Thorne Segar Ltd
Protecting your privacy – Our Privacy Notice

Who are we?

Thorne Segar Ltd is a limited company incorporated in England and Wales, and is a ‘controller’ under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Whose data do we hold?

We may hold data about the following people:

  • Employees
  • Customers and clients
  • Suppliers and service providers
  • Advisers, consultants and other professional experts
  • Complainants and enquirers

Whose data will we collect?

We may also collect information that is referred to as being in a ‘special category’. This could include:

  • Physical or mental health details
  • Racial or ethnic origin
  • Religious beliefs or other beliefs of a similar nature
  • Criminal convictions

Special Categories

We may also collect information that is referred to as being in a ‘special category’. This could include:

  • Physical or mental health details
  • Racial or ethnic origin
  • Religious beliefs or other beliefs of a similar nature
  • Criminal convictions
  • Sexual orientation

Basis for processing

The basis on which we process your personal data is one or more of the following:

  • It is necessary for the performance of our contract with you
  • It is necessary for us to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation
  • It is in our legitimate interests to do so
  • You have given us your consent (this can be withdrawn at any time by advising our data protection officer provided that the data is not being processed or retained to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation)

How will we use your data?

We may use your information for the following purposes:

  • Provision of legal services including advising and acting on behalf of clients
  • Promotion of our goods and services
  • Provision of education and training to customers and clients
  • Maintaining accounts and records
  • Supporting and managing staff

Who will we share your information with?

Under the Code of Conduct there are very strict rules about who we can share your information with and this will normally be limited to other people who will assist with your matter or enable us to comply with legal and regulatory obligations. This may include:

  • Barristers
  • Medical experts
  • Insurers
  • Private investigators
  • HealthCare professionals, social and welfare organisations
  • Courts and Tribunals
  • Credit and Fraud Prevention Agencies (FPAs) (see below)

Where you authorise us we may also disclose your information to your family, associates or representatives and we may also disclose your information to debt collection agencies if you do not pay our bills.

We may share your data with FPAs such as Equifax or Experian. We do so to prevent criminal activity, fraud and money laundering. Where FPAs receive a search from us they may place a search footprint on your credit file that may be seen by other lenders or organisations undertaking searches against you for credit etc. You have the right to object to credit agencies using your personal data – please contact the data protection officer for information as to how you can do this. The FPAs we use are based in the UK and keep their main databases here.

How long will we keep your information for?

  • We will normally keep your information throughout the period of time that we do work for you and afterwards for a period of at least six, and normally fifteen years, so as to ensure that we comply with the law, the requirements of our insurers, and any professional and other regulations which apply to us
  • In some cases, (for example where we have prepared a will for you, or have acted in the administration of an estate) we may retain your information for a longer period. We will tell you if this is the case.
  • More information is set out in our data retention policy which is available on request from our data protection officer.

Transfers to third countries

  • We may from time to time transfer your personal data to a country outside the EEA
  • Normally this will be necessary for the performance of your contract with us or for the exercise or defence of legal claims on your behalf
  • Sometimes we may transfer for other reasons and we will ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place at all times

Security arrangements

  • We shall ensure that all the information that you provide us with is kept secure using appropriate technical and organisational measures
  • We hold a Lexcel accreditation with the Law Society. This is the Law Society’s legal practice quality mark for practice management and client care. Part of the requirement for this quality mark involves having proper policies for data processing.
  • We also hold specific Law Society quality marks for Conveyancing (CQS) and Wills and Probate (WIQS)
  • In the event of a personal data breach we have in place procedures to ensure that the effects of such a breach are minimised and shall liaise with the ICO and with you as appropriate
  • More information is available from the data protection officer

What rights do you have?

You have the following rights under the GDPR:

  • Right to be informed
  • Right of access
  • Right of rectification
  • Right to erasure
  • Right to restriction of processing
  • Right to data portability
  • Right to object
  • Rights concerning automated decision – making and profiling

Some of these rights are however subject to an overriding obligation to comply with legal requirements and regulations.

Right of access

  • You have a right to see the information we hold about you
  • To access this, you will need to provide a request in writing to our data protection officer, together with proof of identity
  • We will usually process your request free of charge and within 30 days however we reserve the right to charge a reasonable administration fee and to extend the period of time by a further two months if the request is manifestly unfounded or vexatious and/or is very complex

Right to erasure

  • You have a right to ask us to erasure your personal data in certain cases (details may be found in Article 17 of the GDPR)
  • We will deal with your request free of charge and within 30 days but reserve the right to refuse to erase information that we are required to retain by law or regulation, or that is required to exercise or defend legal claims
  • To exercise your right to erasure please contact our data protection officer

Who can you complain to?

  • If you are unhappy about how we are using your information or how we have responded to your request then initially you should contact the data protection officer. Please call the office to ask the data protection officer’s name.
  • If your complaint remains unresolved then you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office, details available at ico.org.uk

thorne-segar-let-us-to-the-worrying-logo


CALL: 01643 703234