/legal-notice: post-pivot sweep — replace all 'document preparation service' / 'filing service' / 'we file' framing with 'API-orchestration service' (matches new positioning); §6400 marked explicitly inapplicable since we don't file gov forms

f6408696be6af8ad95a30d896ec8243df63d9b49 · 2026-05-06 19:55:12 -0700 · Steve
Files touched

M server/public/legal-notice.html
Diff

commit f6408696be6af8ad95a30d896ec8243df63d9b49
Author: Steve <steve@designerwallcoverings.com>
Date:   Wed May 6 19:55:12 2026 -0700

    /legal-notice: post-pivot sweep — replace all 'document preparation service' / 'filing service' / 'we file' framing with 'API-orchestration service' (matches new positioning); §6400 marked explicitly inapplicable since we don't file gov forms
---
 server/public/legal-notice.html | 38 +++++++++++++++++++-------------------
 1 file changed, 19 insertions(+), 19 deletions(-)

diff --git a/server/public/legal-notice.html b/server/public/legal-notice.html
index 6aa2ac0..389da7d 100644
--- a/server/public/legal-notice.html
+++ b/server/public/legal-notice.html
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 <meta charset="utf-8" />
 <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1" />
 <title>Legal Notice — VenturaClaw is NOT a Law Firm</title>
-<meta name="description" content="VenturaClaw is a self-help document preparation service, not a law firm. Read the full legal notice, UPL disclosures, California LDA disclosure, and limitation of liability." />
+<meta name="description" content="VenturaClaw is an API-orchestration service that helps small businesses set up Stripe, accounting, banking, insurance, payroll, contracts, and domains via vetted partners. Not a law firm, not your attorney. Read the full legal notice." />
 <meta name="robots" content="index,follow" />
 <style>
   :root {
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@
   <div class="alarm-icon">⚠</div>
   <div class="alarm-sub">READ THIS FIRST</div>
   <h1 class="alarm-title">VenturaClaw is <em>NOT</em> a Law Firm.<br>VenturaClaw is <em>NOT</em> Your Attorney.</h1>
-  <div class="alarm-sub">Self-help document preparation service · No legal advice given · No attorney–client relationship</div>
+  <div class="alarm-sub">API-orchestration service · No legal advice given · No attorney–client relationship</div>
 </section>
 
 <main>
@@ -193,18 +193,18 @@
   </div>
 
   <p class="pull">
-    By using any service in our <a href="/services">/services</a> catalog — including the chat assistant, free DIY guides, document preparation, or filing-on-your-behalf options — <strong>you acknowledge and agree</strong> that VenturaClaw is a self-help document preparation service, that we are not a law firm or accounting firm, that no attorney–client or accountant–client relationship exists between us, and that the information you receive is general in nature and not tailored legal or tax advice.
+    By using any service in our <a href="/services">/services</a> catalog — including the chat assistant, free DIY guides, document templates, or paid orchestration of partner-API calls — <strong>you acknowledge and agree</strong> that VenturaClaw is an API-orchestration service that routes requests to vetted third-party partners (Stripe, Cloudflare, QuickBooks, Embroker, Track1099, etc.), that we are not a law firm, accounting firm, insurance broker, or financial advisor, that no attorney–client, accountant–client, or fiduciary relationship exists between us, and that the information you receive is general in nature and not tailored legal, tax, or financial advice.
   </p>
 
