The Solicitor Directory

1. Introduction

The Solicitor Directory ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website thesolicitordirectory.co.uk and use our services.

We are registered in England and Wales and comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

Account information (name, email address, password)
Enquiry details (your legal situation, contact preferences)
Firm profile information (for solicitors)
Reviews and feedback
Communication preferences

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

Device information (browser type, operating system)
Usage data (pages visited, time spent, clicks)
IP address and approximate location
Cookies and similar technologies (see our Cookie Policy)

2.3 Information from Third Parties

Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) data for verification
Payment processors (for subscription management)
Social login providers (if you sign in with Google)

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

Provide and maintain our services
Connect you with solicitors based on your enquiries
Process payments and manage subscriptions
Send you service-related communications
Improve our website and user experience
Verify solicitor credentials through SRA data
Prevent fraud and ensure platform security
Comply with legal obligations

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data under the following legal bases:

Contract: To provide services you've requested
Legitimate Interests: To improve our services and prevent fraud
Consent: For marketing communications (where applicable)
Legal Obligation: To comply with laws and regulations

5. Sharing Your Information

We may share your information with:

Solicitors: When you submit an enquiry, your contact details and enquiry information are shared with the selected firm
Service Providers: Third parties who help us operate our platform (hosting, payment processing, email services)
Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to provide our services and comply with legal obligations. Specifically:

Account data: Until you delete your account, plus 30 days for backup purposes
Enquiry data: 3 years from submission
Transaction records: 7 years (as required by tax law)
Usage analytics: 26 months

7. Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:

Access: Request a copy of your personal data
Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
Erasure: Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten")
Restrict Processing: Limit how we use your data
Data Portability: Receive your data in a portable format
Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@thesolicitordirectory.co.uk.

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data, including:

SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit
Encryption of sensitive data at rest
Regular security assessments
Access controls and authentication
Employee training on data protection

9. International Transfers

Your data may be processed in countries outside the UK. Where this occurs, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the ICO, or transfers to countries with adequacy decisions.

10. Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected data from a child, please contact us immediately.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Email: privacy@thesolicitordirectory.co.uk
Address: The Solicitor Directory, London, United Kingdom

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk if you believe your data protection rights have been violated.