We take your privacy very seriously and we ask that you read this privacy notice carefully as it contains important information on who we are, how and why we collect, store, use and share personal information, your rights in relation to your personal information and how to contact us and supervisory authorities in the event you have a complaint.

SL Family Law collects personal information about you. When we do so we are regulated under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)and we are responsible as ‘controller’ of that personal information for the purposes of those laws.

GDPR relates to any information by which an individual person can be identified. This includes a name, an identification number, address, email address, an IP address, photo, date of birth, phone number and image captured by CCTV by us. This covers any factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of a person.

It relates to all processing of such information. Processing includes collection, recording, organising, storage, adapting, retrieval, use, erasure or destruction.

The personal information we collect and use

In the course of providing legal services we collect the following personal information when you provide it to us:

Clients and prospective clients

Name, address, telephone number, date of birth, email, the information provided in relation to the particular transaction in which the client has instructed us. This may, depending on the type of matter on which we have been instructed include sensitive personal information.

We use the information provided by clients to:

  • Provide quotations or estimates for legal services;
  • Act and advise on the matters on which we are instructed;
  • Comply with our duties in relation to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA), the Terrorism Act 2000 and the Fraud Act 2006; and
  • With the consent of our clients, provide the clients with information about other services provided by us and seminars and events in which are involved.

Our basis for processing information provided by clients and prospective clients is usually contractual, but may also be to fulfil our legal obligations.

The legal basis for processing your personal information can include if necessary to protect the vital interests of a person, in the public interest or where we have a legitimate interest for doing so.

Non-clients

There are a number of circumstances in which we may have personal information relating to people who are not our clients. Our basis for processing this information is to fulfil our own or our clients’ legitimate interests.

  • Families of clients

In matters where we are instructed in relation to family matters, we may be provided with names, addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, email, financial information. There may be circumstances relevant to the advice which we are providing when we are provided with sensitive personal information of all types.

We use the information to advise clients in relation to their rights and responsibilities in relation to family members. Information may be passed to other professional advisers of our clients in relation to the transaction in which we are instructed.

  • Other parties in a dispute

In matters where we are advising or acting on a dispute between our client and third parties, we may be provided with names, addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, email, financial information. There may be circumstances relevant to the advice which we are providing when we are provided with sensitive personal information of all types.

We use the information to advise clients on their rights, duties and responsibilities in relation to defending or pursuing claims, and in relation to enforcement of claims and to contact parties in a dispute.

  • Professional advisers of clients

We may be provided with the names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of the professional advisers of our client or third parties in a matter on which we are acting.

We use the information to contact the professional advisers of our clients.

  • Visitors to our website

We may collect information provided by visitors to answer any question they may submit through the contact form.

  • Other Parties

We also process information about our suppliers, employees, independent contractors, advisers and other professional experts.

Information collected from other sources

We also obtain personal information from other sources as follows:

  • From third parties acting for clients or other parties in a matter in which we are or may be instructed;
  • Our credit control procedures on behalf of ourselves and dispute resolution procedures may involve our instructing inquiry agents to obtain information to trace individuals.

Who we share your personal information with

There are some organisations with whom we may share information:-

  • Our accountants and Solicitors Accounts auditors have access to electronic and hard copy files for the purposes of verifying we are compliant with the Solicitors Accounts Rules;
  • Our insurers or professional advisers on their behalf may require access to client files for considering and negotiating in relation to a claim;
  • In relation to a specific transaction for a client, we may be instructed by the client to share personal information with other parties such as solicitors, professional advisers for the client or for other parties to a transaction, banks, mortgage advisors, estate agents and HMRC.
  • We may share your personal information with current and prospective employees, financial organisations, our professional advisers, official bodies, suppliers and service providers.

How long your personal data will be kept

Personal information is retained only as long as necessary to comply with Solicitors Rules and statutory retention periods. At the end of those periods, the information will be securely deleted unless the Client wishes it to be returned to them provided it is no longer required to fulfil the contract or any legal proceedings.

Transfer of your information

It may sometimes be necessary to transfer personal information overseas. When transfers are needed information may be transferred to countries or territories around the world. Any transfers made will be in full compliance with all aspects of GDPR and in accordance with the country-specific legislation.

