Terms of Service
Last Updated: March 6, 2023
Welcome, and thank you for your interest in Westbrook Global Inc. (“Westbrook,” “we,” “our,” or “us”). These terms of service (“Terms”) establish the terms and conditions that apply to you when you use the Service (as defined below).
BY USING THE SERVICE OR BY CLICKING “I AGREE” YOU INDICATE YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS AND YOUR AGREEMENT TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS, AS WELL AS ALL APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS. YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED TO USE THE SERVICE IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THESE TERMS. THESE TERMS CAN BE CHANGED, MODIFIED, SUPPLEMENTED, AND/OR UPDATED BY WESTBROOK AT ANY TIME. WE WILL TAKE REASONABLE EFFORTS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH PRIOR NOTICE OF ANY MATERIAL CHANGES TO THESE TERMS. YOUR CONTINUED USE OF THE SERVICE AFTER THE MODIFICATION OF THESE TERMS MEANS THAT YOU ACCEPT ALL SUCH CHANGES. YOU SHOULD CONSULT THESE TERMS EACH TIME YOU ACCESS THE SERVICE TO VIEW ANY CHANGES. THESE TERMS WERE LAST MODIFIED AS OF THE DATE INDICATED ABOVE.
AS DESCRIBED BELOW, THESE TERMS PROVIDE FOR THE USE OF ARBITRATION ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS TO RESOLVE DISPUTES, RATHER THAN JURY TRIALS OR CLASS ACTIONS, AND LIMIT THE REMEDIES AVAILABLE TO YOU IN THE EVENT OF A DISPUTE. YOU CAN OPT-OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE BY CONTACTING SUPPORT@WESTBROOKINC.COM WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER FIRST ACCEPTING THESE TERMS AND STATING YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AND THAT YOU DECLINE THIS AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE.
1. Use of the Service.
A. Service. The “Service” is Westbrook’s website located at https://www.westbrookinc.com (“Site”), as may be updated, relocated, or otherwise modified from time to time, all content and services Westbrook makes available through the Site, and all intellectual property contained therein. The Service provides information regarding Westbrook’s media and commerce businesses. Any person who accesses and/or uses the Service, whether on his or her own behalf or on behalf of any third party, will be referred to herein as a “Westbrook User.”
B. Service Restrictions. You may not use the Service for commercial purposes. To use the Service, you must have access to the Internet.
C. License. Subject to your compliance with these Terms, Westbrook hereby grants you a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use the Service, solely in the manner intended by Westbrook. Unless otherwise specified in writing, the Service is solely for your personal use and not for resale.
D. Deactivation. Westbrook may, at any time and without notice to you: (1) restrict, deactivate, and/or terminate your access to the Service (or any portion thereof); or (2) terminate or modify the Service (or any portion thereof). Westbrook will not be liable to you or any third party for any termination of or modification to the Service regardless of the reason for such termination or modification. If you are dissatisfied with any termination or modification of the Service, your only right is to terminate your use of the Service.
E. Privacy Policy. Westbrook’s policy with respect to the collection and use of your personally identifiable information, including the information collected when you use the Service, is set in our Privacy Policy, available at https://westbrookinc.com/privacy. By accepting these Terms, you acknowledge your agreement with Westbrook’s Privacy Policy.
F. Reliance on Information Posted. The information presented on or through the Service is made available solely for general information purposes. We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. We disclaim all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on such materials by you or any other visitor to the Website, or by anyone who may be informed of any of its contents.
2. Eligibility.
A. You represent and warrant that you are at least 18 years of age and that you have not been previously suspended or removed from the Service. THE SERVICE IS NOT FOR PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 OR ANY USERS PREVIOUSLY SUSPENDED OR REMOVED FROM THE SERVICE BY WESTBROOK. IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE, PLEASE DO NOT USE OR ACCESS THE SERVICE AT ANY TIME OR IN ANY MANNER.
