Terms & Conditions

1. Definitions

In these Terms and Conditions, "Basalt Legal", "we", "us", and "our" refer to Basalt Legal, a legal advisory firm operating in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. "Service" refers to the legal advisory services we provide, including native customary rights advisory, shipping and logistics contract review, and social enterprise legal structuring. "User", "you", and "your" refer to any individual or entity who accesses our website or engages our services. "Website" refers to the website hosted at https://basalope.live. "Agreement" refers to these Terms and Conditions together with any engagement letter or scope of work agreed upon between you and Basalt Legal.

2. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing our website or engaging our services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree with any part of these terms, please do not use our website or engage our services. You must be at least 18 years of age and have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement to use our services.

3. Description of Services

Basalt Legal provides legal advisory services in three primary areas: native customary rights advisory for landowners and communities in Sabah and Sarawak, shipping and logistics contract review for businesses in the trade and freight sector, and social enterprise legal structuring for purpose-driven ventures in Malaysia. Our services are available to clients located in Malaysia. Specific service availability, scope, and terms are agreed upon in individual engagement letters.

4. Engagement Process

Submitting an enquiry through our website or contacting our office does not create a solicitor-client relationship. A formal engagement begins only when both parties have agreed upon and signed an engagement letter or scope of work document that outlines the nature of the service, scope, timeline, and applicable fees. Until such an agreement is in place, any communications are considered preliminary discussions only.

5. User Responsibilities

When using our website, you agree to provide accurate and truthful information in any forms or communications, use the website only for lawful purposes, refrain from attempting to gain unauthorised access to any part of our systems, and not reproduce, distribute, or modify any content on our website without our written permission. When engaging our services, you agree to provide all relevant documents and information in a timely manner, respond to reasonable requests for information within agreed timeframes, and pay fees as agreed in the engagement letter.

6. Intellectual Property

All content on our website — including text, graphics, logos, icons, and design elements — is the property of Basalt Legal or its licensors and is protected under Malaysian intellectual property laws. You are granted a limited, non-transferable licence to access and use our website for personal, non-commercial purposes. You may not copy, distribute, modify, or create derivative works from our content without our prior written consent. Work products created during a client engagement (such as annotated contracts or advisory reports) become the property of the client upon full payment of agreed fees, though Basalt Legal retains the right to use anonymised methodologies and frameworks developed during the engagement.

7. Fees and Payment

Our service fees are stated before work begins and are documented in the engagement letter. Fees are quoted in Malaysian Ringgit (MYR). Payment terms, including any deposits or milestone payments, are specified in the engagement letter. We reserve the right to suspend work if payment is not received according to the agreed schedule. All fees are subject to applicable taxes as required by Malaysian law.

8. Service-Specific Terms

For native customary rights advisory, timelines may be affected by hearing schedules set by the Land Office or Native Court, which are outside our control. We will keep you informed of any schedule changes. For shipping and logistics contract review, our review covers the specific documents submitted and does not extend to contracts or amendments not included in the engagement scope. For social enterprise legal structuring, the entity type recommendation is based on the information you provide; any material changes to your objectives or circumstances after structuring may require additional advisory work.

9. Disclaimers

Our website content is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. You should not act or refrain from acting based on website content without seeking professional counsel appropriate to your specific circumstances. While we strive to provide accurate and helpful advisory, we do not make representations regarding specific outcomes. Legal matters are subject to factors beyond our control, including judicial decisions, regulatory changes, and actions of third parties.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted under Malaysian law, Basalt Legal's aggregate liability arising out of or related to these terms or our services shall not exceed the total fees paid by you for the specific engagement giving rise to the claim. We shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages, including loss of profits, business interruption, or loss of data, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages. This limitation does not apply to liability arising from our wilful misconduct or gross negligence.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Basalt Legal, its partners, employees, and agents from any claims, losses, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of your breach of these Terms, your use of our website in violation of these terms, or any information you provide to us that is inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading.

12. Termination

Either party may terminate an engagement by providing written notice as specified in the engagement letter. Upon termination, you are responsible for payment of all fees for work completed up to the date of termination. We will return your documents and files upon request. Certain provisions of these Terms, including intellectual property rights, limitation of liability, and indemnification, will survive termination.

13. Force Majeure

Neither party shall be liable for failure or delay in performing obligations due to events beyond reasonable control, including natural disasters, government actions, pandemic restrictions, civil unrest, or disruptions to telecommunications or power supply. The affected party shall notify the other promptly and make reasonable efforts to mitigate the impact.

14. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Malaysia. Any disputes arising out of or in connection with these Terms or our services shall first be addressed through good-faith informal discussion. If the matter cannot be resolved informally within 30 days, it shall be referred to mediation before a mutually agreed mediator. If mediation is unsuccessful, the dispute shall be submitted to the jurisdiction of the courts of Sabah, Malaysia.

15. General Provisions

These Terms, together with any applicable engagement letter, constitute the entire agreement between you and Basalt Legal regarding the subject matter herein. If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision. You may not assign your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent.

16. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Your continued use of our website or services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

17. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms and Conditions, please contact us:

Basalt Legal
45 Jalan Gaya, Level 3, Wisma Sabah
88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +60 88-4372 1586