Privacy Policy

Introduction

This privacy notice explains the types of personal data we may collect about you when you interact with us. It also explains how we will store and handle that data and how we will keep it safe.

Who are Hattersleys Solicitors?

Hattersleys Solicitors are a partnership law firm.

For simplicity, throughout this notice, “we” “us” and “Hattersleys” means Hattersleys the partnership.

Explaining the legal basis upon which we hold your data.

The law on data protection sets out a number of different reasons for which an organisation such as Hattersleys may collect and process your personal data. This includes: –

Contractual obligations

In most circumstances, we need your personal data to comply with our contractual obligation to deliver legal services for you or to consider a legal case that you may wish us to take on.

Legal compliance

If the law requires us to, we may need to collect and process your data for example to pass on details of people involved in fraud or other criminal activity to law enforcement.

Consent

In specific situations, we can collect and process your data with your consent, for example when you opt in to receiving email newsletters for example by ticking a box.

When do we collect your personal data?

We collect your personal data when: –

You contact us by telephone, email, or by attending our offices to deal with your case or to make an enquiry about using our services or when your data is given to us by a client or another in the course of supplying legal services.
At marketing or networking events, where we will only collect your personal data and store the same if you opt into us using your personal data for marketing purposes.

What sort of personal data do we collect?

We collect data that may include your name, gender, date of birth, address, national insurance number, telephone number, email address, as well as the same information in relation to other members of your family and any other information necessary in order to deal with your case for you.

We may also have copies of documents that you use to provide proof of your age or identity or address such as passports, driving licences or utility bills.

How and why do we use your personal data?

We use your personal data in order to see whether or not we can deal with an enquiry that you make in relation to the provision of our legal services.

We also use your personal data to deal with your legal enquiry should we take your case on.

We also use your personal data to allow us to provide legal services where you are not our client.

We do not need your consent to use your personal data to deliver legal services or in relation to services which you have made an enquiry

We do however need your consent to send you marketing materials and will only do so if you opt into receiving such documents.

How we protect your personal data.

We know how much data security matters to all our clients. With this in mind, we will treat your data with the utmost care and take all appropriate steps to protect it.

We secure access to your data held on our systems using multilayer protection using the latest anti-malware software and firewall technologies.

How long will we keep your personal data?

Whenever we collect or process your personal data, we will only keep it for as long as is necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.

At the end of that retention period, your data will either be deleted completely or anonymised, for example by aggregation of other data so that it can be used in a non-identifiable way for statistical analysis and business planning.

Where we have dealt with a legal query or case for you, your data will usually be kept for a minimum period of 6 years.

Who do we share your personal data with?

We sometimes share your personal data with trusted third parties. These include barristers, medical experts, other experts, legal agencies and the land registry, most of whom are regulated themselves to protect your personal data.

When we provide your data to them, we do so on terms and conditions which make it clear that: –

The information is provided purely for them to perform the specific purpose for which we have sent it to them e.g. to prepare an expert’s report.
They may only use your data for the exact purpose that we have specified in our contract with them.
They will only keep your personal data for as long as is necessary to comply with their contractual obligations to us.

Where your personal data may be processed.

Your personal data may be processed on our paper files, on our computerised system or in folders where we keep details of clients who have opted in to receiving marketing information

What are your rights over your personal data?

An overview of your different rights

You have the right to request:

Access to the personal data we hold about you, free of charge in most cases.
The correction of your personal data when incorrect, out of date or incomplete.
In some circumstances, where we have no lawful basis for holding your data or where the lawful basis is consent, you can ask us to delete your data;
That we stop using your personal data for direct marketing (either through specific channels, or all channels).
That we stop any consent-based processing of your personal data after you withdraw that consent.

You have the right to request a copy of any information about you that Hattersleys holds at any time, and also to have that information corrected if it is inaccurate. To ask for your information or to have it amended, please contact Neil Priestley, 1 Hope Street, Mexborough S64 9HR or email npriestley@hattersleys.co.uk

If we choose not to action your request we will explain to you the reasons for our refusal.

Your right to withdraw consent

Whenever you have given us your consent to use your personal data, you have the right to change your mind at any time and withdraw that consent.

Where we rely on our legitimate interest

In cases where we are processing your personal data on the basis of our legitimate interest, you can ask us to stop for reasons connected to your individual situation. We must then do so unless we believe we have a legitimate overriding reason to continue processing your personal data.

Direct marketing

You have the right to stop the use of your personal data for direct marketing activity through all channels, or selected channels. We must always comply with your request.

Checking your identity

To protect the confidentiality of your information, we will ask you to verify your identity before proceeding with any request you make under this Privacy Notice. If you have authorised a third party to submit a request on your behalf, we will ask them to prove they have your permission to act.

How can you stop the use of your personal data for direct marketing?

You simply need to click unsubscribe in any email communications that we send to you. We will then stop any further emails from being sent.

Alternatively, please telephone us to ask us to stop sending you marketing communications.

Contacting the Regulator.

If you feel that your data has not been handled correctly, or you are unhappy with our response to any requests you have made to us regarding the use of your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

You can contact them by calling 0303 123 1113 or go online to www.ico.org.uk/concerns (opens in a new window; please note we cannot be held responsible for the content of external websites).

If you are based outside the UK, you have the right to lodge your complaint with the relevant data protection regulator in your country of residence.

If you live outside the UK

For all non-UK customers

By using our services or providing your personal data to us, you expressly consent to the processing of your personal data by us or on our behalf. Of course, you still have the right to ask us not to process your data in certain ways, and if you do so, we will respect your wishes.