Privacy Policy Information

1. Introduction

ASA Solicitors respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and disclose personal information and explains your rights under applicable data protection legislation.

ASA Solicitors is a data controller in relation to personal information for which we determine the purposes and means of processing.

2. Who We Are

ASA Solicitors
12 New John Street
Bradford
BD1 2QY

Telephone: 01274 900 400
Email: info@asa-solicitors.co.uk

SRA ID: 8007612

Questions, requests or complaints relating to personal information may be sent to us using the above contact details.

3. Data Protection Legislation

We process personal information in accordance with applicable UK data protection law, including:

• the UK General Data Protection Regulation (“UK GDPR”);
• the Data Protection Act 2018;
• the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025; and
• the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (“PECR”), as amended,

together with other applicable legislation and regulatory requirements.

4. Personal Information We May Collect

The information we collect will depend upon our relationship with you and the legal services involved.

It may include:

Identity information

• name;
• title;
• date of birth;
• photographic identification;
• passport details;
• driving licence details;
• signature; and
• other identification information.

Contact information

• postal address;
• email address;
• telephone number; and
• other contact details.

Financial information

• bank account details;
• payment details;
• financial circumstances;
• income;
• assets and liabilities;
• source of funds;
• source of wealth; and
• transaction information.

Matter information

• information concerning your legal matter;
• correspondence;
• witness evidence;
• contracts;
• court documents;
• medical or expert evidence;
• financial evidence; and
• other documents relevant to our instructions.

Technical information

When you use our website, we may collect information such as:

• IP address;
• device information;
• browser type;
• operating system;
• website usage information;
• pages visited;
• referral information; and
• cookie or similar technology information.

Communications

We may retain:

• emails;
• letters;
• telephone notes;
• online enquiries;
• messages;
• complaints; and
• records of other communications.

5. Special Category Information

Legal matters sometimes require us to process information which is given additional protection under data protection legislation.

This may include information concerning:

• health;
• racial or ethnic origin;
• religious or philosophical beliefs;
• political opinions;
• trade union membership;
• genetic information;
• biometric information used for identification;
• sex life; and
• sexual orientation.

We will only process such information where we have both an appropriate lawful basis and an applicable legal condition permitting that processing.

Depending upon the circumstances, this may include processing necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims, substantial public interest purposes or other conditions permitted by law.

6. Criminal Offence Information

The nature of legal work may require us to process information concerning alleged or actual criminal offences, criminal proceedings, convictions or related matters.

We will process such information only where permitted by applicable data protection legislation and with the safeguards required by law.

7. How We Obtain Personal Information

We may receive personal information:

• directly from you;
• from another client;
• from someone acting on your behalf;
• from witnesses;
• from opponents or their representatives;
• from solicitors and barristers;
• from courts and tribunals;
• from government bodies;
• from law enforcement bodies;
• from medical professionals;
• from experts;
• from insurers;
• from claims management or referring organisations where lawful;
• from publicly available sources;
• from identity and verification providers;
• from professional databases;
• from third-party service providers; or
• through your use of our website and electronic services.

8. Why We Use Personal Information

We may process personal information for purposes including:

• responding to enquiries;
• determining whether we can act;
• performing conflict checks;
• verifying identity;
• complying with anti-money laundering and financial crime requirements;
• opening and administering client files;
• providing legal advice;
• conducting litigation;
• negotiating and corresponding on behalf of clients;
• obtaining expert evidence;
• communicating with courts, tribunals, opponents and other parties;
• managing client money and payments;
• issuing invoices and collecting fees;
• managing our business;
• maintaining records;
• managing complaints;
• complying with regulatory requirements;
• establishing, exercising or defending legal rights;
• preventing and detecting fraud or crime;
• maintaining network and information security;
• improving our services;
• monitoring website performance;
• managing recruitment;
• dealing with suppliers and professional contacts; and
• complying with legal obligations.

9. Our Lawful Bases

Depending upon the circumstances, our lawful basis for processing personal information may include:

Contract

Processing may be necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract or to perform our contract with you.

Legal obligation

We may need to process information in order to comply with legal or regulatory obligations.

Legitimate interests

We may process information where necessary for our legitimate business or professional interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.

Examples may include:

• operating and administering our legal practice;
• protecting our systems;
• preventing fraud;
• managing professional relationships;
• defending legal claims; and
• improving our services.

Recognised legitimate interests

Where applicable, we may process information where legislation expressly recognises a legitimate interest for the relevant activity.

Consent

In some circumstances we may ask for your consent.

Where processing is based upon consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing that took place lawfully before consent was withdrawn.

Other lawful grounds

Other lawful bases permitted by applicable legislation may apply depending upon the circumstances.

10. Who We May Share Personal Information With

Where necessary and lawful, we may disclose information to:

• courts and tribunals;
• barristers;
• experts;
• other solicitors and legal representatives;
• opponents and parties to legal proceedings;
• medical professionals;
• insurers;
• accountants and auditors;
• banks and payment providers;
• identity and verification providers;
• technology and IT providers;
• document storage providers;
• case management providers;
• cloud service providers;
• professional advisers;
• translators and interpreters;
• process servers;
• enquiry agents;
• regulators, including the SRA;
• the Legal Ombudsman;
• law enforcement agencies;
• HM Revenue & Customs;
• other government or public authorities;
• potential successors to or purchasers of all or part of our practice, subject to appropriate safeguards; and
• other persons where authorised by you or permitted or required by law.

