Terms of Business

Effective Date: September 2026

1. Scope of Engagement

When We Act for You

Engagement begins only when we agree to act.
You should not inform third parties that we act for you until instructed.
Advice is provided solely for your benefit.
Our duty of care is owed to you unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Advice may only be relied upon for the purpose for which it was given.

2. Banking Details & Fraud Prevention

Important Security Notice

We will never notify you by email of changes to our bank account details.
We will not accept bank details by email without independent verification.
If in doubt, contact us directly on 053 9403950 before transferring funds.

3. Anti-Money Laundering & Sanctions

Client Identification Requirements

As solicitors, we are required to comply with anti-money laundering legislation.

This may require:

Proof of identity
Proof of address
Information regarding source of funds
Additional verification documentation

We may be required by law to report suspicious activity and may not be permitted to inform you where such a report has been made.

4. Confidentiality & Conflicts of Interest

Protecting Client Information

We treat confidential information as confidential subject to:

Legal obligations
Regulatory requirements
Disclosure to professional advisers and service providers where necessary

Conflicts of Interest

We maintain procedures designed to identify and manage conflicts of interest.

In certain circumstances we may:

Require your consent to continue acting
Be unable to disclose details of a conflict
Be required to cease acting

5. Fees & Charges

How Fees Are Calculated

Our fees will be agreed with you where possible.

Where no specific fee agreement exists, fees may take account of:

Time spent
Complexity of the matter
Urgency
Importance of the matter
Value of property or money involved
Level of responsibility involved
Required expertise
Research and investigation required

Current hourly rates are available on request.

6. Litigation & Legal Costs

Important Information About Legal Costs

Court proceedings involve financial risk.

You should be aware that:

If you are unsuccessful, you may be liable for your own legal costs and the costs of the other party.
If you are successful, costs recovered may not cover all of your legal expenses.
Certain tribunals and employment proceedings operate on the basis that each party bears its own costs regardless of outcome.
Payment of our fees is not dependent on recovery of costs from another party.

7. Barristers, Experts & Third-Party Advisers

External Professional Services

Where appropriate we may recommend:

Barristers
Accountants
Engineers
Medical experts
Actuaries
Specialist advisers

You remain responsible for any fees charged by such professionals.

8. External Service Providers & Technology

Use of Third-Party Services

We may use external service providers to support our practice, including:

Cloud-hosted systems
Document management systems
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools
Administrative support services

Appropriate due diligence and confidentiality safeguards are maintained.

9. Client Funds

Money Held on Your Behalf

Client funds are maintained separately from office funds in accordance with applicable professional requirements.

Funds may be used:

To discharge unpaid invoices;
To reimburse outlays advanced on your behalf.

10. Email Communications

Electronic Communication Risks

Unless instructed otherwise:

We will communicate by email.
Email communications carry inherent risks.
Secure encryption measures are used where appropriate.

Additional security protocols can be implemented upon request.

11. Intellectual Property

Ownership of Documents

Clients receive a licence to use such documents for the purpose for which they were prepared.

12. Document Retention & Storage

How Long We Keep Files

Files and documents are retained in accordance with our statutory, regulatory and professional obligations. Retention periods by file type are set out in our Privacy Notice.

Following the retention period:

Documents may be securely destroyed.
Extended storage may incur additional charges.

13. Liability

Limitation of Liability

Our liability is governed by applicable law and professional obligations.

We are entitled to rely on information provided by clients unless we have reason to believe it is inaccurate.

Clients should promptly follow up where a communication requires urgent attention and no acknowledgement has been received.

14. Force Majeure

Events Beyond Our Control

We shall not be liable for failures or delays resulting from events outside our reasonable control.

15. Data Protection & Privacy

Processing Personal Data

We process personal data:

To provide legal services;
To comply with legal obligations;
For administration and billing purposes;
To communicate legal and regulatory updates where appropriate.

Where we act as a data processor on your behalf, appropriate technical and organisational measures are maintained to protect personal data.

Further information is available in our Privacy Notice.

16. Complaints, Disputes & Mediation

Resolving Disputes

If a dispute arises:

We will first attempt to resolve it informally.
Mediation may be used.
Certain disputes may be referred to arbitration.
Costs disputes may be referred to the Office of the Legal Costs Adjudicators.

17. Termination of Engagement

Ending Our Engagement

Either party may terminate the engagement on reasonable written notice.

Termination does not affect liability for:

Fees incurred;
Outlays incurred;
Work completed prior to termination.

18. Continuing Obligations

Future Legal Developments

Unless specifically agreed in writing:

We are not obliged to update previous advice.
We are not required to notify clients of future changes in law or practice after completion of a matter.

19. Governing Law

Irish Law

These Terms of Business and all engagements are governed by the laws of Ireland and subject to the jurisdiction of the Irish courts.