01628 472600      The Old House, West Street, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 2LS   legal@gabbitasrobins.co.uk 

Privacy Policy

We take your privacy very seriously. Please read this privacy policy carefully as it contains important information on how and why we collect, store, use and share your personal data. It also explains your rights in relation to your personal data and what to do if you have a complaint.

This privacy policy does not apply to any third party websites that may have links to our own website.

Clients of this firm should read this policy alongside our general terms and conditions, which provide further information on confidentiality.

1 Who are we and what do we do?

Gabbitas Robins Solicitors is a partnership, authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 00471979. Contact details can be found at section 15.

We collect, use and are responsible for certain personal data about you. When we do so we must comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). We must also comply with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) in relation to services we offer to individuals in the European Economic Area (EEA).

Our services and website are not aimed specifically at children who are usually represented by their parents or guardians. If you are a child and you want further information about how we might use your data, please contact us (see ‘How to contact us’ at section 15).

2 Terminology

It would be helpful to explain some key terms used in this policy:

We, us, our
Gabbitas Robins Solicitors

Personal data
Any information relating to an identified or identifiable individual

Special category personal data

  • Personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, philosophical beliefs or trade union membership
  • Genetic data
  • Biometric data (where used for identification purposes)
  • Data concerning health, sex life or sexual orientation

Data subject
The individual who the personal data relates to

You, your
As the context dictates, our clients and individuals associated with them, contacts, suppliers and any individuals whose personal data we receive in the course of providing our services

3 Personal data we collect

We collect or use the following information in relation to our clients:

Personal data we will collect

  • Your name, address and telephone number
  • Information to enable us to check and verify your identity, eg your date of birth or passport details
  • Gender and pronoun preferences
  • Occupation
  • Marital status
  • Electronic contact details, eg your email address and mobile phone number
  • Information relating to the matter in which you are seeking our advice or representation
  • Information to enable us to undertake a credit or other financial checks on you
  • Your financial details so far as relevant to your instructions, eg the source of your funds if you are instructing on a purchase transaction
  • Payment details (including card or bank information for transfers and direct debits)
  • Information about how you interact with and use our website, products and services
  • Audio recordings, eg calls
  • Video recordings, eg of virtual meetings

Personal data we may collect depending on the matter in which we are instructed

  • Your National Insurance and tax details
  • Details of your professional online presence, eg LinkedIn profile
  • Details of your spouse/partner and dependants or other family members, eg if you instruct us on a family matter or a will.
  • Your employment status and details including salary and benefits, eg if you instruct us on matter related to your employment or in which your employment status or income is relevant.
  • Criminal records data, including driving or other convictions.
  • Your employment records including, where relevant, records relating to sickness and attendance, performance, disciplinary, conduct and grievances, eg if you instruct us on matter related to your employment or in which your employment records are relevant.
  • Your racial or ethnic origin, gender and sexual orientation, religious or similar beliefs, eg if you instruct us on discrimination claim.
  • Information relating to sex life or sexual orientation, eg if you instruct us on a discrimination claim.
  • Your trade union membership and/or political opinions, eg if you instruct us on a discrimination claim or your matter is funded by a trade union.
  • Health information such as your medical records, eg if we are acting for you in a personal injury claim.
  • Genetic information and/or biometric information used to identify someone, eg where this is relevant to matter we are working on for you.

The main purpose of collecting and using this information is to provide products and services to our clients. However, we may also collect and use the above information for the purposes set out in section 5.3.

If you do not provide personal data we ask for, it may delay or prevent us from providing those services.

4 How your personal data is collected

4.1 We collect most of the above information from you.

4.2 However, we may also collect information:

  • 4.2.1 from publicly accessible sources, eg Companies House or HM Land Registry;
  • 4.2.2 directly from a third party, eg:
    • (a) sanctions screening providers;
    • (b) credit reference agencies;
    • (c) client due diligence providers;
  • 4.2.3 from a third party with your consent, eg:
    • (a) your bank or building society, another financial institution or advisor;
    • (b) your legal advisor, employer and/or trade union, professional body or pension administrators;
    • (c) your doctors, medical and occupational health professionals;
  • 4.2.4 via our website—we use cookies and similar technologies on our website (for more information on cookies, please see our Cookie Policy );
  • 4.2.5 via our security, information technology (IT) systems, eg:
    • (a) via our case management, document management and time recording systems;
    • (b) from reception logs;
    • (c) through automated monitoring of our websites and other technical systems, such as our computer networks and connections, CCTV and access control systems, communications systems, email and instant messaging systems.

