Silkworm does not identify all relevant issues or evidence
  • responsibility for legal analysis, advice, filings, and outcomes remains solely with you

You must not rely on Silkworm as the sole basis for any legal decision, advice, or representation.

4. Acceptable Use

You must not:

  • upload documents unlawfully or without proper authority
  • use the Service for automated decision-making affecting individuals
  • attempt to reverse engineer or probe underlying models
  • use the Service outside its intended professional context
  • use the Service in a way that violates applicable law or professional rules

We may monitor usage to enforce these restrictions.

5. Intellectual Property

We retain all rights, title, and interest in:

  • the Silkworm platform
  • software, models, interfaces, and documentation

You retain ownership of all documents and data you upload.

You grant us a limited, non-exclusive licence to process uploaded content solely to provide the Service in accordance with these Terms and the Data Processing Agreement.

6. Data Protection and Processing

Where we process personal data on your behalf, we do so as a data processor.

Our Data Processing Agreement (“DPA”):

  • applies to such processing
  • forms part of these Terms
  • is incorporated by reference

By agreeing to these Terms, you also agree to the DPA.

7. Confidentiality and Security

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect data.

You acknowledge that:

  • no system is completely secure
  • you are responsible for deciding what data to upload
  • you must assess whether redaction is appropriate before upload

8. Availability and Changes

Silkworm is provided on an as-available basis.

We do not guarantee:

  • uninterrupted availability
  • error-free operation
  • continued availability of specific features

We may modify, suspend, or discontinue the Service at any time.

9. Fees

9.1 Pricing

Use of the Service may be subject to fees (“Fees”) as set out on the Silkworm website or otherwise agreed in writing.

Unless stated otherwise:

  • all Fees are stated exclusive of VAT or other applicable taxes
  • taxes will be charged where required by law

9.2 Free or Beta Access

We may offer access to the Service on a free, trial, or beta basis.

Where access is provided free of charge:

  • no Fees are payable for that period
  • availability, features, and data retention may be limited
  • access may be withdrawn at any time

Free or beta access does not create any entitlement to continued use or future pricing.

9.3 Paid Plans

If you subscribe to a paid plan:

  • Fees are payable in advance for the applicable billing period
  • billing cycles may be monthly or annual, as specified at signup
  • subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled before renewal

You are responsible for ensuring billing details remain accurate and up to date.

9.4 Invoicing and Payment

We may collect payment:

  • by card, direct debit, or invoice, depending on plan and arrangement

Invoices must be paid within the time specified on the invoice.

We may suspend access for non-payment after reasonable notice.

9.5 Changes to Fees

We may change Fees on reasonable notice.

Fee changes will not apply retroactively and will take effect at the start of the next billing period.

9.6 Refunds

Fees are non-refundable except where required by law or explicitly stated otherwise.

No refunds are provided for:

  • partial billing periods
  • unused features
  • early termination by you

9.7 Professional Use

The Service is provided for professional use only.

You acknowledge that statutory consumer protections do not apply.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

  • we exclude liability for indirect or consequential loss
  • we exclude liability for loss arising from reliance on Silkworm outputs

Our total liability under these Terms is limited to the fees paid by you to us in the preceding 12 months.

Nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot be excluded under law.

11. Termination

You may stop using the Service at any time.

We may suspend or terminate access:

  • for breach of these Terms
  • for legal or security reasons

On termination, data handling will be governed by the DPA.

12. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time.

Material changes will require re-acceptance.

Continued use after non-material changes constitutes acceptance.

13. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

The courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction.