1. Our Commitment

Carina Ford Lawyers Pty Ltd (ACN 612 756 653) and its related entities (“Carina Ford”) are committed to maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of our clients’ (“you”) personal information.

Carina Ford is an ‘APP entity’ within the meaning of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (“Privacy Act”), which means it is obliged to adhere to the Australian Privacy Principles when collecting, using and disclosing personal information.

2. Your Personal Information

Personal information is information or an opinion about an identified or reasonably identifiable individual (“Personal Information”).

Carina Ford respects the importance of your privacy and acknowledges that when you provide your Personal Information, you do so on the provision that (unless you give Carina Ford permission) Carina Ford will only collect, use and disclose your Personal Information in accordance with the Privacy Act.

3. Your Sensitive Information

Carina Ford will not collect Sensitive Information (as defined below) about you except with your consent or only where it is reasonably necessary to collect such information or required by law. Carina Ford will notify you as soon as practicable should it obtain or require sensitive snformation about you.

The type of Sensitive Information Carina Ford may collect from you includes your criminal history (if any) and medical information.

4. Collection and Storage

Carina Ford collects Personal Information about individuals where the information is necessary to conduct its business.

4.1 Kinds of Personal Information collected

The type of personal information Carina Ford collects may contain the following details about you:

(a) name;

(b) residential address;

(d) gender;

(e) bank details;

(f) employment or business;

(g) associations and affiliates, including trusts and companies;

(h) contact details, including email address and telephone numbers;

(i) relationships with individuals, including family members, friends and professionals;

(j) financial information;

(k) information about your legal matter;

(l) information collected via electronic communications and cookies, which may include internet protocol addresses, the time, date and place of the communication.

4.2 Collection of Personal Information

The Personal Information is collected when you:

(a) provide it to Carina Ford;

(b) visit and browse Carina Ford’s website;

(d) contact Carina Ford by email, telephone or facsimile.

4.3 Collection from third parties

Carina Ford may collect Personal Information from a third party where:

(a) the third party is Carina Ford’s Related Bodies Corporate (as defined in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)), business partners, employees, contractors, credit reporting bodies, or your representatives; or

(b) you have consented to the collection of the information; or

(d) it is unreasonable or impracticable to obtain the information from you; or

(e) the information is publicly available.

5. Purpose of collection

Carina Ford will collect the Personal Information for its Primary and Secondary Purposes (as defined below).

Carina Ford will not use your Personal Information for a purpose other than the Primary and Secondary Purposes, unless permitted by you or the law.

6. Use and Disclosure

Carina Ford will only use your Personal Information for the Primary and Secondary Purposes, unless otherwise required by law.

In particular, Carina Ford may:

(a) use the Personal Information to verify your identity;

(b) use the Personal Information to provide its products or services to you, to assist you with enquiries, or to provide you with better customer service;

(c) use the Personal Information to administer and manage the products and services Carina Ford provides to you, to charge and bill you for them, and to collect any amounts you may owe Carina Ford;

(d) reproduce and store the Personal Information for the Primary or Secondary Purposes; or

(e) share your Personal Information internally, or to Related Bodies Corporate, or with its contractors or other service providers, for the Primary and Secondary Purposes.

7. Marketing

Carina Ford may use your Personal Information to send you marketing. When you receive Carina Ford’s marketing, Carina Ford will provide you with an option to opt out of receiving future direct marketing. If you do not elect to opt out of receipt of future marketing, Carina Ford may continue to send you marketing until you opt out.

If you require further information in relation to opting out of Carina Ford’s marketing, please contact Carina Ford’s Privacy Policy Officer (details provided below).

8. Cookies

A cookie is a file used to store information about your website visit. The cookies Carina Ford uses do not identify individual users. Carina Ford may use cookies for targeted online advertising. Most internet browsers are set to accept cookies. If you prefer not to receive them, you can adjust your internet browser to reject cookies, or to notify you when they are being used. For more information check your browser settings or visit Google – Opt-outs.