Your rights

We are committed to upholding your rights in respect of your personal information including:

  1. Right of Access

    You have a right to ask us what personal information we hold about you and to request a free copy of your information. This is known as a Subject Access Request (SAR). SARs need to be in writing, and we ask it is accompanied by proof of your identity and address.


    If you want specific information e.g. a particular time frame, please clarify this in your written confirmation of consent.


    If someone is requesting information on your behalf, we shall need your written consent and evidence of ID for both of you.


    We have to comply you with the information you request within 30 days although we will endeavour to do so as soon as possible.

  2. Right to Rectification

    You can ask us to rectify your personal data if it is inaccurate or incomplete. Please assist us by informing us of any obvious changes such as changes of address.

  3. Right to erasure

    This is known as the ‘right to be forgotten’. In some circumstances, you can ask for your data to be deleted or removed. However, we will need to consider each case on its circumstances and it may be that we are obliged to retain the data under our legal and other obligations.

  4. Right to Withdraw Consent

    Where consent forms the basis of processing you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.

  5. Right to data portability

    You have the right to ask that we transfer or provide the data we hold on you in a portable form for transfer to another organisation or yourself

  6. Right to Restriction of Processing

    You can ask us to restrict the processing of your data depending on the exact circumstances

  7. Right to object to processing

    You can object to the processing of your data in some circumstances


    No fee is initially payable if you exercise any of these rights. However, if we deem you to be unreasonable such as by making repeated requests then we have the right to make a charge.

Keeping your personal information secure

We have appropriate security measures in place to prevent personal information from being accidentally lost, or used or accessed in an unauthorised way. However absolute security can never be guaranteed. We limit access to your personal information to those who have a genuine business need to know it. Those processing your information will do so only in an authorised manner and are subject to a duty of confidentiality.

Automated Decision Making and Profiling

We do not process personal information for automated decision making or profiling.

Cookies

The Internet pages of SL Family Law use cookies. Cookies are text files that are stored in a computer system via an Internet browser. Many Internet sites and servers use cookies. Many cookies contain a so-called cookie ID. A cookie ID is a unique identifier of the Cookie. It consists of a character string through which Internet pages and the server can be assigned to the specific Internet browser in which the cookie was stored. This allows visited Internet sites and servers to differentiate the individual browser of the data subject from other Internet browsers that contain other cookies.

A specific Internet browser can be recognised and identified using the unique cookie ID. Through the use of cookies, SF Family Law can provide the users of this website with more user- friendly services that would not be possible without the cookie setting.

By means of a cookie, the information and any offers on our website can be optimised with the user in mind. Cookies allow us, as previously mentioned, to recognise our website users. The purpose of this recognition is to make it easier for users to utilise our website. The website user that uses cookies e.g. does not have to enter access data each time the website is accessed, because this is taken over by the website and the cookie is thus stored on the user’s computer system.

The data subject may, at any time, prevent the setting of cookies through our website by means of a corresponding setting of the Internet browser used, and may thus permanently deny the setting of cookies.

Set cookies may be deleted at any time via an Internet browser or other software programmes. This is possible in all popular Internet browsers. If the data subject deactivates the setting of cookies in the Internet browser used, not all functions of our website may be entirely usable.

How to complain

In the first instance please contact Sue Leadbeater as we hope that we can resolve any query or concern you raise about our use of your information.

If you are not satisfied with the response then you should contact the Information Commissioner at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF Email casework@ico.org.uk  Telephone: 0303 123 1113. Website www.ico.org.uk

Changes to this privacy notice

This privacy notice was published with effect from 1st November 2019. Version number 2.

We may change this privacy notice from time to time. You should check this policy occasionally to ensure you are aware of the most recent version.

How to contact us

Please contact us if you have any questions about this privacy notice or the information we hold about you.

If you wish to contact us please contact Sue Leadbeater by sending an email to sue@slfamilylaw.co.uk or writing to 1 Fairfield Street, Bingham, Nottingham NG13 8FB or telephone 07950 164614.