Terms of Service

1. Introduction and Acceptance of Terms

• 1.1These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the website operated by CrownField Legal LLP (“the Website”), and set out the general terms applicable to any engagement of CrownField Legal’s services (“Services”), whether as a prospective client, existing client, or general visitor to the Website.

• 1.4By accessing or using the Website, or by engaging the Firm’s Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms in full. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must discontinue use of the Website and must not engage the Firm’s Services.
• 1.5These Terms should be read alongside the Firm’s separate Privacy Policy, and, where applicable, any Engagement Letter or fee agreement entered into between you and the Firm. In the event of any conflict between these Terms and an Engagement Letter, the Engagement Letter shall take precedence in respect of the specific matter it governs.

2. No Attorney-Client Relationship Arising From Website Use

• 2.1Access to or use of the Website, including but not limited to browsing its content, reading published articles, or submitting a general enquiry through any contact form, telephone call, email, or messaging platform, does not, of itself, create an attorney-client relationship between you and the Firm.

• 2.4You acknowledge and accept that no member, partner, associate, or representative of the Firm is authorised to create an attorney-client relationship on behalf of the Firm other than through the formal process described in this Clause 2.

3. Free Consultations and Confidentiality of Pre-Engagement Communications

A free consultation is a conversation, not a commitment on either side, and what you share stays private.

• 3.1The Firm offers a complimentary initial consultation (“Free Consultation”) to prospective clients, for the purpose of enabling the Firm to understand a prospective client’s circumstances and to enable the prospective client to understand how the Firm may be able to assist.
• 3.2No legal advice is given, and no attorney-client relationship is formed, during a Free Consultation. Any discussion during a Free Consultation is preliminary in nature and shall not be relied upon as legal advice applicable to your specific circumstances.
• 3.3Notwithstanding Clause 3.2, the Firm shall treat any information disclosed to it during a Free Consultation as confidential, and shall not disclose such information to third parties save as required by law or with your express consent.
• 3.4You are nonetheless advised, for your own protection, to exercise discretion regarding the disclosure of highly sensitive information during a Free Consultation, given that formal legal advice tailored to your specific circumstances has not yet commenced at that stage.
• 3.5The Firm reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to decline to proceed with an engagement following a Free Consultation, including where the Firm determines that a conflict of interest exists, that the matter falls outside the Firm’s areas of practice, or for any other reason the Firm considers appropriate and lawful.

4. Engagement of Services

• 4.1Where you instruct the Firm to act on your behalf, the specific terms of that engagement, including the scope of work, applicable fees, billing arrangements, timelines, and the specific responsibilities of both parties, amongst other things, shall be set out in a separate, duly executed Engagement Letter or fee agreement (“Engagement Letter”).
• 4.2These Terms set out the Firm’s general terms of business. The Engagement Letter governs the specific matter for which you have instructed the Firm, and shall be read together with these Terms, save where the Engagement Letter expressly varies or supersedes a provision of these Terms in respect of that specific matter.
• 4.3No Services shall be deemed to have commenced, and no fees shall accrue, until an Engagement Letter has been duly executed by both parties, save in circumstances of genuine urgency where the Firm, at its discretion, agrees to act prior to formal execution, subject to the terms of an Engagement Letter being finalised as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter.

5. No Legal Advice via Website Content

• 5.1All content published on the Website, including blog posts, articles, guides, frequently asked questions, and any other educational or informational material (collectively, “Content”), is provided for general informational purposes only.
• 5.2Content does not constitute legal advice and shall not be construed or relied upon as legal advice applicable to your specific circumstances. The application of Nigerian law to any given set of facts is highly dependent on the particular circumstances involved, and Content on this Website cannot account for those individual circumstances.
• 5.3Laws, regulations, and their interpretation are subject to change, and Content may not reflect the most current legal developments at the time you access it. The Firm makes reasonable efforts to keep Content accurate and current but gives no warranty as to its continued accuracy.
• 5.4You should not act, or refrain from acting, on the basis of any Content without first seeking formal legal advice from the Firm or another qualified legal practitioner regarding your specific circumstances.

6. Limitation of Liability

• 6.1The Firm makes reasonable efforts to ensure that the Website and its Content are accurate, current, and free of error, but makes no warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the Website or its Content.
• 6.2To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Firm shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from:

• (a)any reliance placed by you on the Content of the Website;
• (b)any informal guidance, opinion, or discussion provided outside the context of a formal engagement governed by an Engagement Letter, including during a Free Consultation;
• (c)any error, omission, or outdated information appearing on the Website from time to time;
• (d)any interruption, delay, or unavailability of the Website, whether arising from technical failure, maintenance, or causes beyond the Firm’s reasonable control.