5 How and why we use personal data

5.1 Under data protection law, we can only use your personal data if we have a proper reason, eg:

  • 5.1.1 you have given consent—where we need your consent, we will ask for it separately of this privacy policy and you can withdraw consent at any time;
  • 5.1.2 to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations;
  • 5.1.3 to fulfil our contract with you or take steps at your request before entering into a contract; or
  • 5.1.4 for our legitimate interests or those of a third party.

5.2 A legitimate interest is when we have a business or commercial reason to use your personal data, so long as this is not overridden by your own rights and interests. We will carry out an assessment when relying on legitimate interests, to balance our interests against your own. You have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests. We must then stop the processing unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds which override your interests, rights and freedoms or the processing is required to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

5.3 The table below explains what we use your personal data for and why.

What we use your personal data for

Our reasons

Providing services to our clients
To fulfil our contract with clients or to take steps at their request before entering into a contract

Preventing and detecting fraud against you or us
For our and/or your legitimate interests, ie to minimise fraud that could be damaging for you and/or us

Conducting checks to identify our clients and verify their identity
Screening for financial and other sanctions or embargoes

Other activities necessary to comply with professional, legal and regulatory obligations that apply to our business
Depending on the circumstances:
—to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations
—for our legitimate interests

To check whether there is any conflict of interest
To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations

To enforce legal rights or defend or take legal proceedings
Depending on the circumstances:
—to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations
—for our legitimate interests or those of a third party

Gathering and providing information required by or relating to audits, enquiries or investigations by regulatory bodies
Depending on the circumstances:
—to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations
—for our legitimate interests

Ensuring internal business policies are complied with
For our legitimate interests, ie to make sure we are following our own internal procedures so we can deliver the best service to our clients

Operational reasons
For our legitimate interests, ie to be as efficient as we can so we can deliver the best service to our clients at the best price

Ensuring the confidentiality of commercially sensitive information
Depending on the circumstances:
—for our legitimate interests
—to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations

Statistical analysis
For our legitimate interests

Protecting the security of systems and data
Depending on the circumstances:
—for our legitimate interests
—to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations

Updating and enhancing client records
Depending on the circumstances:
—to fulfil our contract
—to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations
—for our legitimate interests

Statutory returns
To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations

Ensuring safe working practices
Depending on the circumstances:
—to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations
—for our legitimate interests

Providing information updates and/or marketing
Depending on the circumstances:
—for our legitimate interests
—consent (which you can withdraw at any time)

Credit reference checks
For our legitimate interests

To deal with complaints or claims
Depending on the circumstances:
—to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations
—for our or your legitimate interests

External audits and quality checks
Depending on the circumstances:
—for our legitimate interests
—to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations

Corporate transactions or restructuring
Depending on the circumstances:
—to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations
—for our legitimate interests

6 Marketing

6.1 We may use your personal data to send you updates (eg by email, text message, telephone, post or social media channels) about our services.

6.2 We have a legitimate interest in using your personal data for marketing purposes.

6.3 You have the right to opt out at any time by contacting us at legal@gabbitasrobins.co.uk.

6.4 We may ask you to confirm or update your marketing preferences.

6.5 We will never sell your personal data or share it for marketing purposes.

7 Who we share your personal data with

  • 7.1 third parties we use to help deliver our services
  • 7.2 third party external advisors
  • 7.3 crime prevention service providers
  • 7.4 marketing agencies
  • 7.5 third parties approved by you
  • 7.6 our insurers and brokers
  • 7.7 our bank

8 Where your personal data is held

Personal data may be held at our offices and those of our third party agencies.

9 How long your personal data will be kept

We will not keep your personal data for longer than necessary.

  • trusts: duration plus seven years
  • probate matters: until surviving spouse has died
  • wills: indefinitely
  • unregistered deeds: indefinitely
  • children’s matters: appropriate period after age 18

10 Your rights

You have rights including access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, objection, and withdrawal of consent.

11 Keeping your personal data secure

We have implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to keep your data secure.

12 How to complain

You may complain to us or to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

13 Changes to this privacy policy

We reserve the right to revise this privacy policy at any time.

14 Updating your personal data

Please inform us if your personal data changes.

15 How to contact us

Gabbitas Robins Solicitors
The Old House
West Street
Marlow
Buckinghamshire
SL7 2LS

Email: legal@gabbitasrobins.co.uk
Telephone: 01628 472600

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