In general
DKCO is registered in the Trade Register of the Finnish Patent and Registration Office under business ID 0884073-3. The value-added tax number is FI08840733.
DKCO is supervised by the Finnish Bar Association, the contact details of which are as follows:
Finnish Bar Association
PO Box 194 (Mikonkatu 25)
00101 Helsinki
Phone +358 9 6866 120
@email
Mission and working methods
DKCO work in teams to provide clients with the resources and knowledge needed for effective and highquality work. The composition of the team may change during the course of the assignment. If necessary, external advisors, consultants or experts may also be engaged by special arrangement.
For each client, a client responsible lawyer is appointed with overall responsibility for DKCO's services. For each individual assignment, a lawyer responsible for the assignment is also appointed, who may be the same as the lawyer responsible for the client or another lawyer with the necessary expertise.
The assignment is considered to have begun when DKCO has confirmed it in writing. DKCO accepts the assignment as an assignment for DKCO and not as an assignment for an individual lawyer. This principle remains applicable even if the client expresses a preference for specific individuals to carry out the assignment. The engagement agreement is between the client and DKCO, not between the client and any individual connected to DKCO.
All issues within the same dispute, business transaction or business arrangement are considered to be one (1) assignment, even if it involves several natural or legal persons, different areas of law, is handled by different lawyers within DKCO or is invoiced separately.
DKCO's advice is tailored to the specific assignment and the circumstances presented. The client must not use or rely on the advice for any other purpose. The advice is intended solely for the client and not for associated persons without explicit confirmation from DKCO.
Unless otherwise agreed, the advice does not include:
Tax implications of the mission.
Business or profitability aspects.
Jurisdictions other than Finnish and Åland law.
The advice given by DKCO in the commission only refers to Finnish and Ålandic legislation, and hence no other jurisdiction, unless otherwise explicitly agreed.
Unless stated otherwise in writing at the start of the assignment, DKCO does not carry out any independent verification of the information provided. DKCO assumes that the material provided is correct and complete. Should any changes to the information provided come to light, DKCO must be notified immediately.
Unless otherwise specifically agreed, DKCO will not update their given advice with new information provided by the client.
If DKCO makes statements on the law of jurisdictions other than Finland and Åland, this is done only on the basis of DKCO's general experience, unless otherwise expressly agreed. Please note that such statements do not constitute legal advice. DKCO may assist in obtaining advice from lawyers in other jurisdictions if necessary.
Please note that all information in draft documents is provisional. The final validity of the information is only apparent from final versions.
The legal assessment or advice provided by DKCO is based on the legal position at the time of the advice. Unless otherwise agreed, DKCO is not responsible for updating the assessment or advice given in the event of subsequent changes in the legal situation.
Use of digital tools
To provide efficient and high-quality legal services, DKCO uses modern digital work tools, including cloud-based solutions such as Microsoft Office 365 and other digital platforms. The use of these tools is in accordance with applicable legislation, including the relevant data protection regulations in Finland and the EU.
DKCO takes appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect client information handled in digital systems. All cloud services utilised are subject to continuous evaluation from a security and data protection perspective.
Should the Client wish to limit the use of certain digital tools or cloud services, DKCO must be notified in writing at the beginning of the assignment or during the assignment. DKCO will then identify alternative solutions together with the client.
DKCO uses Al-based tools to support its operations in order to streamline and improve the quality of its services. This includes tools that are considered fit for purpose. The Al tools are mainly used for:
Translation of documents.
Streamlining document review and production.
Information search and text analysis.
Case law analysis and legal research.
DKCO is committed to:
Using Al tools responsibly in accordance with the EU Al Regulation (2024/1689) and other applicable legislation.
Ensuring all Al-assisted advice is reviewed and quality assured by our lawyers.
Applying clear guidelines for the use of Al tools
Informing the client upon request about the extent to which Al tools have been used in the specific assignment.
When using Al tools, DKCO ensures that:
Confidential client information is protected and sensitive data is anonymised as necessary.
Appropriate measures are taken to prevent sensitive client data from becoming part of external Al model training data.
All use of Al tools is in accordance with the ethical guidelines of the Finnish Bar Association and applicable data protection legislation.
