This privacy statement explains how Groenendijk & Kloppenburg Lawyers (the “Office”) is processing data.
The Office processes personal data that you have provided to us with your consent. This personal data is necessary for handling your case and for invoicing or financing it (e.g. applying for state financed legal aid or reimbursement from your legal assistance insurer). This data concerns for example your name and address, the details that are important for your case and details of the other party.
If necessary in connection with the handling of your case, the Office can also request personal data from bodies such as the Chamber of Commerce, the Land Registry, the court, a notary or bailiff or generally accessible sources on the internet. When handling the case, it may of course be necessary to share your personal data with third parties, including the counterparty, the lawyer or advisor of the counterparty and the aforementioned bodies. This also applies vice versa to personal data of the counterparties.
Legal documents and messages to third parties will be discussed with you in advance in accordance with the rules of the Dutch Bar Association. If you object to the way in which your personal data are processed in these documents, you can report this to your attorney. It may be that your case can then not be handled, or not properly handled.
Furthermore, the Office processes personal data if required by law or regulations, including the rules of the Dutch Bar Association. This relates in particular to the verification of the identity of clients. For this purpose, the Office needs to inspect your passport or proof of identity. This also applies to an application for state financed legal aid in which case the Office may need to forward your BSN number and that of your partner to the relevant authority. If you refuse to do so, the Office will not be able to handle your case or apply for state financed legal aid.
In addition, personal data of clients and their counterparty/parties will be used in new cases in order to check whether there is a conflict of interest (with the client). This is a consequence of the rules of the Dutch Bar Association.
In the event of any claims or complaints, the Office is entitled to use personal data to defend the interests of the Office or the lawyers associated with the Office.
Client name and address details may also be used (in connection with the legitimate interests of the Office) to maintain contact with the Office, for example to send newsletters, updates or invitations.
The Office uses cookies that are necessary for the website to function properly. The Office also collects anonymised visitor statistics to optimise the website and services of the Office by using cookies. These cookies will not be shared with third parties. The Office also uses Google Analytics to analyse the website and the related statistics, enabling optimisation of the website. Google may pass this information on to third parties if it is legally required to do so or if third parties process the information on Google's behalf. This is not within the control of the Office. The Office has not authorised Google to share the obtained analytics information.
In principle, the lawyers of the Office have access to your personal data. In addition to the attorney handling the case, other attorneys and staff (non-lawyers) also have access in case of observation of the case, invoicing, handling of state financed legal aid or other administrative obligations.
The lawyers of the Office are obliged to maintain confidentiality by virtue of their profession. The Office has also concluded a confidentiality agreement with its staff (non-lawyers). For the processing of your personal data, the Office may engage service providers (processors), such as ICT service providers for the storage of data or bailiffs, who only process personal data on behalf of the Office. Insofar as these service providers are not already obliged to maintain confidentiality by virtue of their profession (such as bailiffs or civil-law notaries), the Office has concluded contractual agreements.
Transfer of personal data to countries outside the European Union will only take place if this is necessary for the handling of your case, for example in the case of a foreign counterparty or client.
As part of the services of the Office, the Office uses electronic data exchange (internet and e-mail via the e-mail address specified by you). The Office points out that despite all the security measures taken by the Office, no absolute guarantee can be given against consultation by unauthorized persons.
In principle, your personal data will be kept for at least seven years after closure of the file in connection with compliance with legal obligations, monitoring by authorities or in connection with possible claims or complaints. The retention period may be extended if an incident occurs which requires further retention of your personal data, for example in defence of your interests or the interests of the Office.
You have rights with regard to the processing of your personal data, such as the right to inspect, rectify, delete or pass on (transfer of file). The Office will respect these rights as stipulated by the applicable laws and regulations.
If you have any questions or requests, please contact the lawyer in question or via the contact form. For complaints the Office refers to the office complaints procedure. If this does not lead to a solution, you can complain to the Dutch Personal Data Authority (in Dutch: Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens).
Because privacy laws and regulations as well as the Office are constant in development, the Office may amend this privacy statement from time to time.
This statement has been drawn up in the English and Dutch languages. In the event of any dispute related to the contents or meaning of this statement, the Dutch text will prevail.