B. If you are using the Service on behalf of an individual, company, entity, or organization (each, an “Organization”), you represent and warrant that: (1) you are an authorized representative of such Organization with the authority to bind such Organization to these Terms; (2) you agree to be bound by these Terms on behalf of such Organization; and (3) such Organization meets the eligibility requirements for the Service, as set forth in these Terms. You will be solely responsible for ensuring your Organization complies with these Terms.
C. Your Responsibilities. You may use the Service solely for lawful purposes, as intended through the provided functionality of the Service. You may not use the Service in any manner that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair our servers or networks, or interfere with any other party’s use and enjoyment of the Service. You may not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Service, user accounts, or computer systems or networks, through hacking, password mining, or any other means. Without limiting any of the foregoing, you may not (and you may not allow or assist any third party to):
(1) use, copy, install, transfer, or distribute the Service, except as specifically described in these Terms;
(2) modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any portion of the Service;
(3) remove or alter any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary rights notices contained in or on the Service or in or on any content or other material obtained through the Service or the use of the Service;
(4) probe, scan, or test the vulnerability of any system or network or breach any security or authentication measures;
(5) reformat, mirror, or frame any portion of the web pages that are part of the Service;
(6) express or imply that any statements you make are endorsed by us, without our prior written consent in each instance;
(7) transmit any software or other materials that contain any virus, worm, time bomb, Trojan horse, or other harmful or disruptive component;
(8) use any robot, spider, site search/retrieval application, or other manual or automatic device or process to retrieve, index, “data mine,” or in any way reproduce or circumvent the navigational structure or presentation of the Service or its contents;
(9) harvest or collect information about other Westbrook Users without their prior written consent;
(10) undertake, cause, permit, or authorize the translation, reverse engineering, disassembling, or hacking of any aspect of the Service, or attempt to do any of the foregoing, except and solely to the extent described in these Terms, the Service’s authorized features, or by law, or otherwise attempt to use or access any portion of the Service other than as intended by Westbrook;
(11) access, tamper with, or use non-public areas of the Service, Westbrook’s (and its service providers’) computer systems and infrastructure, or the technical delivery systems of Westbrook’s service providers;
(12) harass, abuse, harm, or advocate or incite harassment, abuse, or harm of another person or group, including Westbrook employees, and other Westbrook Users;
(13) solicit, or attempt to solicit, personal information from other Westbrook Users, except as permitted through the Service’s functionality;
(14) restrict, discourage, or inhibit any person from using the Service, disclose personal information about a third person on the Service or obtained from the Service without the consent of such person, or collect information about Westbrook Users;
(15) gain unauthorized access to the Service, to other Westbrook Users’ accounts, names, or personally identifiable information, or to other computers or websites connected or linked to the Service;
(16) violate any applicable federal, state, or local laws, regulations, or these Terms;
(17) use the Service for any illegal, inappropriate, and/or unauthorized conduct, including using the Service to contact other Westbrook Users for sexual or other inappropriate purposes, or using the Service in violation of Westbrook’s or any third party's intellectual property or other proprietary or legal rights;
(18) use or access the Service to build a competing service;
(19) use the company name, logo, designs, slogans, product or service names, trademarks or other intellectual property of Westbrook without the prior written permission of Westbrook;
(20) link to our homepage in a way that is unfair, illegal, or damages or takes advantage of our reputation; or
(21)establish a link in such a way as to suggest any form of association, approval or endorsement on our part without our express written consent.
We may take any legal action and implement any technical remedies to prevent the violation of these provisions and to enforce these Terms.
3. Consent to Electronic Communications.
A. Consent to Electronic Communications. By using the Service or providing personal information to us, you agree that we may communicate with you electronically regarding security, privacy, and administrative issues relating to your use of the Service. If we learn of a security system’s breach, we may attempt to notify you electronically by posting a notice on the Service or sending an email to you, if we have your email address. You may have a legal right to receive this notice in writing. To receive free written notice of a security breach (or to withdraw your consent from receiving electronic notice), please write to us at support@westbrookinc.com.
