Your Privacy

What information do we collect?

We will collect a range of information to include names, addresses and dates of birth for yourself and other relevant people.

We will also require contact information such as telephone numbers and email addresses where you want us to communicate with you in that way.

On occasions we will ask for payment details to settle invoices or to pay money for disbursements.

Depending on the work that we do together then it might also be necessary to gather information about your financial situation such as account numbers on bank and other financial services accounts, valuations on a range of assets to include pensions, property, investments and debts.

Other information might be necessary to include details of your children and their school.

It will sometimes be necessary to ask for medical information if health issues for you or your children form part of your case.

You might need to prepare statements in relation to your case from time to time which we will help you with and subsequently store and process as required.

How do we use your data and why?

We use your data within our organisation to enable us to manage the work we need to do and to enable us to comply with our own record keeping and compliance requirements. This will include opening files in both paper and electronic form.

We also use your data when working with other agencies relevant to your case to include the court service, barristers, external experts such as pension actuaries, surveyors, medical experts if relevant, CAFCASS in relation to children matters and solicitors acting for any other party to proceedings.

We sometimes use external dictation services, currently Dictate2Us, who have their own privacy policy here https://www.dictate2us.com/privacy-policy/

Our electronic data is stored using our case management system with Select Legal . They have their own privacy policy here https://www.selectlegal.co.uk/privacy/

You can also read their specific policy regarding security of electronic data storage here https://www.selectlegal.co.uk/privacy/#Link6

We might use online credit services, with your permission, to make security and personal identification easier. If so we use CallML, a part of the CallCredit group and you can read their privacy policy here https://www.callcredit.co.uk/legal-information/general-privacy-notice

How long do we keep data for?
We will only keep your data for as long as is necessary for the purposes for which it is held. This will for at least six years after the completion of any work we carry out for you as a client. You are entitled to ask us for a specific duration if you would like more information.

What is the legal basis for us requesting, storing and using data?

The General Data Protection Regulations state that we are entitled to process data and personal information provided that it is necessary to do so and that one of six other bases apply.

Those six bases are;

• Consent
• Contract
• Legal obligation
• Vital interests
• Public task
• Legitimate interests
• Special category data; or
• Criminal offence data
• We will rarely use consent.

The vast majority of the processing that we carry out is carried in the pursuit and execution of legitimate interests, whether ours, yours or both. You can read our Legitimate Interests Assessment here https://dianegenders.co.uk/legitimate-interests-assessment/

Personal data and profiling

We do not carry out any profiling of clients using the data that you give to us other than to fulfil the money laundering and client identification requirements placed upon us by other agencies when opening a file.

Your data; Your rights

You have the following rights in relation to your data under the General Data Protection Regulation

• Access;
• Rectification;
• Erasure;
• Restrict and/or object to processing;
• Data portability;
• Withdraw consent; and
• Complain to a supervisory authority
• Access

You have the right to ask us to confirm if and what personal data we are processing, why, with whom and to access that data.

Rectification

You have the right to insist that we rectify any inaccurate personal data.

Erasure

If there are no grounds for the ongoing retention or processing of data then you have the right to insist that your data is erased without undue delay.

Restrict and/or object to processing of your personal data

You might want to restrict how we process or use your data but without asking us to erase it. You might also consider objecting to us using or processing your personal information. This right is not absolute and can be over-ridden if it is shown that there are compelling grounds for doing so or if we have to do so for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims.

Data portability

If we have obtained personal information on the grounds that we require your consent to use it then you might be able to ask us to provide that data to you to enable it to be automatically transferred to another database or data controller of your choosing.

This right is subject to such request not adversely affecting the rights of third parties.

Please note, however, that the vast majority of the data that you share with us is provided, stored and used on the basis of legitimate interests as opposed to consent.

Withdraw consent

If data has been provided on a consent basis then you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.

Right to complain to a supervisory body

We will try to meet all of your privacy and data concerns and questions as quickly and clearly as possible.

If you have any questions relating to your data and privacy then please first speak to the fee earner or individual that you have most contact with here at Diane Genders Solicitors.

Alternatively you can email our Data Protection officer, Diane Genders on diane@dianegenders.co.uk

Our telephone number is 01522 516500.

You can also refer matters to the Information Commissioner’s Office which regulates the handling of personal data across the UK. See www.ico.org.uk

Their address is ICO, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF and their telephone number is 0303 123 1113