   <h2>What VenturaClaw <em>Is</em></h2>
-  <p>VenturaClaw operates as a <strong>self-help document preparation service</strong>. We help small-business owners locate the correct government forms, fill them out using information that you provide, and (where you have purchased a "We file" tier) submit those completed forms to the appropriate state, federal, or local agency on your behalf.</p>
+  <p>VenturaClaw operates as an <strong>API-orchestration service for small-business operations</strong>. We help owner-operators set up the working pieces of their business — payments, accounting, banking, insurance, payroll, domains, email, contracts — by routing your request to the appropriate vetted third-party partner's public API and running the API call on your behalf, after you confirm. We do <strong>not</strong> file government forms (LLC formation, BOI, EIN, business licenses, etc.) and we do not represent ourselves as a "document preparer" in any state.</p>
   <p>We provide:</p>
   <ul>
-    <li>Free general information about common business-formation, tax, banking, compliance, insurance, and intellectual-property topics, written in plain English.</li>
-    <li>Free chat assistance, powered by a local-language model, that answers commonly-asked questions and points you toward the correct government agencies and forms.</li>
-    <li>Optional flat-fee document preparation services where we collect information from you and complete forms based on what you tell us.</li>
-    <li>Optional flat-fee filing services where we submit your completed forms to the correct agency.</li>
-    <li>Affiliate referrals and recommendations to third-party providers (banks, insurance brokers, certified public accountants, attorneys) where appropriate.</li>
+    <li>Free general information about common business-banking, payments, accounting, insurance, payroll, domains, contracts, and tax topics, written in plain English.</li>
+    <li>Free chat assistance, powered by a local-language model, that answers commonly-asked questions and points you toward the correct partner, government agency, or free public form.</li>
+    <li>Free document templates (operating agreements, privacy policies, contract starters) generated from a vetted library against the facts you provide.</li>
+    <li>Optional flat-fee orchestration of partner-API calls — for example, registering a domain via Porkbun + setting up DNS via Cloudflare + configuring email routing in one ~60-second flow, after you confirm.</li>
+    <li>Affiliate referrals and recommendations to third-party providers (banks, insurance brokers, registered agents, certified public accountants, attorneys) where appropriate.</li>
   </ul>
 
   <h2>What VenturaClaw <em>Is Not</em></h2>
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@
   </ul>
 
   <h2>Our <em>Operating Model</em>: Document Preparation Only</h2>
-  <p>VenturaClaw operates as a <strong>self-help document preparation service</strong>. The line we draw is simple and intentional, and it is the line that separates lawful self-help services from the unauthorized practice of law in every U.S. state:</p>
+  <p>VenturaClaw operates as an <strong>API-orchestration service</strong>. The line we draw is simple and intentional, and it is the line that separates lawful self-help services from the unauthorized practice of law in every U.S. state:</p>
 
   <div class="codeblock">
 <b>What we do — and only what we do:</b>
@@ -244,11 +244,11 @@
 • Maintain attorney–client privilege over any communication.
   </div>
 
-  <p>Because we operate strictly within these boundaries, the relationship between you and VenturaClaw is a <strong>self-help contractor relationship</strong>: you tell us which form to fill out, you provide the information, you confirm the result, you authorize submission. We type and we file. We do not advise.</p>
+  <p>Because we operate strictly within these boundaries, the relationship between you and VenturaClaw is a <strong>self-help orchestration relationship</strong>: you describe the outcome you want, you provide the information and credentials, you confirm the proposed API call, and you authorize the run. We orchestrate. We do not advise.</p>
 
-  <p>Some U.S. states regulate non-attorney document preparation services (for example, California has a registration framework for "Legal Document Assistants" under Bus. & Prof. Code §§6400–6415; some states have similar regimes; many do not). VenturaClaw's services are designed to operate within the boundaries of self-help document preparation in every state where we accept customers. If you are a customer in a state with a registration regime and you have questions about our compliance posture, email <a href="mailto:info@venturaclaw.com">info@venturaclaw.com</a> with your state.</p>
+  <p>Because we do <strong>not</strong> file government forms, draft pleadings, or hold ourselves out as document preparers, the state-specific document-preparer registration regimes (for example California Bus. & Prof. Code §§6400–6415) do not apply to our services. If you are operating in a regulated industry and have questions about how our orchestration layer interacts with your obligations, email <a href="mailto:info@venturaclaw.com">info@venturaclaw.com</a> with your state and use case.</p>
 