• 6.3Without prejudice to the generality of Clause 6.2, the Firm shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential loss or damage of any kind, including but not limited to loss of profit, loss of business opportunity, or loss of data, arising from or in connection with use of the Website or the Content of the Website.
• 6.4Nothing in these Terms shall operate to exclude or limit the Firm’s liability arising out of a formal engagement governed by an Engagement Letter, for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
• 6.5The Firm’s liability to a Client in respect of Services provided under a formal engagement shall be governed exclusively by the terms of the relevant Engagement Letter, and not by this Clause 6, save where the Engagement Letter is silent on a matter expressly addressed in this Clause 6.

7. Intellectual Property

• 7.1All Content on the Website, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, icons, images, audio clips, video clips, data compilations, page layout, underlying code, and the overall design and appearance of the Website, is the property of CrownField Legal LLP or its licensors, and is protected by Nigerian and international intellectual property laws, including copyright and trademark law.
• 7.2You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to access and view the Content for your own personal, non-commercial use.
• 7.3Save as expressly permitted under Clause 7.2, you shall not reproduce, distribute, modify, publish, transmit, or create derivative works from any Content, in whole or in part, for any commercial purpose, without the prior written consent of the Firm.
• 7.4Any unauthorised use of the Firm’s name, logo, branding, or Content may give rise to civil and, where applicable, criminal liability under Nigerian law.

8. Client Confidentiality and Legal Privilege

• 8.1Upon the formation of an attorney-client relationship pursuant to Clause 2, all communications between you and the Firm in connection with your matter shall be treated as confidential and, where applicable, protected by legal professional privilege under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners.
• 8.2The Firm shall not disclose confidential client information to any third party save:

• (a)with your express written consent;
• (b)where required by law, court order, or a competent regulatory authority; or
• (c)to the extent reasonably necessary to render the Services, including to associate counsel, experts, or other professionals engaged in connection with your matter.

• 8.3These confidentiality obligations shall survive the termination or completion of the engagement and shall continue to apply indefinitely, save as otherwise required by law.

9. User Conduct

• 9.1In using the Website, you agree that you shall not:

• (a)use the Website for any unlawful purpose or in any manner that violates applicable law;
• (b)attempt to gain unauthorised access to the Website, its servers, source code, databases, or any system, network, account, or data connected to or accessible through the Website, whether belonging to the Firm or to a third party;
• (c)introduce any virus, malware, or other harmful or technologically damaging material to the Website;
• (d)interfere with or disrupt the proper functioning of the Website;
• (e)use any automated system, including bots or scrapers, to access the Website without the Firm’s prior written consent;
• (f)copy or misuse Website Content beyond what is expressly permitted under Clause 7.

• 9.2The Firm reserves the right to restrict or terminate your access to the Website, without notice, in the event of any actual, suspected or threatened breach of this Clause 9.

10. Third-Party Content & Links

• 10.1The Website may, from time to time, display third party content or contain links to third-party websites provided for your convenience or reference.
• 10.2The inclusion of any such content or link does not imply endorsement by the Firm of the linked website or its content. The Firm has no control over, and accepts no responsibility or liability for, the content, accuracy, or privacy practices of any third-party website.
• 10.3Your use of any third-party content or website accessed via a link from this Website is entirely at your own risk and subject to the terms and policies of that third-party content provider/website.

11. International Users

• 11.1The Website is accessible from jurisdictions outside Nigeria, and the Firm welcomes visitors and prospective clients regardless of their geographic location.
• 11.2Regardless of the jurisdiction from which you access the Website, your use of the Website, and any dispute, claim, or matter arising from or in connection with that use, shall be governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as further set out in Clause 17 below.
• 11.3The Firm makes no representation that the Website, or any Content on it, is appropriate, accurate, or available for use in every jurisdiction. Where local laws applicable to you differ from Nigerian law, you access the Website on the basis that Nigerian law shall nonetheless govern your use of it, as between you and the Firm.

12. Cross-Border Client Engagements

• 12.1The Firm welcomes engagements from individuals and entities located outside Nigeria in respect of matters connected to Nigeria, including but not limited to property, corporate, family, and personal legal matters.
• 12.2Where you engage the Firm from outside Nigeria, your engagement shall, in the same manner as for clients based in Nigeria, be governed by a duly executed Engagement Letter pursuant to Clause 4, and these Terms shall apply to that engagement in full.
• 12.3You acknowledge that certain aspects of service delivery, including the execution and authentication of documents, may require additional steps where you are located outside Nigeria, and the Firm shall advise you of any such requirements as they arise in the course of your specific matter.

