Privacy Notice

From the 25th May 2018, businesses processing personal data must comply with new EU rules known as the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

The GDPR are European regulations which introduce amendments to data protection law including introducing additional rights for individuals in relation to their personal and sensitive personal data.

Macmillans Solicitors LLP are committed to protecting and keeping confidential all the information you provide to us, subject to certain legal duties that are explained in our Terms of Business (ToB).

Please read this privacy notice carefully as it contains important information about who we are, how and why we collect, store, use and share personal information, your rights in relation to your personal information and how to contact us and supervisory authorities in the event you have a complaint.

Who we are

Macmillans Solicitors LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership registered at Manor House, Wadebridge, Cornwall, PL27 6BS, a legal practice authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The firm collects, uses and is responsible for certain personal information about you. When it does so it is also regulated under the GDPR by the Information Commissioner and is responsible as ‘controller’ of that personal information.

The personal information we collect, use and share In the course of your legal transaction we collect personal information when you provide it to us, such as your name, address, date of birth, contact information (telephone and email where appropriate) etc so that we can provide legal services to you. We use your personal information to enable us to provide you with a legal service in accordance with your instructions. We also use your personal information for related purposes including identity verification, administration of files, updating existing records if you have instructed the firm previously, for statutory returns and legal and regulatory compliance. The information will be held in hard copy and/or electronic format.

You are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of all the personal data you supply to us, and we will not be held liable for any errors unless you have advised us previously of any changes in your personal data.

Where you are acting as an agent or trustee, you agree to advise your principal or the beneficiary of the trust that their personal information will be dealt with on these terms.

If we are working on your matter in conjunction with other professionals who are advising you, including experts, barristers, banks, building societies, mortgage lenders, estate agents etc., we will assume, unless you notify us otherwise, that we may share and disclose relevant personal data and information about your matter to them, if we feel it is appropriate and necessary.

Our IT and other service providers are also subject to strict confidentiality agreements with this firm and we will ensure that they meet GDPR obligations in relation to the service they provide to us.

We will not share your personal information with any other third party and will not issue any publicity material or information to the media about our relationship and the work we are doing for you without your explicit consent.

We retain all of our paper files for six years after which they are destroyed, with certain exceptions such as files relating to Wills. We retain Wills, deeds and other documents and items entrusted to us for safekeeping and electronic data indefinitely.

Your rights

Under GDPR you have a number of important rights and further information about these rights can be found on the Information Commissioners Website www.ico.org.uk/for-the-public/ We have appropriate security measures in place to prevent personal information from being accidentally lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way. We limit access to your personal information to those who have a genuine business need to know it. Those processing your information will do so only in an authorised manner and are subject to a duty of confidentiality. We also have procedures in place to deal with any suspected data security breach. We will notify you and any applicable regulator of a suspected data security breach where we are legally required to do so.

How to complain

We hope that we can resolve any query or concern you raise about our use of your information. The GDPR also gives you right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. The supervisory authority in the UK is the Information Commissioner who may be contacted at www.ico.org.uk/concerns/ or telephone 0303 1231113.

How to contact us

Please contact either Angeline Martin or Lauren Gillespie if you have any questions about this privacy notice or the information we hold about you.