The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) applies to the way we collect, use and manage personal information provided to us through our interactions with you, including as part of your use of our website.
This website is also designed and hosted by a third-party supplier, LawLytics. The LawLytics privacy policy also applies to your use and interactions with this website and is available via the link at the bottom of this webpage and other pages of this website.
What is personal information?
This Privacy Policy applies to any personal information we receive from you, our clients and potential clients, referrers, service or product suppliers, employees or job applicants and any other third party.
Personal information is any information or an opinion about an identified individual or an individual who can be reasonably identified from the information or opinion. Information or an opinion may be personal information regardless of whether it is true.
You are not required to provide us with any personal information. However, if you do not provide us with your personal information, and keep it accurate, up to date and complete, we may not be able to provide you with our services, communicate with you or respond to your enquiries efficiently or at all.
When we collect personal information
We collect and hold information about you when you provide it to us and interact with us, for example:
- when you visit or use our website, applications/apps or social media platforms;
- when you or a business you work for enquire about or use our services;
- when you call, email or send correspondence to us;
- when you complete our website contact form or subscribe for a mailing list or event; and
- when you have a relationship with one or more of our clients or you are connected or involved in a legal matter we acting in.
Types of personal information that we collect or hold
The information we collect depends on your interaction with us and may include information about:
- your identity (such as your name or gender, place or type or business);
- your contact details (address, email or phone);
- payment details or history (such as when you pay our invoices);
- history of your receipt and use or our services;
- details of the enquiries or complaints you make;and
- any other information relevant to providing you with our services or responding to your queries.
We may collect information about how you access, use and interact with us or our the Website. We do this by using a range of tools, including tools of third parties such as Google Analytics. This information may include:
- the location from which you have come to the Website and the pages you have visited; and
- technical data, which may include IP address or domain name, the types of devices you are using to access the website, device attributes, browser type, language and operating system.
Cookies and Links
We may use cookies on the Website. A cookie is a small text file that the Website may place on your device to store information. We may use persistent cookies (which remain on your computer even after you close your browser) to store information that may speed up your use of our Website for any of your future visits to the website. We may also use session cookies (which no longer remain after you end your browsing session) to help manage the display and presentation of information on the website. You may refuse to use cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser. However, please note that if you do this, you may not be able to use the full functionality of the Website.
Our Website may contain links to other websites. We are not responsible for the privacy controls or activities of any linked websites. Linked websites may have their own privacy policies and are not subject to this privacy policies.
Why do we collect, hold and use your personal information?
We collect, hold and use your personal information so that we can:
- provide you with our services, and manage our relationship with you;
- contact you, for example, to respond to your queries or complaints, or if we need to tell you something;
- operate our business internally as well as comply with our legal obligations or assist government and law enforcement agencies or regulators;
- providing you with information about our services that we offer that may be of interest to you;
- seek your feedback about our products and services including through reviews and direct feedback requests; and
- analyse our Website, service supply or requests and use the analytics and information collected to improve our client experience, Website use or access and service supply.
How do we collect your personal information?
We generally collect your personal information directly from you when you give it to us in your interactions with us, our website and online tools (such as web or mobile applications). For example, when you provide your information:
- via our standard, website or online application forms or questionnaires;
- as part of email correspondence, online meetings and our telephone conversations with you;
- via one of our third party supplier products such as LawConnect, Infotrack or Perfect Portal or through third party referrers;
- from third-party searches and/or investigations, for example as part of compliance and verification of identity checks; and
- via your and our social media platforms either through your direct messages to us or where you have made the information publicly available.
We may also collect your personal information from our clients, counter parties, third parties acting on your behalf or authorised representatives.
Our offices are protected by CCTV, and you may be recorded when you visit. We use CCTV to help provide a safe and secure environment for our visitors and staff.
Artificial Intelligence technologies
We are committed to supplying quality and valuable legal services effectively and efficiently. As part of this, we use artificial intelligence (AI) technologies when appropriate and when performing tasks as part of or connected to our service supply to you, our business operations or interactions with you. When you engage us to perform legal services or interact with us, you consent to our use of AI tools in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
The AI tools may be used in different ways including, but not limited, to analyse data or contracts, automate processes or assist with legal research, drafting or document review. If processing your personal information, we ensure our use of the AI applications comply with relevant privacy laws and regulations.
The AI tools are used to improve human efficiency and support the performance of tasks. However AI tools or other computer assisted technologies does not replace human oversight or professional judgment in the legal services we supply to you. We continue to be responsible for all advice and services provided to you and are committed to maintaining accuracy of information we provide to you regardless of the use of any AI tools. We do not use automated-decision making that would have a significant or personal effect on you.
How do we store and hold personal information?
We store most information about you electronically, such as in computer systems, cloud software services and databases. These are either operated by either us or our external third-party suppliers. Some information about you is recorded in paper file.
We take reasonable security measures and processes to securely store and protect the personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure, including electronic and physical security measures.
We will also take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify personal information as required by law.
Disclosure
We may transfer or disclose your personal information to external service providers so that they may perform services for us or on our behalf.
We may also disclose your personal information to others where:
- we are required or authorised by law to do so;
- you may have expressly consented to the disclosure or the consent may be reasonably inferred from the circumstances; or
- we are otherwise permitted to disclose the information under the Privacy Act or any other law.
If the ownership or control of all or part of our business changes, we may transfer your personal information to the new owner.
Location
While we predominately operate in Australia and will access your personal information from a location within Australia, we may disclose or transfer your personal information to recipients that are located outside Australia.
For example, we may use third party products or outsourced services from time to time which may be hosted in or supplied from (in whole or part) countries other than Australia. As a result your personal information or data may be transmitted or processed in locations outside of Australia as necessary for such activities.
Marketing
We may use your personal information to offer you products and services or information (such as newsletters) we believe may interest you. You can tell us at anytime if you do not want to receive such communications by notice in writing. These products, services or information may be offered by us, our other business partners or our service providers.
Where you receive electronic marketing communications from us, you may opt out of receiving further marketing communications by following the opt-out instructions provided in the communication.
We do not market to children. To buy or receive our services you must be over 18. If you are under 18, you may use our Website with consent from a parent or guardian.
Access to and correction of your personal information
You may access or request correction of the personal information that we hold about you by contacting and making a request in writing. Our contact details are set out below and are on our Website. There are some circumstances in which we are not required to give you access to your personal information. We will notify you of these reasons when this is case.
There is no charge for requesting access to your personal information, but we may require you to pay our reasonable costs in providing you with access (such as photocopying costs or costs for time spent on collating large amounts of material).
We will respond to your requests to access or correct personal information in a reasonable time. If, on receiving access to your personal information, or at any other time, you believe the personal information we hold about you is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date, please notify us immediately. We will take reasonable steps to correct the information so that it is accurate, complete and up to date.
Complaints
If you have a complaint about how we have handled you personal information or complied with the Privacy Act (including the APPs) or any other privacy laws you believe apply to you, please contact and make the complaint to us in writing. Our contact details are set out below.
We will consider your complaint and take reasonable steps to investigate the matter. We will notify you of the outcome of this investigation within a reasonable time. If you are not happy or satisfied with the way in which we have handled your complaint, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) (www.oaic.gov.au) for guidance on alternative courses of action that may be available.
If you have any questions, comments, requests or concerns, please contact us at:
Privacy Officer, SLB Legal
Changes to our Privacy Policy
We may change or updated this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes to our policy will be published on our Website.
Our current policy can be obtained from our website or by contacting us at the contact details above.
