Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. This privacy policy explains how Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors use the information collected about you, how you can instruct us if you prefer to limit the use of that information and procedures that Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors have in place to safeguard your privacy. The information Hall Smith Whittingham LLPSolicitors collect and how it is used. *

Who are we?

Hall Smith Whittingham LLP is registered in England and Wales and is a ‘controller’ under the General Data Protection Regulations and the Data Protection Act 2018.

What data do we collect?
We will only collect information from you that is relevant to the contract or service that we are dealing with. In particular we may collect the following information from you which is defined as ‘personal data’:
Personal details
Family, lifestyle and social circumstances
Financial details
Business activities of the person whose details we are processing

Special categories
We may also collect information that is referred to as being in a ‘special category’. This could include:
Physical or mental health details
Racial or ethnic origin
Religious beliefs or other beliefs of a similar nature
Criminal convictions
Sexual orientation

Basis for processing
The basis on which we process your personal data is one or more of the following:
It is necessary for the performance of our contract with you
It is necessary for us to comply with a legal obligation
It is in our legitimate interests to do so
You have given us your consent (this can be withdrawn at any time by advising our data protection officer)

How will we use your data?
We may use your information for the following purposes:
Provision of legal services including advising you in acting on behalf of your clients
Promotion of our goods and services
Provision of education and training to customers and clients
Maintaining accounts and records
Supporting and managing staff

Who will we share your information with?
As a consultant providing you with legal services we will observe the strict rules laid down by the Solicitors Code of Conduct 2011 but also follow the terms of our contract with you for the provision of this service.

We may also disclose your information to debt collection agencies if you do not pay our bills.

As an employer we will only share your information with our accountants, payroll processors and book keepers; HMRC and pension providers to maintain appropriate support for you in your employment and to comply with legal obligations.

How long will we keep your information for?
We will normally keep your information throughout the period of time that we do work for you or you do work for us and afterwards for a maximum period of sixteen years if we are required to do so by law and also by regulations that apply to us.
In some cases, we may retain your information for a longer period and we will advise you of this at the time.
More information is set out in our data retention policy which is available on request from the data protection officer.

Transfers to third countries
We may from time to time transfer your personal data to a country outside of the European Economic Area. Normally this will be necessary for the performance of your contract with us; for the performance of our contract with you; or for the exercise or defence of legal claims.
Sometimes we may transfer for other reasons and we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place at all times.

Security arrangements
We shall ensure that all the information that you provide to us is kept secure using appropriate technical and organisation measures.
In the event of a personal data breach we have in place procedures to ensure that the effects of such a breach are minimised and shall liaise with the ICO and with you as appropriate.
More information is available from the data protection officer.

What rights do you have?
You have the following rights under the GDPR:
Right to be informed
Right of access
Right to rectification
Right to erasure
Right to restriction of processing
Right to data portability
Right to object
Rights concerning automated decision-making and profiling

Right of access
You have a right to see the information we hold about you.
To access this you need to provide a request in writing to our data protection officer, together with proof of identity.
We will usually process your request free of charge and within 30 days, however, we reserve the right to charge a reasonable administration fee and to extend the period of time by a further two months if the request is manifestly unfounded or vexatious and/or is very complex.
Full details are available in our data subject access policy which is available on request from the data protection officer.

Right to erasure
You have a right to ask us to erase your personal data in certain cases (details may be found in Article17of the GDPR).
We will deal with your request free of charge and within 30 days but reserve the right to refuse to erase information that we are required to retain by law or regulation, or that is required to exercise or defend legal claims.
To exercise your right to erasure please contact our data protection officer.

Who can you complain to?

If you are unhappy about how we are using your information or how we have responded to your request then initially you should contact the data protection officer:
Steven Coles Hall Smith Whittingham LLP 172-174 Nantwich Road Crewe Cheshire CW2 6BW .Tel: 01270212000 or email enquiry@hswsolicitors.co.uk
If your complaint remains unresolved then you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office, details available at www.ico.org.uk

Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors will collect information you supplied via this Website, such information may include your name, postal address, e-mail address, telephone number; Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors gather this information in order to respond to your enquiry. Information provided to us is subject to confidentiality and will not be disclosed without your prior consent to any third party, other than to any employee or member of the firm for the purpose of providing you with the service you require, or to comply with any applicable laws or lawful government and/or regulatory requests. Where you have consented when providing us with your details, Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors may deliver to you information in which you are interested, for example you may have requested newsletters regarding an area of law you have a particular interest. If you change your mind about receiving this information in the future, please let us know. **

Information and Use of Cookies
Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors may gather information and statistics collectively about all visitors to this Website, which may include the use of cookies. Cookies are small amounts of information, which Hall Smith Whittingham LLPSolicitors store on your computer. Unless you have indicated your objection when disclosing your details to us, our system will issue cookies to your computer when you log on to the Website. Cookies make it easier for you to log on to and use this Website during future visits. They also allow us to monitor Website traffic and to personalise the content of the site for you. If you do not wish to receive cookies in the future, please contact law@hswsolicitors.co.uk. Such information gathering will help us to improve this Website. Such information disclosed to third parties will be in the aggregate form and will not involve individual names or identifying information.

How Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors Protect Your Information
Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors has put in place various security procedures to protect your information including the instalment of firewalls to the computer system, limited employee access and system password protection.

Updating Your Details
If any of the information that you have provided to Hall Smith Whittingham LLPSolicitors changes, for example if you change your name or e-mail address, please let us know the correct details by sending an e-mail to law@hswsolicitors.co.uk.

Your Consent
By submitting your information you consent to the use of that information as set out in this policy. Any changes to the privacy policy will be posted on this page, and notices of those changes may be placed on other pages of the Website, so that you may be aware of the information Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors collect and how it is used at all times. ***

How to contact Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors
Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors welcomes your views about this Website and our Privacy Policy. If you would like to contact us with any queries or comments please send an e-mail to law@hswsolicitors.co.uk.

WEBSITE DISCLAIMER
Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors gives no warranty of any kind, implied, expressed or statutory and makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this Website. You acknowledge that any reliance on material found on this Website will be at your own risk. Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors expressly disclaims liability for any interruptions, restrictions or delays of this Website. Access to the site maybe interrupted, restricted or delayed at any time for any reason. You may be offered a number of automatic links to other websites, which may interest you. **** Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors has no control over third party websites accessible via links included on this Website and therefore accepts no responsibility for or liability in respect of the content of those Websites. You acknowledge that use of any automatic links to these websites is entirely at your own risk.

Whilst Hall Smith Whittingham LLP Solicitors takes all reasonable steps to ensure the protection of personal information obtained by us, we cannot guarantee the security of any information sent to us on-line, as the Internet is not a secure medium and should not be used to send confidential or sensitive information.

HALL SMITH WHITTINGHAM LLP Solicitors HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY WHATSOEVER (INCLUDING LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL LOSS OR LOSS OF PROFIT) HOWSOEVER ARISING FROM THE USE OF INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THIS WEBSITE WHETHER DUE TO INACCURACY, ERROR, OMISSION OR ANY OTHER CAUSE AND WHETHER ON THE PART OF HALL SMITH WHITTINGHAM LLP Solicitors OR ITS SERVANTS, AGENTS OR ANY OTHER PERSON.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Copyright subsisting in the contents of this Website, including without limitation all trade marks, text, graphics and information, is owned by Hall Smith Whittingham LLPSolicitors, save where expressly stated. Copying or reproduction of the whole or any part of this Website in any form, including electronic media, is expressly prohibited save that you may print or download to a local hard disk extracts for your own personal use, provided that you acknowledge www.hswsolicitors.co.uk as the source of the material.

*This privacy policy has been produced in light of the General Data Protection Regulations and the Data Protection Act 2018 (“the Act”) and applies to all personal data, as defined in the Act. If you have any queries about this policy please contact our Data Protection Compliance Officer.

**You can check the information we hold or ask us to amend any inaccuracies in the information that we hold or request its removal by writing to us or emailing our Data Protection Compliance Officer at the above address. We will take the necessary action within the time limits provided for under the Act. We may charge you an administration fee for complying with you request. This may vary but at present the maximum amount we would charge is £10.00 plus VAT. We also reserve the right to use reasonable measures to check your identity before any information will be disclosed to you.

***Your continued use of the website will be your acknowledgment of your agreement to the revised policy.

****Links provided within this website are not covered by the Privacy Policy.