Client identification; suspicion of money laundering or terrorism financing
In accordance with law, DKCO is obliged to verify the identity and ownership structure of the client, as well as the identity of individuals connected to the client's company, and to collect and preserve evidence regarding this. This is typically conducted prior to engagement. DKCO may therefore ask the client to provide proof of identity and other information. For new clients, references may also be requested.
DKCO is required by law to report suspicions of money laundering or terrorist financing to the Money Laundering Investigation Center of the Central Criminal Police. The law prevents DKCO from informing the client of such suspicions or whether a report has been or may be made.
Provisioning of VAT-number
When DKCO provides services VAT-free to a client in another EU country VAT area, DKCO is obliged to provide details of the client's VAT number and the value of the services through a summary declaration to the tax administration in Finland. If the client objects to this, DKCO cannot assist the client.
Confidentiality
DKCO's attorneys, lawyers and other employees are bound by a duty of confidentiality in accordance with the rules of the Code of Judicial Procedure, the Lawyers Act and the Finnish Bar Association's guiding rules on good legal practice. DKCO will not disclose to third parties any information that is not in the public domain, unless it is done as part of the performance of the assignment or with the client's consent. If DKCO engages external advisors, consultants or experts, only such information and material is disclosed as is necessary for the assignment and which DKCO considers relevant to their work on behalf of the client.
DKCO processes personal data in order to carry out its assignments. For specific assignments, the law requires DKCO to collect and preserve evidence and documentation of clients' identity, representatives and ownership to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. In some cases, DKCO must also verify the origin of the client's funds and assets and investigate the client's possible politically exposed position.
As a result, DKCO may need to request that clients provide personal data, identity documents, and other relevant documentation. Such requests may be made at any time, including after an engagement has commenced. If the client does not provide the requested documentation, DKCO may be obliged by law and by the rules of professional conduct to immediately terminate the engagement and the relationship with the client.
DKCO may also be obliged to disclose certain data to authorities when required by law. For more information on how DKCO processes personal data, please refer to the DKCO description of personal data processing, which can be found at www.dkco-law.com. The provisions of the description are, where applicable, an integral part of these general terms and conditions.
Publicity and marketing
Unless otherwise agreed, DKCO reserves the right to state the client's name as the client and a brief description of the assignment in offers to other clients and in information for legal directories, databases and websites.
In the case of transactions and similar assignments, the client consents to DKCO disclosing the fact that DKCO has been engaged for the assignment when the transaction or assignment has become public knowledge. If a transaction has become public knowledge, DKCO may inform about its assignment in the firm's marketing material and on the firm's website. Information about the transaction may only contain information that is already in the public domain.
If DKCO has reason to believe that the client does not wish to disclose DKCO's involvement in the assignment, DKCO will obtain the client's express consent before disclosure.
Documentation and copyright
DKCO's file management is mainly digital. When DKCO receives physical documents, these are normally digitized.
Original documents, as well as those that cannot be archived electronically according to law or other regulations, are stored and archived physically and returned to the client at the conclusion of the assignment or when required. Unless agreed otherwise between DKCO and the client, DKCO will send all original documents to the client upon completion of the engagement. DKCO retains copies of documents for the firm's own archiving.
DKCO owns the copyright and other intellectual property rights to the work results that the agency creates in an assignment. The client has the right to use the result for the purpose(s) for which the work result was produced. DKCO appreciates that clients generally do not disseminate or use such work results for marketing purposes.
Fees and invoicing
Unless otherwise agreed between DKCO and the client, DKCO's fees are determined by the following factors:
the skills and experience required for the job
the achieved result
time spent
the value to which the assignment relates
possible risks for DKCO
any time constraints that applied to the assignment.
DKCO's fees are in line with the Finnish Bar Association's rules on fees.
In addition to fees, the client may be charged for travel, accommodation and other direct expenses, such as public and registration fees. DKCO generally advances smaller expenses on behalf of the client and charges them in arrears. However, DKCO may instead request an advance for such expenses or forward the invoice to the client for payment. If the fees are significant, DKCO is entitled to advance payment if the fees are necessary for the continued performance of the assignment.
DKCO generally implements monthly invoicing and can provide clients with regular information on fees earned. All invoices are denominated in euros. Unless otherwise agreed between DKCO and the Client, the payment term for DKCO's invoices is ten (10) days. DKCO charges penalty interest according to the Interest Act in case of late payment. VAT is added to the invoice according to applicable tax legislation.
