Abbotts & Co Lawyers Privacy Policy

Abbotts and Co Lawyers (“We, us, our”) deeply respects the privacy of its clients and all other people it deals with. 

We are committed to protecting your privacy and upholding all legal obligations, notably those under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (“Privacy Act”). 

We believe in being transparent. This policy outlines how we will collect, hold, and use your personal information. It also outlines how we will maintain the security of this information. 

1 - PERSONAL INFORMATION

‘Personal information’ means any information or opinion (whether true or not) about a reasonably identifiable individual. Personal information includes information whether it is recorded in material form or not. 

We take all reasonable and appropriate measures to protect the security of your information.

2 - PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

The personal information that we collect depends on the nature of our dealing with you. Should you not be willing to provide personal information we may be unable to provide all of our products and services to you. 

The personal information we may collect includes but is not limited by the following: 

  • Your name 

  • Your title and gender 

  • Your phone number. 

  • Your address (mailing and physical)

  • Your email address 

  • Your date of birth

In some instances, so that we can best serve our clients we will need to obtain more sensitive personal information. If we collect your sensitive information we will do so only with your consent, if it is necessary to prevent a serious and imminent threat, or as otherwise required or authorised by law.  

Sensitive information may collect includes: 

  • Your criminal history.

  • Your racial or ethnic origins;

  • Your political associations or opinions; 

  • Your religious or philosophical views;

  • Membership of any organisation or body;

  • Your health information;

  • Your relationship status;

  • Your sexual preference;

  • Your banking details. 


3 - HOW WE COLLECT PERSONAL INFORMATION

We collect your personal information directly from you when you:

  • Interact with us in person. 

  • Interact with us online (via our website and other electronic communication platforms). 

  • Interact with us via email. 

  • Interact with us over the telephone. 

  • Interact with us via surveys, questionaries or other information gathering exercises. 

  • Subscribe to our mailing list or other marketing methods. 

  • Attend an event arranged or sponsored by Abbotts and Co Lawyers. 

  • Apply for a position with our form. 

We may also collect your personal information from third parties or through publicly available sources.


4 - HOW WE USE PERSONAL INFORMATION 

We use personal information for many purposes in connection with our functions and activities, including but not limited to: 

  • Providing you with legal services as instructed by you. 

  • Deliver a more personalised experience or offering 

  • Improve the quality of the services we offer. 

  • Internal administrative purposes, including accounting and invoicing. 

  • Marketing, research, and business development. 

  • Any other purposes as allowed or required by law. 


5 - DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION TO THIRD PARTIES

We may disclose your personal information to third parties where you would reasonably expect us to disclose your information. For example, we may disclose your personal information to our professional services advisors  (such as accountants) or to our third-party service provides (such as IT provides). 

6 - TRANSFER OF PERSONAL INFORMATION OVERSEAS

Some of the third-party service providers we disclose personal information to may be based in or have servers located outside of Australia. Where we disclose your personal information to third parties overseas, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that data security and appropriate privacy practices are maintained. 

We will only disclose to overseas third parties if you have provide us with your consent, or if we reasonably believe that the overseas recipient is subject to a law or scheme this is similar to Australian privacy provisions. 

7 - PROTECTING PERSONAL INFORMATION 

We will take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information that we hold about you remains confidential and secure, including the following measures:

  • Maintaining physical security of all documents, records, and databases. 

  • Maintaining technological security measures (i.e. anti-virus software). 

  • Restricting access to information to only those personnel who require it to provide service to you. 


8 - ONLINE ACTIVITY – COOKIES

Our website may use cookies. A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers the website puts on your device if you allow it. These cookies recognise when your device has visited our website before. Cookies allow us to distinguish you from other users of the website and assists us to improve your overall experience on our website. 

Should you not wish to use the cookies you can amend your browser settings so it will not automatically be downloaded. Should you block or remove cookies please be aware that full functionality of our website may be affected. 

9 - MARKETING

Should you request or consent, we may send you direct marketing communication and other information about our services, updates, events, promotions, campaigns, and other important information which we reasonably believe may be of interest to you. 

These communications may be sent via mail, phone call, Text message, email, social media or any other messaging services, in accordance with marketing law. 

Should you indicate a preferred means of communication we will make reasonable endeavours to ensure that that method is utilises as much as possible. 

At any time you may opt-out of receiving our marketing communications via following the “unsubscribe” instructions on the communication and/or via making direct contact with us. 

We may also use your personal information or disclose your personal information to third parties for the purposes of advertising, including online behavioural advertising, website personalisation, and to provide targeted advertising content to you (including through third party websites or browses). 


10 - RETENTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

We will retain your information for as long as is required to comply with applicable laws and regulations. 


11 - EXTERNAL WEBSITES 

Our website may contain links to websites operated by third parties. If you access a third-party website through our website personal information may be collected by that third party. We make no warranties in relation to the privacy practices of any third party. We are in no way responsible for the privacy policy of any third party. 


12 - INQUIRIES AND COMPLAINTS

Should you have any concerns about your privacy or wish to make a complaint about the way we process and retail personal information we welcome you to contact us directly. So that we are able to review your issue we will require your basis personal information, including proof of identity. Please allow up to 30 days for us to respond to your complaint. 

Should you not be satisfied with our response you have the right to contact the Office of Australian Information Commissioner (www.oaic.gov.au/) to lodge a complaint.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Click here to email us

Policy Reviewed: January 2023