Privacy Policy

We are Mason Bullock Solicitors, a law firm registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The owner and principal solicitor is Andrew Crisp. He is the data protection representative.

You can view our contact details at the foot of this page.

We are the data controller of the personal data that we collect about you. As the data controller, we are responsible for how your data is processed.

This privacy policy explains our cookie policy, how we use any personal data we collect about you and your rights in respect of that data.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies, including tracking pixels, scripts and tags. Some of these are necessary for the website to work properly. Others, such as analytics and marketing cookies, are optional and are only used where you have given consent through our cookie banner.

We use HubSpot and Google Analytics to help us understand how visitors use our website, manage enquiries, measure the effectiveness of our communications and improve our services. Subject to your cookie choices, these tools may collect information such as the pages you visit, the date and time of your visit, links clicked, your IP address, device and browser information, approximate location, referral source and online identifiers such as cookie identifiers.

Where you consent to analytics or marketing cookies, HubSpot may help us connect your website activity with an enquiry or contact record in our customer relationship management system. This helps us respond appropriately to enquiries and understand how people interact with our website and communications.

If you do not consent to non-essential cookies, or if you later withdraw your consent, non-essential analytics and marketing tracking should not be used for your visit.

You can change or withdraw your cookie consent at any time by clearing your browser cookies and revisiting our website, or by adjusting your browser settings. You can also disable cookies through your browser settings, although this may affect how some websites function. As a rule, cookies will make your browsing experience better. However, you may prefer to disable cookies on this site and on others. We suggest consulting the Help section of your browser or taking a look at the About Cookies website which offers guidance for all modern browsers

Other websites

Our website contains links to other websites. This privacy policy only applies to this website so when you link to other websites you should read their own privacy policies.

Your Personal Data

Personal data is any information that relates to a living, identifiable person. This can include your name, contact details and other information that you provide to us.

We collect information about you in the following ways:

  • you complete a contact form on our website
  • you register as a client
  • you provide details verbally by telephone or face to face

The initial information we collect is therefore based on the information given in those forms or during the telephone conversation.

We also collect data about you when you voluntarily complete a review of our services.

Website usage information may be collected through cookies and similar technologies, subject to your cookie choices. Where you have given consent, we may collect information about how you interact with our website and communications, including pages viewed, links clicked, email interactions, IP address, device and browser information, approximate location, referral source, timestamps and online identifiers.

We use HubSpot as our customer relationship management system. Where you contact us, instruct us, submit an enquiry, complete a form, book a call, click a link in one of our emails, or otherwise interact with us, we may store relevant information in HubSpot. This may include your name, email address, telephone number, organisation, correspondence with us, enquiry details, client or prospective client status, and records of our communications with you.

Sometimes we will receive personal data from other sources, such as:

  • claim details from the court
  • claim details from another party to litigation, such as the claimant or defendant
  • address or employment information from your employer.

In these circumstances, we will notify you as soon as practicable but in any event within 30 days.

Identity documents and verification

Before we can act for you, we need to verify your identity and carry out regulatory checks. This may include asking for a copy of an identity document, such as a passport or driving licence.

We ask for this information only where it is necessary for client identification, regulatory compliance, sanctions screening, anti-money laundering compliance where applicable, or to protect against fraud. 

If you are uncomfortable sending identity documents by ordinary email, please let us know. We can discuss alternative ways for you to provide them, which may include sending documents in a password-protected file, using a secure file-sharing link, sending documents by post, or another suitable method agreed with you.

When we receive identity documents, access is limited to those who need to see them for the purposes of your matter and our compliance obligations. We store them within our client file systems and take reasonable steps to protect them against unauthorised access, loss or misuse.

We will keep copies of identity documents only for as long as we need them for the purposes of your matter, regulatory compliance, legal obligations, insurance requirements, or dealing with any complaint or claim. They will then be deleted or securely destroyed in line with our file retention procedures.

Purpose and Legal Basis of Processing

Contract

We need to process your data for the purpose of providing you with the legal advice, services and information you request from us.

The legal basis for processing your data is that  the processing is necessary in order to fulfil our contractual obligations to you or in order to provide you with preliminary advice or a costs estimate prior to entering into a contract.

The provision of your personal data is therefore necessary to enter into the contract for the provision of legal services.

By agreeing to use our services, you are under a contractual obligation to provide us with relevant personal data. If you do not provide the personal data requested, we may not be able to act for you because we will have insufficient information.

Consent

If you sign up to receive legal updates, newsletters, links to blog articles or marketing communications from us, we process data on the basis of that consent. We ensure that the consent is freely given by including an opt-in check box that you need to tick in order to be added to our mailing list. Consent to receiving such communications from us is not a precondition of using any service. You have the right to withdraw your consent.

