Please read this Privacy Notice thoroughly as it contains essential information regarding our identity, the reasons we collect, store, use, and share your personal data, your rights concerning this data, and how to contact us or supervisory authorities if you have any complaints.
Who We Are
Hammons Solicitors are responsible for collecting and using certain personal information about you. We are regulated under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is enforced across the European Union, including the United Kingdom. As the ‘controller’ of your personal information, we ensure compliance with these laws.
Personal Information We Collect and Use Information Collected by Us
In our capacity as a Solicitors Practice, we collect the following personal information from you:
Clients: Contact details (name, address, phone number, email) and other necessary information to provide legal services or respond to initial inquiries. Third-party information is protected by legal professional privilege and only disclosed with client consent.
Suppliers: Contact details of individuals or employees providing services to us.
Contacts: Information from individuals associated with our business to maintain communication. This includes CCTV images, recorded calls, and visitor logs for office visits and phone calls.
Visitors: Security records such as CCTV images, recorded calls, and visitor logs.
Information Collected from Other Sources
We also collect personal information from other sources, including:
- Third-party recommendations;
- Instructions through a third party;
- Supplier recommendations.
How We Use Your Personal Information
Clients: We use your personal information to manage the matter for which you’ve engaged us. Post-completion, we retain the information as a record of our services.
Prospective Clients: We use your information to record your inquiry and may contact you with information about our services.
Suppliers: We use your personal information for communication about the goods and services you provide.
Contacts: We use your information to occasionally send you updates about our business and events.
Visitors: We use your information to maintain a record of your visit or call to our office.
Who We Share Your Personal Information With
We do not routinely share personal information. We only share it when necessary to progress the matter or transaction you’ve instructed us on, or when the services require a third-party supplier or organization (e.g., courts, land registry). We ensure that shared information is limited to what is necessary and processed according to GDPR principles.
We also share personal information with law enforcement or other authorities if required by law. Otherwise, we will not share your information without your consent or instruction.
Whether Information Has to Be Provided by You and Why
Clients and prospective clients must provide personal information for us to meet legal obligations or conduct conflict-of-interest searches as required by professional regulations.
How Long Your Personal Information Will Be Kept
Clients: Personal information is held for at least six years after completing our work. Files are kept for a minimum period of six years depending on the matter you have instructed us to assist you with.
Prospective Clients: Inquiry records are kept for up to two years.
Suppliers: Contact information is retained for at least six years after completing work and possibly longer if further contact is anticipated.
Contacts: Information is retained as long as it remains relevant and deleted if outdated or upon request.
Visitors: CCTV records are kept for 30 days, and recorded calls for up to six years.
Reasons We Can Collect and Use Your Personal Information
Clients: We collect and use your information to fulfill our contractual obligations to you.
Prospective Clients: We rely on legitimate business interests to retain your information and follow up on inquiries.
Suppliers and Contacts: We rely on legitimate interests to communicate about current and future work.
Visitors: We rely on legitimate interests for security purposes, using CCTV, visitor logs, and voice recordings.
Consequences of Our Use of Your Personal Information
We do not foresee any significant consequences from our use of your personal information. We take measures to protect against accidental loss or unauthorized access and provide clear opt-out options for any unsolicited communications.
Your Rights
Under the GDPR, you have several important rights, including:
- Access to your personal information;
- Correction of any mistakes in your information;
- Erasure of your personal information in certain situations;
- Receiving your data in a structured format and the right to transmit it to a third party;
- Objecting to processing for direct marketing or automated decisions affecting you;
- Restricting processing in certain circumstances.
For more details or to exercise your rights, please contact us.
Keeping Your Personal Information Secure
We have implemented appropriate security measures to prevent accidental loss, unauthorized use, or access to your personal information. Access is limited to those with a genuine business need, and all processors are subject to confidentiality.
We also have procedures in place to handle suspected data breaches and will notify you and any applicable regulators if required by law.
How to Complain
We hope to resolve any concerns you may have. However, if you’re unsatisfied, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, such as the UK’s Information Commissioner.
Changes to This Privacy Notice
This Privacy Notice was published in September 2024 and may be updated periodically. Changes will be communicated via our website and newsletter.
How to Contact Us
For any questions regarding this Privacy Notice or your personal information, please contact us via email or mail.
Cookie Policy
Please read our Cookie Policy, which is designed to be read alongside this Privacy Notice, for further details on how we use cookies on our website.