Privacy at Aitken Wilson Lawyers

This policy describes the way that Aitken Wilson Lawyers collects, holds and discloses information about individuals. Aitken Wilson Lawyers adopts the principles contained in the Privacy Act, including the National Privacy Principles.

Protecting confidential information is fundamental to our relationship with our clients and to our business. All information received in connection with a client matter is subject to strict duties of confidentiality. We will not disclose that information other than according to our professional obligations, as authorised by the client or as contemplated by this policy.

Collecting and holding personal information about you

During the course of carrying on our business, we may collect personal information. We usually collect the following kinds of personal information:

We only collect personal information that is necessary for us to perform our functions. If you do not give us any of the personal information which we ask you for, it may affect our ability to meet our obligations to you or our clients.

The only personal information which we collect about you when you use our website is what you tell us about yourself, or information you provide to us when you send us an email. We will record your email address if you send us an email.

Sensitive information

Some personal information which we collect is ‘sensitive information’. Sensitive information includes information relating to a person's racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religion, trade union or other professional or trade association membership, sexual preferences and criminal record, that is also personal information and health information about an individual.

Sensitive information will be used and disclosed only for the purpose for which it was provided or a directly related secondary purpose, unless you agree otherwise, or where certain other limited circumstances apply (eg, where required by law).

Using and disclosing your personal information

We respect your privacy. We use your personal information for the purposes for which it was collected and related purposes which are normally obvious when we collect it, including to provide you or our clients with information about legal developments, manage our relationships, to improve our services and to facilitate our internal business operations, including to fulfil our legal obligations.

We may disclose personal information for the purposes for which it was collected, and also subject to our professional obligations, to any person where necessary or desirable in connection with our provision of legal services, as required by law subject to our professional obligations, as permitted under the National Privacy Principles or with your consent.

Information security

The National Privacy Principles require us to take reasonable steps to protect the security of personal information. Aitken Wilson Lawyers is required to respect the confidentiality of personal information and the privacy of individuals.

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information held from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure, for example by use of physical security and restricted access to electronic records.

Where we no longer require your personal information for a permitted purpose under the National Privacy Principles , we will take reasonable steps to destroy it.

Access and correction

In most cases, you can gain access to personal information that we hold about you. We may charge you a fee where access is provided. We will handle requests for access to your personal information in accordance with the National Privacy Principles.

Currency of information

Aitken Wilson Lawyers endeavours to ensure that the personal information it holds is accurate, complete and up-to-date. We encourage you to contact us in order to update any personal information we hold about you.