We also rely on consent for non-essential cookies and similar technologies, including analytics and marketing tracking technologies. This includes HubSpot cookies and similar tools used to understand website usage and interactions with our communications. You can withdraw your cookie consent at any time using the cookie settings link on our website.

Legitimate Interests

Your data is also used for the following purposes, which are in our legitimate interests:

  1. Monthly reporting on relevant financial information necessary to manage the business
  2. Storing a hard copy and/or an electronic copy of your file for a reasonable period so that we can refer to it easily if you or we need information
  3. Notifying our insurers or the Solicitors Regulation Authority if something goes wrong with your matter.
  4. If you are referred to us by a business with whom we have a referral arrangement, we may need to let them know what stage your matter has reached so that they know when a referral fee is due. If we refer you to a business with whom we have a referral arrangement, they may need to let us know limited information about your matter so that we know when a referral fee is due. Please be assured that in these instances, the only data shared is necessary and anonymised information related to the legal matter, without disclosing any personal or sensitive information that could identify you. Our referral partners are carefully selected and are committed to upholding the same high standards of data protection and client confidentiality.
  5. We may also process limited CRM and communication data in our legitimate interests in managing enquiries, maintaining appropriate business records, improving our services, and communicating effectively with clients and prospective clients. Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider whether our interests are overridden by your rights, freedoms and reasonable expectations, particularly because enquiries about legal services may involve private or sensitive circumstances.

Legal Obligation

We are under a legal obligation imposed by Part 7 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to process personal data in order to submit a Suspicious Activity Report to the National Crime Agency if we know or suspect that a person is engaged in, or attempting, money laundering.

Special Category Data

The nature of some of our work dictates that we will hold special category data that relates to you. This may include your race or ethnic origin, religious, political or other beliefs, physical or mental health, trade union membership, genetic or biometric data, sex life or sexual orientation.

Additional grounds under which we may process special category data are:

  • establishing, exercising or defending a legal claim
  • when protecting your interests if you are physically or legally incapable of giving consent
  • where you have provided us with explicit consent to process your data
  • where the data we are processing has already been made public by you

How will we use the information about you?

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

  1. Contacting You: Using your name, contact details, and other information to reach out to you regarding the legal services you requested.
  2. Legal Services: Processing data to provide legal advice and services, including preliminary advice or a cost estimate before entering into a contract for the services.
  3. Legal Checks: Before beginning work, we are legally required to check whether you are a designated person under the UK Sanctions regime by carrying out a search of the consolidated list of sanctions targets on the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation website (https://sanctionssearchapp.ofsi.hmtreasury.gov.uk/.
  4. Compliance with Legal Obligations: Processing personal data as required by law, for instance, under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to report suspicious activities related to money laundering.
  5. Online Reviews – we publish reviews that you voluntarily provide, using online review platforms, such as Trustpilot, Google and Review Solicitors
  6. Service Improvement: Analyzing service reviews voluntarily completed by clients to improve the quality and delivery of legal services.
  7. Retention for Reference: Storing hard copies or electronic copies of your file for a period recommended by legal authorities or insurers to easily refer to your information when needed.
  8. Data Sharing for Legal Work: Sharing data with courts, counter-parties (such as  your employer or the opposing party in litigation), other legal professionals, and technical experts like barristers to fulfil the service requirements for your legal matters
  9. Website and Communication Analytics: Subject to your cookie choices and applicable law, we may use HubSpot and Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website and how they interact with our communications.
  10. Customer Relationship Management: We use HubSpot to manage enquiries, communications, client and prospective client relationships, and records of interactions with us.
  11. Marketing Measurement: Where permitted by law and subject to your consent where required, we may use analytics and CRM information to measure the effectiveness of our website, emails and marketing communications.

Mason Bullock Solicitors will not share your information for marketing purposes with other organisations.

Lead Generation and Data Sharing with Partner Law Firms

We have an agreement with other law firms, under which we refer prospective clients to them. As part of this referral process:

  • We may collect your personal data (such as your name, contact details, and the nature of the legal services you are seeking) when you visit our website or contact us by telephone. This information is shared with CCJRS if you are referred to them for legal services.
  • Some referral partners may set up a dedicated telephone number for tracking leads referred by us. If you use the dedicated phone number listed on our website, we may receive information about the referral to ensure accurate reporting and invoicing.
  • The data shared with referral partners is limited to what is necessary to provide you with the services requested or to facilitate the referral. The referral partner will become the data controller of the information you provide to them and will handle it according to their own privacy policy, which you can view here: https://ccjremovalservices.com/privacy-policy/
  • Our lawful basis for processing and sharing your data with a referral partner is contract, as it is necessary to provide you with legal services or to take steps prior to entering into a contract for those services. Alternatively, if you provide explicit consent to the referral, consent will be the lawful basis for processing your data.
  • Referral partners may provide us with data about the status of any referred cases for reporting and fee calculation purposes, without sharing any sensitive personal data.