9. Data Quality and Security of your Personal Information

Protecting your Personal Information is a priority for Carina Ford. Carina Ford may hold your Personal Information in electronic and physical files or on secure servers, storage and archive systems, including the Cloud, and take reasonable steps to ensure that your Personal Information is protected.

It is important to Carina Ford that the Personal Information it maintains and uses is accurate, complete and up-to-date. If at any time your Personal Information changes, contact the Privacy Officer on the details below so that it can update Carina Ford’s records.

The Personal Information Carina Ford holds about you is treated confidentially and is only accessed when necessary. While Carina Ford takes caution to protect your Personal Information, no data transmission over the internet or electronically can be completely secure. Once Carina Ford has received your Personal Information, Carina Ford will take all appropriate measures to use procedures, programs and passwords to ensure that the information on its systems is secure. Carina Ford will take reasonable steps to protect the Personal Information it retains from misuse, loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

Carina Ford will not be liable for any loss, corruption, delay or loss of confidentiality arising from any data or information transmitted electronically if it has followed appropriate virus checking and privacy procedures.

You may also assist Carina Ford to keep your Personal Information secure by ensuring appropriate back-up, security and virus check procedures are in place for any data or information provided to or received from Carina Ford electronically. Please use your discretion and exercise caution when providing your Personal Information.

Carina Ford will not retain any of your information for any longer than it is required by us or the law. Carina Ford may also de-identify your information where applicable.

10. Accessing, Correcting and Deleting Your Personal Information

You may request access to Personal Information that Carina Ford holds about you at any time. However, this right of access is subject to some exceptions permitted by law. To make a request, please put your request in writing to the Privacy Officer using the contact details below.

In normal circumstances Carina Ford will give you full access to the Personal Information held about you as soon as practicable, subject to and in accordance with the Privacy Act. However, in some circumstances Carina Ford may require proof of identity, impose a charge or deny your request if it would be unreasonable to provide you with access, or would impact on the privacy of another person.

Carina Ford reserves the right to charge a fee for searching for and providing access to your Personal Information. In the event Carina Ford refuses you access to your Personal Information, Carina Ford will provide you with an explanation for that refusal.

You may deal with Carina Ford anonymously where it is lawful, practicable and reasonable to do so.

You can request that information about you be corrected or deleted. However, Personal Information may be retained in certain files in order to resolve disputes or for auditing purposes. Some Personal Information may also be retained in Carina Ford’s technical systems in accordance with its data security procedures.

11. Changes to this Policy

Carina Ford may in its absolute discretion review and change this Privacy Policy from time to time. The amended Privacy Policy will be published on Carina Ford’s website and will apply whether or not Carina Ford has given you specific notice of any change. Check the Privacy Policy on Carina Ford’s website periodically if you would like to monitor any changes.

12. Complaints

If you believe there has been a breach of your privacy, you may make a complaint by advising the Privacy Officer in writing, using the contact details below. Carina Ford will respond to your complaint within a reasonable period of time.

If the complaint cannot be resolved, you may refer your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

13. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy and use of Carina Ford’s website are governed by the laws of Australia. If a dispute arises under this Privacy Policy, you agree to attempt to resolve the dispute under those laws.

14. Access to Privacy Policy

If you require a copy of Carina Ford’s Privacy Policy in another form, please contact the Privacy Officer using the details below.

15. Contact Details of Privacy Officer

Privacy Officer: Renella Linardon

Address: Level 5, 1 McNab Ave, Footscray VIC 3011

Phone: 03 9396 0207

Email: office@carinafordlawyers.com

16. Glossary of Terms

Primary Purposes means conducting the business of Carina Ford, including supplying its products and services to you.

Secondary Purposes means matters incidental to conducting the business of Carina Ford, including:

(a) business marketing;

(b) data use and collection for internal business purposes;