Privacy Policy

This privacy policy applies between you, the User of this Website and Holmes Family Law, the owner and provider of this Website. Holmes Family Law takes the privacy of your information very seriously. This privacy policy applies to our use of any and all Data collected by us or provided by you in relation to your use of the Website.

This privacy policy should be read alongside our Terms and Conditions

Definitions

1. In this Privacy Policy, the following definitions are used:
• Data - all information that you submit to Holmes Family Law via the Website. This definition incorporates, where applicable, the definitions provided in the Data Protection Laws;
• Cookies - a small text file placed on your computer by this website when you visit certain parts of the website and/or when you use certain features of the website. Details of the cookies used by this website are set out in our Cookie Policy;
• Data Protection Laws - any applicable law relating to the processing of personal data, including but not limited to the Directive 96/46/EC (Data Protection Directive) or the GDPR, and any national implementing laws, regulations and secondary legislation, for as long as the GDPR is effective in the UK;
• GDPR - the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679;
• Holmes Family Law, we or us - relates to Holmes Family Law of Fellside House, Whickham, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE16 4AL;
• UK and EU Cookie Law - the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 as amended by the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) (Amendment) Regulations 2011;
• User or you - any third party that accesses the Website and is not either (i) employed by Holmes Family Law and acting in the course of their employment or (ii) engaged as a consultant or otherwise providing services to Holmes Family Law and accessing the Website in connection with the provision of such services; and
• Website - the website that you are currently using, https://www.holmesfamilylaw.co.uk, and any sub-domains of this site unless expressly excluded by their own terms and conditions.
2. In this privacy policy, unless the context requires a different interpretation:
   1. the singular includes the plural and vice versa;
   2. references to sub-clauses, clauses, schedules or appendices are to sub-clauses, clauses, schedules or appendices of this privacy policy;
   3. a reference to a person includes firms, companies, government entities, trusts and partnerships;
   4. "including" is understood to mean "including without limitation";
   5. reference to any statutory provision includes any modification or amendment of it;
   6. the headings and sub-headings do not form part of this privacy policy.

Scope

1. This privacy policy applies only to the actions of Holmes Family Law and Users with respect to this Website. It does not extend to any websites that can be accessed from this Website including, but not limited to, any links we may provide to social media websites.
2. For purposes of the applicable Data Protection Laws, Holmes Family Law is the "data controller". This means that Holmes Family Law determines the purposes for which, and the manner in which, your Data is processed.

What Data Do We Collect?

1. We may collect the following Data, which includes personal Data, from you:
   1. name;
   2. contact Information such as email addresses and telephone numbers;
   3. IP address (automatically collected);
   4. web browser type and version (automatically collected);
   5. operating system (automatically collected);

How Do We Collect Data?

1. We collect Data in the following ways:
   1. data is given to us by you; and
   2. data is collected automatically.

Data That Is Given By You

1. Holmes Family Law will collect your Data in a number of ways, for example:
   1. when you contact us through the Website, by telephone, post, e-mail or through any other means;
   2. when you register with us and set up an account to receive our products/services;

Automatically Collected Data

1. To the extent that you access the Website, we will collect your Data automatically, for example:
   1. we automatically collect some information about your visit to the Website. This information helps us to make improvements to Website content and navigation, and includes your IP address, the date, times and frequency with which you access the Website and the way you use and interact with its content.
   2. we will collect your Data automatically via cookies, in line with the cookie settings on your browser. For more information about cookies, and how we use them on the Website, see the section below, headed "Cookies".

How We Use Your Data

1. Any or all of the above Data may be required by us from time to time in order to provide you with the best possible service and experience when using our Website. Specifically, Data may be used by us for the following reasons:
   1. internal record keeping;
2. We may use your Data for the above purposes if we deem it necessary to do so for our legitimate interests. If you are not satisfied with this, you have the right to object in certain circumstances (see the section headed "Your rights" below).
3. When you register with us and set up an account to receive our services, the legal basis for this processing is the performance of a contract between you and us and/or taking steps, at your request, to enter into such a contract.

How We Share Your Data

1. We may share your Data with the following groups of people for the following reasons:
   1. our employees, agents and/or professional advisors - to obtain contact details to provide you with professional advice and services requested;

How Do You Secure My Data?

1. We will use technical and organisational measures to safeguard your data, for example:
   1. access to your account is controlled by a password and a user name that is unique to you.
   2. we store your Data on secure servers.
2. Technical and organisational measures include measures to deal with any suspected data breach. If you suspect any misuse or loss or unauthorised access to your Data, please let us know immediately by contacting us via this e-mail address: [email protected].
3. If you want detailed information from Get Safe Online on how to protect your information and your computers and devices against fraud, identity theft, viruses and many other online problems, please visit www.getsafeonline.org. Get Safe Online is supported by HM Government and leading businesses.

How Long Do You Retain My Data?

1. Unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law, we will only hold your Data on our systems for the period necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this privacy policy or until you request that the Data be deleted.
2. Even if we delete your Data, it may persist on backup or archival media for legal, tax or regulatory purposes.

What Are My Rights?

1. You have the following rights in relation to your Data:
   1. Right to access - the right to request (i) copies of the information we hold about you at any time, or (ii) that we modify, update or delete such information. If we provide you with access to the information we hold about you, we will not charge you for this, unless your request is "manifestly unfounded or excessive." Where we are legally permitted to do so, we may refuse your request. If we refuse your request, we will tell you the reasons why.
   2. Right to correct - the right to have your Data rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete.
   3. Right to erase - the right to request that we delete or remove your Data from our systems.
   4. Right to restrict our use of your Data - the right to "block" us from using your Data or limit the way in which we can use it.
   5. Right to data portability - the right to request that we move, copy or transfer your Data.
   6. Right to object - the right to object to our use of your Data including where we use it for our legitimate interests.
2. To make enquiries, exercise any of your rights set out above, or withdraw your consent to the processing of your Data (where consent is our legal basis for processing your Data), please contact us via this e-mail address: [email protected].
3. If you are not satisfied with the way a complaint you make in relation to your Data is handled by us, you may be able to refer your complaint to the relevant data protection authority. For the UK, this is the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The ICO's contact details can be found on their website at https://ico.org.uk/.
4. It is important that the Data we hold about you is accurate and current. Please keep us informed if your Data changes during the period for which we hold it.

Links

1. This Website may, from time to time, provide links to other websites. We have no control over such websites and are not responsible for the content of these websites. This privacy policy does not extend to your use of such websites. You are advised to read the privacy policy or statement of other websites prior to using them.

Changes To This Policy

1. Holmes Family Law reserves the right to change this privacy policy as we may deem necessary from time to time or as may be required by law. Any changes will be immediately posted on the Website and you are deemed to have accepted the terms of the privacy policy on your first use of the Website following the alterations.

More Information

If you require any further information, you can contact us by visiting the Get In Touch page.