Introduction
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been implemented in England on 25 May 2018.
The GDPR outlines six principles with regard to the personal data. These are that data must be:-
- Processed fairly, lawfully and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject
- Collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed for other purposes incompatible with those purposes
- Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purpose for which the data is processed
- Accurate and where necessary, kept up to date
- Kept in a form that permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which the data is processed
- Processed in a way that ensures appropriate security of the personal data including protection against accidental loss, destruction or damage, using appropriate technical or organisation measures
We are committed to respect your privacy rights in accordance with the GDPR and the six principles outlined above.
This Policy aims to explain the types of personal data we may collect about you when you interact with us whether you visit our office, use your mobile to contact us or contact us via email. It also explains how we will process, share and keep your data.
We hope this Policy will answer any questions you have, but if not, please do not hesitate to contact M A Saeed Solicitor at our office by phone or e mail.
We may need to update this Policy from time to time and will update you if there are significant changes to it and if these are likely to affect the data we hold for you.
Who are we ?
We are a solicitors firm, registered as a company incorporated in England and Wales.
We gather and process your personal information in accordance with this Policy and in compliance with GDPR requirements. This Policy provides you with the necessary information regarding your rights and obligations and explains how why and when we collect and process your personal data.
We are also registered on the Information Commissioner’s Register (ICO).
Why do we collect your personal data?
We may collect and process your personal data for a number of reasons. These reasons include (but are not limited to):-
- Compliance with legal obligations that we have
- Compliance with our duties and exercising our rights under a contract with you
- The pursuit of our legitimate interests (as set out below)
- Where you have consented to the processing of your personal data
- Information provided by you and third party providers
- When you / third party contact us in person, over the telephone, by email or by post
- When you apply for a job vacancy with us
Our legitimate interests
The usual legal aim and basis for processing personal data is that it must be necessary for the legitimate interests of our firm , examples of which are:-
- Protecting clients, employees and individuals and maintaining their health safety and welfare
- Promoting marketing and advertising our services
- Understanding our client’s instructions, activities, preferences and needs
- Improving existing services and developing
- Complying with our legal and regulatory obligations
- Preventing investigating and detecting crime, fraud or anti social behaviour and prosecuting offenders including working with law enforcement agencies
- Handling client contact queries or disputes
- Protecting our firm , its employees and clients by taking appropriate legal action against who have committed criminal acts or an in breach of legal obligations to us
- Fulfilling our duties to our clients, employees and directors
The purpose and reasons for processing your personal data
We take your privacy very seriously and will never disclose or share your personal data without your knowledge unless we are required to do so by law.
We only retain your data for as long as it is necessary and for the purposes specified in this Policy. We will not process your personal data outside of the EEA without your express consent.
Detailed below are examples of when we would collect, process and in some cases share your personal date:-
- To ensure that content from our website is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your computer / device
- To verify your identity
- To process job applications
- To process and manage your client instructions
- To carry out our obligations arising from any contracts entered into between you and us
- To monitor client satisfaction
- To provide you with information or services that you request from us
- To notify you about changes to our services
- If required by law
How long will we keep your data?
We only ever retain personal information for as long as it necessary and in accordance with Law Society guidance we retain all closed client files for a period of 6 years.
How we will share your data
We do not share or disclose your personal data without your prior knowledge and/or consent, other than for the purposes specified in this Policy or where we there is a legal requirement.
We use trusted third parties to provide the services below, who will use your data within the ambit of our instructions and in accordance with their own privacy policies.
We may disclose your information to third parties if:-
- We are under a duty to disclose or share your personal data in order to comply with any legal obligation
- In order to apply or enforce our contract with you
- To protect our rights property or our safety and / or the safety of our clients or others
We may also disclose your information to arrange representation as part of court proceedings and to fulfil directions by the court. These third parties may include (but are not limited to):
- Solicitor advocates
- Barristers
- Professional experts
- Other parties in the proceedings
- The Law Society
- The SRA
- HMRC
- Home Office
What are your rights over your personal data?
You have the right to access any personal information that we process about you and to request information about:-
- What personal data we hold about you
- The purpose of the processing
- The categories of personal data concerned
- The recipient to whom the personal data has / will be disclosed to
- How long we intend to store your personal data
- If we did not collect the data directly from you, information about the source
If you believe that we hold incomplete or inaccurate date about you, you have the right to ask us to correct and/or complete the information and we will strive to update/correct it as quickly as possible; unless there is a valid reason for not doing so, at which point you will be notified.
If you would like your personal data to be removed or amended, you have the right to request:
- Your personal date to be erased from our records
- The use / processing of your personal data to be restricted in accordance with data protection laws
- To opt out of any direct marketing from us
- To be informed about any automated decision making that we use.
If we receive a request from you to exercise any of the above rights, we may ask you to verify your identity before acting on the relevant request so as to ensure that your data is protected and kept secure.
We will inform you if your request is possible in view of our legitimate interest and any current legal regulations and inform you to what extent your request has been processed. Where we are under legal obligations to retain your information, we will clarify the requirements around the extent of data as well as the duration we will continue to hold your personal data.
If you would like to make a request to access or erase / amend your personal data, please contact us
Complaint procedure
If you believe we have processed your data in an unfair or unjust way or are non-compliant with the GDPR and wish to raise a complaint, please in the first instance contact M A Saeed at Legal Solutions Advocates & Solicitor 6 Sevenways Parade, Woodford Avenue, Gants Hill, Essex IG2 6XH or by email contact@lsasolicitors.co.uk. We will endeavour to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction if however this is not possible you have the right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority the Information Commissions Office (ICO) at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF.