Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy – General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”)

Following changes to data protection law, we have updated our privacy policy.  We are not changing the way in which we use your information, but our new Policy provides you with more details about what we do.  Please find attached a copy of our Policy for your consideration:

  1. West Midlands Solicitors Commitment to Data Privacy

West Midlands Solicitors is committed to protecting the privacy and rights of anyone who chooses to share their personal data with us.  The General Data Protection Regulation becomes law in all European countries from 25th May 2018.  From this date, EU residents (“data subjects”) have greater control over the processing of their personal data and organisations within the EU have obligations to protect personal data accordingly. Under data protection law, individuals have a right to be informed about how we may use any personal data we hold about them.  We comply with this right by providing a ‘privacy policy’ to individuals when we are processing their personal data. This privacy policy explains how we collect, store and use personal data about you.

  1. Who processes your information?

West Midlands Solicitors is the data controller of the personal information you provide to us.  This means that we determine the purposes for which, and the manner in which, any personal data relating to you is to be processed.  A data protection representative for West Midlands Solicitors, Richard Bradford, can be contacted on 01782 414031 or 01902 368568 or info@westmidlandssolicitors.co.uk in the first instance for any queries in relation to the processing of your personal data. The information you provide will be used in accordance with West Midlands Solicitors GDPR Data Protection Policy. Where necessary, third parties may be responsible for processing your personal information.  Where this is required, West Midlands Solicitors places data protection requirements on third party processors to ensure that data protection requirements on third party processors to ensure that data is processed in line with an individuals’ privacy rights.

  1. Why do we need your information?

West Midlands Solicitors process personal information to fulfil the efficient running of departments within the firm so that:

  • Client matters can be processed and managed efficiently and within the parameters of client instruction;
  • Monitor and report on progress of matters;
  • Access the quality of our services;
  • Comply with the law regarding data sharing
  1. What data is collected?

The personal data West Midlands Solicitors may collect, use, store and share (when appropriate) about you includes the following:

  • Name(s), address, date of birth, gender;
  • Identification documentation;
  • Contact Numbers;
  • National Insurance Numbers;
  • Other relevant details for the purposes of the matter/court

We may also collate, store and use information about you that falls into “special categories” of more sensitive personal data.  This includes information about (where applicable):

  • Race, ethnicity, religious beliefs;
  • Health, including any medical conditions, physical and mental health information, sickness records and Trade Union Membership.

When information is obtained with falls into a “special category” you are providing West Midlands Solicitors with data which is specified under the General Data Protection Regulation as “special category” data, which is data that could be considered particularly sensitive.  This means that under the GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing this data and have obligations to keep this data secure.  We collect “special category” data where we have requested and obtained your consent to do so.  Where we require your consent for collecting data, this will be specified on the form for the request of data. Only data that is necessary for the function of the activities of the firm will be collected.  Where personal information is collected, only fair and lawful means will be used, and the person from whom it is collected shall be advised of:

  • The purpose of its collection;
  • The option of anonymity wherever appropriate;
  • Anyone to whom their information might normally be passed on, and;
  • That they have access to their records and have them corrected if they wish and wherever possible.

Some of the reasons listed above for collecting and using your data may overlap and there may be several grounds which justify our use of this data.

  1. How we store this data

We keep personal information about you during your matter with us in both hard copy and electric format.  We may keep your information for a 7 year period beyond the conclusion of your matter with us in order to comply with our legal obligations.

  1. How is your information shared?

Personal information will be used only for the purposes of collection, unless the person from whom it was collected consents to other purposes. The data will not be passed to other persons or organisations, other than those reasonably necessary in the normal running of a case, without consent. Personal information will not be transferred overseas without individual consent. Where it is legally required or necessary (and it complies with data protection law) we may share personal information with:

Organisation Purpose for Sharing Personal Data
Our regulator, The Solicitors Regulation Authority To meet our obligations as a resulted law practice and provide quality assurances.
Our auditors, Legal Aid Agency and Lexcel To enable us to demonstrate compliance with the Legal Aid Agency and Lexcel
Suppliers and service providers including professional bodies, professional advisors and consultants To enable them to provide the service we have contracted them for.
  1. What are your rights?

As the data subject, you have specific rights to the processing of your data. You have a legal right:

  • To request access to the personal data that West Midlands Solicitors holds. This is called a subject access request and can be done by contacting West Midlands Solicitors Data Protection Representative;
  • For personal information to be transferred electronically or via a hard copy to another organisation in certain circumstances;
  • To object to the use of personal data if it would cause, or is causing, damage or distress;
  • In certain circumstances, to request that personal data is corrected, deleted, destroyed or restrict processing;
  • Prevent it being used to send you marketing materials;
  • Prevent it being used to make automated decisions (decisions made by a computer or machine, rather than a person)
  • Be forgotten. A data subject may request that any information held on them is deleted or removed, and any third parties who process or use that data must also comply with the request.  An erasure request can only be refused is an exemption applies.
  1. Complaints

We take any complaints about our collection and use of personal information very seriously. If you have any queries in relation to our processing, or think that our collection or use of personal information is unfair or inappropriate, or have any other concern about our data processing, please raise this with us by contacting our Data Protection Officer: Name:  Richard Bradford Email: info@westmidlandssolicitors.co.uk Telephone:  01782 414031 or 01902 368568 Alternatively, you can make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office:

  • Report a concern online at https://ico.org.uk/concerns
  • Call 0303 123 1113
  • Or write to: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

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West Midlands Office

Graphic House
15-18 New Road
Willenhall
West Midlands
WV13 2BG

t: 01902 368568
f: 01902 368567

e: info@westmidlandssolicitors.co.uk

Stoke-on-Trent Office

1 Cemetery Road
Shelton
Stoke-On-Trent
Staffordshire
ST4 2DL

t: 01782 414031
f: 01782 844456

e: info@westmidlandssolicitors.co.uk

Fully Accredited

West Midlands Solicitors are Law Society Criminal Litigation Accredited, a member of The Criminal Defence Service and also Lexcel Law Society Accredited. This Firm is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority SRA No. 661568.

West Midlands Solicitors Ltd. Trading as West Midlands Solicitors. Registered in England & Wales. Company Reg. No. 11252951.
Registered office: Graphic House, 15-18 New Road, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 2BG.