Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

This privacy policy notice explains why and when we collect personal information about you in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR“): how we use it, the conditions under which we may disclose it to others and how we keep it secure.

Our clients should read this notice alongside our general terms and conditions of business and our letter of engagement, which provide further information on confidentiality and data privacy.

By visiting www.fletchersportslaw.com (our “site”) you are accepting and consenting to the practices described in this policy.

“Personal Data” means information about individuals (including you), and from which such individuals could be identified.

Who we are

Fletcher Legal Services Limited, is a company of solicitors incorporating our trading name, Fletcher Sports Law (“we” / “us” / “our“).

We collect Personal Data from our clients. This Personal Data is collected, processed and stored by us and we are therefore the data controller of the personal information that you provide to us Fletcher Legal Services Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 650034.

What we need

The information we will request from you will depend on what you have asked us to do or what we are contracted to do for you. There are two types of Personal Data that you may provide to us:

  1. Personal Data: general information that you supply about yourself, such as your name, address, gender, date of birth, contact details or financial information; and
  2. Sensitive Personal Data which may include your racial or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, political opinions, health data, trade union membership, philosophical views or bio-metric and genetic data.

Usually, Personal Data will be restricted to the basic information necessary to complete our instructions and identity checks. However, some of the work we do, particularly claims for breach of privacy, may require us to ask for more sensitive information but only insofar as it is required to enable us to act most effectively on your behalf.

Sources of Information

Information about you may be obtained from a number of sources including:

  • Banks or building societies;
  • Regulatory bodies; and
  • Organisations that have referred work to us.

Why do we require it?

It enables us to carry out your instructions to achieve the legal work you have asked us to do. We may use the information you have provided to us to:

  • to contact you if you are involved in a matter we are undertaking for a client, whether in your professional or personal capacity;
  • to carry out investigations, risk assessments and client due diligence;
  • to analyse the practices of your employer or other organisations and/or persons with whom you have dealings;
  • to review, draft and disclose correspondence and other documents, including court documents;
  • to instruct third-parties on behalf of our clients; and
  • for comparison/analytical purposes and to formulate legal opinions and provide advice.

We may also process your Personal Data for effective business management purposes which may involve the use of your Personal Data in the following (non-exhaustive) ways:

  • to engage and contact suppliers;
  • to carry out internal reviews, investigations, audits;
  • to conduct business reporting and analytics;
  • to help measure performance and improve our services;
  • to recruit personnel;
  • to promote and market the services that we provide;
  • for regulatory and legislative compliance and related reporting; and
  • for the prevention and detection of crime.

Who has access to it?

We have a data protection regime in place to oversee the effective and secure processing of your Personal Data. We will not sell or rent your information to third parties. We will not share your information with third parties for marketing purposes. Generally, we will only use your information within Fletcher Legal Services Limited. However, there may be circumstances, in carrying out your legal work, where we may need to disclose some information to third parties, for example:

  • Courts or Tribunals;
  • Solicitors acting on the other side;
  • Instructing an independent barrister to advise or represent you;
  • Instructing non-legal experts to provide opinions;
  • External regulators e.g. Solicitors Regulatory Authority;
  • Bank or Building Society;
  • Insurance companies;
  • Providers of identity verification; and
  • Any disclosure required by law or regulation such as the prevention of financial crime or terrorism.

If your information is shared with third parties, we ensure that they comply, strictly and confidentially, with our instructions and they do not use the information for their own purposes unless you have explicitly consented to them doing so. There may be some occasions where Personal Data that may require your specific consent. If this is the case we will contact you separately and obtain your consent which you are free not to provide.

How do we protect your Personal Data?

Your information is valuable and we take all reasonable measures to protect while it is in our care. We use technology and operational security to protect personal information from loss, misuse, alteration or destruction. A high threshold is adopted when it comes to confidentiality obligations. Our technology providers have agreed to protect confidentiality of personal information and to comply with the obligations of the GDPR. We enforce, where possible, physical access controls to our offices and files to keep data safe. Fletcher Sports Law is the Data Controller in relation to your Personal Data and is committed to protecting the privacy rights of individuals, including your rights.

Data Protection Officer

We are not required under the GDPR to appoint a Data Protection Officer and, following a detailed analysis we do not consider it appropriate to do so on a voluntary basis. However, in accordance with our regulatory requirements, we have appointed a Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (“COLP”) in order to oversee compliance with our professional responsibilities and with legislative requirements.

The COLP can be contacted via email on paul.fletcher@fletchersportslaw.com or by post at Fletcher Sports Law, Suite 1, Warrant House, Altrincham Cheshire WA14 4PZ.

How long will we keep it?

Personal information will be retained only for as long necessary to fulfil the purposes for which the information was collected or as required by law or as long as is set out in any relevant contract with you. For example:

  • As long as necessary to carry out your instructions; or
  • For a minimum of 7 years from the conclusion or closure of your legal work in case you or we need to re-open your case for the purpose of defending complaints against us.

What are your rights?

Under GDPR you are entitled to access your Personal Data otherwise known as a right to access. If you wish to make such a request, please do so in writing to our COLP, Paul Fletcher, at paul.fletcher@fletchersportslaw.com or contact the person dealing with your matter.

A request for access to your Personal Data means you are entitled to a copy of the data we hold on you, such as your name, address, contact details, date of birth or information regarding your health, but it does not mean that you are entitled to the documents that contain this data.

Under certain circumstances, in addition to the entitlement to access your data, you have the following rights:

  1. The right to be informed: this is fulfilled by way of this privacy notice and our explanation as to how we use your Personal Data.
  2. The right to rectification: you are entitled to have Personal Data rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete.
  3. The right to erasure/deletion: you have the right to request the deletion or removal of your Personal Data where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing. This right only applies in the following specific circumstances:
    • where the Personal Data is no longer necessary for the purpose for which it was originally collected; or
    • where your consent is withdrawn; or
    • where you object to the processing and there is no overriding legitimate interest for continuing processing; or
    • where the Personal Data was unlawfully processed; or
    • where you object to the processing for direct marketing purposes.
  4. The right to object: you have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing. This right applies where the information is used for direct marketing purposes. If you have an objection relating to your particular situation we have to stop processing your Personal Data unless we can demonstrate compelling reasons which override your interests, rights and freedoms. However, your objection will not be upheld if we are processing the information for the establishment or exercise of the defence of legal claims.
  5. The right to restrict processing: when the processing is restricted we can store the data but not use it. However, this right can only be exercised in the following specific circumstances:
    • where you contest the accuracy of the data, we shall restrict the processing of the data until its accuracy has been verified or while we consider if our legitimate grounds overrides your own right/s; or
    • where processing is unlawful and you request restriction; or
    • where we no longer need the Personal Data but you require it establish, exercise or defend a legal claim.

Complaints about the use of Personal Data

If you wish to raise a complaint on how we have handled your Personal Data, you can contact our COLP, Paul Fletcher, who will investigate further. If you are not satisfied with our response, or believe we are not processing your data in accordance with the law, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Any questions regarding this notice and our privacy practices should be sent via email to: paul.fletcher@fletchersportslaw.com or by post and marked for the attention of Paul Fletcher, Fletcher Sports Law, Warrant House, No 1, The High Street, Altrincham Cheshire WA14 1PZ.

Fletcher Legal Services Limited, incorporating its trading name, Fletcher Sports Law, is a limited company registered in England and Wales, registered under company number 07122126 and regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority number 650034.