Privacy Policy

Privacy (transparency) notice pursuant to the Data Protection Act 2018

As a firm of solicitors we obtain and process personal data in different ways depending upon the purpose of the processing and the way in which we obtained your personal data.

In most circumstances your data will be processed within the UK or EEA. If for any reason we need to send your data elsewhere we will either take all the steps required by data protection legislation or,(unless prevented by eg client confidentiality) inform you of that, any privacy risks involved and what we have done to minimise those risks.

You can at any time ask us to tell you what personal data relating to you we hold.

You also have the right to ask us to rectify your data if it is inaccurate, erase it or restrict the processing of it. In some circumstances you can ask us to provide it to you in a format which would allow you to transfer it digitally to another.

Where we have requested and you have given us consent to process your data you may withdraw that consent at any time.

Were our business to be sold all your data would be transferred to the purchaser so that they could use it in the same way as we do now.

If you are at all concerned about our processing of your data, please let us know by contacting our Data Protection Officer, Andy Munden, at dataprotectionofficer@warnergoodman.co.uk. You may also complain about it to the Office of the Information Commissioner (“ICO”).

If you are an individual client click here.

If you are an individual whose details we are using in connection with someone else’s matter, click here. 

If you are an individual who deals with us in your role within your organisation click here.

Client Data

Purpose. We process your data in order to act for you and so that we can contact you, bill you and collect payment from you.

Legitimate Interest.  We have a legitimate interest in doing that and it is also necessary to allow us to fulfil our contractual obligations to you. We do not need your consent for that processing.

Marketing. If we were to use your data in order to send you marketing material about services other than those that we have previously provided, or discussed with you, we will only do so with your consent. That consent can be withdrawn by you at any time.

Those with whom we share it. All our digital data is stored off site at a secure “data centre” in the UK. Otherwise your data is only shared with those with whom we have to share it for the purposes of your matter or your contract with us—for example HM Land Registry, the Courts, your barrister, your mortgagee, insurance company, Quality System Auditors, Professional Indemnity Insurers, relevant Professional Regulators and their solicitors or agents, the other people involved in your transaction or matter and our payments services provider if you pay by card. We are of course obliged to observe client confidentiality.

Retention. All hard copies of your data will be retained in our systems for as long as we hold your file after completion of the matter. Further information on this can be found in your terms of engagement letter and the accompanying terms of business. Digital data will be held indefinitely in case you have any further need of it unless you tell us that you would like us to delete it. We will however hold indefinitely sufficient data about you to know that we have acted for you, in what connection and so that we can conduct conflict searches and contact you if necessary.

Why we need your data. Without your data we would not have the information necessary to be able to act for you.

Where we get it. Most of your data held by us will have come from you. Some may have been obtained from eg an involved estate agent or public registers or other people and organisations involved in your matter.

Third Party and incidental individual data

Purpose. We process your data only where it is necessary in connection with a client matter. Perhaps because we need to contact you, you are a witness, the other party to a case or transaction, or eg a beneficiary under a Will.

Legitimate Interest. We have a legitimate interest in doing that. We do not need your consent for that processing.

Marketing. We will not use your data for marketing purposes unless we first obtain your consent. You can withdraw that consent at any time.

Those with whom we share it. All our digital data is stored off site at a secure “data centre” within the UK. Otherwise your data is only shared with those with whom we have to share it for the purposes of the matter we are conducting for our client—for example the Courts, our client’s barrister, his mortgagee, insurance company,  Quality System Auditors, Professional Indemnity Insurers, relevant Professional Regulators and their solicitors or agents, or the other people involved in the matter.

Retention.  Hard copies of your data will be retained in our systems for as long as we hold the relevant file after completion of the matter. Further information on this can be found in the client’s terms of engagement letter and the accompanying terms of business. If you want we can provide further detail to you directly. Digital data is held indefinitely in case we need to answer queries about the matter.

Why we need your data. We need your data to allow us to conduct the matter on which our client has instructed us.

Where we got it. Your data will have been provided to us by you, by our client, or by other people involved in our client’s matter. We may have obtained it from public registers.

Business Contact Data of individuals

Purpose. We process your data to enable us to identify or contact you in your role within your organisation and in order to record any information that you provide to us. That contact may include sending you a newsletter or marketing material but only if they are relevant to your role. We may also need to use it in order that we can recommend the goods and services of your organisation to others.

Legitimate Interest.  We have a legitimate interest in using your data for those purposes. We do not need your consent. You can however at any time tell us that you do not wish us to contact you again at all, or that you do not wish to receive marketing material.

Those with whom we share it. All our digital data is stored off site at a secure “data centre” within the UK. Otherwise your data is shared with those who need it for the purposes of the commercial cooperation between our respective organisations or where necessary in connection with any client matter to which you are relevant, including Quality System Auditors, Professional Indemnity Insurers, relevant Professional Regulators and their solicitors or agents. We may also share your data with others to whom we are recommending the goods or services of your organisation.

Retention. Your contact and other data will only be held for as long as you retain your role in your organisation or, if it was only relevant to a client matter, for so long as we store the file and digital records of that matter.

Why we need your data. You data is needed principally so that we can contact you and otherwise for the purpose set out above.

Where we got it. The usual source of your data is you. On occasions we may obtain it from our client, your colleagues, mutual clients or from publicity material published by your organisation or publicly available directories.