C. Opt Out. If you wish to remove yourself from any list, please email us at support@westbrookinc.com with "OPT-OUT," "UNSUBSCRIBE," "STOP," or "REMOVE" in the subject line.
4. Content Submitted to the Service.
A. Materials. By sending or transmitting to us information, opinions, creative suggestions, ideas, notes, concepts, or other materials related to the Service (collectively, “Materials”), or by posting such Materials to any area of the Service, you grant Westbrook and its designees a worldwide, non-exclusive, sublicenseable (through multiple tiers), assignable, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable license to use, reproduce, distribute (through multiple tiers), create derivative works of, publicly perform, publicly display, digitally perform, make, have made, sell, offer for sale, and import such Materials in any media now known or hereafter developed, for the purpose of providing, enhancing, and developing the Service, without compensation to you. We will never use your name in connection with any of your Materials that we use in our own advertising and marketing materials without obtaining your prior consent. You hereby waive any moral rights or other rights with respect to attribution of authorship regarding Materials that you may have under applicable law. None of the Materials will be subject to any obligation, whether of confidentiality, attribution, or otherwise, on our part and we will not be liable for any use or disclosure of any Materials. Westbrook may remove or alter any Materials at any time for any reason. We neither endorse nor are responsible for any opinion, advice, information, or statement made or displayed on the Service by any Westbrook User. We are not responsible for any errors or omissions in articles or postings, for hyperlinks embedded in messages, or for any results obtained from the use of such information. Under no circumstances will Westbrook and/or its affiliates, suppliers, or agents be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on such information obtained through the Service. We cannot and do not take responsibility for the veracity, reliability, or completeness of any opinion, advice, information, or statement available on the Service.
B. Monitoring. We have the right (but not the obligation) to: (1) monitor the Service and Materials; (2) alter or remove any Materials; and (3) disclose Materials and the circumstances surrounding their transmission to any third party in order to operate the Service, protect ourselves, our sponsors, and our members and visitors, and to comply with legal obligations or governmental requests. If you believe any content violates these Terms, please contact Westbrook immediately at support@westbrookinc.com so that we can consider its editing or removal.
C. Rights in Materials. You are solely responsible for your Materials and the consequences of posting them on the Service. By posting Materials, you represent, warrant, and covenant that: (1) you are the creator and owner of the Materials or otherwise have sufficient rights and authority to grant the rights granted herein; (2) your Materials do not and will not: (a) infringe, violate, or misappropriate any third-party right, including any copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, moral right, privacy right, right of publicity, or any other intellectual property or proprietary right; or (b) slander, defame, or libel any other person; (3) your Materials do not contain any viruses, adware, spyware, worms, or other harmful or malicious code; and (4) unless you have received prior written authorization, your Materials do not contain any confidential information of any third party. We reserve all rights and remedies against any Westbrook Users who breach these representations and warranties.
D. Unsolicited Creative Materials. As you would expect, we are often asked to receive creative submissions (including scripts, screenplays, scriptments, beat sheets, treatments, pitch sheets or decks, loglines, so-called “bibles”, novels, stories, manuscripts, sizzle reels, finished films, or projects,) that are similar or identical to material and ideas already under consideration or otherwise independently developed by us and, as a result, Westbrook has adopted a firm policy not to consider or accept creative material on an unsolicited basis. Additionally, our insurers mandate this policy because of the frequency of unfounded plagiarism claims. Although we appreciate your interest, in order to avoid such claims or any other misunderstanding that may arise, please be advised that no one at Westbrook has read, or will read, creative materials submitted by you on an unsolicited basis. Accordingly, any creative material that you may submit digitally has been deleted and/or any hard copies you forwarded to our mailing address will be returned to you.
E. Fan Art. We sometimes receive images, pictures, and other graphical art from fans (“Fan Art”). By sending or transmitting Fan Art to us, you grant Westbrook and its designees a worldwide, non-exclusive, sublicenseable (through multiple tiers), assignable, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable license to use, reproduce, distribute (through multiple tiers), create derivative works of, publicly perform, publicly display, digitally perform Fan Art in any media now known or hereafter developed, including on social media accounts, without compensation to you. If you send us Fan Art, please include your name and contact information so we can contact you if needed.
