Privacy Notice
Please read through this notice as it contains vital information in regards to how and why we collect, use, store and share your personal data. It also highlights your rights in respect to your personal data and our contact details and the regulatory establishments in the event you have a complaint or query.
We are regulated by the United Kingdom Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation 2018 (‘GDPR’), which is applicable to all member states in the European Union. For the purposes of these laws we are accountable as the ‘controllers’ of this data. Your personal data shall only be used in the guidelines provided by these laws, your instruction and any other relevant UK and EU legislation and our professional duty as provided by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
How your data is collected:
Most of our information is collected directly from yourselves. There may be, however, circumstances in which we would have to collect information from, but not limited to:
- Public databases e.g. Companies House, Home Office, DVLA
- Third parties*g. financial institutions, other professional bodies, employers, trade unions, medical professionals
- Other third parties e.g. due diligence and sanction screening providers
- Our information technology systems e.g. case management software, reception logs, email and other relevant communication/messaging systems, monitoring of websites and other technical systems
*your consent shall be sought for this
How and why we use your personal data
Under Data Protection laws, your information can only be used if we have a lawful reason. This shall most commonly occur in order to allow ourselves to comply with our contract with you and our obligations both legally and regulatory. Also, where we (or any other relevant third party) have a legitimate interest, your interests and rights do not override ours.
The most common occurrence of how we use your data shall be in accordance of our contract with you and your instructions in your matter.
Promotional Communications
We may use your personal data to send you updates about our legal developments that may be of interest to you and/or information about our services, including promotions or new services. You may be contacted by either email, text message, telephone or post. We have a legitimate interest in processing your personal data for promotional purposes whilst you are an existing client. This results in us not requiring your consent to send you promotional communications.
Where consent is required,, we shall ask you for this separately and clearly.
Sharing your personal data
During the course of dealing with your matter, there may be periods where we may have to disclose your personal information with other institutions or bodies. This may include, but is not limited to:
- Other professional advisers e.g. barristers, medical experts, accountants
- Other third parties e.g. financial institutions, government bodies
- Insurers and credit reference agencies
- External service suppliers e.g. marketing agencies, analysis suppliers, documents collation
- Law enforcement and regulatory bodies
Before disclosing your data to any such third party, we ensure that they have relevant measures in place to ensure the protection and privacy of your data.
Data that has been shared with any other party shall be done on the basis of that party signing a confidentiality agreement with us.
Holding your personal data
Your data shall be held at our office and those of any other party, agency, agents, service providers, representatives involved, as listed above.
Transferring your personal data out of the EEA
In order to provide you with our services, there may be time were it becomes necessary to share your personal data outside the European Economic Area (EEA). This may include our agents who have offices outside of the EEA, services provides located out of the EEA, if your based outside the EEA or if there is an international aspect to the matter in which we are advising you. These transfers ae subject to special rules and legislation under English and European data laws. We shall ensure that all such transfers are compliant with any such laws and all personal data is secure.
How long your data shall be held
Once your matter has completed, we shall still retain your personal data for the following reasons:
- Any further queries, complaints or claims you may have
- Indication of fair treatment of your data
- As required to do so by law
Your personal data shall be securely archived after we have completed with your matter, but shall not be held for any longer then what is necessary. Different data types are subject to different retention periods. When your data is no longer required it shall be either deleted, anonymised or archived, dependant on what is stated on our retention policy.
Your rights
Your rights are as follows:
- Be provided with a copy of the personal data
- Require us to amend any data should it have any mistakes or changes have occurred
- Delete your data in certain situations
- Restrict the processing of your personal data e.g. if the data is inaccurate, marketing
- Not to be subject of a decision based on automated processing that yields legal effects
If you would like to exercise any of the rights, you may request a data subject request form via email to info@andersonrw.com or getting in to contact with your caseworker.
Securing your personal data
We have integrated the necessary security measures to ensure that your data is not mishandled, lost, accessed or used unlawfully. Those who process your data shall do so in accordance with the appropriate law and regulation, and shall do so in the strictest of confidentially.
Should a data breach occur or be suspected to occur we have the appropriate procedures in place to deal with this. You and any relevant body shall be notified if such an incident should occur.
If you would like more detailed information, Get Safe Online has various articles and advice on how to protect your information and your computers and devices against fraud, identity theft, viruses and many more problems faced online. Please visit www.getsafeonline.org. Get Safe Online is supported by HM Government and other leading businesses. Complaints
Should you have any complaint, query or concern we hold that we may be able to resolve it.
You have the right to issue a complaint with the Information Commissioners Office, the regulatory authority.
Changes to this notice and our policy
This policy was last updated on 18 September 2018. We may change our policy upon regular review. You shall be informed of this either by our website or by sending you an updated terms and conditions.