As a result of acting for you, we obtain personal data about you. As a firm of solicitors, we are under an obligation to keep your affairs confidential. However, we are also subject to the General Data Protection Regulation and are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office as a Data Processor. Our Registration Number is ZA292227.
The below information is set out as required by the GDPR. Please in any event rest assured that as solicitors we take the protection of all the information we hold in relation to all clients very seriously. Please do not hesitate to contact Pam Sanghera, one of Director’s and the person in charge of Data Protection at this office should you have any queries or concerns.
Please also note that throughout this notice we have used the word “process/processing” in relation to data. A simpler term for data processing is “using the information you provide us with”. However we have used the term data processing etc as that is what the law refers to.
Our name and contact details: See our name and contact details on the accompanying letter.
Name and contact details of our representative: Pam Sanghera. Please contact her via Charles Strachan Solicitors on 0121 704 3311 or by email Pam@charlessstrachan.com
Purpose for which we process your data: To act on your behalf in relation to your case.
The lawful basis for the processing: To act on your behalf in relation to your case (the legal terminology is “the processing is necessary for the performance of the contract we have with you”).
The recipients of the personal data:
We may share your information with the following:
Barristers whom we instruct on your behalf
Experts whom we instruct on your behalf
The Legal Aid Agency (if your matter is legally aided)
Costs draftspersons.
Horsepools Legal Costs Ltd have signed and agreed to comply with GDPR.
Each Chambers are instructed by the criminal department have signed and agreed to comply with GDPR.
SQM assessors (SQM is a quality mark for solicitors which we hold. We are assessed every three years).
Also, once your matter is concluded, any physical file is stored in an office site archive facility.
In relation to SQM assessors, please let us know if you object to them having access to your file.
In relation to barristers and experts, we only use those when necessary but it would not be practicable for us to act for you unless we have liberty to instruct a barrister or expert when we consider it necessary for the proper conduct of your case.
In relation to outside costs draftspersons, we only use those as and when necessary.
In relation to storage of the physical file, it is not economically viable for us to store files on site.
If you have any concerns about whom we share your data with, please do not hesitate to contact Pam Sanghera.
How long will we store your data for:
The physical file will be stored for 6 years* from the date that the matter is completed. The electronic file stored on our internal server is not routinely deleted. If you wish to have the physical file deleted, we cannot do that until 6 years have elapsed as we need to retain the information contained in the file should it be necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of any legal claims. If you wish to have the electronic file deleted, please contact Pam Sanghera and provided 6 years have elapsed after the case has been completed, that will be arranged.
* There are some physical files which we are not permitted to destroy, ie baby death cases, murder or other criminal files with life sentence convictions or where Imprisonment for public protection orders have been made. These files are stored in a central place internally and appropriately labelled as ‘never to be destroyed files’. Electronic files are stored on the case manager system with an appropriate note indicating the file is not to be destroyed.
Right to rectification:
If you believe that any of the information we hold in relation to you is wrong, please do not hesitate to contact us providing us with details and if you are correct, we shall amend that information within 7 days.
Right to restrict processing and right to object to processing:
You are free at any time to request that we cease processing your personal data or that we take different measures to those we already have for processing your data. If you request that we cease processing your personal data, we will do so immediately and that will mean we can no longer act for you. In regard to any request that we adopt different measures as to how your data is processed, we will deal with any such request as soon as possible and in any event within 28 days.
Right to access to your data:
Should you wish to access the data we hold in relation to you, please e-mail Pam Sanghera at Pam@charlesstrachan.com and we will respond as soon as possible and in any event within 28 days to either:
- Provide you with the information requested in secure email or
- In the event the time for gathering the information will exceed this timescale, a new timescale will be provided to you as to when you are likely to receive the information requested, by way of secure email.
Right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office
You have the right to complain to the ICO if you have concerns about how we handle your data. The ICO contact details can be obtained online.
Generally:
We hope that this information is clear and “jargon free”. Please let us know if you have any difficulty in understanding it so that we can consider revising it to make it clearer.