We at Akin Palmer LLP of 3rd Floor, 180-186 King's Cross Road, London WC1X 9DE have always placed a high priority on client confidentiality and on the careful use and storage of personal information gathered while providing our legal services and through www.akinpalmer.com. This policy explains how we gather, use and store personal data in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018, and your rights in respect of the personal data we hold. It will be reviewed and may be updated from time to time.
1. Personal information we use
We collect personal information about you from a variety of sources, including information you give us directly (for example through our contact and newsletter forms or when you instruct us) and information we collect about you from other sources, such as when we undertake our standard searches.
2. How we use your information and our legal basis
We rely on one or more of the following legal bases: to fulfil our contractual obligations to provide the services you have requested (failure to provide information may prevent or delay this); and to comply with our legal obligations, for example obtaining proof of your identity to meet our anti-money laundering obligations. We use your personal information to:
- provide and personalise our legal services;
- deal with your enquiries and requests;
- comply with legal obligations to which we are subject and cooperate with regulators and law enforcement bodies;
- send updates you have subscribed to (you can unsubscribe at any time).
3. Information sharing
We never sell your personal data. We may share it with service providers and business partners who support our operations (for example secure payments, email and messaging services); with a law enforcement agency, court, regulator or government authority where necessary to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation or to protect our rights or those of a third party; and with any party that acquires all or substantially all of our business, who we will require to use it consistently with this policy.
4. Security and retention
We implement technical and organisational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk, and evaluate them regularly. We keep your personal information for as long as we have a relationship with you and for six years after that relationship ends, unless we are required to keep it longer to comply with the law or because of outstanding claims or complaints.
5. International transfers
It is unlikely that your personal information will be transferred to, stored or processed in a country that is not regarded as providing an adequate level of protection. If this is likely to happen, it will only be done with your prior consent.
6. Your rights
You have the right to access your personal information, rectify it, erase it, restrict or object to our use of it, receive it in a usable electronic format and transmit it to a third party (data portability), and lodge a complaint. Where we rely on your consent, you may withdraw it at any time.
7. Contact us
Victor Fanawopo is the Partner responsible for the personal information we collect and process. If you have questions or concerns, or wish to exercise your rights, please email victor@akinpalmer.com or call 020 7278 2800. If you believe we have not resolved your concern, you may complain to the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF (0303 123 1113, ico.org.uk).