Rutherfords Legal LLP (“We”) are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. When you share your information with us we want you to be confident that we look after this information securely and only use or share it in the ways set out in this Privacy Notice.
We are the data controller of the personal data which we process and therefore we are responsible for ensuring that our systems, processes, suppliers and staff comply with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
This Privacy Notice sets out the basis on which any personal data we collect from you, or that you provide to us, will be processed by us. Please read the contents of this Privacy Notice carefully to understand our views and practices regarding your personal data and how we will treat it.
We have appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO) to oversee compliance with data protection laws and this Privacy Notice, together with providing guidance and advice to the firm as required. If you have any queries about this Privacy Notice or how we handle your personal information then please contact our DPO, Stephen Wengraf, at [email protected] or by post at Rutherfords LLP, Ventura House, Ventura Park Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B78 3HL.
What information do we collect and process?
Why do we collect this information?
If you give us information about someone else then we expect that:
How do we process your information?
The GDPR require us to explain what ‘legal bases’ justify us processing your information. These are as follows:
We do not rely upon consent as a legal basis for processing your personal information other than in relation to keeping you informed about our other services. We will ask you for your consent in this respect at the commencement of your matter. If you have provided your consent you have the right to withdraw this at any time by contacting our DPO, Stephen Wengraf, at [email protected] or by post at Rutherfords LLP, Ventura House, Ventura Park Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B78 3HL.
What happens if you choose not to or you are unable to provide us with your personal information?
If you fail to provide us with certain personal information when requested we may not be able to act for you or we may be prevented from complying with our legal obligations. We will ask you directly for most of this information but we may sometimes need to collect data from external sources.
Where is your information stored?
All of the information which you provide to us is stored on our secure servers. We will keep your information safe and secure and we will regularly review the rules on how long we should keep this for.
Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet, including emails, is not completely secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to our website or sent via email. Any transmission is at your own risk. Once we have received your information, we will use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access. If you have concerns about the security of website data or emails then you may prefer to telephone or write to us.
We’ll keep your personal data if you:
How long do we keep hold of your information?
We will retain your personal data for six years in accordance with our legal and regulatory obligations. We are obliged to retain your personal data for longer periods in certain cases but we will notify you if we intend to do so.
If we are holding your information in relation to a complaint then we will destroy this once the complaint file has been closed.
When we no longer need your data we will destroy this safely and securely in accordance with our destruction procedures.
Who might we share your information with?
We will only share your information with other organisations specifically in relation to the matter in which we are instructed to act on your behalf (for example government bodies, law enforcement agencies, legal advisors etc) Information which you provide to us will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed to any other third parties without your express consent.
We sometimes change the companies we use or appoint to provide services. When we appoint a company to provide a service on our behalf we always ensure that they must meet our strict requirements.
In accordance with Money Laundering legalisation, we are obliged to confirm some of our clients’ identities. We may therefore supply your information to a third party electronic identity search provider to help us confirm your identity.
Transfers outside of the EEA
Occasionally we may need to transfer data out of the EEA to countries who may not have the same standard of data protection. We use safeguards to ensure that the data is transferred securely in line with UK data protection standards.
What are your rights?
By giving us your data you become a ‘data subject’ and therefore you have the following rights in respect of the processing of your personal data:
How can I access the information which you hold about me?
As mentioned above, you have the right to access the personal information which we hold about you under the GDPR. This is called a ‘Subject Access Request’. This request is usually free of charge. For security reasons, you must give us some details before we can disclose our records. If you wish to make a Subject Access Request or make any requests under any other of your rights then please contact our DPO, Stephen Wengraf, at Rutherfords LLP, Ventura House, Ventura Park Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B78 3HL or email him at [email protected].
We will aim to respond to you within 30 days but if the matter is complex and we need more time then we will let you know.
You have the right to make a complaint at any time to the relevant supervising authority for data protection issues who in the UK is Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”). You can write to them at Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF or you can visit their website at www.ICO.org.uk.
Changes to our Privacy Notice
Any changes we may make to our Privacy Notice in the future will be posted on this page and, where appropriate, you will also be notified in writing.
Feedback
Questions, comments and requests regarding this Privacy Notice are welcomed and should be addressed to our DPO, Stephen Wengraf, at Rutherfords LLP, Ventura House, Ventura Park Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B78 3HL or email him at [email protected].