Terms of Use

I. Introduction

Welcome to the Law Lab. The Law Lab is a multidisciplinary research platform, designed to investigate and harness the varied forces – evolutionary, social, psychological, neurological, and economic – that shape the role of law and social norms as enablers of cooperation, governance, and entrepreneurial innovation. Through a series of open, web-based platforms, the Law Lab studies and incubates digital institutions and tools that deepen our understanding of human relationships and can foster innovation (the “Services”).

To provide these Services, we have set out some ground rules in this document (the “Terms”). By accessing, using, or contributing to the Services, and in consideration for the Services we provide, you agree to abide by the Terms. We appreciate your understanding and are happy to answer any questions you have about this agreement. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us here.

Please read this agreement carefully. By continuing use of this website you become party to, and are bound by the Terms of this website. Please be aware that the Law Lab reserves the right to modify these terms at its sole discretion. Please periodically visit this section of the site to review the current version of the Terms.

Use of this website is also conditioned on agreement to our Privacy Policy. Please review that policy here, and do not use the site if you do not agree with all of the terms therein.

These Terms extend to the use of the Law Lab website. Please note that the Law Lab may provide as part of its Services downloadable software tools, which provide further assistance in research and development in the fields of cooperation, governance, and entrepreneurial innovation (“Tools”). Acceptance and use of these Tools is subject to your acceptance of any and all end-user license agreements contained in the software, and the provisions of such agreements may extend beyond the Terms stated herein.

II. Website Use

A. Limitations on User Activity

Your use of this site is subject to all applicable local, state, national laws and regulations and any relevant international treaties. Furthermore, you may not use, allow, or enable others to use the Law Lab website:

  1. in a manner that is libelous, defamatory, obscene pornographic, threatening, or abusive;

  2. in a manner that adversely impacts or fraudulently manipulates the research conducted by and through the Law Lab website;

  3. in an effort to violate the security of the site, including, without limitation, accessing data not intended for your use; logging into a server or account which you are not allowed to access; or by scanning, probing, or testing the vulnerability of a system or network;

  4. in an attempt to interfere with another’s use of the site, including via submission of a virus or other malicious code or overloading, flooding, or otherwise disrupting the ability of the Law Lab to provide the website to others in proper working order; or,

  5. to collect personal information of users; or to send unsolicited e-mail, including promotions and advertising of products or services.

You may not use the Law Lab name to endorse or promote any product, opinion, or cause, except as otherwise permitted on the website.

You acknowledge that the Law Lab has, at its sole discretion, and without any implied duty, the right to remove any content that it considers to violate these Terms or for any other reason.

B. Termination of Service

The Law Lab reserves the right to terminate, to restrict, or to delete content posted and user access to the site. The Law Lab may do so with or without notice, for any and for no reason, and without any liability to you.

III. Intellectual Property

Law Lab Attribution Policy

Unless otherwise indicated, all content generated by the Law Lab on the website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License(“CC-BY-SA 3.0” license). Any party may copy, distribute, and transmit the work, both in its original and in adaptive forms, provided the party attribute the work (without suggesting the Law Lab endorses the party or their use of the work), and provided the party offer any derivative use of the content under the same, similar, or compatible license as the CC-BY-SA 3.0 license. For further information on Creative Commons and the CC-BY-SA 3.0 license, click on the link above.

Attribution under the license is required as follows:
“The Law Lab http://www.lawlab.org; Copyright 2009-10 The Law Lab and respective authors.”

Some content created by the Law Lab may be licensed under terms other than the CC-BY-SA 3.0 license. In those cases, such terms will appear with the content on the website. Additionally, the Law Lab may embed content from third-party websites. Such embedded content may be licensed under terms other than the CC-BY-SA 3.0 license.

“The Law Lab,” all other trademarks, logos, and service marks (“Marks”) displayed on the site are the property of the Law Lab. Unless otherwise provided, you are not permitted to use the Marks without prior written permission of the Law Lab.

IV. Disclaimer of Warranty and Limitation of Liabilities

A. The Law Lab is Not a Substitute for Legal Advice

This site has been prepared for general information and research purposes only. The Law Lab demonstrates developing research in the areas of law, social psychology, economics, and political science, and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of professional legal counsel. Any legal information on the Law Lab website may be out of date, developmental policy not codified by any jurisdiction, jurisdictional-specific, or only applicable based on a specific set of facts. The materials expressed on the Law Lab website do not constitute legal advice, and are not provided in the course of an attorney-client relationship. Use of the Law Lab website does not create an attorney-client relationship between the user and the Law Lab or its affiliates.

As formal legal advice must be tailored to the circumstances of each case, always seek the advice of professional legal counsel with any questions regarding a legal situation. Do not disregard professional legal advice or delay seeking it based on the content of this website. The Law Lab is not your lawyer.

B. Disclaimer of Warranty and Waiver of Damages

This website is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. The Law Lab makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the site’s operation or the information, content, or materials included on this site. To the full extent permissible by applicable law, the Law Lab hereby disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to Implied Warranties of Merchantability or Fitness for A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THE LAW LAB WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OF ANY KIND ARISING FROM THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THIS SITE.

YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT YOU USE THIS SITE SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHALL THE LAW LAB OR ITS SUPPLIERS OR LICENSORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, ECONOMIC, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS DATA OR LOSS OF USE DAMAGES OR LOST PROFITS) ARISING OUT OF OR CONNECTED WITH THE SITE EVEN IF THE LAW LAB, ITS SUPPLIERS OR LICENSORS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF ANY DAMAGES.

BECAUSE SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU IN SUCH STATES. THE RESPECTIVE LIABILITY OF THE LAW LAB, ITS SUPPLIERS AND LICENSORS SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

C. Links to Third Party Sites

This website contains links to third party websites. Because we have no control over these third party sites, we do not endorse, have not reviewed, and are not responsible for the availability of these websites. You acknowledge that you use third party websites at your own risk and that we are not responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss you incur in connection with products or services available at third party sites, nor for the accuracy, legality, decency, or other aspects of third party sites.

V. Other Terms

A. Indemnities

You acknowledge and agree to indemnify and hold the Law Lab and the Berkman Center for Internet & Society, their affiliates, officers, employees, and agents, harmless, including costs and attorney’s fees, from any claim or demand made by any third party due to or arising out of your use of the site or Services, your violation of these Terms, or the infringement by you or made under your account of any intellectual property or other right of any person or entity.

B. Entire Agreement

These Terms, combined with the Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes and replaces all prior or contemporaneous understandings or agreements, written or oral, regarding such subject matter.

C. Modification or Amendment of Agreement

The Law Lab reserves the right to change, at any time and at its sole discretion, the Terms under which these Services are offered. While we will try and notify users of any Terms changed, you are responsible for regularly viewing these Terms. Your continued use of the Services constitutes your agreement to all such Terms.

D. Extent of Terms

These Terms apply to use of and contribution to the Law Lab website and any accounts and services provided therefore. The Law Lab may operate additional projects or services that require separate or additional terms. Such terms are not addressed further herein.

E. Severability

If any provision of the Terms shall be deemed unlawful, void, or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from the these Terms, and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of all remaining provisions.

F. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, exclusive of rules of conflict of law, which may cause the laws of another jurisdiction to apply. You agree to the sole and exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the federal or state courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the event of any dispute of any kind arising from or relating to the Law Lab site, or your use or review of it.