Privacy Policy

TRINITY

GDPR COMPLIANCE: PERSONAL PROCESSING INFORMATION

Privacy Notice: how we will process personal information

We are Trinity Advocates, of 92 South Street, Exeter EX1 1EN, a partnership regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority and governed by the Legal Aid Board’s legal aid franchise.

What information will be collected from you?

We will only collect information from you that is relevant to the legal services that you have asked us to provide. In particular, we may collect the following information (which is defined as “personal data”):

• personal details;
• family, lifestyle and social circumstances;
• financial details;
• details of criminal proceedings and convictions. We may also collect information that is referred to as “special category”. This could include:

• physical and/or mental health details;
• racial or ethnic origin. Any processing of your personal data is carried out in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulations (“GDPR”). Our legal basis for processing your data is because we have an agreement with you to provide you with legal services. Any processing carried out by us that falls outside of our agreement with you will be because we have a legitimate interest to do so.

How will we use this information?

• We will use your information to provide you with criminal and prison law advice and to progress your criminal case in accordance with your instructions. We may also use your personal information to:

Lawful basis for processing

• administer your file;
• process your bank/credit card details in order to obtain payment directly from you or to submit an application and obtain payment from the Legal Aid Agency as relevant;
• assist in the prevention or detection of fraud;
• comply with our legal obligations; and
• carry out any legitimate interest.

Who will I share this information with?

• Unless you otherwise authorise me, I will only share your information with
•  the Legal Aid Agency;
• our regulators or the relevant government bodies;
• external advisers (such as my accountant or if I instruct a lawyer to act on my behalf);
• law enforcement agencies.Where you expressly authorise us, we may share this information with external legal counsel (such as barristers), third party experts who we engage to assist with your case, with your medical or social work team (if appropriate), and/or your family, associates or representatives. We may also disclose your information to debt collection agencies if you do not pay valid invoices.

How will we store your personal data? 

• We will keep your information for the duration of the period that we work for you and thereafter for a period of 6 years, or for so long as is necessary for us to administer your account.

What rights do you have?

• If you are unhappy with how we are using your personal data, then initially you should contact me, and if your complaint remains unresolved then you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office, details available at www.ico.org.uk.

Who to complain to if you are unhappy with how your personal data has been processed?

• You have a series of rights under the General Data Protection Regulations and implementing legislation, including the right to receive a copy of the information we hold about you (known as a Subject Access Request). Please ask us for more information if you wish, or see the website of the Information Commissioner’s Office, (the privacy regulator) (www.ico.org.uk/for-the-public/) for more information.

 How long will we keep your information for?

• We will use appropriate technical, security and organisational measures to ensure that your data is kept safe. This includes confidentiality obligations with third parties, password protected computers and securely locked doors.

What rights do you have?

You have a series of rights under the General Data Protection Regulations and implementing legislation, including the right to receive a copy of the information we hold about you (known as a Subject Access Request). Please ask us for more information if you wish, or see the website of the Information Commissioner’s Office, (the privacy regulator) (www.ico.org.uk/for-the-public/) for more information.

Who to complain to if you are unhappy with how your personal data has been processed?

If you are unhappy with how we are using your personal data, then initially you should contact me, and if your complaint remains unresolved then you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office, details available at www.ico.org.uk.