If the Client requests that DKCO invoice someone else, DKCO will comply with this request only if it is clear that it is not contrary to the applicable law and provided that the necessary identification has been carried out in accordance with the provisions on customer identification. If DKCO requests that the Client pay the invoice or any outstanding amount immediately, the Client must comply with this request without delay. It is important to note that this arrangement does not establish a client relationship between DKCO and the third-party recipient of the invoice.
If the client is entitled to insurance compensation, or is granted the right to compensation for legal expenses by a court or other authority, to cover all or part of DKCO's fees, the client is nevertheless responsible for ensuring that DKCO's fees are paid in the amount and at the time they are invoiced and due for payment. It should be noted that insurance policies generally exclude VAT and often include a significant deductible and a maximum compensation amount.
In the event that the Client's insurer advances or pays part of the fee on account, such payment is deducted from DKCO's claim only when payment is made. DKCO reserves the right to issue an invoice for its fee in advance. If this is the case, the final invoice for the assignment will state the total fee, from which the fee paid by the client on account will be deducted.
If the engagement relates to a dispute, the losing party may be required to pay all or part of the winning party's costs (including legal fees). Regardless of whether the client is the winning or losing party, the client must pay the fees and charges for DKCO's work and reimburse DKCO for costs and expenses in accordance with these general terms and conditions.
DKCO reserves the right to request advance payment, both before the agency commences work on an assignment and during the assignment. DKCO's right to request such payment applies continuously during the assignment. The advance shall be used to settle future expenses and fee invoices. It is important to note that advances are usually deducted from invoices only in the event of assignment termination. As a lawyer, you are normally prevented from requesting an advance that exceeds the expected fee, and so DKCO's final fee will usually be higher than the advance amount. Therefore, a request for an advance should not be considered an estimate or a limitation of the fee.
DKCO aims to provide legal services at attractive fees. At the request of the Client, DKCO can provide an estimate of the fee for the assignment at the beginning of the assignment. DKCO may also agree on a budget or other arrangement for the assignment, where appropriate and possible. In the case of limited and less extensive assignments where the time required can be estimated in advance, an offer may be submitted under certain conditions.
DKCO reserves the right to revise a fee estimate, budget or other price arrangement when it has reason to believe that the information is no longer accurate or the objectives no longer achievable. Please note that a submitted fee estimate, budget or price arrangement shall not be construed as a binding offer.
Please note that all amounts are exclusive of VAT unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Limitation of liability
DKCO's liability is limited to the content of final written deliverables. DKCO is under no circumstances responsible for oral comments or drafts, nor for course material, newsletters or similar material that is not part of an individual assignment. If the client wishes to act on the basis of an oral statement, they should discuss this with DKCO so that DKCO can compile a written and for the purpose adapted performance, which the client can rely on.
Unless DKCO has expressly agreed in writing to provide tax advice, DKCO is not liable for any loss or damage resulting from tax penalties imposed or likely to be imposed on the client as a result of DKCO's services.
DKCO cannot guarantee the outcome of an assignment.
The aggregate maximum liability of DKCO and its partners and employees to the client is limited to direct economic loss caused by fault or negligence. DKCO's maximum liability is limited to the following:
In the event that DKCO causes loss or damage to the client, DKCO's liability will be limited to a maximum of EUR 1,000,000 per assignment. An assignment includes sub-projects or subassignments that are related to each other in terms of substance or time.
If DKCO's fee is less than EUR 100,000, DKCO is liable for damage up to a maximum of EUR 500,000.
A lower maximum liability can be agreed separately for a specific part of the assignment.
The personal liability of DKCO's partners is capped at EUR 200,000 per assignment.
The liability shall be reduced by any amount that the client may receive from insurance or other compensation or indemnification to which the client is entitled.
If the client was assisted by additional advisors who caused damage, DKCO's liability is limited to the proportional share of the overall damage.
If another advisor involved in the assignment has a lower maximum liability, the lower maximum liability is also applied to DKCO.
In instances where DKCO's assignment encompasses tax advice, DKCO's liability is confined to the amount of any direct costs, including late fees and tax increases. DKCO's liability never covers the actual amount of tax that the client is required to pay. DKCO is also not liable for any calculation errors regarding taxes that its advice may contain.
DKCO's liability for damage attributable to the use of digital tools, cloud-based services or Al tools is limited to cases where DKCO has shown gross negligence in:
Choice of digital tools or Al services.
