TLW Solicitors Privacy Policy

TLW Solicitors is a trading name of TLW Solicitors Limited registered in England.
(Registration number 08392275)

TLW Solicitors Limited is a firm of solicitors authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. (SRA number 823682)

TLW Solicitors Limited is a registered Data Controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
(Registration number ZB344572).

Our Registered Office Address is:-
TLW Solicitors Ltd
Centre For Advanced Industry
Coble Dene
North Shields
NE29 6DE

The information below sets out the personal data we will, or may, collect in the course of advising and/or acting for you:-

Personal Data we will collect:

• Your name, address and telephone number.
• Information to enable us to check and verify your identity e.g. date of birth or passport details.
• Electronic contact details e.g. your email address and/or your mobile phone number.
• Information relating to the matter in which you are seeking our advice or representation.
• Information to enable us to undertake credit or other financial checks on you.
• Your financial details so far as relevant to your instructions.
• Information about your use of our IT, communication and other monitoring information.

Personal Data we may collect depending on why you have instructed us:

• Your National Insurance and tax details.
• Your Bank and/or Building Society details.
• Your employment status and details of salary and benefits.
• Details of your pension or financial arrangements.
• Your employment records, including where relevant records relating to sickness and attendance, performance, disciplinary, conduct and grievances e.g. you instruct us on a Personal Injury matter where your employment records are relevant.
• Your trade union membership e.g. to determine whether you have the benefit of union funding for the matter in which you instruct us.
• Your medical records e.g. if we are acting for you in a Personal Injury matter.

This personal data is required to enable us to provide our service to you.  If you do not provide the personal data we ask for, it may delay or prevent us from providing services to you.

We collect most of this information from you directly via different methods for example online, over the telephone or when corresponding with us by letter. 

However, we may also collect information:-

• From publically accessible sources (e.g.. Companies House) ;
• Directly from a third party (e.g. credit reference agencies) ;
• From a third party with your consent e.g. your bank / Building Society;  Consultants or other professionals we may engage in relation to your matter; your employer and/or trade union, professional body or pension administrators; your doctors, medical and occupational health professionals ;
• Via our website – we use cookies on our website – please see more information in relation to our cookies policy;
• Via our IT systems e.g. case management, document management, time recording systems as well as email and text/instant messaging systems.

How and why we collect store, use and share personal information

Under data protection law, we can only use your personal data if we have a proper reason for doing so, namely:

• To comply with our professional, legal and regulatory obligations ;
• For the performance of our contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract ;
• Bill and obtain payment for services provided ;
• Audit and monitor usage of our website ;
• Assist with our business development including i) providing you with company news and updates;  ii) our legal services;  iii) sector-specific news relating to the services we provide and iv) our local community involvement ;
• Process and respond to complaints ;
• Staff administration and assessments, monitoring staff conduct and disciplinary matters
• For our legitimate interests or those of a third party; or
• Where you have given consent.

A legitimate interest is where we have a business or commercial reason to use your information, so long as this is not overridden by your own rights and interests.

Where appropriate we may voice record interactions with you which may be stored for training, monitoring and regulatory purposes.

The information below explains what we use (process) your personal data for and our reasons for doing so:

