1Introduction
This Privacy Policy (the “Policy”) explains how Hakii AI, a product of Law Africa and Qhala Limited, operating the website and platform at hakii.ai (together, the “Platform”, and referred to as “Hakii”, “we”, “us” or “our”), collects, uses, discloses and protects personal data belonging to users of the Platform (“you” or “User”). Hakii is a legal research and AI legal chat service serving advocates, law firms, law students, researchers, and civil society organisations across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, South Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
2Scope
This Policy applies to personal data processed through the Platform, including account registration, use of the AI legal chat and deep research features, gazette notification subscriptions, and payment processing for trial and paid subscriptions. It does not apply to third-party websites or services that may be linked from the Platform.
3Information We Collect
3.1. Account and identity data
When you register for the Platform, we collect your name, email address, phone number, professional designation (for example, advocate, law student, or researcher), organisation or firm name, and password.
3.2. Payment data
Where you subscribe to a paid plan or start a free trial requiring card details, payment information is collected and processed by our third-party payment processor. We do not store full card numbers on our servers.
3.3. Query and research content
We collect the questions, prompts, search terms, and documents you submit to the AI legal chat and deep research engine, together with the responses generated, in order to provide the service.
3.4. Notification preferences
If you subscribe to gazette or regulatory alerts, we collect your selected practice areas and jurisdictions of interest to tailor notifications.
3.5. Usage and technical data
We automatically collect device information, IP address, browser type, log data, and usage patterns on the Platform through cookies and similar technologies, as further described in clause 11.
3.6. Communications
If you contact us at hello@hakii.ai or through any support channel, we collect the content of that communication and any information you choose to provide.
4How We Use Your Information
We use the personal data described above to: provide, operate and improve the Platform and its AI legal chat and deep research features; process registrations, subscriptions and payments; personalise gazette and regulatory notifications; respond to enquiries and provide customer support; monitor and analyse usage trends to improve semantic search accuracy and service performance; detect, prevent and address technical issues, fraud, or misuse of the Platform; and comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations.
5Legal Basis for Processing
Where the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019, the EU General Data Protection Regulation, or equivalent data protection legislation in another jurisdiction covered by the Platform applies, we process personal data on the basis of: your consent; the necessity of processing to perform a contract with you; compliance with a legal obligation; and our legitimate interests in operating, securing and improving the Platform, provided such interests do not override your rights.
6Sharing and Disclosure
6.1. Affiliated entities
Personal data may be shared with Law Africa and Qhala Limited, as the entities that develop and operate the Platform, for the purposes described in this Policy.
6.2. Service providers
We share data with third-party service providers who perform functions on our behalf, including cloud hosting, payment processing, analytics, and customer support, under contractual obligations of confidentiality and data protection.
6.3. Legal and regulatory disclosure
We may disclose personal data where required by law, court order, or regulatory authority, or where necessary to protect the rights, property or safety of Hakii, our Users, or the public.
6.4. Business transfers
If Hakii is involved in a merger, acquisition, restructuring, or sale of assets, personal data may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this Policy or an equivalent standard of protection.
6.5. No sale of data
We do not sell personal data to third parties for their independent marketing purposes.
7Cross-Border Data Transfers
Given that the Platform serves Users across multiple East African jurisdictions, personal data may be transferred to, and processed in, countries other than the country in which you are located, including for cloud hosting purposes. Where such transfers occur, we take reasonable steps to ensure the receiving party provides an adequate level of data protection, whether through contractual safeguards, the recipient jurisdiction's own data protection regime, or your explicit consent, in accordance with applicable law.
8Data Retention
We retain personal data for as long as your account remains active and for such further period as is reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this Policy, comply with legal, accounting or reporting obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Query and research content submitted to the AI legal chat may be retained to improve service accuracy, unless you request its deletion in accordance with clause 10.
9Data Security
We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures, including encryption in transit, access controls, and secure hosting arrangements, to protect personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure or destruction. No method of transmission or storage is entirely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
10Your Rights
Subject to applicable data protection law, you have the right to: access the personal data we hold about you; request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data; request deletion of your personal data; object to or restrict certain processing; request a copy of your data in a portable format; and withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent. To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in clause 14. We may need to verify your identity before giving effect to a request.
11Cookies and Tracking Technologies
The Platform uses cookies and similar technologies to authenticate Users, remember preferences, and analyse usage. You may configure your browser to refuse cookies, though this may affect the functionality of the Platform.
12Children's Privacy
The Platform is intended for use by legal professionals, law students, researchers, and civil society organisations, and is not directed at children under eighteen years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that a child has provided us with personal data, we will take reasonable steps to delete such data.
13Changes to this Policy
We may update this Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. We will notify Users of material changes by posting the updated Policy on the Platform and updating the “Last updated” date above. Continued use of the Platform following any update constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.
14Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Policy or our data practices, please contact us at hello@hakii.ai, or write to us at Hakii AI, Nairobi, Kenya.
Have a question about this Policy?
Our team is happy to address any privacy-related enquiry.
Email hello@hakii.ai