Bell and Senior Lawyers Pty Ltd trading as Bell & Senior (ABN 27 689 971 355) (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information we collect and hold. We are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
This Privacy Policy details how we manage personal information and how we collect, hold, use, and disclose that information.
1. Collection of Personal Information
We collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for us to fulfill our functions and responsibilities as a legal practice, including providing legal services and maintaining regulatory records.
Types of information we collect:
- Identification & Contact Details: Your name, address, date of birth, email address, and telephone numbers.
- Professional Information: Your occupation, employer, and professional memberships.
- Legal Matter Information: Detailed personal, financial, and legal information relevant to the legal advice or representation we are providing.
- Sensitive Information: In some circumstances, we may collect sensitive information (such as health information or criminal records) where it is necessary for the conduct of your legal matter and where you have consented.
How we collect information:
We generally collect personal information directly from you through our website, consultations, correspondence, and forms. We may also collect information from third parties where it is necessary or authorised by law, such as from:
- Publicly available records and government databases.
- Courts, tribunals, and regulatory authorities.
- Other legal practitioners, consultants, or medical professionals involved in your matter.
- Your employer or business associates.
2. Use and Disclosure of Personal Information
We use your personal information for the primary purpose for which it was collected, or for secondary purposes that you would reasonably expect (such as practice management or compliance).
Primary purposes include:
- Providing legal advice, representation, and related services.
- Complying with our statutory obligations under the Legal Profession Act and other relevant legislation.
- Managing our relationship with you (e.g., billing, service updates).
Disclosure of information:
We do not typically disclose personal information to other organisations unless it is reasonably necessary for the purposes described above, or if you would reasonably expect such disclosure. We may disclose your information to:
- Barristers, consultants, or agents engaged to assist with your matter.
- Courts, tribunals, and regulatory authorities (such as the Law Society or Legal Services Commission).
- Our service providers (including IT support and data storage providers) under strict confidentiality agreements.
- As required or authorised by law, including beneath a court order or subpoena.
3. Overseas Disclosure
As part of our operations, we may use service providers or systems located overseas. This may result in your personal information being disclosed to recipients in countries including the United States, United Kingdom, and Singapore. We take reasonable steps to ensure that any overseas recipients protect your personal information in a manner consistent with the APPs.
4. Security and Storage
We hold personal information in both physical and electronic formats. We take all reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. These steps include:
- Strict access controls to our physical offices and digital systems.
- Use of encryption and secure network infrastructure.
- Regular monitoring and auditing of our data security practices.
- Confidentiality requirements for all staff and contractors.
5. Access and Correction
You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and to request that we correct any inaccuracies.
Requests for access should be made in writing to our Privacy Officer. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe. In some circumstances, we may be legally permitted to deny access (for example, where legal professional privilege applies). If we refuse access or correction, we will provide you with written reasons for our decision.
6. Complaints and Enquiries
If you have any questions about this policy, or if you wish to make a complaint about a breach of the APPs, please contact us:
Privacy Officer Bell & Senior Lawyers Suite 2 / 121 Scarborough Street Southport QLD 4215 Email: reception@bellsenior.com.au Phone: (07) 5532 8777
We take all privacy complaints seriously. We will investigate any complaint and provide you with a response as soon as possible (usually within 30 days).
7. Changes to this Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. The current version will always be available on our website.