5. Term and Termination.
A. Term. The term of these Terms will commence on the date on which you first access or utilize the Service in any way and will continue so long as you continue to access or utilize the Service, unless earlier terminated by Westbrook.
B. Termination and Other Remedies. Westbrook may take whatever lawful actions it may deem appropriate in response to actual or suspected violations of these Terms including termination of these Terms, the suspension or termination of your access and/or account, or blocking you from access to the Service.
C. Effect of Termination. The following Sections of these Terms will survive termination or expiration of these Terms: 1.A, 1.B, 1.D, 1.E, 2, 4, 5.C, and 6–26. Payments by you, which accrue or are due before termination or expiration of these Terms, will continue to be payable by you, and amounts owed to Westbrook at the time of such termination or expiration, will continue to be owed by you after such expiration or termination.
6. Ownership.You acknowledge and agree that: (1) the Service, including the Company name and logo, all related names and logos, any content, modifications, enhancements and updates, and any originals and copies thereof, in whole or in part, and all intellectual property rights therein (collectively, “Proprietary Information”), is owned by Westbrook and its licensors, as applicable; (2) the Proprietary Information contains valuable copyrighted and proprietary material of Westbrook; (3) the Proprietary Information is licensed, rather than sold, to you pursuant to these Terms; and (4) you have no rights in the Proprietary Information, other than the rights and licenses specifically granted to you pursuant to these Terms.
7. Disclaimer of Warranty.
A. DISCLAIMER. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED “AS IS” WITH ALL FAULTS, AND THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO SATISFACTORY QUALITY, PERFORMANCE, ACCURACY, AND EFFORT IS WITH YOU. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE INTERNET, MOBILE NETWORKS, AND THE DEVICES WHICH ACCESS THE INTERNET AND/OR MOBILE NETWORKS, THE SERVICE MAY NOT BE ACCESSIBLE WHEN NEEDED, AND THAT INFORMATION, DATA, AUDIO, AND VIDEO TRANSMITTED OVER THE INTERNET AND/OR MOBILE NETWORKS MAY BE SUBJECT TO INTERRUPTION OR THIRD-PARTY INTERCEPTION AND MODIFICATION. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WESTBROOK DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, QUIET ENJOYMENT, ACCURACY OF INFORMATIONAL CONTENT, AND ABSENCE OF VIRUSES AND DAMAGING OR DISABLING CODE. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, NONE OF WESTBROOK, ITS AFFILIATES OR SERVICE PROVIDERS, WESTBROOK’S CONTENT PROVIDERS, AND/OR THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES, SUBSIDIARIES, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AND/OR CONTRACTORS (COLLECTIVELY, THE “WESTBROOK PARTIES”) WARRANT THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR TIMELINESS OF THE SERVICE. WESTBROOK CANNOT AND DOES NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY LOSS, DAMAGES, OR LIABILITIES ARISING FROM THE FAILURE OF ANY TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE, THE INTERNET, OR FOR YOUR MISUSE OF ANY CONTENT AND INFORMATION ACCESSED THROUGH THE SERVICE. YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE AND YOUR RELIANCE UPON ANY OF THE RESPECTIVE CONTENT IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.
B. Third-Party Information. You acknowledge that any information you obtain from another Westbrook User comes from those individuals, and not from Westbrook, and that Westbrook, to the fullest extent permitted by law, is not in any way responsible for any of the information these third parties may supply or for any statements, claims, or representations they may make. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Westbrook disclaims any such statements, claims, or representations and the same do not expand or otherwise modify these Terms. If you are dissatisfied with the Service, your sole and exclusive remedy is to stop accessing and using the Service.
