APT Legal Limited respects your privacy. This policy explains how we collect and use personal information when you visit our website, contact us, use our services or deal with us in connection with someone else’s matter.

It covers our wills, trusts, lasting powers of attorney, probate and related private client services.

Who we are

APT Legal Limited is the controller of the personal information we process for the purposes described in this policy.

Registered office:
Cabourn House, Station Street, Bingham, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, NG13 8AQ

Newark office:
Beacon Hill Office Park, Cafferata Way, Newark-on-Trent, Newark, NG24 2TN

Email: en*******@**********co.uk
Website: https://apt-legal.co.uk

If you have questions about this policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact Carrie Boughtwood or our Office Manager, Lindsey Duffie, using the email or postal details above.

Information we collect

The information we collect depends on your relationship with us and the services involved. It may include:

• Your name, address, email address and telephone number.

• Information you provide through our website contact form, including your message.

• Identity documents and information needed to verify your identity.

• Details of your family, relationships, dependants and beneficiaries.

• Financial information, including assets, liabilities, property and estate details.

• Your instructions, wishes and information relevant to preparing legal documents or administering an estate.

• Information about executors, trustees, attorneys, guardians and other people involved in your matter.

• Health information, medical evidence and capacity assessments where relevant to our work.

• Correspondence, appointment notes and records of the services we provide.

• Technical information about visits to our website, such as pages viewed, device and browser information and interactions with the site.

We may process information about children where it is relevant to a client’s instructions, such as appointing guardians or making provision for beneficiaries.

How we obtain information

We receive information directly from you when you complete our contact form, email us, speak to us or instruct us.

We may also receive information from clients about other people involved in their affairs, and from financial advisers, referral partners, representatives and other professionals involved in a matter.

If you provide information about another person, please ensure it is relevant to your instructions and, where appropriate, make them aware of this policy.

How we use information

We use personal information to:

• Respond to enquiries and arrange appointments.

• Understand your circumstances and instructions.

• Prepare wills, trusts, lasting powers of attorney and related documents.

• Provide probate, estate administration and other agreed services.

• Communicate with clients and other people involved in a matter.

• Liaise with financial advisers, referral partners and other professionals where relevant.

• Manage our client relationships, correspondence and business records.

• Meet applicable legal obligations.

• Handle complaints and establish, exercise or defend legal rights.

• Understand website usage and improve our website.

• Send occasional relationship communications, including Christmas emails.

If you do not provide information needed for an enquiry or instruction, we may be unable to answer fully, prepare accurate documents or provide the requested service.

Our lawful bases for using information

Under UK data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for using personal information.

Contract: We use information where necessary to take steps at your request before entering into an agreement, or to deliver services under our agreement with you.

Legal obligation: We use information where necessary to comply with a legal obligation that applies to us.

Legitimate interests: We use information where necessary for legitimate interests, including administering our business, managing professional relationships, dealing with information about other people involved in client matters, and protecting legal rights. We must balance these interests against the rights and interests of the people concerned.

Consent: Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time by contacting us. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

Health and other sensitive information

Some information, including health information and capacity assessments, receives additional protection under data protection law.

Where necessary for our private client work, we may process this information to establish, exercise or defend legal claims and rights, including providing relevant legal advice. This additional condition applies alongside an appropriate lawful basis for processing personal information.

We limit the information used to what is relevant and necessary for the matter.

Who we share information with

Where relevant to your matter, we may share information with financial advisers, referral partners and other professionals involved in providing or coordinating services.

This may include progress updates to an adviser or referral partner involved in your matter. The information shared depends on their role, the purpose of the update, your instructions and applicable confidentiality obligations.

We also use service providers to support our work:

• TomCRM to receive and manage website enquiries and contact information.

• Sure Will Writer to prepare legal documents.

• Microsoft services for business communications and administration.

• WordPress to operate our website.

• Google services for website analytics and search performance reporting.

We may also disclose information where required by law or where necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal rights.

Website analytics and cookies

Our website uses Google Analytics to help us understand how visitors use the site. Analytics information may include pages visited, visit duration, device and browser details and how visitors reached the website.

We also use Google Search Console and Site Kit to monitor and manage website and search performance.

Our website displays a cookie banner. Please refer to the information and choices presented there when visiting the site.

You can also manage or delete cookies through your browser settings. Blocking some cookies may affect website functionality.

Further information about Google’s processing is available at https://policies.google.com/privacy.

Christmas emails and other communications

We may send occasional Christmas greetings and relationship communications to clients and professional contacts.

If you would prefer not to receive these communications, please email en*******@**********co.uk.

You have the right to object at any time to the use of your personal information for direct marketing. Essential communications about your instructions or an ongoing matter are separate from marketing preferences.

How long information is kept

Retention depends on the type of information, the purpose for which it was collected and the nature of the matter.

Relevant considerations include:

• Whether an enquiry or client matter remains active.

• Whether records are needed to explain advice, instructions or decisions.

• Applicable legal and record-keeping requirements.

• The potential need to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

• The continuing relevance of wills, trusts and related documents, which may take effect many years after preparation.

• Any arrangements agreed for retaining original documents.

You can contact us for information about the retention arrangements relevant to your enquiry, matter or documents.

Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

• Ask for access to your personal information and a copy of it.

• Ask us to correct inaccurate information or complete incomplete information.

• Ask us to erase personal information.

• Ask us to restrict how we use information.

• Object to processing based on legitimate interests.

• Receive certain information in a portable format.

• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

These rights are subject to conditions and exemptions. For example, we may need to retain information to meet legal obligations or protect legal rights.

To make a request, contact en*******@**********co.uk. We may need to verify your identity before disclosing information. Requests are normally free of charge, and we will respond within the applicable statutory timescale.

Complaints

If you are concerned about how we have handled your information, please contact Carrie Boughtwood or Lindsey Duffie at en*******@**********co.uk, or write to us using the contact details above.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK’s data protection regulator.

Website: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Post: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy to reflect changes to our services, practices or legal requirements. The current version will be published on our website.