Data Protection

We use the information you provide primarily for the provision of legal services to you and for related purposes including:

  • updating and enhancing client records;
  • analysis for management purposes and statutory returns; and
  • legal and regulatory compliance.

Our use of that information is subject to your instructions, the Data Protection Act 1998 and our duty of confidentiality. Please note that our work for you may require us to disclose information to third parties such as expert witnesses and other professional advisers. You have a right of access under data protection legislation to the personal data that we hold about you.

We may from time to time send you information which we think might be of interest to you. If you do not wish to receive that information please notify our office in writing.

 

Storage of papers

We will keep our file of your papers (except any of your papers which you ask to be returned to you) for no more than six years. We will keep the file on the understanding that we have the authority to destroy it six years after the date of the final bill we send to you for this matter. We will not destroy documents you ask us to deposit in safe custody.

If we retrieve papers or documents from storage in relation to continuing or new instructions to act for you, we will not normally charge for such retrieval. However we may charge you for:

  • time spent producing stored papers requested; and
  • reading, correspondence or other work necessary to comply with your instructions in relation to the retrieved papers.

 

Review of files

Our practice is subject to audit or quality checks by external firms or organisations. These external firms or organisations are required to maintain confidentiality in relation to your files.

 

Confidentiality

We are under a professional and legal obligation to keep details of your case confidential. This obligation, however, is subject to a statutory exception, which may require a solicitor who knows or suspects that a transaction on behalf of a client may involve money laundering or terrorist financing to make a disclosure to the National Crime Agency.

If we are required to make a disclosure in relation to your matter, we may not be able to inform you that a disclosure has been made. We may also have to cease acting in your matter for a period of time and may not be able to tell you the reasons for it.