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About PWJ Solicitors

We have served generations of individuals and local businesses, providing comprehensive legal advice.

The Law Society - Conveyancing

Welcome to Parkes Wilshire Johnson’s privacy notice.

Parkes Wilshire Johnson respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This privacy notice will inform you as to how we look after your personal data when you visit our website regardless of where you visit it from and tell you about your privacy rights and how the law protects you.

Please also use the Glossary to understand the meaning of some of the terms used in this privacy notice.

1. IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND WHO WE ARE

2. THE DATA WE COLLECT ABOUT YOU

3. HOW IS YOUR PERSONAL DATA COLLECTED

4. HOW WE USE YOUR PERSONAL DATA

5. PURPOSES FOR WHICH WE USE YOUR PERSONAL DATA

6. MARKETING

7. COOKIES

8. CHANGE IN PURPOSE

9. DISCLOSURES OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA

10. INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS

11. DATA SECURITY

12. DATA RETENTION

13. YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS

14. GLOSSARY

1. IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND WHO WE ARE

PURPOSE OF THIS PRIVACY NOTICE

This privacy notice aims to give you information on how Parkes Wilshire Johnson collects and processes your personal data through your use of this website, including any data you may provide through this website.

This website is not intended for children and we do not knowingly collect data relating to children.

It is important that you read this privacy notice together with any other privacy notice or fair processing notice we may provide on specific occasions when we are collecting or processing personal data about you so that you are fully aware of how and why we are using your data. This privacy notice supplements the other notices and is not intended to override them.

CONTROLLER
Parkes Wilshire Johnson is the controller and responsible for your personal data (collectively referred to as Parkes Wilshire Johnson, “we”, “us” or “our” in this privacy notice).

We have appointed a Partner to act as contact for data protection issues and internal data protection officer (IDPO) who is responsible for overseeing questions in relation to this privacy notice. If you have any questions about this privacy notice, including any requests to exercise your legal rights, please contact the IDPO using the details set out below.

CONTACT DETAILS

Our full details are: PARKES WILSHIRE JOHNSON SOLICITORS
Full name of legal entity: PARKES WILSHIRE JOHNSON
Name or title of IDPO: LUCY THOMAS
Email address: law@pwjsolicitors.co.uk
Postal address: 1 Cockfosters Parade, Cockfosters, Barnet, Herts, EN4 0BX
Telephone number: 020 8441 1556

You have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for date protection issues (www.ico.org.uk). We would, however, appreciate the chance to deal with your concerns before you approach the ICO so please contact us in the first instance.

CHANGES TO THE PRIVACY NOTICE AND YOUR DUTY TO INFORM US OF CHANGES
This version was last updated on (11th May 2018) and historic versions can be obtained by contacting us.

It is important that the personal data we hold about you is accurate and current. Please keep us informed if your personal data changes during your relationship with us.

THIRD-PARTY LINKS
This website may include links to third-party websites, plug-ins and applications. Clicking on those links or enabling those connections may allow third parties to collect or share data about you. We do not control these third-party websites and are not responsible for their privacy statements. When you leave our website, we encourage you to read the privacy notice of every website you visit.

 

2. THE DATA WE COLLECT ABOUT YOU

Personal data, or personal information, means any information about an individual from which that person can be identified. It does not include data where the identity has been removed (anonymous data). We may collect, use, store and transfer different kinds of personal data about you which we have grouped together follows:

Identity Data: includes first name, maiden name, last name, username or similar identifier, marital status, title, date of birth and gender.
Contact Data: includes billing address, delivery address, email address and telephone numbers.
Financial Data: includes bank account and payment card details.
Transaction Data: includes details about payments to and from you and other details of products and legal services we have provided to you.
Technical Data: includes internet protocol (IP) address, browser type and version, time zone setting and location, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform and other technology on the devices you use to access this website.
Profile Data: includes your preferences, feedback and survey responses.
Usage Data: includes information about how you use our website, products and services.
Marketing and Communications Data: includes your preferences in receiving marketing from us and our third parties and your communication preferences.