You retain the right to object to the sharing of your data with a referral partner at any time or to withdraw your consent if you have provided it.

Retention periods

We may store your file and associated data, usually in electronic form but sometimes in paper form for at least 6 years or such longer period as recommended by the Law Society, the Solicitors Regulation Authority or our insurers.

We may outsource the storage of your file to an off-site storage company.

When you complete a form on our website, the data is stored on our web server for between one and two days. This is to ensure that all entry processing is complete before deleting. The deleting occurs automatically as a daily task.

Data Sharing and Transfer

We may rely on third-party service providers to perform various functions on our behalf. To do so, it may be necessary to share your personal information with them. These service providers are subject to confidentiality agreements and legal restrictions on their use of the information we provide.

Our calls are usually answered by an external telephone answering service who communicate to us the information you provide. This is usually done by telephone or email.

Your data is processed using third-party software and online platforms, some of which are stored on remote servers. Examples include Microsoft 365, Adobe, Hubspot and case management software.

HubSpot processes personal data on our behalf as a CRM, analytics and communication management provider. This may include contact details, enquiry information, communication records, website usage information and email interaction data, depending on how you interact with us and your cookie choices.

We may share your data with the court, other legal professionals, costs drafting and other technical experts, such as barristers, when that is appropriate to fulfil the requirements of the service we are providing for you.

We collect reviews using third-party review websites, such as Trustpilot, and, if you choose to provide your name, that will be publicly displayed.

An outside file storage company securely stores and manages our paper archive records and manages controlled destruction of the records when they reach the end of their retention period.

If we undergo a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or other transaction in which a third party assumes control of the firm’s operations, we may include your personal information among the assets transferred to the assuming entity, ensuring that the privacy policy remains in effect.

Your Rights as Data Subject

As a data subject, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data processed by us:

  • To be informed about how your data is handled;
  • To gain access to your personal data –  If you would like a copy of some or all of your personal information, please write to us at Mason Bullock Solicitors, Friars House, Manor House Drive, Coventry CV1 2TE or fill in a contact form on our website.
  • To have errors or inaccuracies in your data changed;
  • To have your personal data erased, in limited circumstances;
  • To object to the processing of your personal data for marketing purposes or when the processing is based on the public interest or other legitimate interests;
  • To restrict the processing of your personal data, in limited circumstances;
  • To obtain a copy of some of your data in a commonly used electronic form, in limited circumstances;
  • Rights around how you are affected by any profiling or automated decisions.
  • Where the processing of your data is on the basis of consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.

You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner if you believe we have breached your data protection rights. You can make a complaint on the ICO’s website https://ico.org.uk.

Data protection complaints

If you have a complaint about how we have handled your personal data, please contact us first so that we can investigate and respond. You can send your complaint by email to andrew.crisp@masonbullock.co.uk, by post to Mason Bullock Solicitors, Friars House, Manor House Drive, Coventry CV1 2TE, or by telephone on 0330 333 6050. We will acknowledge your complaint within 30 days of receiving it, investigate it without undue delay, keep you informed where appropriate, and explain the outcome. You still have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office if you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data or with our response to your complaint.

Where we store your personal data

The data that we collect from you may be transferred to, and stored at, a destination outside the European Economic Area (“EEA”). By submitting your personal data, you agree to this transfer, storing or processing. We will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

All information you provide to us is stored on remote servers that are managed 24/7.

Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet can never be completely secure. Although we will use reasonable endeavours to protect your personal data, We cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to our site; any transmission is at your own risk. Once we have received your information, we will use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access.

Use of Artificial Intelligence

We use certain artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT, to assist with various tasks such as legal research, checking legal documents, and drafting documents and communications.

Additionally, we may use secure AI tools provided by RingCentral to transcribe and summarise telephone calls with clients. This aids in maintaining accurate records and enhancing the efficiency and quality of our legal services. These transcripts are used solely for internal purposes and are not shared with third parties. RingCentral does not use this data to train its AI models. If you would prefer your calls not to be transcribed, please let us know, and we will respect your wishes.

The integration of AI into our services is guided by our commitment to uphold client confidentiality and adhere to the highest standards of data protection.

Changes to our privacy policy

We keep our privacy policy under review and we will place any updates on this web page.

How to contact us

Please contact us using the contact forms on our website if you have any questions about our privacy policy or information we hold about you.