13. No Foreign Jurisdiction Practice

• 13.1CrownField Legal LLP, at the moment, is licensed to practice law solely within the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Firm does not hold itself out, whether expressly or by implication, as licensed or authorised to practice law in any jurisdiction other than Nigeria.
• 13.2No Content on the Website, and no communication from the Firm, whether during a Free Consultation or otherwise, shall be construed as legal advice under the laws of any jurisdiction other than Nigeria.
• 13.3Where your legal needs require advice specific to a jurisdiction other than Nigeria, you should consult a legal practitioner duly licensed in that jurisdiction. Nothing in these Terms prevents the Firm from collaborating with, or making referrals to, legal practitioners licensed in other jurisdictions, where a matter has a connection to both Nigeria and another country.

14. Privacy and Data Protection

• 14.1CrownField Legal LLP is a Nigerian law firm, and its primary obligations in respect of data privacy are governed by the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 (“NDPA”). The NDPA is the principal law governing how the Firm collects, stores, processes, transmits, and protects data obtained through the Website and in the course of its work.

14.5This Clause 14 describes the Firm’s general approach to privacy and data protection and does not constitute a complete statement of the Firm’s data practices. For full details on how the Firm collects, uses, stores, processes, transmits, and protects personal data, please refer to the Firm’s separate Privacy Policy, which shall prevail over this Clause 14 in the event of any inconsistency.

15. Language and Currency

• 15.1The Website and all communications between you and the Firm shall be conducted in the English language.
• 15.2Any reference to fees, costs, or other monetary amounts on the Website or in any communication from the Firm shall be denominated in Nigerian Naira (NGN), unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing between you and the Firm.

16. Changes to These Terms

• 16.1The Firm reserves the right to amend, update, or replace these Terms at any time, at its sole discretion.
• 16.2Any such changes shall take effect immediately upon being published on the Website. Your continued use of the Website following the publication of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms.
• 16.3It is your responsibility to review these Terms periodically to remain informed of any changes. The date of the most recent update shall be indicated at the top of this page.

17. Alternative Dispute Resolution

• 17.1In the event of any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms, or your use of the Website, or our Services, the parties shall first attempt to resolve the matter through good faith negotiation.
• 17.2Either party may initiate negotiation by giving written notice to the other party, setting out the nature of the dispute. The parties shall use reasonable efforts to resolve the dispute through negotiation within thirty (30) days of such notice being given.

• 17.3If the dispute is not resolved through negotiation within the period specified in Clause 17.2, either party may refer the dispute to mediation before a mutually agreed mediator, prior to commencing arbitration or court proceedings, save where a party reasonably requires urgent interim relief, in which case that party may apply directly to a court of competent jurisdiction for such relief without first complying with this Clause 17.
• 17.4If the dispute remains unresolved within sixty (60) days of the commencement of mediation, or if either party declines to participate in mediation, the dispute shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration in accordance with the Arbitration and Mediation Act, 2023, or any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof.
• 17.5The seat of arbitration shall be mutually agreed by both parties. The arbitration shall be conducted by a single arbitrator, appointed by agreement of the parties, or, failing agreement within fourteen (14) days, appointed in accordance with the rules of the Arbitration and Mediation Act, 2023. The language of the arbitration shall be English.
• 17.6The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and binding on the parties, save for any right of appeal or challenge available under the Arbitration and Mediation Act, 2023.
• 17.7This Clause 17 shall not prevent either party from seeking urgent interim or injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction at any stage, where such relief is reasonably necessary to protect that party’s rights.

18. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

• 18.1These Terms, and any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or in connection with them, including their existence, validity, interpretation, performance, breach, or termination, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and any dispute shall first be subject to the dispute resolution procedure set out in Clause 17 above.
• 18.2This applies regardless of the jurisdiction from which you access the Website or from which any dispute may arise, consistent with Clause 11 above.
• 18.3Nothing in this Clause 17 shall be construed as submitting the Firm to the jurisdiction of any court outside Nigeria, or as a waiver of any right the Firm may have to resolve a dispute through arbitration or any other lawful means available under Nigerian law.

19. Severability, Entire Agreement, and Waiver

• 19.1Severability. If any provision of these Terms is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect, and the invalid provision shall be deemed modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
• 19.2Entire Agreement. These Terms, together with any applicable Engagement Letter and the Firm’s Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and the Firm in respect of your use of the Website and, where applicable, your engagement of the Firm’s Services, and supersede any prior understanding or agreement, whether written or oral, relating to the same subject matter.
• 19.3Waiver. No failure or delay by the Firm in exercising any right under these Terms shall operate as a waiver of that right, nor shall any single or partial exercise of a right preclude any other or further exercise of that right.