Privacy Policy

Linsdellfamilylaw.co.uk ('we', 'us', 'our') is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at www.linsdellfamilylaw.co.uk or engage our legal services.

Please read this policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this policy, please do not access the site or use our services.

1. Who We Are

Linsdellfamilylaw.co.uk is a family law practice operating in England and Wales. We are the data controller responsible for your personal data under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

For any data protection queries, please contact us at:

• Email: info@linsdellfamilylaw.co.uk
• Website: www.linsdellfamilylaw.co.uk

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

We may collect the following personal information when you contact us, complete a form, or instruct us:

• Full name and title
• Contact details (email address, telephone number, postal address)
• Date of birth
• Information about your legal matter (including details relating to family proceedings, financial matters, or children)
• Information about other parties involved in your case
• Financial information where relevant to your case
• Any other information you choose to provide

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

• IP address and browser type
• Pages visited and time spent on the site
• Referring website addresses
• Device and operating system information

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To provide legal services and fulfil our obligations to you as a client
• To respond to your enquiries and communicate with you
• To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations (including those set by the Solicitors Regulation Authority)
• To prevent fraud and ensure the security of our services
• To improve our website and user experience
• To send you relevant updates or information about our services (where you have consented)

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data on the following legal bases:

• Contract: where processing is necessary to perform the legal services you have engaged us to provide
• Legal obligation: where we are required to process data to comply with applicable law or regulation
• Legitimate interests: where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these are not overridden by your rights
• Consent: where you have given us specific consent to process your data for a particular purpose

5. Confidentiality and Special Category Data

As a family law practice, we frequently handle sensitive personal data, including information about health, relationships, finances, and children. This information is treated with the utmost confidentiality and is protected by legal professional privilege.

We process such data only where strictly necessary for the provision of legal services, with appropriate safeguards in place, and in accordance with our professional duties as legal practitioners.

6. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your data with:

• Courts, tribunals, and other legal authorities as required by law or your instructions
• Opposing parties and their legal representatives in the course of proceedings
• Expert witnesses, mediators, barristers, and other professionals instructed on your behalf
• HM Revenue & Customs or other regulatory bodies where legally required
• Our IT service providers and cloud storage providers, subject to strict data processing agreements

7. Retention of Data

We retain personal data in accordance with our legal obligations and professional responsibilities. As a general guide:

• Client files are typically retained for a minimum of 7 years after the conclusion of a matter
• Some records may be retained for longer where required by law or where ongoing proceedings necessitate it

After the relevant retention period, data is securely deleted or anonymised.

8. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

• Right of access: to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification: to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to erasure: to request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances
• Right to restrict processing: to ask us to limit how we use your data
• Right to data portability: to receive your data in a structured, commonly used format
• Right to object: to object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Right to withdraw consent: where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@linsdellfamilylaw.co.uk. We will respond within one calendar month.

9. Cookies

Our website may use cookies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small text files placed on your device. We use:

• Essential cookies: necessary for the website to function properly
• Analytics cookies: to understand how visitors use our site (e.g. Google Analytics)

You may disable cookies through your browser settings, although this may affect the functionality of our website.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies independently.

11. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure. These include encrypted communications, secure file storage, and restricted access to client data.

While we take all reasonable precautions, no method of transmission over the internet is entirely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of data transmitted to us electronically.

12. Complaints

If you believe we have not handled your personal data correctly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

• Website: www.ico.org.uk
• Telephone: 0303 123 1113

We would, however, appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns directly before you contact the ICO. Please reach out to us at info@linsdellfamilylaw.co.uk in the first instance.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our practices, or other factors. The revised policy will be posted on this page with an updated 'Last updated' date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.