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DABLO Law Firm LLP is committed to protecting the privacy of visitors to our website and transparently disclosing our practices regarding user data. We also believe it is important that you understand the legal terms under which we offer information on our site. This document is organized into two parts: (1) Privacy Policy, outlining how we collect, use, and protect personal information (in compliance with Ethiopian law and international standards like the GDPR), and (2) Legal Disclaimer and Terms of Use, explaining limitations of liability, the non-existence of an attorney-client relationship through the site, and rules for using our website content. Both the webpage section of our site and our downloadable PDF version of the policy contain these terms for your convenience. By using our website, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to both the Privacy Policy and the Legal Disclaimer detailed below.
Our Privacy Policy explains what information we collect through the DABLO Law Firm website (the “Site”), how we use and store that information, and your rights regarding your personal data. We adhere to the Personal Data Protection Proclamation No. 1321/2024 (PDPP 2024) of Ethiopia and international best practices (including principles mirrored from the EU General Data Protection Regulation). In summary, we collect only what is necessary for legitimate purposes, protect it diligently, and respect your rights over your data.
Personal Data You Provide: If you contact us through our online forms (e.g. “Contact Us” form) or sign up for our newsletter, we will collect personal identifiers such as your name, email address, phone number, and any information you include in your message or inquiry. We collect this information only when you voluntarily provide it for specific purposes – for example, to seek legal services or to subscribe to updates. We do not ask for sensitive personal data (such as government ID numbers or financial information) on our website, and we advise you not to include confidential details about your legal matter in initial communications (see Legal Disclaimer Section for more on confidentiality).
Automated Data Collection: Our Site may use standard web technologies to collect technical information automatically. This includes your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and the date/time of your visit. This data is typically collected via cookies or similar tracking technologies for the purpose of understanding user engagement and improving website functionality. We do not use these technologies to identify you as an individual, but rather to gather aggregate usage statistics. You will be notified of any cookies upon visiting the site, and where required, we will obtain your consent for non-essential cookies in accordance with applicable laws (for instance, EU users will see a cookie consent banner). (Note: As of the current policy, our Site’s use of cookies is limited to essential operations; we do not use third-party advertising or targeting cookies.).
We use the personal information you provide strictly for the purpose for which you provide it. For example:
We do not sell or rent your personal information to any third party for any purpose. We do not use the information you provide to make automated decisions about you. In short, personal data is collected and used only for legitimate business purposes of the firm (such as communicating with prospective clients or those interested in our services) and with your knowledge and consent.
Data Security: DABLO Law Firm employs appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. We utilize industry-standard security protocols. For instance, our website is encrypted via SSL/TLS (HTTPS) to secure data in transit, and internally we restrict access to personal data only to those in our team who need to process it for the above-mentioned purposes. We also have in place confidentiality agreements and data protection training for our staff, reinforcing the importance of safeguarding client data.
Despite our efforts to protect information, please be aware that no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure or error-free. We cannot guarantee absolute security of information. However, we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information and we continuously update our practices in line with evolving security standards. In the unlikely event of a data breach involving your personal information, we will comply with applicable notification laws – for example, Ethiopian law requires that we inform the authorities and affected individuals within 72 hours of becoming aware of certain breaches . We have internal procedures to address such situations and will act promptly to mitigate any risk.
Data Storage Location and Retention: Personal data collected via our website is stored on secure servers. As an Ethiopian law firm, we abide by any local data residency requirements; notably, the PDPP 2024 emphasizes that personal data collected in Ethiopia should preferably be stored in-country. We primarily use servers located in Ethiopia or jurisdictions with adequate data protection standards. If in any case your data is stored or processed in another country (for example, if we use a trusted email or cloud service provider), we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place in line with PDPP and GDPR standards (such as contractual clauses or that the destination jurisdiction has an adequate privacy law).
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. For example, if you contact us but do not ultimately engage our legal services, we will retain your inquiry correspondence for a limited time in case you reconnect or for our own records, but we will periodically delete such data. Newsletter subscriber information is retained until you unsubscribe, at which point we remove your contact from our list promptly. Data that becomes part of a client file (if you become a client) will be retained in accordance with our client data retention policies, which often are dictated by regulatory or professional rules (typically for a number of years after a matter concludes). We securely delete or anonymize personal data when it is no longer needed.
No Unauthorized Third-Party Disclosures: We do not share your personal information with third parties, except in the few situations described below or as authorized by you. Specifically, we will never sell your data, and we do not disclose client or user information to third-party marketers. Any service providers we use (such as our website hosting company or an email newsletter service) are bound by confidentiality and data protection obligations to ensure your information remains protected.