8. Limitation of Liability.
A. LIMITATION. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW: (1) EACH WESTBROOK USER IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR: (A) HIS OR HER USE OF THE SERVICE; AND (B) ANY DAMAGES INCURRED BY HIM OR HER OR ANY THIRD PARTY THAT ARISE FROM OR ARE RELATED TO THE SERVICE; (2) THE AGGREGATE LIABILITY OF THE WESTBROOK PARTIES FOR ANY DAMAGES, WHETHER ARISING IN CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE, WILL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL DAMAGES PROVED, AND NOT TO EXCEED $10; AND (3) NONE OF THE WESTBROOK PARTIES WILL BE LIABLE FOR ANY PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF SUCH WESTBROOK PARTIES HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
B. INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION. YOU REPRESENT THAT YOU HAVE INDEPENDENTLY INVESTIGATED THE ADVISABILITY OF USING THE SERVICE AND THE POSSIBLE RISKS INVOLVED IN USING THE SERVICE. YOU AGREE TO MAINTAIN YOUR OWN INSURANCE COVERING SUCH RISKS AND WILL LOOK SOLELY TO SUCH INSURANCE FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF ANY RESULTING DAMAGES.
9. Third-Party Disputes. WESTBROOK IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY OTHER WESTBROOK USER, CARRIER, SERVICE PROVIDER, OR THIRD-PARTY SERVICE, AND ANY DISPUTE YOU HAVE WITH ANY OTHER WESTBROOK USER, CARRIER, SERVICE PROVIDER, THIRD-PARTY SERVICE, OR OTHER THIRD PARTY ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE, INCLUDING YOUR EMPLOYER, IS DIRECTLY BETWEEN YOU AND SUCH THIRD PARTY, AND YOU IRREVOCABLY RELEASE WESTBROOK (AND OUR OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, AGENTS, SUBSIDIARIES, JOINT VENTURERS, AND EMPLOYEES) FROM ALL CLAIMS, DEMANDS, AND DAMAGES (ACTUAL AND CONSEQUENTIAL) OF EVERY KIND AND NATURE, KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH SUCH DISPUTES.
10. Force Majeure. Westbrook will not be liable for any delay or failure to perform any obligation herein if the delay or failure is due to unforeseen events that are beyond Westbrook’s reasonable control, such as strikes, blockade, war, terrorism, riots, natural disasters, epidemic, or governmental action.
11. Indemnification.
A. Indemnity. To the fullest extent permitted by law, you will defend, indemnify, and hold the Westbrook Parties harmless against any loss or damage of any kind (including attorneys’ fees and lost revenues) arising from: (1) any breaches by you of these Terms or any representation, warranty, or covenant contained in these Terms; (2) any use of the Service not specifically authorized in these Terms or on the Service; and (3) any claims and actions against any Westbrook Party by other parties to whom you allow access to the Service.
B. Procedure. We reserve the right, at our own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you, and in such case, you agree to cooperate with our defense of such claim. You will not, in any event, settle any such claim or matter without our written consent.
12. Additional Service Features.
A. Access to Third-Party Services. The Service may contain information on products and services provided by third parties and links (including advertisements) to third-party websites (collectively, “Third-Party Services”). Third-Party Services are provided only as a convenience to Westbrook Users. Westbrook does not review or control Third-Party Services, and Westbrook does not make any representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding Third-Party Services. Inclusion of any Third-Party Services in the Service does not constitute or imply an endorsement, authorization, sponsorship, or affiliation by or with Westbrook with respect to any Third-Party Services. Westbrook is under no obligation to maintain any link on the Service and may remove a link at any time in its sole discretion for any reason whatsoever.
B. Disclaimer of Liability for Third-Party Services. Third-Party Services may have their own terms of use and privacy policies, and your use of the Service may incur third-party fees, such as fees charged by your carrier for data usage. You are solely responsible for reviewing and complying with any terms of use, privacy policies, or other terms governing your use of Third-Party Services, and you are solely responsible for all of Third-Party Services fees incurred by you for use of the Service. You are solely responsible for taking the precautions necessary to protect yourself from fraud when using Third-Party Services, and to protect your computer systems from viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and other harmful or destructive content that may be included on or with any Third-Party Services. Westbrook disclaims any responsibility or liability for any harm resulting from your use of Third-Party Services, and you hereby irrevocably waive any claim against Westbrook with respect to any Third-Party Services.