We also collect, use and share Aggregated Data such as statistical or demographic data for any purpose. Aggregated Data may be derived from your personal data but is not considered personal data in law as this data does not directly or indirectly reveal your identity. For example, we may aggregate your Usage Data to calculate the percentage of users accessing a specific website feature. However, if we combine or connect Aggregated Data with your personal data so that it can directly or indirectly identify you, we treat the combined data as personal data which will be used in accordance with this privacy notice.

We do not collect any Special Categories of Personal Data about you (this includes details about your race or ethnicity, religious or philosophical beliefs, sex life, sexual orientation, political opinions, trade union membership, information about your health and genetic and biometric data). Nor do we collect any information about criminal convictions and offences unless this is specifically relevant to your legal matter.

IF YOU FAIL TO PROVIDE PERSONAL DATA
Where we need to collect personal data by law, or under the terms of a contract we have with you and you fail to provide that data when requested, we may not be able to perform the contract we have or are trying to enter into with you (for example, to provide you with legal services). In this case, we may have to cancel the legal service you have with us but we will notify you if this is the case at the time.

 

3. HOW IS YOUR PERSONAL DATA COLLECTED?

We use different methods to collect data from and about you including through:

Direct interactions. You may give us your Identity, Contact and Financial Data by filling in forms or by corresponding with us by post, phone, email or otherwise. This includes personal data you provide when you:
• Request for information on our legal services;
• give us some feedback.

Automated technologies or interactions. As you interact with our website, we may automatically collect Technical Data about your equipment, browsing actions and patterns. We collect this personal data by using cookies, server logs and other similar technologies. We may also receive Technical Data about you if you visit other website employing our cookies.

Third parties or publicly available sources. We may receive personal data about you from various third parties and public sources as set out below:

Technical Data from the following parties:
(a) analytics providers such as Google based outside the EU;

(b) advertising networks based inside or outside the EU

(c) search information providers based inside or outside the EU

Contact, Financial and Transaction Data from providers of technical, payment and delivery services based inside or outside the EU

Identity and Contact Data from data brokers or aggregators based inside or outside the EU

Identity and Contact Data from publicly availably sources such as Companies House and the Electoral Register based inside the EU.

From you directly, from your Attorneys, Deputies, Personal Representatives, Social Services

From estate agents, banks, other agents, accountants or other professional advisers where necessary for the provision of legal service to you

Your family members

Doctors

Expert Witnesses

 

4. HOW WE USE YOUR PERSONAL DATA

We will only use your personal data when the law allows us to. Most commonly, we will use your personal data in the following circumstances:

Where we need to perform the contract, we are about to enter into or have entered into with you.
Where it is necessary for our legitimate interests (or those of a third party) and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests.
Where we need to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation.
Please contact us for further information.

Generally, we do not rely on consent as a legal basis for processing your personal data other than in relation to sending third party direct marketing communications to you via email or text message. You have the right to withdraw consent to marketing at any time by Contacting us.

 

5. PURPOSES FOR WHICH WE WILL USE YOUR PERSONAL DATA

We have set out below, in a table format, a description of all the ways we plan to use your personal data, and which of the legal bases we rely on to do so. We have also identified what our legitimate interests are where appropriate.

Note that we may process your personal data for more than one lawful ground depending on the specific purpose for which we are using your data. Please Contact us if you need details about the specific legal ground we are relying on to process your personal data where more than one ground has been set out below.

To register you as a new client
Taking your ID information for this purpose.
Type of data: (a) Identity, (b) Contact/Address
Lawful basis: To respond to your enquiry or instruction

To be instructed for a legal service
(a) Proof of Identity: photographic ID (two forms), three different forms of address ID. (b) Collect and recover money owed to us.
Type of data: (a) Identity, (b) Contact, (c) Financial, (d) Transaction
Lawful basis: (a) To enter into a contract with you (Terms of Business) and to carry out the legal service you have instructed us for. (b) Necessary for our legitimate interests, e.g. to recover debts due to us.

To manage our relationship with you which will include:
(a) Notifying you about changes to our terms or privacy policy.
Type of data: (a) Identity, (b) Contact, (c) Profile, (d) Marketing and Communications.
Lawful basis: (a) To carry out the legal service. (b) Necessary to comply with a legal obligation. (c) Necessary for our legitimate interests to keep our records updated.

