Privacy & GDPR Policies

Privacy & Security

Introduction

Set in the heart of rural Kent, Mark Pearson Associates was set up to give good, clear advice on all aspects of Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Trusts. We specialise in all areas of will creation. We have close working relationships with some of the best companies in our field nationwide, which means we can guarantee that we will give the best and most up to date advice for your personal needs.

As an essential part of our business, we collect and manage client and non-client data. In doing so, we observe the UK data protection legislation, and are committed to protecting and respecting clients’ and non-clients’ privacy and rights. Specifically, we act as a “Data Controller” in respect of the information gathered and processed by us.

In order that you are reliably informed about how we operate, we have developed this privacy notice (also known as a Fair Processing Notice or FPN), which describes the ways in which we collect, manage, process, store and share information about you as a result of you being our client or visiting this site. The privacy notice also provides you with information about how you can have control over the use of your data.

You can use this form to request access to all the data we hold about you, make a change to it, remove it or restrict how it’s used.

You can also contact our Data Protection Officer via richard@markpearsonassociates.com.

Alternatively, you can write to our Data Protection Officer at Mark Pearson Associates, 6 Brattle, Woodchurch, Kent TN26 3SW

What Information Do We Collect About You?

In general terms, we seek to collect information about you so that we can:

  • - Administer our relationship with you, provide services and respond to enquiries
  • - Enable business development including sending legal updates, publications and details to events
  • - Process applications for employment
  • - Deliver requested information to you about our services and our subsidiaries
  • - Ensure the billing of any procured services and obtain payment
  • - Process and respond to any complaints
  • - Enable us to meet our legal and other regulatory obligations imposed on us
  • - Audit usage of our website
  • - The information that we need for these purposes is known as your “personal data”. This includes your name, home address, email address, telephone and other contact numbers and financial information. We collect this in a number of different ways. For example, you may provide this data to us directly online or over the telephone, or when corresponding with us by letter.

We also process sensitive classes of information that includes:

Physical or mental health details, and Racial or ethnic origin. We will seek your permission if we need to record any of your sensitive personal data on our systems.

Please also be advised that when you visit this website, cookies will be used to collect information about you such as your Internet Protocol (IP) address which connects your computer or mobile device to the Internet, and information about your visit such as the pages you viewed or searched for, pages response times, download errors etc. We do this so that we can measure our website’s performance and make improvements in the future. Cookies are also used to enhance this website’s functionality and personalisation, which includes sharing data with third party organisations. You can control this by adjusting your cookies settings as described in our Cookie Policy.

How Will We Use The Information?

We use the data collected from you for the specific purposes listed below.

To administer our relationship with you, provide services and respond to enquiries. To ensure the billing of any procured services by you and obtain payment. To communicate with you about legal updates, breaking news, newsletters and event invitations which are relevant to your interests and in line with your preferences. To monitor and record information relating to the use of our services, to include our website.

Your Rights

Under the terms of data protection legislation, you have the following rights as a result of using this website:

Right To Be Informed

This privacy notice, together with our Cookies Policy, fulfils our obligation to tell you about the ways in which we use your information as a result of you using this website.

Right To Access

You have the right to ask us for a copy of any personal data that we hold about you. This is known as a “Subject Access Request”. Except in exceptional circumstances (which we would discuss and agree with you in advance), you can obtain this information at no cost. We will send you a copy of the information within 30 days of your request.

To make Subject Access Request, please use the contact form.

Alternatively, you can write to our Data Protection Officer at Mark Pearson Associates, 6 Brattle, Woodchurch, Kent TN26 3SW. You can also get in touch via email at richard@markpearsonassociates.com.

Right To Rectification

If any of the information that we hold about you is inaccurate, you can use this form to ask us to correct it. You can also contact us on 07825 785810

Contact our Data Protection Officer at Mark Pearson Associates, 6 Brattle, Woodchurch, Kent TN26 3SW or via email at richard@markpearsonassociates.com.

Right To Be Forgotten

From 25 May 2018, you can ask that we erase all personal information that we hold about you using this form. Where it is appropriate that we comply, your request will be fully actioned within 30 days.

Right To Object

You have the right to object to: the continued use of your data for any purpose listed above for which consent is identified as the lawful basis for processing i.e. you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time and the continued use of your data for any purpose listed above for which the lawful basis of processing is that it has been deemed legitimate.

Right To Restrict Processing

If you wish us to restrict the use of your data because
(i) you think it is inaccurate but this will take time to validate,
(ii) you believe our data processing is unlawful but you do not want your data erased,
(iii) you want us to retain your data in order to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim, or
(iv) you wish to object to the processing of your data, but we have yet to determine whether this is appropriate, please use the contact form.

Right To Data Portability

If you would like to move, copy or transfer the electronic personal data that we hold about you to another organisation, please contact our Data Protection Officer at Data Protection Officer at Mark Pearson Associates, 6 Brattle, Woodchurch, Kent TN26 3SW or via email at richard@markpearsonassociates.com.

How Long Will We Retain Information For?

Mark Pearson Associates will typically retain information for a period of seven years. This is due to regulatory reasons and to ensure our business records are adequate to maintain the requisite levels of insurance to protect our clients and non-clients.

Data Privacy And Security

At Mark Pearson Associates, we maintain a comprehensive data management work programme, which includes processes for ensuring that data protection is a key consideration of all new and existing IT systems that hold personal data. Where any concerns, risks or issues are identified, we conduct relevant impact assessments in order to determine any actions that are necessary to ensure optimum privacy.

We also maintain an active information security work programme which seeks to protect the availability, confidentiality and integrity of all physical and information assets. Specifically, this helps us to:

Protect against potential breaches of confidentiality;
Ensure all IT facilities are protected against damage, loss or misuse;
Increase awareness and understanding of the requirements of information security, and the responsibility of our colleagues to protect the confidentiality and integrity of the information that they handle; and
Ensure the optimum security of this website.

General

Questions and comments regarding this Privacy Notice are welcomed, and should be sent to our Data Protection Officer, if you have any concerns or complaints about the ways in which your personal data has been handled as a result of you using this website. Alternatively, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office who may be contacted at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow SK9 5AF or https://ico.org.uk.

Mark Pearson Associates

Telephone
07825 785810
E-mail
richard@markpearsonassociates.com

Set in the heart of rural Kent, Mark Pearson Associates was set up to give good, clear advice on all aspects of Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Trusts. With 40 % of the population estimated to not have a current up to date will, are you one of them?

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