13. Dispute Resolution.
A. Generally. In the interest of resolving disputes between you and Westbrook in the most expedient and cost-effective manner, you and Westbrook agree that any dispute arising out of or in any way related to these Terms or your use of the Service will be resolved by binding arbitration. Arbitration uses a neutral arbitrator instead of a judge or jury and can be subject to very limited review by courts. Arbitrators can award the same damages and relief that a court can award. This agreement to arbitrate disputes includes all claims arising out of or in any way related to these Terms or your use of the Service, whether based in contract, tort, statute, fraud, misrepresentation, or any other legal theory, and regardless of whether a claim arises during or after the expiration or termination of these Terms. YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT, BY ENTERING INTO THESE TERMS, YOU AND WESTBROOK ARE EACH WAIVING THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY OR TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS OR COLLECTIVE ACTION. YOU FURTHER UNDERSTAND THAT THESE DISPUTE RESOLUTION TERMS WILL APPLY TO YOU AND WESTBROOK UNLESS YOU CHOOSE TO OPT OUT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13.I (OPT OUT).
Whether to agree to arbitration is an important business decision. It is your decision to make, and you should not rely solely on the information provided in these Terms as it is not intended to contain a complete explanation of the consequences of arbitration. You should take further steps to conduct research and to consult with others, including an attorney, regarding the consequences of your decision, just as you would when making any other important business or life decision.
B. Exceptions. Despite the provisions of Section 13.A (Generally), nothing in these Terms will be deemed to waive, preclude, or otherwise limit the right of either party to: (1) bring an individual action in small claims court; (2) bring an action in a court pursuant to the California Private Attorneys General Act of 2004, California Labor Code § 2698 et seq.; (3) seek injunctive relief in a court of law; or (4) file suit in a court of law to address an intellectual property infringement claim.
C. Arbitrator. Any arbitration between you and Westbrook will be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act, and governed by the Commercial Dispute Resolution Procedures and the Supplementary Procedures for Consumer Related Disputes (collectively, “AAA Rules”) of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”), as modified by these Terms, and will be administered by the AAA. The AAA Rules and filing forms are available online at www.adr.org, by calling the AAA at 1-800-778-7879, or by contacting Westbrook. The arbitrator has exclusive authority to resolve any dispute relating to the interpretation, applicability, or enforceability of this binding arbitration agreement.
D. Notice; Process. A party who intends to seek arbitration must first send a written notice of the dispute to the other party by U.S. Mail within the applicable statute of limitations period (“Notice”). Westbrook’s address for Notice is: 23679 Calabasas Road, #381, Calabasas, CA 91302. The Notice must: (1) describe the nature and basis of the claim or dispute; and (2) set forth the specific relief sought (“Demand”). The parties will make good faith efforts to resolve the claim directly, but if the parties do not reach an agreement to do so within 30 days after the Notice is received, you or Westbrook may commence an arbitration proceeding. During the arbitration, the amount of any settlement offer made by you or Westbrook must not be disclosed to the arbitrator until after the arbitrator makes a final decision and award, if any. If the dispute is finally resolved through arbitration in your favor, Westbrook will pay you the highest of the following: (a) the amount awarded by the arbitrator, if any; (b) the last written settlement amount offered by Westbrook in settlement of the dispute prior to the arbitrator’s award; or (c) $1,000.
