WHAT PERSONAL INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?
We collect personal data to provide you with our services. When we require certain personal data from clients it is because we are required by law to collect this information or it is relevant for specified purposes. Any information you provide to us that is not required is voluntary. You are free to choose whether to provide us with the types of personal data requested, but we may not be able to serve you as effectively or offer you all of our services when you do choose not to share certain information with us.
For example, we collect personal data which is required under the law to comply with anti-money laundering regulations. We also collect personal data when you use or request information about our services or subscribe to marketing communications. We may also collect personal data from you offline, such as when you attend one of our events, or when you contact the firm. We may use this information in combination with other information we collect about you as set forth in this Policy.
Data Protection law says that we are allowed to use personal data only if we have a proper reason to do so. The law says we must have one or more of these reasons:
To fulfil a contract we have with you (i.e. to provide you with our legal and other services), or
When it is our legal duty, or
When it is in our legitimate interest, or
When you consent to it.
When we have a business or commercial reason of our own to use your information, this is called a ‘legitimate interest’. We will tell you what that is, if we are going to rely on it as the reason for using your data. Even then, it must not unfairly go against your interests.
The law and other regulations treat some types of sensitive personal data as special. This includes information about racial or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, trade union membership, health data, and criminal records. We will not collect or use these types of data without your consent unless the law allows us to do so. If we do, it will only be when it is necessary