Service Providers: We may employ reputable third-party companies or individuals to facilitate our website and related services – for example, IT support, email newsletter distribution, or cloud backup services. These providers may process personal data only on our behalf and for the purposes we specify (e.g., sending out the newsletter you signed up for). In line with Ethiopian law, whenever we engage a data processor, we enter into a written contract that imposes strict obligations on the processor to safeguard personal data and use it only for the contracted purpose. They are not permitted to use or disclose your information for any other purpose. For instance, if we use an email delivery service, that service cannot independently market to you or share your email address – it acts purely under our instructions.
Legal Requirements: We may disclose personal information if required to do so by law or in response to a valid court order, subpoena, or government request. DABLO Law Firm is subject to Ethiopian laws and professional regulations; if an obligation arises (for example, to report certain transactions under anti-money laundering laws or to cooperate with law enforcement), we will only disclose what is legally necessary. We will attempt to notify you if your data is sought by a third-party request, to the extent allowed by law and appropriate.
Business Transfers: It is highly unlikely, but in the event that the law firm undergoes a significant business transaction (such as a merger with another firm or reorganization), user information could be among the assets transferred. If this were to happen, we would ensure the new entity continues to handle your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy or provide notice and choice if it will be handled differently.
Otherwise, DABLO will not disclose your personal information to any third party without your explicit consent, except as outlined above. If you direct us or give consent (for example, you ask us to refer you to an affiliate or partner firm and share your contact details), we will, of course, share the data as instructed by you.
As noted, we primarily process personal data within Ethiopia. If you are located outside Ethiopia, be aware that when you submit information to us, it will be transferred to Ethiopia where our firm is based. By providing us personal data, you consent to the transfer and processing of your data in Ethiopia. We apply a high standard of privacy protection to all user data, regardless of country of origin, and the principles of this Privacy Policy will apply to international transfers.
For personal data originating from jurisdictions with strict data export rules (for instance, the European Economic Area under GDPR), we will ensure a lawful basis for transfer. This may include verifying that the receiving environment provides “adequate protection” comparable to GDPR, or implementing EU Standard Contractual Clauses where appropriate. We will also seek your consent for cross-border transfers when required by applicable law. Notably, PDPP 2024 prohibits transfer of personal data to countries lacking sufficient protection unless certain conditions (like explicit consent or necessity) are met. DABLO will abide by those rules: we will not, for example, host your data on a foreign server in a country with weak privacy laws unless we have taken measures to protect the data or obtained your consent after informing you of any risks.
Under Ethiopian law and international standards, you have several important rights regarding your personal data that we respect and uphold:
These rights may be subject to certain conditions or legal limitations. To exercise any of these rights, you may contact us at the contact information provided at the end of this policy. We will require you to verify your identity (to ensure we don’t disclose your data to someone else) and then we will respond within a reasonable time. For requests under the PDPP 2024, we understand we should respond within 30 days unless it’s particularly complex. There is generally no fee for making such requests, unless they are manifestly unfounded or excessive.
If you subscribe to our firm’s newsletter or updates, we want to clarify how your data is used in that context (some of this was mentioned above but is reiterated for transparency):
Our website and services are not directed to children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 16 years old. If you are under 16, please do not provide any personal data on this site. If we become aware that we have inadvertently received personal information from a child under 16, we will delete it. Parents or guardians who believe a minor may have provided us personal information can contact us to request removal.
(Note: Under Ethiopian law, a “minor” for data protection purposes is defined as someone under 16. We align with that standard. We require any users of our contact forms to confirm they are 16 or older.)
For your convenience, our Site may include links to third-party websites or resources (for example, an external blog post, legal database, or social media page). If you click on a link to a site that is not operated by DABLO Law Firm, be aware that we have no control over the content or privacy practices of those external sites. This Privacy Policy and our responsibilities apply only to our own website. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit. We are not responsible for the protection of your data on any site that is not under our control, and a link on our Site does not imply our endorsement of the external content or its privacy/security. (This is further addressed in the Legal Disclaimer below as well.)
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or to ensure compliance with new laws and regulations. If we make material changes, we will post the revised policy on this page and update the “Effective Date” at the top. For significant changes, we may also provide a more prominent notice (such as a banner on our site or an email notification to subscribers, if appropriate). We encourage you to periodically review this Policy to stay informed about how we are protecting the personal information we collect. Your continued use of the Site after any changes to this Policy constitutes acceptance of those changes.