E. Fees. If you commence arbitration in accordance with these Terms, Westbrook will reimburse you for your payment of the filing fee, unless your claim is for more than $15,000 or as set forth below, in which case the payment of any fees will be decided by the AAA Rules. Any arbitration hearing will take place at a location to be agreed upon in Wilmington, Delaware, but if the claim is for $15,000 or less, you may choose whether the arbitration will be conducted: (1) solely on the basis of documents submitted to the arbitrator; (2) through a non-appearance based telephone hearing; or (3) by an in-person hearing as established by the AAA Rules in the county (or parish) of your billing address. If the arbitrator finds that either the substance of your claim or the relief sought in the Demand is frivolous or brought for an improper purpose (as measured by the standards set forth in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(b)), then the payment of all fees will be governed by the AAA Rules. In that case, you agree to reimburse Westbrook for all monies previously disbursed by it that are otherwise your obligation to pay under the AAA Rules. Regardless of the manner in which the arbitration is conducted, the arbitrator must issue a reasoned written decision sufficient to explain the essential findings and conclusions on which the decision and award, if any, are based. The arbitrator may make rulings and resolve disputes as to the payment and reimbursement of fees or expenses at any time during the proceeding and upon request from either party made within 14 days of the arbitrator’s ruling on the merits.
F. No Class Actions. YOU AND WESTBROOK AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING (OTHER THAN ACTIONS UNDER THE CALIFORNIA PRIVATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL ACT OF 2004, CALIFORNIA LABOR CODE § 2698 ET SEQ. WHICH ARE NOT COVERED BY THIS SECTION 13 (DISPUTE RESOLUTION)). Unless both you and Westbrook agree otherwise, the arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person’s claims, and may not otherwise preside over any form of a representative or class proceeding.
G. Modifications to this Arbitration Provision. If Westbrook makes any future change to this arbitration provision, other than a change to Westbrook’s address for Notice, you may reject the change by sending us written notice within 30 days of the change to Westbrook’s address for Notice, in which case this arbitration provision, as in effect immediately prior to the changes you rejected, will continue to govern any disputes between you and Westbrook. If you do not send such written notice, your continued use of the Service following any such change means that you have consented to such change.
H. Enforceability. If Section 13.F (No Class Actions) is found to be unenforceable or if the entirety of this Section 13 (Dispute Resolution) is found to be unenforceable, then the entirety of this Section 13 (Dispute Resolution) will be null and void and the exclusive jurisdiction and venue described in Section 16 (Governing Law; Choice of Forum) will govern any action arising out of or related to these Terms or your use of the Service.
I. Opt Out. Arbitration is not a mandatory condition of these Terms. If you do not want to be subject to this Section 13 (Dispute Resolution), you may opt out of this Section 13 (Dispute Resolution) by notifying Westbrook in writing of your decision by sending, within 30 days of the date you receive these Terms, an electronic message to support@westbrookinc.com, stating clearly your full name and intent to opt out of this Section 13 (Dispute Resolution). Should you choose not to opt out of this Section 13 (Dispute Resolution) within the 30-day period, you and Westbrook will be bound by the terms of this Section 13 (Dispute Resolution). You have the right to consult with counsel of your choice concerning this Section 13 (Dispute Resolution). You understand that you will not be subject to retaliation if you exercise your right to opt out of coverage under this Section 13 (Dispute Resolution).
14. Cooperation with Authorities. Westbrook may cooperate with legal authorities and/or third parties in the investigation of any suspected or alleged crime or civil wrong. Except as may be expressly limited by the Privacy Policy, Westbrook may disclose any information as Westbrook deems necessary to satisfy any applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, or to edit, refuse to post, or to remove any information or materials, in whole or in part, in Westbrook’s sole discretion.
15. Protected Activity Not Prohibited. To the extent permitted by applicable law, nothing in these Terms will in any way limit or prohibit you from filing a charge or complaint with, or otherwise communicating or cooperating with or participating in, any investigation or proceeding (“Protected Activity”) that may be conducted by any federal, state, or local government agency or commission (“Government Agencies”). In connection with such Protected Activity, you are permitted to disclose documents or other information as permitted by law, and without giving notice to, or receiving authorization from, Westbrook. In making any such disclosures or communications, you agree to take all reasonable precautions to prevent any unauthorized use or disclosure of any information that may constitute Westbrook confidential information to any parties other than the Government Agencies.
