Introduction
QA Law (a partnership) is an unregulated legal consultancy in the UK offering a range of legal services to small and medium-sized businesses and private individuals.
We do not carry out any “reserved legal activities” under section 12 of the Legal Services Act 2007. Accordingly, we are not required to be, and we are not, regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Institute of Legal Executives or the Bar Council of England and Wales.
As an essential part of our business, we collect and manage client and non-client data. In doing so, we observe the UK data protection legislation, and are committed to protecting and respecting clients’ and non-clients’ privacy and rights. Specifically, we act as a “Data Controller” in respect of the information gathered and processed by us.
In order that you are reliably informed about how we operate, we have developed this privacy notice (also known as a Fair Processing Notice or FPN), which describes the ways in which we collect, manage, process, store and share information about you as a result of you being our client or visiting this site. The privacy notice also provides you with information about how you can have control over the use of your data.
You can contact our firm’s Data Protection Officer at dpo@qalaw.co.uk to request access to all the data we hold about you, make a change to it, remove it or restrict how it’s used.
Alternatively, you can write to our firm’s Data Protection Officer at:
QA Law
82 King Street, Manchester M2 8WQ.
What Information Do We Collect About You?
In general terms, we seek to collect information about you so that we can:
- Administer our relationship with you, provide services and respond to enquiries
- Enable business development including sending legal updates, publications and details to events
- Process applications for employment
- Deliver requested information to you about our services and our subsidiaries
- Ensure the billing of any procured services and obtain payment
- Process and respond to any complaints
- Enable us to meet our legal and other regulatory obligations imposed on us
- Audit usage of our websites.
The information that we need for these purposes is known as your “personal data”. This includes your name, home address, email address, telephone and other contact numbers and financial information. We collect this in a number of different ways. For example, you may provide this data to us directly online or over the telephone, or when corresponding with us by letter.
We also process sensitive classes of information that includes:
- Physical or mental health details, and
- Racial or ethnic origin.
We will seek your permission if we need to record any of your sensitive personal data on our systems.
Please also be advised that when you visit this website, cookies will be used to collect information about you such as your Internet Protocol (IP) address which connects your computer or mobile device to the Internet, and information about your visit such as the pages you viewed or searched for, pages response times, download errors etc. We do this so that we can measure our website’s performance and make improvements in the future. Cookies are also used to enhance this website’s functionality and personalisation, which includes sharing data with third party organisations. You can control this by adjusting your cookies settings as described in our Cookies Policy.
How Will We Use The Information?
We use the data collected from you for the specific purposes listed in the table below. Please note that this table also explains:
- The legal basis for processing your data, linked to each processing purpose; and
- In what circumstances your data will be shared with a third party organisation.
| Purpose for processing data | Legal basis for processing data | Third party organisations with whom data is shared |
|---|---|---|
| To administer our relationship with you, provide services and respond to enquiries. | To meet the requirements of a contract. | None. |
| To ensure the billing of any procured services by you and obtain payment. | To meet the requirements of a contract. | Government VAT and tax inspectors, external auditors, internal auditors. |
| To communicate with you about legal updates, breaking news, newsletters and event invitations which are relevant to your interests and in line with your preferences. | To seek explicit consent prior to sending individuals the information and in line with preferences. | None. |
| To provide enquirers with support by telephone – to include recording conversations for monitoring, training and quality purposes. | To fulfil contractual obligations this includes taking action before entering into a contract. | Where we administer helplines on behalf of helpline providers, those helpline providers and their representatives. |
| To process and respond to complaints. | To meet a legal obligation. | None. |
| To monitor and record information relating to the use of our services, to include our website. | To meet a legitimate interest in order to improve the services and experience and website for individuals. | Web service providers and cookie providers. |
| To capture photographs and videos to be used for marketing and promotional material for the firm, including our website, brochures, bids and tenders. | To seek explicit consent prior to collecting and using this information. | None. |
| To conduct human resource administration to include assessing suitability, eligibility and/or fitness to work. | To fulfil contractual obligations this includes taking action before entering into a contract. | Disclosure and Barring Service. |
Your Rights
Under the terms of data protection legislation, you have the following rights as a result of using this website:
Right To Be Informed
This privacy notice, together with our Cookies Policy, fulfils our obligation to tell you about the ways in which we use your information as a result of you using this website.
Right To Access
You have the right to ask us for a copy of any personal data that we hold about you. This is known as a “Subject Access Request”. Except in exceptional circumstances (which we would discuss and agree with you in advance), you can obtain this information at no cost. We will send you a copy of the information within 30 days of your request.
To make Subject Access Request, please send a letter to our firm’s Data Protection Officer at:
QA Law
82 King Street, Manchester M2 8WQ
Alternatively, you can contact the firm’s Data Protection Officer at the following email address: dpo@qalaw.co.uk
Right To Rectification
If any of the information that we hold about you is inaccurate, you can ask us to correct it. You can contact us on 033 33 034 680 or contact our firm’s Data Protection Officer at:
QA Law
82 King Street, Manchester M2 8WQ
Right To Be Forgotten
You can ask that we erase all personal information that we hold about you. Where it is appropriate that we comply, your request will be fully actioned within 30 days.
For further information, please contact 033 33 034 680 or alternatively, please contact our firm’s Data Protection Officer at:
QA Law
82 King Street, Manchester M2 8WQ
Right To Object
You have the right to object to:
- The continued use of your data for any purpose listed in section 3 above for which consent is identified as the lawful basis for processing i.e. you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.
- The continued use of your data for any purpose listed in section 3 above for which the lawful basis of processing is that it has been deemed legitimate.
Right To Restrict Processing
If you wish us to restrict the use of your data because (i) you think it is inaccurate but this will take time to validate, (ii) you believe our data processing is unlawful but you do not want your data erased, (iii) you want us to retain your data in order to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim, or (iv) you wish to object to the processing of your data, but we have yet to determine whether this is appropriate, please send an email to our firm’s Data Protection Officer at dpo@qalaw.co.uk
Alternatively, you can contact our firm’s Data Protection Officer at:
QA Law
82 King Street, Manchester M2 8WQ
Right To Data Portability
If you would like to move, copy or transfer the electronic personal data that we hold about you to another organisation, please contact our firm’s Data Protection Officer at:
QA Law
82 King Street, Manchester M2 8WQ
Rights Related To Automated Decision-Making
If you would like to object to automated decision making without any individual involvement, and to the profiling of your data, please contact our firm’s Data Protection Officer at:
QA Law
82 King Street, Manchester M2 8WQ
Is The Processing Of Information Likely To Cause Individuals To Object Or Complain?
QA Law is not aware of any justifiable reasons that would constitute a legitimate reason for objecting or complaining about the way we process or control information.
How Long Will We Retain Information For?
QA Law will typically retain information for a period of seven years. This is to ensure that we are complying with regulations relating to accounts, tax reporting obligations and insurance.
Overseas Transfers
None of the information that we collect process or store as a result of this website is transferred outside of the European Economic Area (EEA). This includes information that is exchanged with any third party organisation as described above.
Data Privacy And Security
At QA Law, we maintain a comprehensive data management programme, which includes processes for ensuring that data protection is a key consideration of all new and existing IT systems that hold personal data. Where any concerns, risks or issues are identified, we give consideration to any actions that are necessary to ensure optimum privacy.
Location Tracking Via Our Website
Geo-location tracking, which shows us where you are in the UK, is not used on this website.
General
Questions and comments regarding this Privacy Notice are welcomed, and should be sent to our firm’s Data Protection Officer at dpo@qalaw.co.uk
Alternatively, you can write to our firm’s Data Protection Officer at:
QA Law
82 King Street, Manchester M2 8WQ
You can also contact our firm’s Data Protection Officer if you have any concerns or complaints about the ways in which your personal data has been handled as a result of you using this website.
Alternatively, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office who may be contacted at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow SK9 5AF or https://ico.org.uk.
