At LawPlus Solicitors, we take your privacy seriously and this privacy statement explains what personal data or information we collect from you and how we use it. We would encourage you to read the information below.
For details around the information we collect from visitors to our website, please view our Cookies Policy.
Who are we?
LawPlus Solicitors is a trading style of Consumer Legal Costs Services Limited, a Limited Company registered in England and Wales (Company No: 12490780). Consumer Legal Costs Services Limited is an alternative business structure regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No: 808101).
Our trading address is Dale House, Tiviot Dale, Stockport, SK1 1TA. We are registered as a data controller under the Data Protection Act 2018 (Reference: ZA775443).
What personal data or information do we collect?
We may collect personal data about clients, prospective clients, job applicants, our current and former employees, suppliers, and external experts. The personal information we collect may include your name, address, email address, IP address, and information regarding what pages you access on this website and when.
How do we collect data or information from you?
We collect personal information about you when you:
- Instruct us to act on your behalf
- Make an enquiry via the forms on our website or via the telephone
- Use our website
- Enquire about a job opportunity
- Work for or with LawPlus Solicitors
- Exchange business cards with a LawPlus Solicitors team member
- Attend one of our networking events
How is your information used?
We collect your personal data or information to operate LawPlus Solicitors effectively and provide you with a high-quality service. We may use your information:
- To deliver legal services to you on your instruction
- To answer enquiries that you make prior to any formal instruction
- To avoid any conflict of interest as we represent you
- To keep you informed about our services, our insight into industry trends and best practice, if you have opted-in to receive these communications
- To invite you to our networking events with expert speakers on topics which we believe will be of interest to you
- To process a job application
- To fulfil our obligations as an employer
- To provide benefits to you as an employee
- To adhere to regulations set out by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority
- To maintain security of our office and IT infrastructure
- To invoice you, and to track payments you make or payments made to you
- To send you information which we believe may be of interest
We will process special categories of personal data (for example your health information / medical records) only when processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims (e.g. for a Housing Disrepair claim where the disrepair has affected your health).
We believe that all these purposes are justified on the basis of our legitimate interests in running and promoting LawPlus Solicitors, our contractual requirements to deliver the agreed legal services to you, and our legal obligations, both as a Limited Company and responsible employer. The exception is for sending email marketing about our services, which we carry out on the basis of consent.
We outline in greater detail how we use information for specific groups below.
Clients
As a client, we will hold the following information about you:
- Name, date of birth, and contact information
- National Insurance number
- Information relating to your legal matter, for clinical negligence and personal injury matters this will include your medical records
- Financial details
- Demographic information such as postcode
- Information and documents relating to the service we are providing, including communications with you
- Billing and payment information.
We store your information in our practice management system and our accounting system on our secure servers based in the UK. We also hold paper copies of your information in the client matter files, stored in our offices and in a secure, offsite storage archive.
We will retain your client matter file for the duration of our relationship with you, then for 7 years if you are an adult, or 7 years from your 18th birthday if you are a child. Where there are specific retention periods relating to your matter file, we will make you aware of these at the time we open and close the file. We will retain financial records for 6 years, following the end of the current financial year.
Where we identify that you may be eligible to benefit from other products or services offered by LawPlus Solicitors or our associated companies, we may contact you by email, phone or letter to let you know. It is in our legitimate interest as a business to grow our business through existing clients, and we believe that it is also in your interest as you may benefit financially from that product or service. If you disagree and would prefer that we do not contact you about those products or services, you can opt-out at any time. We will remind you how to opt-out in any communication we send you, or you can contact us via email at enquiries@lawplus.co.uk or via telephone on 0800 327 7575.
Prospective Clients
As a prospective client, we will hold the following information about you:
- Name, date of birth, and contact information
- National Insurance number
- Financial Information
- Brief information relating to your legal matter
- Demographic information such as postcode
- Signposting information we may have provided to you if we are unable to provide you with a service
We store your information in our practice management system on our secure servers based in the UK. Communications with you relating to your initial enquiry may also be stored in our email system for a period of 6 years. We will retain minimal personal information about you to enable us to conduct conflict of interest checks.
The information we collect as part of your enquiry can help us identify that you may be eligible to benefit from other products or services offered by LawPlus Solicitors or our associated companies. If this is the case, we may contact you by email, phone or letter to let you know. It is in our legitimate interest as a business to do so, and we believe that it is in your interest as you may benefit financially from that product or service. If you disagree and would prefer that we do not to contact you about those products or services, you can opt-out at any time. We will remind you how to opt-out in any communication we send you, or you can contact us via email at enquiries@lawplus.co.uk or via telephone on 0800 327 7575.
Job Applicants
When you apply for a job with us, we may hold the following information about you:
- Name, date of birth, and contact information
- Information relating to your qualifications and experience
- Demographic information such as postcode
- References where we take them up
- Information and documents relating to the review, interview and selection process, including communications with you.
We store your information in our practice management system on our secure servers based in the UK. We will also store communications with you relating to the interview process on our email server, based in the UK. We will retain your personal data relating to the review, interview and selection process for a period of 2 years after the interview date.