To administer and protect our business and this website
Including troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, system maintenance, support, reporting and hosting of data.
Type of data: (a) Identity, (b) Contact, (c) Technical.
Lawful basis: (a) Necessary for our legitimate interests for running our business, provision of administration and IT services, network security, to prevent fraud and in the context of a business reorganisation or group restructuring exercise. (b) Necessary to comply with a legal obligation.

 

6. MARKETING

We strive to provide you with choices regarding certain personal data uses, particularly around marketing and advertising.

PROMOTIONAL OFFERS FROM US

We may use your Identity, Contact, Technical, Usage and Profile Data to form a view on what we think you may want or need, or what may be of interest to you. This is how we decide which products, services and offers may be relevant for you (we call this marketing).

You may receive marketing communications from us if you have requested information from us or contracted us to provide you with legal services and, in each case, you have not opted out of receiving that marketing.

THIRD-PARTY MARKETING
We do not share your data with third parties for marketing purposes.

OPTING OUT
You can ask us or third parties to stop sending you marketing messages at any time by Contacting us at any time. Where you opt out of receiving these marketing messages, this will not apply to personal data provided to us as a result of the provision of legal services to you or other transactions.

 

7. COOKIES

Cookies are temporary files stored in your web browser by a website to help track usage and enable services that rely on a persistent identity. You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when websites set or access cookies. If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of this website may become inaccessible or not function properly.

Essential cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our websites and to use some of its features. But you can still block or delete them by changing your browser preferences.
None currently in use

Functional cookies

These cookies are used to enhance the performance and functionality of our websites. They are non-essential but without them certain functionality may become unavailable.
popover_view, popover_never_view (PWJ Solicitors) – used to count how many times pop-over messages have been displayed to a user and remember a preference not to show one again. Expires after 12 months.

Analytics & customisation cookies
These cookies collect information to help us understand how our website is being used or customise it in order to enhance your experience.
_ga (Google Analytics) – used to distinguish between users. Expires after 2 years.
_gat (Google Analytics) – used to distinguish between users. Expires after 24 hours.
_gid – (Google Analytics) – used to throttle the request rate. Expires after 1 minute.

Advertising cookies

These cookies are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you and your interests.
None currently in use

 

8. CHANGE OF PURPOSE

We will only use your personal data for the purposes for which we collected it, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another reason and that reason is compatible with the original purpose. If you wish to get an explanation as to how the processing for the new purpose is compatible with the original purpose, please Contact us.

If we need to use your personal data for an unrelated purpose, we will notify you and we will explain the legal basis which allows us to do so.

Please note that we may process your personal data without your knowledge or consent, in compliance with the above rules, where this is required or permitted by law.

 

9. DISCLOSURES OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA

We may have to share your personal data with the parties set out below for the purposes set out in the table in paragraph 4 above.

• Internal Third Parties as set out in the Glossary.
• External Third Parties as set out in the Glossary.
• Specific third parties as set out in the Glossary
• Third parties to whom we may choose to sell, transfer, or merge parts of our business or our assets. Alternatively, we may seek to acquire other businesses or merge with them. If a change happens to our business, then the new owners may use your personal data in the same way as set out in this privacy notice.
We require all third parties to respect the security of your personal data and to treat it in accordance with the law. We do not allow our third-party service providers to use your personal data for their own purposes and only permit them to process your personal data for specified purposes and in accordance with our instructions.

 

10. INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS

We do not transfer your personal data outside the European Economic Area (EEA) unless for the purpose of your transaction, if this involves overseas assets, beneficiaries, banks, search providers, professional advisers or other bodies which you have instructed us to deal with.

 

11. DATA SECURITY

We have put in place appropriate security measures to prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way, altered or disclosed. In addition, we limit access to your personal data to those employees, agents, contractors and other third parties who have a business need to know. They will only process your personal data on our instructions and they are subject to a duty of confidentiality.

We have put in place procedures to deal with any suspected personal data breach and will notify you and any applicable regulator of a breach where we are legally required to do so.