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:
DABLO Law Firm LLP\ Attn: Privacy Officer (General Manager)\ Adwa Street, Arada Sub-city, Nib Bank Building 2nd Floor, Office No. 201\ Addis Ababa, Ethiopia\ Email: \ Phone: +251 (0)91 125 9224
We will be happy to assist you and will respond to any privacy-related inquiries as promptly as possible, in accordance with applicable law.
This section of the policy sets forth the legal conditions for using the DABLO Law Firm website. By accessing or using our Site, you agree to the following terms and disclaimers. These terms are meant to clarify the nature of information on our Site (which is general information, not specific legal advice) and to limit our liability in relation to the Site. They also outline what you, as a user, are permitted to do with the content we provide. If you do not agree with any of these terms, please do not use our website or rely on its content.
Informational Purposes Only: The content provided on dablolawfirm.com (including articles, newsletters, blog posts, or FAQs) is intended for general informational purposes. While we strive to provide accurate and useful information about legal developments and our services, nothing on this website should be taken as legal advice for any particular situation. Law and regulations vary by jurisdiction and can change over time; any general information on our Site may not reflect the most current legal developments or your specific circumstances. You should not act or refrain from acting based on any content on this Site without first seeking professional advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.
No Attorney-Client Relationship Created: Use of this Site or communication with us through this Site does not establish an attorney-client relationship between you and DABLO Law Firm LLP. An attorney-client relationship is formed only after we have expressly agreed to represent you – for example, once you have formally engaged our services and both you and the firm have signed a written engagement agreement. Until such a relationship is established, any information you provide to us via the website is not protected by attorney-client privilege and we are not officially acting as your lawyers.
For instance, if you send us an email or submit an online form describing your legal issue, that alone does not mean we represent you. We need to conduct a conflict of interest check and agree on terms of representation before an attorney-client relationship begins. Accordingly, do not consider any preliminary communications (email, form submission, chat, etc.) as legal advice, and please do not share confidential details until we have confirmed we can represent you. (We discuss confidentiality more below.)
Jurisdiction and Advertising: Our attorneys are licensed to practice in Ethiopia (and specific jurisdictions as listed in their profiles). This website is not intended as a solicitation or advertisement in any jurisdiction where it would be unlawful or in which the firm or its attorneys are not licensed. We do not seek to represent clients in jurisdictions outside of where our lawyers are authorized to practice, based solely on a visit to this Site. If you are viewing this website from outside Ethiopia, it is your responsibility to ensure use of the Site’s information is permissible under the laws of your location.
Non-Privileged Inquiries: While we care about your privacy (as detailed in the Privacy Policy above), sending us an unsolicited message through this website or via email does not automatically invoke attorney-client confidentiality. Please do not send confidential or sensitive information through the website contact form or by email until you are an official client of the firm.
Any information you send us before we have agreed to represent you may not be treated as privileged or confidential. For example, if you email details of your case to us before we’ve done a conflicts check or signed an engagement letter, those details could be discoverable by others in a dispute (since no privilege shield exists yet). To protect yourself, limit initial communications to general, non-confidential information – for instance, just provide your name, contact, and a broad summary of the issue. We will arrange a secure consultation if we are able to consider representation.
We make reasonable efforts to keep the information you do share with us private (see the Privacy Policy for how we handle personal data). However, contacting us through the internet is not guaranteed secure, and by itself does not guarantee confidentiality or create any duty on our part to keep the information secret. If your matter is highly sensitive or urgent, please call us directly rather than sending details online. Once you become a client, communications between us will be protected under attorney-client confidentiality as per law and our professional rules, but until then, simply reaching out does not make you an “official” client. We appreciate your understanding of these limits.
“As-Is” Content: The DABLO website is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. DABLO Law Firm (and its partners, employees, or agents) make no warranties or representations of any kind concerning the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or suitability of the information on the Site. We strive to keep content updated, but we do not guarantee that every piece of information is up-to-date or error-free. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement, regarding this Site and its content.
User’s Responsibility: You assume full responsibility for how you use the information on our Site. Any reliance you place on material from our Site is made at your own risk. DABLO Law Firm will not be liable for any consequences that arise from your use of the Site’s information without obtaining appropriate legal advice. For example, if you read a general article on our site about a new law and make a business decision on that alone, we are not liable for any negative outcomes; you should consult a lawyer for advice tailored to your specific facts.
Furthermore, while we may mention legal outcomes or case studies (including successes for clients), past results do not guarantee future results. Any case result or testimonial on the Site is meant to illustrate the experience of our team, not to predict or promise a particular outcome in your case. Each legal matter is unique, and outcomes depend on many factors – no attorney can guarantee a specific result.