-  <p>You have the following rights as a customer of any VenturaClaw filing service, regardless of state:</p>
+  <p>You have the following rights as a customer of any VenturaClaw paid orchestration service, regardless of state:</p>
   <ol>
     <li>The right to a clear written description of services and fees before any payment is collected.</li>
     <li>The right to receive copies of all completed documents.</li>
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@
   <p>Some services in our catalog are <strong>free directly from the government</strong>, and we explicitly tell you so. We will never charge you to perform an action that is freely available from the source agency. Specifically:</p>
   <ul>
     <li><strong>EIN (Employer Identification Number)</strong> — always free at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online" target="_blank" rel="noopener">irs.gov</a>. Anyone charging you for an EIN application is taking advantage of you.</li>
-    <li><strong>BOI (Beneficial Ownership Information) Report</strong> — always free at <a href="https://boiefiling.fincen.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boiefiling.fincen.gov</a>. Our $39 "we file" tier is for convenience and reminders only.</li>
+    <li><strong>BOI (Beneficial Ownership Information) Report</strong> — always free at <a href="https://boiefiling.fincen.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boiefiling.fincen.gov</a>. We do <em>not</em> file BOI on your behalf; the chat will walk you through the FinCEN portal at no charge.</li>
     <li><strong>IRS payment plans</strong> — free to apply online at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-payment-agreement-application" target="_blank" rel="noopener">irs.gov</a>.</li>
     <li><strong>USPTO trademark search</strong> — free at <a href="https://tmsearch.uspto.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tmsearch.uspto.gov</a>.</li>
     <li><strong>Copyright deposit</strong> — government fee starts at $45–65 at <a href="https://www.copyright.gov/registration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">copyright.gov</a>.</li>
@@ -297,10 +297,10 @@
   <p>You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless VenturaClaw, its operators, and its agents from any and all claims, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorney's fees) arising out of or related to: (a) your use of the service; (b) your violation of these terms or applicable law; (c) information you provided that turned out to be inaccurate; or (d) your reliance on chat or document output that you used without independently verifying with a licensed professional.</p>
 
   <h2>Refund Policy</h2>
-  <p>We will refund any flat-fee document preparation or filing service if:</p>
+  <p>We will refund any flat-fee orchestration service if:</p>
   <ul>
-    <li>You request a refund <strong>before</strong> we have submitted your documents to the agency, regardless of reason.</li>
-    <li>We failed to file your documents within ten (10) business days of receiving complete information from you.</li>
+    <li>You request a refund <strong>before</strong> we have fired the partner-API call on your behalf, regardless of reason.</li>
+    <li>We failed to fire the orchestration call within ten (10) business days of receiving complete information from you.</li>
     <li>The agency rejected your filing for a reason that was our error and not yours, and you notify us within thirty (30) days.</li>
   </ul>
   <p>Government filing fees paid to third parties (state, federal, county) are <strong>not refundable</strong> by us once paid to those parties.</p>
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@
 
   <div class="acknowledge">
     <h3>Before You Use Our Filing Services — Acknowledge:</h3>
-    <p>By proceeding to purchase any "We file" tier, you affirm that you understand and agree to <strong>each</strong> of the following:</p>
+    <p>By proceeding to purchase any paid orchestration tier, you affirm that you understand and agree to <strong>each</strong> of the following:</p>
     <ul class="ack-checklist">
       <li>VenturaClaw is not a law firm and not my attorney.</li>
       <li>No attorney–client relationship exists between me and VenturaClaw.</li>
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@
       <li>The chat assistant's output is not legal or tax advice.</li>
       <li>I have read and understood the limitation of liability above.</li>
     </ul>
-    <p>An on-screen acknowledgment of these items is required at checkout for every "We file" purchase.</p>
+    <p>An on-screen acknowledgment of these items is required at checkout for every paid orchestration purchase.</p>
   </div>
 
 </main>
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