 

12. DATA RETENTION

HOW LONG WILL YOU USE MY PERSONAL DATA FOR?

We will only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

To determine the appropriate retention period for personal date, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the personal data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure of this and the applicable legal requirements.

By law we have to keep basic information about our clients for tax and compliance purposes (including Contact, Identity, Financial and Transaction Data) for a minimum of seven years after they have ceased being our clients. We will usually shred paper files for minor and non-contentious matters after seven years, but certain files will be retained for longer where we judge in our professional opinion that there is a potential for future litigation or detailed enquiry in the future. In these cases the electronic and sometimes also paper files will be held until such time as we can be sure that they are no longer needed, or for up to 99 y ears, whichever is the longer period. For Example, if we hold a Will for you and you choose to make a replacement Will elsewhere, we have no notice of this until such time as you provide us with this information, and so your Will and Will file would be kept indefinitely.

Retention periods:
a) Sales/Settlement Agreements/Commercial Transactions/Landlord and Tenant matters/minor matters – 7 years both paper and electronic
b) Wills – until one year after date of Grant of Probate for paper and retaining original Will until notified by client or Executors that no longer needed. Electronic key documents retained for up to 99 years.
c) LPA’s/Deputyships – until one year after death for paper file, original LPA’s held until notified by client or Executors that no longer needed. Electronic key documents retained for up to 99 years.
d) Purchases – until known sale of property for paper file. Electronic key documents retained for up to 99 years.
e) Probates – until 7 years after death of second spouse for paper file. Electronic key documents retained for up to 99 years.
f) Any matter involving litigation – 7 years for paper file, electronic key documents retained for up to 99 years.
Please note that the above will be subject to exceptions where Partners deem that a file may need to be required due to the circumstances of the matter or clients involved.

Digital files will be put into deep archive or deleted in accordance with the same system as paper files (as above), unless key documents are retained on potentially contentious files, or those where enquiries may be received in the future. The back-up of digital files means that some files will remain in the backed-up data system for 90 days after deletion. We may also retain a single copy of all data, drawn-down once a year, in an additionally secured location, for the purpose of a full back-up of all firm-wide information.

In some circumstances we may anonymise your personal data (so that it can no longer be associated with you) for research or statistical purposes in which case we may use this information indefinitely without further notice to you.

 

13. YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS

Under certain circumstances, you have rights under data protection laws in relation to your personal data. Please click on the links below to find out more about these rights:

• Request access to your personal data.
• Request correction of your personal data.
• Request erasure of your personal data.
• Object to processing of your personal data.
• Request restriction of processing your personal data.
• Request transfer of your personal data.
• Right to withdraw consent.
• If you wish to exercise any of the rights set out above, please contact us.

NO FEE USUALLY REQUIRED
You will not have to pay a fee to access your personal data (or to exercise any of the other rights). However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request is clearly unfounded, repetitive or excessive. Alternatively, we may refuse to comply with your request in these circumstances.

WHAT WE MAY NEED FROM YOU
We may need to request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and ensure your right to access your personal data or to exercise any of your other rights. This is a security measure to ensure that personal data is not disclosed to any person who has no right to receive it. We may also contact you to ask you for further information in relation to your request to speed up our response.

TIME LIMIT TO RESPOND
We try to respond to all legitimate requests within one month. Occasionally it may take us longer than a month if your request is particularly complex or you have made a number of requests. In this case, we will notify you and keep you updated.

 

14. GLOSSARY

LAWFUL BASIS
Legitimate Interest means the interest of our business in conducting and managing our business to enable us to give you the best service/product and the best and most secure experience. We make sure we consider and balance any potential impact on you (both positive and negative) and your rights before we process your personal data for our legitimate interests. We do not use your personal data for activities where our interests are overridden by the impact on you (unless we have your consent or are otherwise required or permitted to by law). You can obtain further information about how we assess our legitimate interests against any potential impact on you in respect of specific activities by contacting us.

Performance of Contract means processing your data where it is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are a party or to take steps at your request before entering into such a contract.

