Introduction

Edward Connor Solicitors (“ECS”) is a legal services provider. We are committed to safeguarding your privacy. We believe that the best way to protect the privacy of users of our website, (the “Site”) and our clients is to be transparent. We may occasionally modify this Statement and will place any updates on this Site so that you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances we use or disclose it. We may let you know via the homepage when this happens but you should check the Site frequently to read the latest Statement. Please note that the Site contains links to and from other websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of other websites. The information practices of those other websites are not covered by this Statement. We set out below answers to frequently asked questions regarding ECS’s approach to data protection, privacy and cookies.

What information do we collect? How do we use it?

When you visit certain parts of the Site and when you contact ECS with a view to becoming a client, we may ask you for certain information such as contact information, telephone numbers, your email address, your location and the name and contact details of your organisation. This information is stored on our database.

We use this information to contact you, for administrative purposes connected with your becoming or seeking to become a client, and for related ECS purposes. When we collect personal information we make an effort to include a link to this Statement on that page.

Information we gather automatically

When you visit our Site, your browser automatically sends us certain Internet-related information, such as the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the computer you are using. We collect this information through the use of cookies to better understand how visitors use our Site. Cookies do not collect any information that enables you to be identified as an individual.

Information you provide via the website

Your privacy is important to us. By providing personal information such as your name and email address via the forms on this website, you agree to us contacting you with regard to the information you request.

Some forms on our website also include a check box asking you for permission for us to add you to our mailing list. This is an opt-in mailing list and your personal information will be used solely by us.

Receiving communications from us

Where you have provided your details to us, we will consult you about the use of your information to keep you informed about ECS products, services events and activities, for instance, receiving periodic emails from us providing you with legal updates that we consider may be of interest to you.

If at any time you wish us to stop using your information for any or all of the above purposes, please let us know or email us at [email protected]. We will stop the use of your information for such purposes as soon as it is reasonably possible to do so.

Please note that we also track the effectiveness of our email campaigns through email marketing services (for example Mailchimp) and may use this information for further communications. See Mailchimp’s Privacy Policy for further information.

Any “marketing” email communication you receive from us will have the option to remove your email address from our list. From time to time, we may include links in our emails to other websites which we think may be of interest to you.

Do we share the information we receive?

We will not share your personal information with any third parties outside the provisions of this statement, unless we have your prior consent or unless requested by local regulators, law enforcement agencies or required by law. We do not sell or rent your information. We reserve the right to transfer any information we have about you to another entity in the event of a reorganisation of ECS. Should such a reorganisation occur, we will use reasonable efforts to try to ensure that your information continues to be used in a manner that is consistent with this Statement.

In order to provide an efficient service, certain functions such as hosting, storage fulfilment and disaster recovery are provided by third parties who act as our service providers. Where this is the case we will ask those with whom we share data to agree to protect data as ECS has agreed in this Statement.

Do we keep information secure?

We take the security of your data seriously. Therefore, once we receive your information, we use all reasonable efforts to ensure its security on our systems.

It is our policy to virus check documents and files before they are posted on this Site. However, we cannot guarantee that documents or files downloaded from this Site will be free from viruses and we do not accept any responsibility for any damage or loss caused by any virus. Accordingly, for your own protection, you must use virus-checking software when using this Site

Unfortunately no data transmission or security program can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while we strive to protect your information, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us and you do so at your own risk. You remain responsible for the security of your computer at all times.

Worldwide transfer of your data

The dynamics of the Internet may mean that information is sent electronically outside of the country where you originally entered the information. In addition, that information may be used, stored and processed outside the country where you entered that information. While there is a risk that countries to which information is transferred will not be subject to an information protection regime as rigorous as that in the UK or European Economic Area (EEA), we will take reasonable steps to ensure that your information is treated securely and adequately protected in accordance with this Statement.

What about “cookies”?

“Cookies” are small pieces of information that are stored by your browser on your computer’s hard-drive when you visit the Site. cookies are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site.

Most Web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually change your browser to prevent that. You have the right to choose whether or not to accept cookies. You can exercise this right by modifying the controls on your browser to reflect your cookie preferences. However, if you choose to reject all cookies, you may be unable to use parts of the Site.

  • We use cookies to make our website easier for you to use
  • We use cookies to help stop our online-forms from being used to send spam-email
  • We use cookies to monitor usage so we can spot trends and make improvements
  • We DO NOT use cookies to identify individuals (and never will)
  • We DO NOT store personal information in cookies

We believe that our use of cookies is necessary for the smooth functioning of our website. We do not believe that they pose any threat to your personal privacy or online security and we recommend that you indicate that you will “allow” cookies. If you “disable” cookies the interactive functions of the website will not operate and many other features of the website cannot work fully without using cookies.

For further information about cookies and how to control their use, please visit the following third party educational resources: www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org and www.youronlinechoices.eu

Accuracy of Your Personal Information

We aim to keep our information about you as accurate as possible. If you would like to access, review or change the information you have supplied us with, please contact us as set out below.

Specific information for ECS clients and prospective clients

The information clients and prospective clients provide ECS (including individuals involved in instructing us) is for the primary purpose of receiving legal services from us.

It may be used for other related purposes:

  • compliance with legal and regulatory obligations and good practice, e.g. identification and verification purposes
  • ensuring the firm’s policies are adhered to
  • operational reasons, such as recording transactions, training and quality control
  • statistical analysis
  • updating and enhancing client records
  • helping us manage and improve the provision of our services

Our use of your information is subject to your instructions, Data Protection Legislation, other relevant legislation and our duty of confidentiality.

Our work for you may require us to give information to third parties such as experts, regulators, insurers, brokers and other professional advisers. On occasion, those parties may be located outside the UK and the European Union. Where this is the case we will ask those with whom we share data to agree to protect data as ECS has agreed in this Statement.

Information may be held at our offices. We have security measures in place to seek to ensure there is appropriate security for information we hold. We may use a third party service provider to store some or all of your data in the Cloud.

Our file for your matter may be reviewed by external auditors of the firm in connection with these authorisations, regulations and accreditations. If you do not wish your file to be reviewed please confirm this to us in writing, otherwise we will assume you consent to your file being reviewed.

We will retain your file for a minimum period of six years after your matter is concluded. Arrangements will then be made for the file to be confidentially destroyed without further reference to you.

For further information on how your information is used, how we maintain the security of your information and your rights to access information we hold on you please contact us using the details set out at the end of this Statement.

Further Information

Under Data Protection Legislation you have a right of access to the personal data that we hold about you. To make a request for your personal information please use the details set out at the end of this statement

You also have the right to:

  • object to processing of personal data that is likely to cause, or is causing, damage or distress
  • prevent processing for the purpose of direct marketing
  • object to decisions being taken by automated means
  • in certain circumstances, have inaccurate personal data rectified, blocked, erased or destroyed; and
  • claim compensation for damages caused by a breach of the Data Protection regulations.

If you have a concern about the way we are collecting or using your personal data, you should raise your concern with us in the first instance or directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office at https://ico.org.uk/concerns/

Where we refer to Data Protection Legislation, this means the Data Protection Act 2018, the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 (SI 2426/2003 as amended), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), any laws in the UK enacting the GDPR or preserving its effect in whole or part following the departure of the UK from the European Union and all applicable laws and regulations, including any replacement UK data protection legislation relating to the Processing of Personal Data.

Questions regarding this Statement, our practices or other issues relating to data protection, privacy or cookies should be directed to Gemma Adam at ECS, email at [email protected] or by mail in the United Kingdom to Gemma Adam, Edward Connor Solicitors 10 The Point, Market Harborough, LE16 7QU.