This Japan In-house Counsel Network Membership Policy (the “Policy”) is established to provide rules and guidance about membership (“Membership”) of the Japan In-house Counsel Network (“JICN”). By joining JICN or participating in any Activities, you acknowledge and accept to be bound by this Policy.
1. JICN PURPOSE AND ACTIVITIES
The purpose of JICN is to conduct various activities (“Activity” or “Activities”) for and/or by its members (“Members”), as examples holding events, providing online / offline networking opportunities including online forum, offer CLE credits (as appropriate), and providing and exchanging various information beneficial for / relevant to the Members.
You, as a Member of JICN, are encouraged to participate in Activities, network with other Members, share your information and thoughts, and contribute to the community. JICN is a voluntary network of in-house counsels, and, hence, such active participation by each Member is the key to further improve this community.
JICN is an unincorporated group of in-house counsels. It is represented by its executive board (the “Executive Board”) and each member thereof (the “EB Member”). The Executive Board may designate a person or persons who handle(s) administrative tasks of JICN.
2. MEMBERSHIP
2.1. JICN Membership is limited to qualified lawyers working in-house and other corresponding in-house legal professionals (i.e. those in the position to be responsible for providing legal advice to their employer organization) with a connection to Japan. The Executive Board may request information to verify eligibility and reject applications and registration if not satisfied that the applicant meets JICN Membership criteria. JICN does not collect membership fee.
2.2. You agree to submit true, accurate, current and complete information as requested to register as a Member of JICN (the “Registration Data”), and to keep your Registration Data up-to-date. JICN may suspend or terminate your Membership and refuse future participation in any Activities if you provide any information that is untrue, inaccurate, not current or incomplete, or JICN has reasonable grounds to suspect such.
2.3. TERMINATION. JICN may immediately terminate your Membership at any time and in its sole discretion, including without limitation upon the occurrence of any of the following circumstances: (a) a breach of the Policy; (b) illegal, fraudulent, or threatening activity, (c) inappropriate behaviour not befitting of JICN membership; or (d) extended inactivity. Termination of your Membership includes removal of access to all JICN Activities, deletion of your Registration Data. All terminations shall be at JICN’s discretion and JICN shall not be liable to you or any third party for any termination of your Membership.
3. MEMBER’S CONDUCT ON ONLINE FORUM
3.1. JICN may create and manage online forums (“Forum”) for Members including a Members’ group on LinkedIn or other a third party SNS. When you use the Forum, you will follow all the rules in this Section 3 and policies of such third party SNS.
3.2. You, and not JICN, are entirely responsible for all content in whatever form (including software) (“Content”) that you make available in the Forum. JICN does not control the Content posted on the Forum and does not guarantee the accuracy, integrity or quality of such Content. JICN will not be liable in any way for any Content, including, without limitation, any loss of or errors or omissions in any Content, or any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any Content made available on the Forum.
3.3. Posting on the Forum is subject to the following rules:
The Forum is necessarily restricted in scope and should be used prudently and for the benefit of all of Members. Members using the Forum are required to adhere to the following guidelines and other parts of this Policy.
(a) LIABILITY AND OWNERSHIP. JICN does not accept and shall not be liable for the Content of any posts on any Forum. Each message posted is owned by, and is the opinion and responsibility of, the Member posting it.
(b) GENERAL PROHIBITIONS. You may not post to the Forum anything (i) that is unlawful, misleading, violent, discriminatory or fraudulent, (ii) that violates this Policy or other JICN terms / rules or any rules of the relevant third party SNS, (iii) that you do not own or have the necessary rights to post, (iv) that infringes or may infringe someone else’s rights including without limitation intellectual property rights, privacy rights or obligations of confidentiality, (v) that otherwise would contradict with JICN’s purpose and culture.
(c) RELEVANCE. Posts on the Forum should be kept to relevant content; the Forum is not intended as, and should not be used as “chat sites”.
(d) ADVERTISING. Forum is not intended for commercial use and Members may not post advertising (express or implied) for goods or services, either their own or that of third parties, or any “spam”, “junk mail” or “chain letters”. Members must disclose any affiliation with any person, entity or service referred to in a post.
(e) NEGATIVE COMMENTS. In passing comment on any person or entity, Members may not make any comment which is unlawful, abusive, vulgar, unreasonable or inaccurate. If a Member requests special comment on the services or performance of any person or entity, responses should be provided via direct communication such as e-mail to the requesting Member and not generally through a Forum.
(f) BREACH OF GUIDELINES. Members breaching these guidelines and the Policy may be blocked from the Forum or Activities. If you are unsure whether a post is in compliance with these guidelines and the Policy, please err on the side of caution, and if in doubt ask the EB Member. By making a post, a Member agrees to abide by the Policy as in effect at the time.
3.4. JICN may refuse or remove any Content that is available on the Forum, although it is not obliged to and may choose not to do so. You must evaluate, and bear all risks associated with, the use of or reliance on any Content. Any Member objecting to the refusal or removal of Content should contact the EB Member.
3.5. JICN may access, store and disclose your Membership information and Content submitted by you if required to do so by law or in a good faith belief that such access, storage or disclosure is reasonably necessary to: (a) comply with applicable law; (b) enforce the Policy; (c) respond to claims that any Content breaches any third party rights; (d) respond to your requests for user service; or (e) protect the rights, property or personal safety of JICN, its Members or the public.
3.6. CONTENT POSTED ON THE FORUM. In relation to Content you posted on the Forum, you grant JICN the worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual and non-exclusive licence to use, distribute, reproduce, modify, adapt, publicly perform and publicly display such Content, solely for the purpose for which such Content was submitted (which shall be deemed to include the legitimate promotion of communication and networking amongst in-house counsel by JICN unless expressly notified otherwise by the submitting party).
3.7. JICN may discontinue or change the Forum at anytime in its discretion. JICN will use reasonable efforts to provide prior notice to the Members for a discontinuation or major change, which, however, is not a required step. JICN will not be held liable for deletion or other issues of any Content, messages or other data caused by whatever reasons including but not limited to the discontinuation and change of the Forum.
4. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES
You understand and agree that:
(a) Your use of any service offered by JICN through the activities (“the Service”) is at your sole risk. The Service is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. JICN, its members, agents, partners and licensors expressly disclaim all warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including, but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement.
(b) JICN, its members, agents, partners and licensors, make no warranty that (i) the Service will meet your requirements; (ii) the Service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure or error-free; (iii) the results that may be obtained from the use of the Service will be accurate or reliable; or (iv) the quality of any services, information or other material obtained through the Service will meet your expectations.
(c) Any material obtained through any activities is accessed at your own discretion and risk, and you will be solely responsible for any damage that results from any such material.
(d) No advice or information, whether oral or written, obtained by you from JICN or through or from the activities shall create any warranty not expressly stated in the policy.