Information Sharing

Graystons Solicitors (Graystons) Ltd has prepared this statement to set out clearly who we are, what information we could collect from you and how we use that personal data. Graystons Solicitors is the trading name of Graystons Solicitors Ltd. We are registered in England, registration number 7637549 and are authorised and regulated by the SRA number 564279 and we subject to the Solicitors Code of Conduct 2011.

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What we collect and why

We take our legal obligations as a controller of data to protect your information under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR 2018) very seriously. The personal data that we may collect and hold on you could include the following: your name, address, telephone and or mobile number, email address, date of birth, national insurance number, employment records, employer’s details, medical records from doctors and hospitals and bank details. Some of the data we collect may contain ‘Special Categories’ of Personal Data about you such as details about your race or ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation and your health or medical records.
 

• Where we need to perform the contract for legal services we are about to enter into or have entered into with you to pursue a legal claim;

• Where it is necessary for our legitimate interests (or those of a third party) and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests;

• Where we need to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation.

 

We will only use Special Category personal data about you when processing is necessary for the establishment or exercise of your legal claim or processing is required by the courts acting in their judicial capacity.

 

Information to third parties

Whilst carrying out the legal work that we do for you, we may need to share your personal data with third parties such as nursing paginators that collate the medical records, expert medical and other expert witnesses, barristers and other professional advisers and service providers as well as the potential defendant. Before sending your personal data to third party experts and service providers, Graystons will always have carried out due diligence on these suppliers to ensure that any work is completed to a high level and confidentiality is maintained at all times.

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We require all third parties to respect the security of your personal data and to treat it in accordance with the law. We do not allow our third party service providers to use your personal data for their own purposes and only to permit them to process your personal data for specified purposes and in accordance with our instructions.

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We may need to give your personal data to a third party to whom we may choose to sell, transfer or merge parts of our business or our assets. Alternatively, we may seek to acquire other businesses or merge with them. If a change happens to our business, then the new owners may use your personal data in the same way as set out in this privacy notice.

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International transfers

We do not transfer your personal data outside the European Economic Area.

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Change of purpose

We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which we collected it, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another reason and that reason is compatible with the original purpose. If we need to use your personal data for an unrelated purpose, we will notify you and we will explain the legal basis which allows us to do so. Please note that we may process your personal data without your knowledge or consent in compliance with the above rules, where this is required or permitted by law.

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Where do we store data?

At the conclusion of your case, The Law Society rules require us to store your file for a minimum of six years. In the case of children, we are required to keep the file until he or she reaches the minimum age of 21. Once we have kept the file for the correct regulatory period the file will be securely destroyed and any digital records will also be erased.

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In some circumstances, we may anonymise your personal data (so that it can no longer be associated with you) for research or statistical purposes in which case we may use this information indefinitely without further notice to you.

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Cookies

Our website uses cookies. A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic. We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website and services information as it helps statistical analysis.
 

You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies or to alert you when websites set or access cookies. If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of the website may become inaccessible or not function properly.
 

Analytical Cookies: We use Google Analytics (Global Site Tag – gtag.js) to collate information about how you use this website. Usage of an analytical cookie is in no way linked to any personally identifiable information. Analytical cookies allow us to count the number of visitors to our website as well as detail how visitors navigate through our website. This helps us to improve the way our website works. These cookies record a visit to our website, the pages visited and the links followed.
 

IMPORTANT: If you wish to opt out of Google Analytics you can do so via this link. https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout/
 

Remarketing: We occasionally use the Data Collection feature within Google Analytics for Display & Search Remarketing. We sometimes use this feature to display advertisements about our services on third party websites. Any remarketing advertisements we release on the Google Display Network are designed to act as a reminder of a user’s previous visit to this website. Individual offers or promotions may apply within the Display & Search Remarketing.
 

IMPORTANT: You can opt out of Interest-Based Advertising via this link. http://optout.networkadvertising.org/
 

Advertising Reporting Features: This enables us to obtain Advertising Reporting features like Audience Demographics and Interests Reporting, Campaign Manager reporting, Display & Video 360 reporting, and Google Display Network Impression Reporting, we use this to help us better understand our website users.
 

Data Retention Features: User and event data retention in Google Analytics for this website is currently set for the basic 14 months. More information on Google Data Retention can be found via this link https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/7667196?hl=en&utm_id=ad.

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Links to third parties

Our website may contain links to enable you to visit easily other websites of interest. We are not able to control any data that you may give to other websites, therefore can take no responsibility over how they may use your data if you give it to them.

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Right of access to your data

You have a right of access to the personal data that we hold about you. On receipt of a request you will be provided with your data within one month in an easily accessible electronic format. You have the right to request that any data is rectified or erased. Note, however, that we may not always be able to comply with your request of erasure for specific legal reasons which will be notified to you, if applicable, at the time of your request.
 

Failure to provide data

Where we need to collect personal data by law or under the terms of a contract for legal services we have with you and you fail to provide that data when requested, we may not be able to perform the contract we have or are trying to enter into with you. In this case, we may have to cancel our contractual relationship with you but we will notify you if this is the case at the time.
 

Data breach

We have put in place procedures to deal with any suspected personal data breach and will notify you and any applicable regulator of a breach where we are legally required to do so. Julie Grayston is the Data Protection Officer. If we discover a serious breach of your data we will report it to the Information Commissioner’s Office within 72 hours. If you have concerns over the handling of your data please contact:
 

Julie Grayston
Graystons Solicitors
Unit 4, Church Farm Court,
Capenhurst Lane,
Chester, CH1 6HE

Email: julie@graystons.co.uk

If you are remain dissatisfied with how we have handled your data after speaking to Julie Grayston you may contact the ICO https://ico.org.uk/ with your complaint.