Current and Former Employees
When you work for us, we may hold the following information about you:
- Name, date of birth, and contact information
- National Insurance number and Unique Tax Reference (UTR)
- Information relating to your qualifications and experience
- Demographic information such as postcode
- Information and documents relating to your performance and supervision as an employee of the firm, including communications with you
- Your photograph, including Passport and Driving Licence
- Financial information, such as bank details, pension scheme and salary details
- Information about your next of kin
- Health information
We store your information in our practice management system on our secure servers based in the UK and in hard copy in a secure filing cabinet in the office. We will also store communications with you on our email server, based in the UK. We will retain your personal data for the duration of your employment and for a period of 6 years after you leave the firm. We may store your hard copy file in our offsite storage location. Beyond this point, we only retain minimal information about you to confirm the period of time you were employed by the firm for reference purposes. We share your information with HMRC, and our chosen pension / private healthcare providers.
External Experts
When you work with us to provide expertise to matters we are working on, we may hold the following information about you:
- Name and contact information
- Information relating to your specialism, qualifications and experience
- Demographic information such as postcode
- Information and documents relating to the service you provide us with, including communications with you.
- Feedback about your performance
We store your information in our local secure server and our accounting system on our secure servers based in the UK. We will also store communications with you on our email server, based in the UK. We will retain your personal data for the time you are available as an expert and for a maximum of 1 year after you are no longer available.
Event Attendees
When you register to attend one of our events, we may hold the following information about you:
- Name and business contact information
- Information relating to your business activities
- Demographic information such as postcode, preferences and interests
- Information relating to you which helps ensure you enjoy the event, such as your dietary or access requirements and including our communications with you.
- Billing and payment information
We will store your information on our secure servers hosted in the UK. We may also store communications with you after you have signed up in our email system on our secure servers hosted in the UK.
Who has access to your information?
We do not sell or rent your personal data or information to any third party or share your information with third parties for their marketing purposes.
We will disclose your data or information if required by law, for example by a court order or for the prevention of fraud or other crime.
We may pass information about your matter to the prosecution and to other parties within the justice system (e.g. Counsel, Barristers) as required to provide legal services to you.
We may pass your information on to third party service providers, agents or subcontractors for the purposes of completing a task or providing services to you on our behalf (e.g. to provide external expertise in your matter). However, we disclose only the personal information necessary to deliver that service and have a contract in place that requires them to keep your information secure and not to use it for other purposes.
Third party service providers types who act as data processors on our behalf:
| Third Party Service Provider Type | Service Provided |
|---|---|
| Agent Law Firm | Sometimes we may not be able to continue with your claim and may have to appoint another firm to act as our agent. In such circumstances they are required to access the data on our case management system. |
| Expert Witness | We will provide information relating to your case to an expert to review the case and provide guidance on how to proceed, if applicable. |
| Chartered Accountants | Provide us with payroll and company accounts services. They do not routinely access the data on our case management system. |
| Sign up Agency | Agents instructed to assist Clients with the legal paperwork related to their claims. |
| ID verification / fraud prevention software provider | An online fraud prevention provider. |
| Introducer of Claims | An insurer / Claims Management Company who with Client’s consent have introduced the Client to LawPlus Solicitors to assist in their claim. |
| IT Services Provider | Technical support to LawPlus Solicitors and at times are required to access our systems to provide maintenance, upgrade and support services. |
| Provider of Case Management System | Technical support to LawPlus Solicitors and at times are required to access our systems to provide maintenance, upgrade and support services. |
| Sales and marketing agency providing consented claim leads | Advertising agents are instructed to promote LawPlus Solicitors and through these adverts Clients make contact and provide consent for contact to be made to discuss the pursuing of a claim. |
Your Rights
You have certain rights over the processing of your personal information by LawPlus Solicitors. These are:
- The right to be informed, which is what this privacy policy is for
- The right to access the data we hold about you
- The right to object to direct marketing
- The right to object to processing carried out on the basis of legitimate interests
- The right to erasure (in some circumstances)
- The right to data portability
- The right to have your data rectified if it is inaccurate
- The right to have your data restricted or blocked from processing
We do not undertake direct marketing activities, so you will not receive such information from us.
How you can update your information
The accuracy of your information is important to us. If you change your contact details or if you want to update any of the information we hold on you, please email us at enquiries@lawplus.co.uk or by post at Dale House, Tiviot Dale, Stockport, SK1 1TA.
How you can access your personal information
You have the right to ask for a copy of the personal information LawPlus Solicitors holds relating to you. To do this please email us at enquiries@lawplus.co.uk or by post at Dale House, Tiviot Dale, Stockport, SK1 1TA.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint about our processing of your personal data with the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office. You can lodge a complaint with the ICO by following this link https://ico.org.uk/concerns/ or calling the ICO on 0303 123 1113.
Keeping your data secure
When you give us personal information, we take steps to ensure that it’s treated securely and strive to protect it on our internal systems. Our secure server systems encrypt your information.
Contacting us via email
We will monitor any emails sent to us, including file attachments, for viruses or malicious software. Please be aware that you have a responsibility to ensure that any email you send is within the bounds of the law.