• To provide legal services to you.
  Reason: For the performance of our contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract.
• Conducting checks to identify our clients and verify their identities.
  Other processing is necessary to comply with professional, legal and regulatory obligations that apply to our business, e.g. under health and safety regulation or rules issued by our professional regulator.
  Reason: To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.
• Gathering and providing information required by or relating to audits, enquiries or investigations by regulatory bodies.
  Reason: To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.
• Ensuring business policies are adhered to, e.g. policies covering security and internet use.
  Reason: For our legitimate interests or those of a third party, i.e. to make sure we are following our own internal procedures so we can deliver the best service to you.
• Operational reasons, such as improving efficiency, training and quality control.
  Reason: For our legitimate interests or those of a third party, i.e. to be as efficient as we can so we can deliver the best service for you at the best price.
• Ensuring the confidentiality of commercially sensitive information.
  Reason: For our legitimate interests or those of a third party i.e. to protect our intellectual property and other commercially valuable information.
  To comply with our legal and regulatory requirements.
• Statistical analysis to help us manage our practice, e.g. in relation to our financial performance, client base, work type or other efficiency measures.
  Reason: For our legitimate interests or those of a third party, i.e. to be as efficient as we can so we can deliver the best service for you at the best price.
• Preventing unauthorised access and modifications to systems.
  Reason: For our legitimate interests or those of a third party, i.e. to prevent and detect criminal activity that could be damaging for us and for you.
  To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.
• Updating and enhancing client records.
  Reason: For the performance of our contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract. To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.
  For our legitimate interests e.g. making sure, we can keep in touch with clients about existing and new services.
• To monitor and record information relating to the use of our services, including our website.
  Reason: For our legitimate interests in order to improve our services website usage for individuals
• Statutory Returns.
  Reason: To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.
• Ensuring safe working practices, staff administration and assessments.
  Reason: To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.For our legitimate interests or those of a third party, e.g. to make sure we are following our own internal procedures and working efficiently so we can deliver the best service to you.
• Marketing our services to:
  – Existing and former clients;
  – Third parties who have previously expressed an interest in our services;
  – Third parties with whom we have had no previous dealings.
  Reason: For our legitimate interests or those of a third party, i.e. to promote our business to existing and former clients.
• External audits and quality checks e.g. for LEXCEL accreditation and audit of our accounts.
  Reason: For our legitimate interests or those of a third party, i.e. to maintain our accreditations so we can demonstrate we operate at the highest standards.
  To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.
• To perform HR administration including assessing suitability, eligibility and/or fitness to work
  Reason: To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations
  For our legitimate interests or those of a third party e.g. a regulatory body

You have the following rights:

• Rights to be informed

This Privacy Notice, together with our Cookie 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

The right to ask us for a copy of any personal data we hold about you. This is called 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.

The Data Privacy Manager is Claire Thornton.

To make a Subject Access Request, please write to us:

Post: –
Claire Thornton; Data Privacy Manager
TLW Solicitors Ltd
Centre For Advanced Industry
Coble Dene
North Shields
NE29 6DE

Email: – dataprivacymanager@tlwsolicitors.co.uk

Right to rectification

If any of the information we hold about you is inaccurate you can inform us via:

Phone: – Contact us on 0191 293 1500

Post: –
Claire Thornton; Data Privacy Manager
TLW Solicitors Ltd
Centre For Advanced Industry
Coble Dene
North Shields
NE29 6DE

Email: – dataprivacymanager@tlwsolicitors.co.uk

Right to be forgotten

In certain situations, you can request 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:-

Post: –
Claire Thornton; Data Privacy Manager
TLW Solicitors Ltd
Centre For Advanced Industry
Coble Dene
North Shields
NE29 6DE

Email: – dataprivacymanager@tlwsolicitors.co.uk  

Right to restriction of 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 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 contact:

Post: –
Claire Thornton; Data Privacy Manager
TLW Solicitors Ltd
Centre For Advanced Industry
Coble Dene
North Shields
NE29 6DE

Email: – dataprivacymanager@tlwsolicitors.co.uk

Right to data portability

The right to receive the personal information you provided to us, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and/or transmit that data to a third party. Where it is appropriate that we comply, your request will be fully actioned within 30 days.

Post: –
Claire Thornton; Data Privacy Manager
TLW Solicitors Ltd
Centre For Advanced Industry
Coble Dene
North Shields
NE29 6DE

Email: – dataprivacymanager@tlwsolicitors.co.uk  

Right to object

You have the right to object:

• At any time to your personal information is being processed for direct marketing (including profiling);
• In certain other situations to our continued processing of your personal information, e.g. processing carried out for the purpose of our legitimate interests.

Right not to be subject to automated individual 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:-

Post: –
Claire Thornton; Data Privacy Manager
TLW Solicitors Ltd
Centre For Advanced Industry
Coble Dene
North Shields
NE29 6DE

Email: – dataprivacymanager@tlwsolicitors.co.uk

For further information on each of those rights, including the circumstances in which they apply, please contact us or see the Guidance from the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on individuals’ rights under the General Data Protection Regulation.

If you would like to exercise any of the above rights, please:

1. Please let us have enough information to identify you (e.g. your full name, address and client or matter reference number);
2. Let us have proof of your identity and address (a copy of your driving licence or passport and a recent utility or credit card bill); and
3. Let us know what right you want to exercise and the information to which your request relates.

