PRIVACY POLICY

Percy Walker & Co LLP is a small law firm in the UK offering a range of legal services to businesses and individuals. We act as a “Data Controller” in respect of the information gathered and processed by us.

As an integral part of our business, we collect and manage client and non-client data.

From our website we collect the information you provide if you fill in one of our online enquiry forms or email us at a.francis@percywalker.co.uk

We observe data protection legislation and are committed to protecting and respecting clients’and non-clients’ privacy and rights.

This privacy policy notice describes ways in which we collect, manage, process, store and share information about you as a result of your being our client, non-client and/or visiting our website.

The privacy notice includes information on how you may have control over the use of your data.

Information we may collect about you

We seek to collect information for the following reasons:-

  1. To administer our relationship with you, provide services and respond to enquiries
  2. To enable business development, including legal updates.
  3. To process applications for employment.
  4. To deliver requested information about our services.
  5. To ensure the billing of any procured services and obtain payment.
  6. To enable us to meet our legal and other regulatory obligations imposed on us.

If you give us information on behalf of another person you confirm that you have their consent to do so and that they have agreed to the processing of their personal and sensitive data by Percy Walker & Co LLP.

The information we need for these purposes is known as your personal data. This includes your name, home address, email address, telephone number, national insurance number, bank details and other contact numbers and financial information.

We collect information in a number of different ways, directly online, over the telephone or when corresponding with us by letter.

We also process sensitive classes of information that includes, religious beliefs, political opinions, physical or mental health details, your sexual life, whether you have committed a criminal offence, racial or ethnic origin and whether you belong to a trade union. We will seek your permission if we need to records any of your sensitive personal data on our systems.

Use of Cookies

Cookies give information about the use of websites but we do not use cookies on our website.

How we use the data information

We use data collected from you for the specific purposes listed below which indicate the legal basis for the processing of your data and in what circumstances your data will be shared with a third party.

  1. To administer our relationship with you, provide services and respond to enquiries, the legal basis being to meet the requirements of a contract and the data is not shared with third parties unless we have your consent to do so or there is a legal, contractual or legitimate reason to do so.
  2. To ensure billing of any procured services by you and obtaining payment the legal basis being to meet the requirements of a contract. Here the data is shared with third parties such as Government VAT and HMRC tax inspectors and external auditors.
  3. To communicate with you about legal updates, the legal basis being to seek your explicit consent prior to sending the information and here the data is not shared with third parties.
  4. To provide support to telephone enquirers the legal basis is to fulfil contractual obligations including taking action before entering into a contract. The data is not shared with third parties unless we have your consent to do so or there is a legal or legitimate or contractual reason to do so.
  5. To respond and process complaints the legal basis being to meet a legal obligation the information is not shared with third parties unless we have your consent to do so or there is a legitimate reason to do so.
  6. To administer human resources assessing suitability, eligibility and/or fitness to work. The legal basis being to fulfil contractual obligations including taking action before entering into a contract. The information is shared with third parties where there is a legitimate, contractual or legal reason to do so.
  7. To comply with our regulatory requirements, the prevention of money laundering or terrorist financing, the management of our firm, keeping accounts and the provision of legal services.

Who do we share personal data and information with

We share information with others where there is a legitimate, legal or contractual basis for doing so or where we have your consent to do so.

We share information with our IT support and service providers so as to maintain the provision of services and security.

We also share information, as appropriate, with accountants, auditors, lawyers, estate agents, valuers, registrars, banks, stockbrokers, local authorities, utility companies, insurance companies, HMRC, Government trust and tax offices, and others to the extent that they need access to the information to provide advice or service or to the extent that we need information from them so as to provide services to you.

Where there is a legitimate and/or legal reason to do so and/or a contractual reason and/or we have your consent we may share information and your personal data with The Solicitors Regulation Authority, The Legal Ombudsman, The Law Society, The National Crime Agency, The Office of the Public Guardian, the Courts, and other external organisations including accountants who audit our firm and who are required to maintain confidentiality in relation to our files and matters.

Your rights

Under the terms of data protection laws you have the following rights as a result of being a client of Percy Walker & Co LLP and/or using our website:

  1. The right to be informed and this privacy notice fulfils our obligation to tell you about the ways in which we use your information about you and as a result of your using our website.
  2. The right to access and ask us for a copy of any personal data we hold about you. We will need to check the request has come from you or with your authority and may need to see evidence of your identity such as your current valid passport and an up to date utility bill in your name and address. This is known as “Subject Access Request” please write to Mrs A S Francis at Percy walker & Co LLP, Robertson Chambers, The Memorial, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 1JB
  3. The right to correct mistakes regarding any information we hold about you. If such information is inaccurate you can either contact us on (01424) 721234 or write to us at Percy Walker & Co LLP, Robertson Chambers The Memorial Hastings East Sussex TN34 1JB or email us at a.francis@percywalker.co.uk
  4. The right to be forgotten from 25th May 2018 you can ask that we erase all personal information that we hold about you. Where it is appropriate that we comply with your request we will do so. For further information please telephone us on (01424) 721234 or email a.francis@percywalker.co.uk or write to us at Percy Walker & Co LLP, Robertson Chambers The Memorial, Hastings East Sussex TN34 1JB
  5. The right to object, you have the right to object to the continued use of your data for any purpose for which your consent is identified as the lawful basis for the processing or for which the lawful basis of the processing is that it has been deemed legitimate
  6. The right to restrict processing you may restrict the use of your data if you think it is inaccurate (but this will take time to validate) and if you believe our data processing is unlawful but you do not want your data erased or you want us to retain your data in order to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim or you wish to object to the processing of your data but we have yet to determine whether this is appropriate. . For further information please telephone us on 01424 721234 or email a.francis@percywalker.co.uk or write to us at Percy Walker & Co LLP, Robertson Chambers The Memorial, Hastings East Sussex TN34 1JB
  7. The right to data portability if you would like to move, copy or transfer the electronic personal data that we hold about you to another organisation please contact us on 01424 721234 or email a.francis@percywalker.co.uk or write to us at Percy Walker & Co LLP, Robertson Chambers The Memorial, Hastings East Sussex TN34 1JB

How long will we retain information

Percy Walker & Co LLP will usually retain information for a period of 7 years following completion of a matter unless there are legitimate, contractual or legal reasons to keep the information for a longer period or we have your consent to keep the information for a longer period. This is due to regulatory reasons and to ensure our business records are adequate to maintain the requisite level of insurance to protect our clients and non-clients.

Transfer out of the European Economic Area (EEA)

None of the information that we collect, process or store is transferred outside of the EEA and will not be transferred out of the EEA without obtaining your consent.

At Percy Walker & Co LLP we maintain a data management system and processes which ensure that data protection is a key consideration for all new and existing IT systems that hold personal data. Where concerns, risks or issues are identified we carry out impact assessments in order to determine any actions that are necessary to ensure optimum privacy.

We maintain an active information security programme which seeks to protect the availability, confidentiality and integrity of all physical and information assets. It specifically helps us to protect against potential breaches of confidentiality and ensure all IT facilities are protected against damage, loss or misuse and increase awareness and understanding of the requirements of information security, and the responsibility of our colleagues to protect the confidentiality of the information they handle and ensure the optimum security of our website.

Our website may contain links to other websites. This privacy notice only applies to our website so if you link to other websites you should read their own privacy notices.

This privacy notice is periodically reviewed and was last reviewed in January 2020.