General Terms of Engage­ment

Updated: 15 February 2026

Important

The content, scope, timetable and any special terms of each engagement are always agreed separately when the engagement is entered into. These terms supplement those agreements.

1 General

This page sets out the general terms of engagement (the “Terms”) governing the legal advice provided by Uhmu Oy (hereinafter “Uhmu Oy”, “we”, “us” or the “Company”). Please read the Terms before entering into an engagement and revisit this page from time to time to check for updates.

The Terms apply to all engagements under which legal advice is offered or provided to a client or Uhmu Oy acts as the client’s legal counsel or representative (hereinafter an “Engagement”).

2 Changes to the Terms

Uhmu Oy may amend these General Terms of Engagement at its discretion. Amendments take effect when the revised Terms are published and brought into use. The revised Terms apply to engagement agreements entered into after the amendment.

3 Services

The content and scope of the legal services provided by Uhmu Oy are agreed separately for each Engagement. As a rule, however, the services are limited exclusively to legal advice in the areas of law within Uhmu Oy’s expertise.

Limitations:

  • Uhmu Oy’s services do not include financial, accounting, environmental or tax advice.
  • Unless expressly agreed otherwise, legal advice relates only to legislation applicable in Finland.
  • Any guidance concerning the law of another jurisdiction is based solely on Uhmu Oy’s general experience. It must not be regarded as legal advice, and Uhmu Oy is not liable for decisions based on such guidance or for their consequences.

To enable Uhmu Oy to provide the services appropriately, the client must supply all material information relating to the Engagement and notify Uhmu Oy of any changes to that information.

Uhmu Oy may use lawyers other than those specifically named, as well as external experts, in carrying out the Engagement.

4 Communication with the client

Uhmu Oy communicates with the client primarily by email, other electronic means and telephone. Uhmu Oy cannot, however, guarantee that emails will reach their intended recipient. In important and urgent matters, the client should also contact the lawyer handling the matter by telephone or text message.

5 Conflicts of interest

If a conflict of interest arises, Uhmu Oy may have to withdraw from the client’s Engagement and/or an engagement for another client. At Uhmu Oy’s request, the client must provide sufficient information for Uhmu Oy to determine whether it can accept the Engagement.

6 Personal data

Uhmu Oy processes personal data in accordance with applicable law and its data protection principles. Uhmu Oy’s current privacy notice is available on the Company’s website.

7 Intellectual property rights

Copyright and other intellectual property rights arising in the work product created under the Engagement belong to Uhmu Oy. The client is, however, entitled to use the work product in its own operations for the purpose specified in the Engagement.

8 Confidentiality

Uhmu Oy treats all information concerning its clients as confidential and uses it only to perform tasks in accordance with the purpose of the Engagement. Uhmu Oy does not disclose confidential client information to third parties unless required by mandatory law.

If Uhmu Oy uses external advisers in connection with the Engagement, Uhmu Oy reserves the right to disclose to them the information necessary to carry out the Engagement.

Obligations towards authorities:

Notwithstanding its duty of confidentiality, Uhmu Oy may be legally required to provide authorities with information concerning money laundering, terrorist financing and the investigation of certain types of offences. The client acknowledges and accepts this.

9 Record retention

As a rule, Uhmu Oy retains documents and other material only in electronic form. Information may also be stored securely in a cloud storage service used by Uhmu Oy.

If Uhmu Oy holds original documents belonging to the client, they will be returned to the client, for example by post.

10 Fees and charging principles

Unless otherwise agreed, Uhmu Oy’s fee is based on the price list in force when the Engagement is accepted. The urgency and complexity of the Engagement, the risks involved and the results achieved may also affect the fee.

10.1 Time-based fees

  • Where a service is charged by time, the minimum billable unit is 0.25 hours.
  • If no fee or charging basis has been agreed, or unless expressly agreed otherwise, Uhmu Oy may charge for its services on a time basis at its standard hourly rate.
  • Any estimates of time or work given by Uhmu Oy are indicative only.
  • For a new client relationship, a minimum of one (1) hour may be charged for the first Engagement.

10.2 Expenses

Uhmu Oy charges separately for reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out the Engagement, based on the actual costs incurred. Such expenses may include travel costs, expert opinions, official fees and registration fees.

10.3 Advance payments, invoicing and late payment

  • Uhmu Oy may at any time request a reasonable advance payment towards fees and expenses.
  • Unless otherwise agreed, Uhmu Oy may invoice for its services monthly.
  • Payment is due within seven (7) days of the invoice date. For consumer clients, payment is due within fourteen (14) days of the invoice date.
  • Value added tax will be added to the invoice in accordance with applicable tax law.

If payment is late, Uhmu Oy may:

  • suspend work on or withdraw from the Engagement; and
  • charge interest on overdue invoices in accordance with the Finnish Interest Act, together with reasonable debt collection costs.

11 Legal expenses insurance

If the client has legal expenses insurance, the relevant policy details must be provided to Uhmu Oy as soon as possible after the Engagement begins.

  • Unless otherwise agreed, the client must pay Uhmu Oy’s invoices even if the client has legal expenses insurance.
  • Unless otherwise agreed, the client is responsible for claiming reimbursement of its legal costs from its legal expenses insurer.
  • If the insurer or a court reduces the recoverable amount, Uhmu Oy remains entitled to charge the client for all work performed.
  • Uhmu Oy may charge the client the deductible, any amount exceeding the policy’s maximum indemnity and any amount deducted by the insurer.

12 Client account

Funds held in Uhmu Oy’s client account are treated as if the client had deposited them directly with the financial institution concerned. Uhmu Oy is not liable if a financial institution with which client funds have been deposited is unable to meet its payment obligations.

Uhmu Oy may, however, use funds held on the client’s behalf in the client account, together with any interest accrued on them, to pay all or part of its invoices.

13 Distance selling and right of cancellation (consumer clients)

Under the Finnish Consumer Protection Act, a consumer client has the right to cancel an engagement agreement concluded by distance communication, such as by telephone, email or online, by notifying Uhmu Oy in writing within 14 days of the Engagement being accepted.

Notice of cancellation

Cancellation must be made in writing by email to:
yhteys@uhmu.fi
The notice must state the client’s name and contact details and identify the Engagement to which the cancellation relates.

Work on the Engagement may begin only after the cancellation period has expired, unless the consumer client asks Uhmu Oy to begin work earlier.

If the consumer client has requested that work begin, the client must pay Uhmu Oy reasonable compensation for work performed before the notice of cancellation was given.

Restriction on the right of cancellation:

The right of cancellation no longer applies if the Engagement has been performed in full before the end of the cancellation period at the client’s express request.

Once the consumer client and Uhmu Oy have both performed all their obligations under the Engagement in full, the engagement relationship ends without separate notice or termination. The client may also terminate the Engagement at any time with immediate effect and without giving a reason.

14 Term and termination of the Engagement

The client may terminate its engagement relationship with Uhmu Oy at any time by contacting the Uhmu Oy lawyer handling the Engagement.

If instructions concerning the Engagement and/or any payment requested for carrying it out are not received by Uhmu Oy in time, Uhmu Oy may regard the client as having decided to abandon the Engagement.

Uhmu Oy will always notify the client if it intends to suspend work on the Engagement.

As a rule, Uhmu Oy will withdraw from an Engagement only for a justified reason, such as where:

  • the client fails to pay invoices or requested payments on time;
  • the client instructs Uhmu Oy to act unlawfully or contrary to professional ethical obligations;
  • the client fails to provide requested information or materially breaches its duty to cooperate; or
  • it is clear that the relationship of trust has broken down.

If either party terminates the engagement relationship, the client must pay all fees and expenses accrued up to the end of the Engagement, whether invoiced before or after termination. The Engagement is regarded as having ended only when its performance no longer requires any action by Uhmu Oy.

Ongoing legal support services (fixed monthly fee):

Unless otherwise agreed, either party may terminate the agreement in writing by giving at least two (2) months’ notice.

Force majeure

Uhmu Oy is not liable for any delay in or failure to perform the Engagement caused by an impediment beyond its reasonable control which it could not reasonably have foreseen or whose consequences it could not reasonably have avoided or overcome. In such circumstances, Uhmu Oy will notify the client of the impediment without delay.

15 Prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing

Uhmu Oy is required to comply with the Finnish Act on Preventing Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing. As part of this obligation, Uhmu Oy must know and identify its clients and their representatives, verify their identity and carry out other checks. Uhmu Oy may be unable to begin work on an Engagement until the required checks have been completed.

Client due diligence information and other personal data may be used to prevent, detect and investigate money laundering and terrorist financing and to bring such matters under investigation.

16 Claims and limitation of liability

Any claim for compensation arising from the engagement relationship must be made to Uhmu Oy in writing within 12 months of the legal advice being given or the Engagement being regarded as having ended, whichever occurs first. For consumer clients, however, the minimum limitation and complaint periods prescribed by mandatory law always apply.

Aspect of limitationTerms
Maximum liabilityTo the extent that the services fall within the scope of Uhmu Oy’s professional indemnity insurance, Uhmu Oy’s aggregate maximum liability is limited to the amount recoverable under the policy, subject to a maximum of EUR 200,000, where compensation is available under the policy.
Other circumstancesIf the services do not fall within the scope of the professional indemnity insurance, Uhmu Oy’s aggregate maximum liability is limited to the amount paid by the client for the services.
External adviceUhmu Oy is not liable for work procured from an external adviser for the purposes of the Engagement.
Consequential lossUhmu Oy is not liable for any indirect or consequential loss or damage, or for claims made by third parties.
Personal liabilityNo shareholder or employee of Uhmu Oy has personal liability for carrying out the Engagement, unless otherwise required by mandatory law.
Liability insurance: Uhmu Oy maintains liability insurance.

17 Governing law and dispute resolution

The engagement relationship between Uhmu Oy and the client is governed by Finnish law, excluding its conflict-of-laws rules and principles.

Any disputes between Uhmu Oy and the client concerning an engagement agreement will be resolved by the Helsinki District Court. If the client is considered a consumer, the client may instead bring proceedings before the district court for the locality in Finland in whose judicial district the client is domiciled or permanently resident. If the client is not resident in Finland, disputes will be heard by the Helsinki District Court. A consumer is also always entitled to refer a dispute to the Finnish Consumer Disputes Board.

18 Contact details

Uhmu Oy
Principal place of business: Sundsberg
Sundsbergin Yritystie 9 A 15, 02450 Sundsberg
Email: yhteys@uhmu.fi
Business ID: 2893665-2
Website: www.uhmu.fi

19 Summary

Scope

The Terms apply to all engagements in which Uhmu Oy provides legal advice or acts as a representative.

Confidentiality

We treat information relating to engagements as confidential, within the limits permitted by law.

Invoicing

Charges are based on the agreed pricing. Payment is due within 7 days (14 days for consumers).

Disputes

As a rule, disputes are resolved by the Helsinki District Court; consumers may also bring proceedings in their own locality.


These General Terms of Engagement have been drawn up in accordance with Finnish law and supplement any special terms agreed in connection with an engagement.

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