Office and Event Visitor Privacy Notice

This privacy notice sets out:

  • what data we collect from you
  • how we use it
  • why we need it
  • who we share it with
  • how long we keep it for

We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. All personal identifiable information about you that either you provide to us, or is given to us from a third party, will only be used in accordance with this privacy notice.

We may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from 18/05/2018.

Who does this notice apply to?

This notice applies to any person who visits the offices of Battens Solicitors Limited. It also applies to any individual that attends an event, either attended or organised by Battens Solicitors Limited, and provides information to our staff.

What data do we collect?

  • Your name, job title, company name and the reason for your visit, along with the time and date of your visit and who you meet with
  • We may take further contact information from you if required
  • Any letters, documents, photographs, forms or other items you provide to staff in relation to work we are doing or work you would like us to do for you
  • Notes or recordings may be taken during any meetings you have with staff
  • We may ask for, and keep copies of, identification documents you can provide
  • Your likeness may be captured on our office CCTV system
  • Your voice and likeness may be recorded on any telephone or video calls you participate in using our phone system or internet
  • If you are involved in any accidents while on our premises your details and the circumstances of the incident will be recorded in our accident book

What do we do with the information and why do we need it?

  • Your name, job title, employer, and contact details are needed to pass on your enquiry to relevant staff and for the purposes of responding to your enquiry or carrying out the work we are doing for you
  • We also use this information to know who is in the building in the event of a fire or other emergency
  • We may also use the details of your enquiry for analytical purposes, to improve the services we offer and better understand our clients’ needs
  • If you are entering restricted areas, your name and employer may be used to create a name badge which we will require you to wear while on the premises
  • We may inspect and take a copy of your identification documentation to verify your identity, protect ourselves and our clients from fraud, and to meet our legal obligations under anti-money laundering regulations and other laws
  • CCTV footage is used for security purposes and in the event of an incident, the footage may be provided to law enforcement

Who has access to the data?

  • Your name, contact information and details of your visit is available to all staff
  • Any letters, documents, photographs, forms or other items you provide to staff in relation to work we are doing or work you would like us to do for you is also available to all staff but specifically relayed to the staff members involved in your case
  • If you are a client or become a client at a later date, the information you provide may be shared with other third-party service providers in order to fulfil our contract with you (See our Client Privacy Notice for more details)
  • We may share your data with other organisation to fulfil our legal obligations to confirm your identity and abide by anti-money laundering regulations
  • CCTV footage is only available to IT staff unless an incident is reported, at which time the footage shall be made available to Directors and other members of staff dealing with the incident. The footage will also be shared with Law Enforcement if required

How long do we keep it for?

  • Your name, job title, employer and who you are meeting with is recorded in a diary and kept for us to 2 years
  • The details of any enquires that you make, even if we do not do the work for you for whatever reason, is kept for up to 12months, after which time it is anonymised for statistical purposes and kept indefinitely
  • Our CCTV cameras footage is recorded on a continuous loop and overwrites itself approximately every 30 days
  • Any data we collect as part of your visit to our office or an event may be retained as part of a matter if we do work for you or the work involves you. Please see our client and non-client privacy notices accordingly

Further information

Please email David Polson, our Data Protection Officer at dataprotection@battens.co.uk

Last updated: 21/09/2023