Comply with a legal or regulatory obligation means processing your personal data where it is necessary for compliance with a legal or regulatory obligation that we are subject to.

THIRD PARTIES

INTERNAL THIRD PARTIES
This includes all members of staff employed by Parkes Wilshire Johnson.

EXTERNAL THIRD PARTIES

• Service providers based in the UK unless otherwise advised who provide IT and system administration services including client database providers.
• Professional advisers including the Law Society, Solicitors Regulation Authority, Courts and Tribunals, Other Solicitors, Barristers, Professional Consultants,
• Professional Indemnity Insurers, Accountants, Banks, Social Services, Care Homes, Surveyors, Insurance providers
• HM Revenue & Customs, regulators and other authorities acting as processors or joint controllers based in the United Kingdom who require reporting of processing activities in certain circumstances.
• Land Registry
• Certainty National Will register
• Funeral directors
• Asset holders including banks, building societies, registrars and NS&I
• Genealogists and tracing agents for locating persons
• Unclaimed asset register for searches
• Banks/ Building societies and associated agencies or search providers
• Legal and public notice providers
• Local Authorities
• Search providers
• Organ Donor Register
• AML search providers and bankruptcy searches
• Property clearance agents
• Lenders
• Credit Agencies
• Embassies Passport Officers
• ICO
• Personal representatives, Attorneys and Deputies
• Utility companies
• Charities and other beneficiaries
• Employers (with authority)

15. YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS

You have the right to:

Request access to your personal data (commonly known as a “data subject access request”). This enables you to receive a copy of the personal data we hold about you and to check that we are lawfully processing it.

Request correction of the personal data that we hold about you. This enables you to have any incomplete or inaccurate data we hold about you corrected, though we may need to verify the accuracy of the new data you provide to us.

Request erasure of your personal data. This enables you to ask us to delete or remove personal data where there is no good reason for us continuing to process it. You also have the right to ask us to delete or remove your personal data where you have successfully exercised your right to object to processing, see below, where we may have processed your information unlawfully or where we are required to erase your personal data to comply with local law. Note, however, that we may not always be able to comply with your request of erasure for specific legal reasons which will be notified to you, if applicable, at the time of your request.

Object to processing of your personal data where we are relying on a legitimate interest or those of a third party and there is something about your particular situation which makes you want to object to processing on this ground as you feel it impacts on your fundamental rights and freedoms. You also have the right to object where we are processing your personal data for direct marketing purposes. In some cases, we may demonstrate that we have compelling legitimate grounds to process your information which override your rights and freedoms.

Request restriction of processing of your personal data. This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of your personal data in the following scenarios: (a) if you want us to establish the data’s accuracy; (b) where our use of the data is unlawful but you do not want us to erase it; (c) where you need us to hold the data even if we no longer require it as you need it to establish, exercise or defend legal claims; or (d) you have objected to our use of your data but we need to verify whether we have overriding legitimate grounds to use it.

Request the transfer of your personal data to you or to a third party. We will provide to you, or a third party you have chosen, your personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format. Note that this right only applies to automated information which you initially provided consent for us to use or where we used the information to perform a contract with you.

Withdraw consent at any time where we are relying on consent to process your personal data. However, this will not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out before you withdraw your consent. If you withdraw your consent, we may not be able to provide certain products or services to you. We will advise you if this is the case at the time you withdraw your consent.

Contact Us

Cockfosters Head Office

Tel. 020 8441 1556

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East Barnet Office

Tel. 020 8441 1556

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New Rules for Registration of  Relevant Trusts and Declarations of Trusts Relevant Trusts in existence at 6th October 2020 (even if subsequently closed) must be registered with the new Trusts Registration Service by 1st September 2022 to avoid penalties and charges.  This rule also applies to relevant property trusts where the legal ownership position differs from the equitable ownership position; for example where a Declaration of Trust sits behind the Title with details of equitable owners such as where parents have loaned money to purchase a property and have their interest protected by a Declaration of Trust but are not named on the Title Register. Trusts formed after this date may also be subject to complex registration requirements. Please contact us if you are concerned that the above may apply to your Trust and would like advice or assistance with the process.