Privacy Policy

LawChanakyas ("we", "us", or "our") operates the website and digital platform available at lawchanakyas.com and related services (collectively, the "Platform"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data responsibly, transparently, and in accordance with applicable laws in India, including the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 ("DPDP Act") and the Information Technology Act, 2000 and rules made thereunder.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, with whom we share it, how long we retain it, and what rights you have. By accessing or using the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the Platform.

This Privacy Policy applies to all visitors, registered users, advocates, law students, clients, and other individuals who interact with LawChanakyas through our website, mobile experiences, AI-powered tools, virtual courtroom features, legal consultation services, blogs, contact forms, and any other channels we operate.

This policy does not apply to third-party websites, applications, or services that may be linked from our Platform. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of those third parties separately.

We may collect the following categories of personal data depending on how you use the Platform:

• Identity and contact information — such as your name, email address, phone number, postal address, and professional details (e.g., bar registration number or institution name) when you register, book a consultation, or contact us.
• Account and profile information — including login credentials, preferences, role (advocate, student, or public user), and communication history with us.
• Legal and service-related information — such as case type, consultation requests, documents you upload for registration or review, patent filing details, and other information you voluntarily provide when using our legal services.
• Usage and technical data — including IP address, browser type, device identifiers, operating system, pages visited, time spent on pages, referral URLs, and interaction data with our AI tools and educational features.
• Communications — including messages sent through contact forms, support requests, feedback, and correspondence with our team or verified advocates on the Platform.
• Payment-related information — where applicable, billing details and transaction references processed through secure third-party payment providers (we do not store full payment card numbers on our servers).
• Cookies and similar technologies — as described in Section 8 below.

We collect personal data when you provide it directly (e.g., by filling out forms, creating an account, or submitting documents), automatically when you use the Platform (e.g., through cookies and analytics), and from third parties where permitted by law (e.g., payment processors or identity verification partners).

Where we rely on your consent under the DPDP Act, we will request it in a clear and specific manner. You may withdraw consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and our legitimate need to retain certain data.

We use personal data for the following purposes:

• To provide, operate, maintain, and improve the Platform and our legal, educational, and technology services.
• To connect you with verified legal professionals, process consultation requests, and deliver services such as document registration, patent filing support, and case study resources.
• To power AI-assisted features, including legal information tools, chatbots, and virtual courtroom learning experiences — always subject to the limitations that such tools provide general information and do not constitute legal advice unless delivered by a qualified advocate.
• To communicate with you about your account, service updates, security alerts, and promotional content where you have opted in.
• To analyse usage patterns, diagnose technical issues, and enhance user experience and platform security.
• To comply with legal obligations, respond to lawful requests from authorities, enforce our terms, and protect the rights, safety, and property of LawChanakyas, our users, and the public.
• To prevent fraud, abuse, unauthorised access, and other harmful activity on the Platform.

Under the DPDP Act and applicable Indian law, we process personal data based on one or more of the following grounds: your consent; performance of a contract or steps taken at your request before entering a contract; compliance with a legal obligation; and legitimate uses permitted under the DPDP Act where processing is necessary for specified purposes and does not override your fundamental rights.

We do not sell your personal data. We may share personal data in the following circumstances:

• With verified advocates, legal professionals, and service partners who assist in delivering the services you request, subject to confidentiality obligations.
• With technology and infrastructure providers (such as hosting, analytics, email delivery, and payment processing services) who process data on our behalf under contractual safeguards.
• With government authorities, courts, or law enforcement when required by applicable law or a valid legal process.
• In connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganisation, or sale of assets, with appropriate notice where required by law.
• With your explicit consent for any other purpose not listed above.

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to remember your preferences, keep you signed in, understand how visitors use the Platform, and improve our services. You can control cookies through your browser settings; disabling certain cookies may affect Platform functionality.

We use Google Analytics and Vercel Analytics to collect aggregated usage statistics. These services may collect information such as your IP address, browser type, and pages visited. Google's processing is governed by Google's privacy policy. We configure analytics to support our understanding of Platform performance while minimising unnecessary data collection.

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, comply with legal and regulatory obligations (including retention requirements under Indian law for legal and financial records), resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

When personal data is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to delete or anonymise it, unless retention is required or permitted by law.

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption in transit, access controls, secure hosting infrastructure, and regular review of our security practices.

No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.

Under the DPDP Act, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data, subject to applicable exceptions:

• Right to access information about the personal data we process about you and how it is used.
• Right to correction and erasure of inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated personal data.
• Right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
• Right to nominate another individual to exercise your rights in the event of death or incapacity.
• Right to grievance redressal through our designated contact channel and, where applicable, the Data Protection Board of India.

The Platform is not directed at children under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children without verifiable parental or guardian consent as required under the DPDP Act. If you believe we have collected data from a child without appropriate consent, please contact us and we will take steps to delete such information.

Your personal data may be processed or stored on servers located outside India through our cloud and service providers. Where personal data is transferred outside India, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place as required under the DPDP Act and applicable rules, including contractual protections with recipients.

Our Platform may contain links to external websites, legal databases, government portals, or partner services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any personal data.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or business operations. The updated policy will be posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date. Material changes may be communicated through the Platform or by email where appropriate. Your continued use of the Platform after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us through our Contact page at /contact. We will respond to legitimate requests within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable law.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Board of India once fully operational under the DPDP Act framework.