To the maximum extent permitted under applicable law, DABLO Law Firm disclaims liability for any damages or losses of any kind arising from your use of this website or any information contained or missing on this website. This includes direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages, claims for lost profits or opportunities, and so on. We endeavor to provide useful information, but we cannot be held responsible for any error or omission on our Site or any outcome related to your use of our Site. In plain terms: by using the Site, you agree that DABLO Law Firm will not be liable for any harm or loss you believe you suffered through the use of our website.
Some jurisdictions do not allow broad exclusions of warranties or limitation of liability for certain types of damages. If your jurisdiction’s law applies to you and does not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, some of the above disclaimers may not apply to you to the extent prohibited. However, our Site is primarily informational and free to use, and we do not assume any duty of care to Site visitors beyond that required by law.
Our Site may contain links to external websites or embedded content (for example, a link to a news article or a legal resource). These links are provided for convenience and informational purposes only. DABLO Law Firm has no control over third-party websites and does not endorse, guarantee, or assume responsibility for the accuracy or reliability of any information on those external sites. When you click a link to an external site, you leave our Site and are subject to the terms and policies of that external site.
We are not liable for any content or omissions on third-party sites, nor for any harm or damages arising from your use of those sites. Visiting any third-party link is at your own risk. We recommend that you review the legal notices (disclaimers, privacy policies, etc.) of any other website you visit through links on our Site.
For example, if our blog posts link to a government legislation database or another law firm’s article, that link does not signify that we have vetted or approved their content. Similarly, any mention of third-party products, services, or organizations on our Site is not an endorsement.
Copyright and Use License: The content on this Site, including text, graphics, logos, and compilations of information, is the property of DABLO Law Firm LLP (or is used by us with permission) and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. We welcome you to view, download, and print content from our Site for your personal, informational, and non-commercial use only. However, you may not reproduce, distribute, publicly display, or create derivative works from our website content for any commercial or public use without our express written consent.
This means, for instance, you can save or print an article from our insights section for your own reference or to share with a colleague in an email, but you cannot republish that article on your own website or in a newsletter without permission, nor can you charge others for access to any material from our Site.
Trademarks: The name “DABLO Law Firm LLP”, our logo, and any other trademarks or service marks appearing on our Site are the property of DABLO Law Firm (or our partners). You are not granted any license or right to use these marks without our written approval. Unauthorized use of our trademarks is prohibited.
User Contributions: If our Site allows users to post comments or content (for example, commenting on a blog post), you must not post anything that violates copyright, contains unlawful material, or misuse the platform. We reserve the right to moderate or remove any user-submitted content. By posting any content on our Site, you would be granting us a right to display and use that content in connection with the Site. (Note: if currently our Site doesn’t host user content, this is just a precautionary notice).
If you subscribe to newsletters or alerts via our Site, please note that those emails and their content are subject to the same disclaimers: they are provided for general information, not legal advice, and receiving our newsletter does not make you a client. We attempt to ensure our emails are accurate and virus-free but do not guarantee this. You should use standard precautions when reading any email. You may unsubscribe at any time (as detailed in the Privacy Policy section on Newsletters).
Also, unsolicited emails sent to us (for instance, about services or products) are not welcome; using any email addresses on our Site for mass-mailing or spam is forbidden (see also Section 2 on “No Confidentiality” – which also implies we do not want spam). We reserve the right to block or filter communications that we believe are not legitimate or are abusive.
This website (excluding linked third-party sites) is controlled by DABLO Law Firm within Ethiopia. By accessing our Site, you agree that the laws of Ethiopia (without regard to its conflict of law principles) will govern all matters relating to this Site and these terms. Any disputes arising from your use of the Site or these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Ethiopia, unless another jurisdiction is mandatorily required by applicable law (such as your local consumer laws).
However, to the extent we have breached any professional rules, the appropriate regulatory bodies in Ethiopia would have jurisdiction. We do not concede jurisdiction or venue in any courts outside of Ethiopia for any disputes unless legally compelled.
By using this Site, you signify your acceptance of this Legal Disclaimer and Terms of Use. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use our Site. We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. We will note the “Last Updated” date and, if changes are significant, we may provide additional notice (similar to Privacy Policy updates). Your continued use of the Site after any changes means you accept the modified terms.
If you have any questions about these Terms of Use or any other legal notices on our Site, you may contact us at the contact information provided above in the Privacy Policy section.