Who we share your personal information with

We routinely share personal information with selected third parties, whom we use to help deliver our services to you, e.g:

• Document Collection Agencies
• Enquiry Agents
• Telephone/Administration Support
• Insurance Companies
• Solicitors
• Medical Agencies
• Barristers
• Statutory bodies or companies e.g. MIB Services, MEDCO, Financial Services Compensation Scheme or Financial Ombudsman Service,
• Regulatory Bodies e.g. Solicitors Regulation Authority or Financial Conduct Authority
• Witness Support Services
• Document Retention Storage Facilities
• ICT Providers

We only allow our service providers to handle your personal information if we are satisfied they take appropriate measures to protect your personal information. We also impose contractual obligations on service providers relating to ensure they can only use your personal information to provide services to us and to you.

We may also share personal information with external auditors, e.g. in relation to Lexcel accreditation and the audit of our accounts.

We may disclose and exchange information with law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.

We may also need to share some personal information with other parties, such as potential buyers of some or all of our business or during a re-structuring. Usually, information will be anonymised but this may not always be possible. The recipient of the information will be bound by confidentiality obligations.

Where your personal information is held

Information may be held at our office,  and those of our third-party agencies, service providers, representatives and agents as described above (see above: ‘Who we share your personal information with’).

Some of these third parties may be based outside the European Economic Area. For more information, including on how we safeguard your personal information when this occurs, see below: ‘Transferring your personal information out of the EEA’.

Transferring your personal information out of the EEA

To deliver services to you, it is sometimes necessary for us to share your personal information outside the European Economic Area (EEA); for example, your opponent or a party involved with your transaction may be based outside of the EEA.

These transfers are subject to special rules under European and UK data protection law.

The following countries to which we may transfer personal information have been assessed by the European Commission as providing an adequate level of protection for personal information:

• Andorra
• Argentina
• Canada (commercial organisations)
• Faroe Islands
• Guernsey
• Israel
• Isle of Man
• Jersey
• New Zealand
• Switzerland
• Uruguay
• US

Except for the countries listed above, non-EEA countries do not have the same data protection laws as the United Kingdom and EEA. We will, however, ensure the transfer complies with data protection laws and that all personal information will be secure.

How long will we retain information for

TLW LLP will typically retain information for a period of at least 6 years.  This is due to regulatory reasons and to ensure our business records are adequate and obtain/maintain adequate levels of insurance coverage.

Keeping your Personal Information secure

We have appropriate measures in place to prevent personal information from being accidentally lost or used or accessed in an unauthorised way. This includes a hardware Firewall that helps guard against We limit access to your personal information to those who have a genuine business need to know it. Those processing your information will only do so in an authorised manner.

We also have procedures in place to deal with any suspected data security breach.  We will notify you of any applicable regulator of a suspected data security breach where we are legally required to do so.

We may wish to provide you with information about special features of our website or any other features that we think will be of interest to you if you consent. If you would rather not receive this information please send an email confirming this to privacydatamanager@tlwsolicitors.co.uk, or unsubscribe using the relevant link. If you have agreed to us providing you with the marketing information you can opt-out at a later date.

Our website uses cookies. Cookies are text files placed on your computer to collect standard Internet log information and visitor behaviour information. These cookies allow us to distinguish you from other users of the website which helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and also allows us to improve our site.

For more information on which cookies we use and how we use them, see our Cookies policy.

If you would like to make a complaint about how we handle your information or you have a complaint about anything mentioned in our Privacy Policy, please either write to us at:-

Data Privacy Manager
TLW Solicitors Ltd
Centre For Advanced Industry
Coble Dene
North Shields
NE29 6DE

or email us using dataprivacymanager@tlwsolicitors.co.uk

If you are not satisfied with how we handle your complaint, you can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office by contacting their helpline on 0303 123 1113.

We welcome your views about our website and our Privacy policy. If you would like to contact us with any queries or comments please send an email to dataprivcaymanager@tlwsolicitors.co.uk or send a letter to Data Privacy Manager at:

TLW Solicitors Ltd, Centre For Advanced Industry, Coble Dene, North Shields, NE29 6DE

Our website contains links to other websites. This Privacy policy applies only to this website so when you access links to other websites you should read their own privacy policies.

If you would like this notice providing in another format, for example, large print, audio or braille; please contact us as per “How to contact us” (detailed above).

By submitting your personal information you consent to the use of that information as set out in this policy.

We keep our Privacy policy under regular review. If we change our privacy policy we will post the changes on this page, and place notices on other pages of the website, so that you may be aware of the information collected and how we use it at all times.

This privacy policy was last updated on 06/12/2022.