Quality control of Al tool results.
The protection of client data.
This means that the maximum amount of liability for damages related to digital tools and Al services is limited to €200,000 per mission.
DKCO is not responsible for:
Loss of production or profit
Other indirect damage, loss, consequential damage or loss
Damage to third parties due to the client's use of documents or other advice from DKCO
Failure to meet deadlines, failure to complete any part of the work within the proposed timeframe, or inability to suspend or continue work due to circumstances beyond its control
Business or profitability aspects, which means that DKCO's liability does not cover assessments made by the client in this respect on the basis of cooperation with DKCO.
If DKCO, at the Client's request, agrees in writing that a third party may rely on advice or a document produced by DKCO, this does not increase or affect DKCO's liability. DKCO's liability to such a third party is equivalent to its liability to the Client. Any amounts paid by DKCO to the third party as a result of such liability will correspondingly reduce DKCO's liability to the client.
The limitation of liability does not apply in the event of gross negligence or wilful misconduct on the part of DKCO.
DKCO is not responsible for errors, deficiencies or shortcomings in third-party technology, including Al systems, cloud services or other digital tools provided by external suppliers, unless DKCO has been grossly negligent in the choice of supplier or in the handling of the information entered into the systems.
The client must make a claim for damages within 12 months from the earlier of the following two dates:
The time when the advice that led to the damage was given.
The date on which the mission ended.
If the client does not submit its claim within this period, DKCO is not obliged to pay damages.
If the claim for damages is based on a claim against the Client from an authority or a third party, DKCO is entitled to respond to the claim and settle the matter on behalf of the Client. DKCO will compensate the Client's loss or damage in accordance with the settlement agreement negotiated by DKCO, if the right of recourse regarding the compensation is transferred to DKCO or DKCO's insurance company. If the Client settles the case or takes other measures without DKCO's consent, DKCO is not liable for the damage.
Force Majeure
In the event of an insurmountable obstacle (force majeure), DKCO is entitled to delay, limit or completely suspend the fulfilment of its obligations under the assignment.
An insurmountable obstacle is defined as an unforeseeable event that DKCO could not have foreseen when concluding the contract, the consequences of which DKCO could not have prevented or avoided by acting with due care and which makes it impossible, substantially more difficult or otherwise unreasonable from a financial or other point of view to fulfil the contract.
Examples of insurmountable obstacles include war, internal disturbances, sabotage, cyber-attacks, explosions, fires, hurricanes or other exceptional weather phenomena, interruption of telecommunications or public transport, strikes, work stoppages or labour disputes, government action, virus or other pandemics or epidemics and comparable exceptional circumstances.
DKCO will inform the client immediately if an insurmountable obstacle affecting the assignment occurs and when it ends. DKCO does not provide compensation for damages arising from such circumstances.
Other advisors
DKCO has a network of professional advisors in Finland, Sweden and elsewhere in the world. If necessary, DKCO will assist the Client in finding and instructing such professional advisors. These other professional advisors are considered to be independent of DKCO, and DKCO is not liable for the advice of such advisors or for having recommended them to the Client. DKCO is not liable for any fees or costs charged by such advisors.
If DKCO instructs other professional advisers on behalf of the Client, DKCO may assist the Client in obtaining fee quotations or in agreeing the fee to be paid by the Client for their services. However, DKCO does not accept any responsibility for such quotations or agreements.
Communication
Unless otherwise agreed, DKCO may communicate with the Client via the internet or by e-mail, although such communication may be associated with security and confidentiality risks. DKCO is not liable for any damage arising from such risks.
DKCO appreciates if the client notifies the lawyer in charge of the case in case the client does not want to communicate via internet or e-mail. Please note that DKCO's spam and virus filters and security arrangements may sometimes filter emails. Therefore, clients are advised to follow up important e-mail messages by telephone or other appropriate means of communication.
Insider list
DKCO requests that clients provide information on when DKCO is to keep an insider list in order to fulfil the client's obligations under EU Regulation No 596/2014 (MAR or Market Abuse Regulation) and EU Directive No 2014/57 /EU (MAD or Market Abuse Directive) and related rules.
DKCO will provide the client with a copy of the insider list upon request, provided that the request is made within five years and one day of the date of the request. The client agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the insider list and to utilise it exclusively for the purpose of fulfilling their obligations under the aforementioned regulations.