16. Governing Law; Choice of Forum. The laws of the State of Delaware, excluding its conflicts of law rules, govern these Terms and your use of the Service. Your use of the Service may also be subject to other local, state, national, or international laws; provided, however, that the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods will not apply to any provision of these Terms. To the extent that any action relating to any dispute hereunder is permitted to be brought in a court of law, such action will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in New Castle County, Delaware and you hereby irrevocably submit to personal jurisdiction in such courts, and waive any defense of inconvenient forum.
17. Feedback. If you provide any feedback to Westbrook concerning the functionality and performance of the Service (including identifying potential errors and improvements), you hereby assign to Westbrook all right, title, and interest in and to such feedback, and Westbrook is free to use such feedback without payment or restriction.
18. Entire Agreement; Variation. These Terms and the Privacy Policy set forth the entire agreement between Westbrook and you with respect to the Service. These Terms supersede and govern all previous oral and written communications regarding these matters, all of which are merged into these Terms. No usage of trade or other regular practice or method of dealing between the parties will be used to modify, interpret, supplement, or alter these Terms.
19. Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, such provisions will be modified, or if not possible, severed, to reflect the fullest valid, legal, and enforceable expression of the intent of the parties, and the remainder of these Terms will not be affected thereby.
20. Relationship of Parties. Nothing in these Terms will be deemed to create an employer-employee relationship between Westbrook and you, nor any agency, joint venture, or partnership relationship between the parties. Neither party will have the right to bind the other to any obligation, nor have the right to incur any liability on behalf of the other.
21. Waiver. No delay, omission, or failure to exercise any right or remedy provided under these Terms will be deemed to be a waiver thereof or an acquiescence to the event giving rise to such right or remedy, or a waiver of or acquiescence to any other right, remedy, or event.
22. Assignment. Neither these Terms nor any of the rights granted to you herein may be assigned or transferred by you, whether voluntarily or by operation of law, without the express prior written permission of Westbrook and any attempt to do so will be null and void. Westbrook may assign or transfer these Terms at any time without your permission.
23. Third-Party Beneficiaries. The provisions of these Terms relating to the rights of Westbrook service providers are intended for the benefit of such service providers, and such service providers, as third-party beneficiaries, will be entitled to enforce such provisions in accordance with these Terms, irrespective of the fact that they are not parties to these Terms.
24. Export Controls. You hereby represent and warrant that: (A) you are not located in a country that is subject to a U.S. Government embargo, or that has been designated by the U.S. Government as a “terrorist supporting” country; and (B) you are not listed on any U.S. Government list of prohibited or restricted parties.
25. Interpretation. If Westbrook provides a translation of the English language version of these Terms, the translation is provided solely for convenience, and the English version will prevail. Any heading, caption, or section title contained in these Terms is for convenience only, and in no way defines or explains any section or provision. Any use of the term “including” or variations thereof in this Agreement shall be construed as if followed by the phrase “without limitation.”
26. LIMITATION ON TIME TO FILE CLAIMS. ANY CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM YOU MAY HAVE ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OF SERVICE OR THE SERVICE MUST BE COMMENCED WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR AFTER THE CAUSE OF ACTION ACCRUES; OTHERWISE, SUCH CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM IS PERMANENTLY BARRED.
27. Geographic Restrictions.Westbrook is based in the State of California in the United States.If you access the Site from outside the United States, you do so on your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws.
28. NOTICE FOR CALIFORNIA USERS. Under California Civil Code Section 1789.3, Westbrook Users located in California are entitled to the following notice: The Complaint Assistance Unit of the Division of Consumer Services of the California Department of Consumer Affairs may be contacted in writing at 400 R Street, Suite 1080, Sacramento, California 95814, or by telephone at (916) 445-1254 or (800) 952-5210.
29. Finally, we wish to extend a special thank you to Brian Bowen Smith for allowing us to use his photograph of the King Richard cast on our ABOUT page. We love how this photo captures an artist’s capacity to move people - a gift we seek to serve and uplift everyday.