Armstrong Solicitors (NI) Ltd (“Armstrong Solicitors”) understands that your privacy is important to you and that you care about how your personal data is used. We respect and value the privacy of all of our clients and will only collect and use personal data in ways that are described here, and in a way that is consistent with our obligations and your rights under the law.
The General Data Protection Regulation came into force in May 2018 and revises the law on data protection which was set down by the Data Protection Act of 1998.  These changes affect everyone.

1. Information about Us

   We are Armstrong Solicitors (NI) Ltd, trading as Armstrong Solicitors. We are a limited company registered in Northern Ireland under company number NI612609.
   Our Registered address is at Oceanic House, 298 Antrim Road, Glengormley, County Antrim, BT36 5EG
   Our VAT number is 972221334.
   Our Data Protection Lead is Philip Armstrong.
   Our email address is hello@armstrongsolicitors.com
   Our Telephone number is 02890855955.
   Our Postal Address is Oceanic House, 298 Antrim Road, Glengormley, BT36 5EG
   We are regulated by The Law Society of Northern Ireland.

2. What Does This Notice Cover?

   This Privacy Information explains how we use your personal data: how it is collected, how it is held, and how it is processed. It also explains your rights under the law relating to your personal data.

3. What is Personal Data?

   Personal data is defined by the General Data Protection Regulation (EU Regulation 2016/679) (the “GDPR”) as ‘any information relating to an identifiable person who can be directly or indirectly identified in particular by reference to an identifier’.
   Personal data is, in simpler terms, any information about you that enables you to be identified. Personal data covers obvious information such as your name and contact details, but it also covers less obvious information such as identification numbers, electronic location data, and other online identifiers.
   The personal data that we use is set out in Part 5, below.

4. What Are My Rights?

   Under the GDPR, you have the following rights, which we will always work to uphold:

   a) The right to be informed about our collection and use of your personal data. This Privacy Notice should tell you everything you need to know, but you can always contact us to find out more or to ask any questions using the details in Part 11.
   b) The right to access the personal data we hold about you. Part 10 will tell you how to do this.
   c) The right to have your personal data rectified if any of your personal data held by us is inaccurate or incomplete. Please contact us using the details in Part 11 to find out more.
   d) The right to be forgotten, i.e. the right to ask us to delete or otherwise dispose of any of your personal data that we have. Please contact us using the details in Part 11 to find out more.
   e) The right to restrict (i.e. prevent) the processing of your personal data.
   f) The right to object to us using your personal data for a particular purpose or purposes.
   g) The right to data portability. This means that, if you have provided personal data to us directly for the performance of a contract, and that data is processed using automated means, you can ask us for a copy of that personal data to re-use with another service or business in many cases.
   h) Rights relating to automated decision-making and profiling. We do not use your personal data in this way.

   For more information about our use of your personal data or exercising your rights as outlined above, please contact us using the details provided in Part 11.
   Please note that when you make any request for information regarding your personal data, if we hold any personal data about you where a claim for legal professional privilege about it could be maintained in legal proceedings, then we will treat that element of your personal data as exempt from your request.
   Further information about your rights can also be obtained from the Information Commissioner’s Office or your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
   If you have any cause for complaint about our use of your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

5. What Personal Data Do You Collect?

   We will collect some or all of the following personal data (this may vary according to your relationship with us and the type of case regarding which you instruct us to represent you):

   • Name;
   • Date of birth;
   • Gender;
   • Address;
   • Passport and driving licence details
   • Email address
   • Telephone number;
   • Business name;
   • Job title;
   • Profession;
   • Payment information;
   • Your national insurance number;

   Depending on the type of case in which you instruct us, there may be other personal data that we will hold about you;

   • Financial Information regarding mortgage offers, proof of funds and proof of wealth, which may include bank statements, other financial documentation, and identification documents and associated financial documentation from others who have paid monies to you;
   • Technical data such as IP address, username and password for our web app, time zone setting and location, browser type and version
   • Copies of your medical records and information regarding medial conditions
   • Your family circumstances and details of family members
   • Your employment records
   • Data from third parties such as the Bankruptcy Office or Enforcement of Judgements Office, or Land Registry; this data is publicly available.

6. How Do You Use My Personal Data?

   Under the GDPR we must always have a lawful basis for using personal data. Most commonly, your personal data will be used for the following purposes:

   • Where we need to perform the contract for legal services into which we have entered with you;
   • Providing and managing your account if you have access to our web app.
   • Communicating with you. This may include responding to emails or calls from you.
   • Where it is necessary for out legitimate interests and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those;
   • Where we need to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation;

   Generally we do not rely on consent as a legal basis for processing your personal data.
   We may process your personal data for more than one lawful ground depending on the specific purpose for which we are using your personal data. If you want more information on the specific legal ground on which we are processing your personal data, please contact us at the address in this Notice.   
   We absolutely will not provide your personal data to third parties for marketing purposes in any circumstances.

7. How Long Will You Keep My Personal Data?

   We will not keep your personal data for any longer than is necessary in light of the reason(s) for which it was first collected. Depending on the type of case in which you instruct us, sometimes third parties involved in your case will make a separate requirement in relation to who long we hold your data. Your personal data will therefore be kept for the following periods (or, where there is no fixed period, the following factors will be used to determine how long it is kept):

   • For litigation, family, debt and other non-property work otherwise stated in this clause, 6 years from completion of the case;
   • For cases involving property law and conveyancing, UK Finance requires us to hold a complete copy of your file for at least 6 years after completion of the mortgage; in cases where there is no mortgage involved, we will normally hold your file for at least 6 years;
   • For wills cases, we will hold personal data indefinitely since this may be essential to allow us to clarify original wills instructions, or even resolve issues regarding the identity of executors or beneficiaries;

   Please note that if you request that we erase your personal data, we not always be able to comply for specific legal reasons that we will notify to you, if applicable, at the time of your request. Sometimes we will be able to demonstrate that we have compelling legitimate grounds to hold your personal data which overrides your rights and freedoms.

8. How and Where Do You Store or Transfer My Personal Data?

   We will only store or transfer your personal data in the UK. This means that it will be fully protected under the GDPR.