The client is responsible for notifying DKCO whether certain information provided is inside information. DKCO will assist the client, if necessary, in determining whether the information in question is inside information.
DKCO will take all necessary measures to ensure that the persons included in the insider list are aware of their obligations and the risks of abuse and improper dissemination of price-sensitive information.
Right of withdrawal for consumers
According to Chapter 6(14) of the Consumer Protection Act, a consumer has the right to cancel a contract concluded by telephone, letter or e-mail or via the website or any other means of distance communication by notifying DKCO within 14 days of receiving the order confirmation.
However, the consumer does not have this right of withdrawal if the performance of the contract has begun with the consumer's consent.
Termination of the mission
The client has the right to terminate the assignment at any time. In order to do so, the Client shall notify DKCO in writing of their wish to terminate the assignment. The Client shall be obliged to pay all fees and expenses for time spent by DKCO in delivering the services until the Client has informed DKCO of the termination.
DKCO reserves the right to terminate the engagement in accordance with the Code of Conduct of the Finnish Bar Association. In accordance with these rules, DKCO has, inter alia, the right to terminate the agreement in the event of late payment. Please note that termination of the agreement does not release the client from fulfilling the remaining payments for work performed and costs incurred before the termination of the agreement. The client is also obliged to sign the documents necessary to terminate the assignment.
Complaints, claims and liability insurance
DKCO's operations are based on the satisfaction of its clients with the services provided and that DKCO's advice meets and preferably exceeds the clients' expectations.
However, should the client be dissatisfied or have any complaints regarding DKCO, they are required to inform the lawyer in charge at the earliest possible convenience.
In the event that the Client wishes to make a claim against DKCO, they are required to do so no later than when the Client, after conducting a reasonable investigation, has become aware of the circumstances on which the Client bases the claim (preclusion). However, claims shall be made no later than twelve months after the Client has become aware of the said circumstances, and in any event no later than twelve months after DKCO's latest invoice or other final notice/final account in the assignment (contractual limitation).
If the Client's claim is based on an authority's or third party's claim against the Client, DKCO shall be entitled to respond to, settle and reach an agreement on the claim on behalf of the Client provided that DKCO indemnifies the Client. If DKCO is not granted that right, DKCO shall not be liable for the claim against the client. Payment by DKCO to the Client is subject to the Client transferring the right of recourse against third parties to DKCO or its insurer.
DKCO is under the supervision of the Finnish Bar Association and the client always has the right to lodge a complaint with the Supervisory Board or the Chancellor of Justice to examine whether DKCO has complied with the Code of Conduct. Further details on this procedure can be found on the website of the Finnish Bar Association.
DKCO is covered by the liability insurance required of a Finnish law firm under current regulations.
Dispute resolution and debt collection
Any dispute arising out of these General Terms and Conditions or any matter relating to DKCO's assignments for corporate customers shall be finally settled by arbitration by an arbitrator in accordance with the Arbitration Act (967/1992). The arbitrator shall be appointed by the Central Chamber of Commerce. The seat of arbitration shall be Helsinki, and the language of proceedings shall be Swedish. The language of proceedings shall however be Finnish if it is the main language of the assignment that is the subject of the dispute.
Private customers may initiate legal action in a public court at any time.
Disputes concerning fees can always be referred to the Supervisory Board of the Finnish Bar Association.
DKCO always has the right to choose to bring an action against the client in the general court for overdue debts, or to take other collection measures such as applying for a payment order. DKCO always has the right to bring such action before the Helsinki District Court.
The rules on lawyers' professional secrecy contain exceptions for, among other things, the collection of a lawyer's own fee claim. Non-payment may therefore result in information that would otherwise have been covered by confidentiality becoming public. Collection measures cannot be carried out without the client's relationship with DKCO becoming known.
DKCO reserves the right to pursue outstanding claims against the client by applying for an order for payment or through legal proceedings in a general court. DKCO reserves the right to initiate legal action against the client either in the court of the client's domicile or at the Helsinki District Court in Finland.
Applicable law
These general terms and conditions and all issues arising from them, the assignment, DKCO's work results or advice shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with Finnish law.
Language versions
These general terms and conditions are available in Swedish, Finnish and English. For clients resident in Finland, the Swedish and Finnish versions apply. For all other clients, the English version applies.