We do not disclose personal information simply because a third party requests it. We consider whether disclosure is authorised, necessary and lawful.

11. Confidentiality

As solicitors, we are subject to professional duties of confidentiality in addition to our data protection obligations.

Client information will be kept confidential unless disclosure is authorised by the client, required or permitted by law, or otherwise permitted under our professional obligations.

12. International Transfers

Some technology providers or other recipients may process personal information outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred internationally, we will take steps required by applicable data protection legislation to ensure that appropriate protection is in place.

Depending upon the destination and circumstances, this may include reliance upon:

• UK adequacy regulations;
• legally recognised contractual safeguards;
• approved data-transfer mechanisms; or
• another lawful exception or safeguard.

Further information concerning a particular transfer can be requested from us where applicable.

13. How Long We Keep Information

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and to satisfy applicable legal, professional, regulatory, accounting and insurance requirements.

Retention periods vary depending upon:

• the nature of the matter;
• the type of information;
• statutory limitation periods;
• regulatory requirements;
• professional indemnity considerations;
• safeguarding considerations;
• the possibility of future legal claims; and
• other relevant circumstances.

Client files may therefore be retained for a period after a matter has concluded.

Where information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, destroyed or anonymised as appropriate.

14. Security

We take appropriate organisational and technical measures designed to protect personal information from:

• unauthorised access;
• unlawful processing;
• accidental loss;
• destruction;
• alteration; and
• unauthorised disclosure.

Measures may include access controls, secure systems, staff procedures, cybersecurity controls, backups and appropriate contractual arrangements with service providers.

No internet or electronic communication system can, however, be guaranteed to be completely secure.

15. Your Data Protection Rights

Subject to applicable conditions and exemptions, you may have the right to:

Be informed

You have the right to receive information about how your personal information is used.

Access

You may request confirmation that we process your personal information and obtain a copy of information to which you are entitled.

Rectification

You may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete personal information.

Erasure

In certain circumstances, you may ask us to delete personal information.

This right does not apply where we are required or entitled to retain the information, including where it is necessary to comply with legal obligations or establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

Restriction

You may be able to ask us to restrict the processing of your information in certain circumstances.

Data portability

Where applicable, you may have the right to receive certain information in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format or have it transferred to another controller.

Object

You may have the right to object to processing based upon legitimate interests or certain other lawful bases.

Withdraw consent

Where we rely upon consent, you may withdraw that consent.

Automated decision-making

You may have rights relating to decisions made solely by automated means which produce legal or similarly significant effects, subject to the provisions and exceptions contained in applicable data protection legislation.

Not every right applies in every circumstance.

Because ASA Solicitors is a law firm, legal professional privilege, confidentiality, legal claims and other statutory exemptions may affect the information we can provide or the rights that can be exercised in a particular situation.

16. Exercising Your Rights

Requests concerning your data protection rights can be submitted to:

Email: info@asa-solicitors.co.uk

or:

ASA Solicitors
12 New John Street
Bradford
BD1 2QY

We may need to verify your identity before dealing with a request.

We will not request more identification than is reasonably necessary.

We will respond within the time limits required by applicable data protection legislation.

17. Data Protection Complaints

If you are concerned about the way in which ASA Solicitors has collected, used, disclosed, stored or otherwise handled your personal information, you may make a data protection complaint to us.

Complaints may be made using:

Email: info@asa-solicitors.co.uk

Post:
ASA Solicitors
12 New John Street
Bradford
BD1 2QY

Telephone: 01274 900 400

We will:

• provide a clear means of making a data protection complaint;
• acknowledge receipt of a data protection complaint within 30 days;
• take appropriate steps to investigate the complaint without undue delay;
• keep you appropriately informed; and
• notify you of the outcome without undue delay.

This is separate from, although it may overlap with, our procedure for complaints about legal services.

18. Information Commissioner’s Office

You also have the right to raise concerns with the Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”), the UK’s independent regulator for data protection matters.

We would ordinarily appreciate the opportunity to consider and resolve your concerns directly first, although this does not affect your right to approach the ICO.

19. Marketing

Where we send electronic direct marketing, we will do so in accordance with applicable data protection and electronic communications legislation.

Where consent is required, we will obtain it.

Where another lawful basis or exception permits marketing, we will comply with the relevant requirements.

You may opt out of marketing communications at any time by contacting us or using any unsubscribe facility provided in the communication.

Opting out of marketing will not prevent us from sending communications necessary to provide legal services or administer an existing relationship.

20. Cookies

Our website uses cookies and potentially other storage or access technologies.

Further information is contained in our Cookie Policy.

21. Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to websites operated by third parties.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites and recommend reviewing their privacy notices separately.

22. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect:

• changes to our services;
• changes to how we process information;
• technological developments;
• legal developments; or
• regulatory guidance.

The latest version will be published on our website with the date of the most recent update.