Privacy Statement

What personal data does bit.legal process?

In summary, bit.legal processes the following types of personal data:

  • Contact details of clients and persons working at clients such as name, address, email address, telephone number;
  • Personal data in case files;
  • Contact details of other contact persons such as vendors or persons working at vendors;
  • Personal data in correspondence, such as sent via email, regular mail or social media;
  • Personal data processed through the contact form on the website.

The following types of personal data may be obtained from other sources:

  • personal data that are available on public social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Twitter, in as far as this is necessary for the use of the social media platform, sharing messages with the relevant persons or for the case file;
  • personal data obtained from the Trade Register and from the Real Estate Register;
  • personal data that are available on public websites.

For what purposes are the personal data processed?

The personal data are processed for the following purposes:

  • To conclude the agreement with the client.
  • To perform the agreement with the client, including representing the client and its interests.
  • To handle the case, in as well as out of court, and to keep a file of the case.
  • To invoice the work performed and to otherwise process invoices (e.g. of suppliers).
  • To communicate and keep contact with contact persons.
  • To perform the agreement with suppliers and keep an administration thereof.
  • To enter the clients and their contact persons into the case filing and CRM system;
  • To send news letters (about similar products or services), updates, invitations to events and seminars and sending information requested by you.

Legal grounds for processing the personal data

The personal data are processed on the basis of the following legal grounds:

  • The processing is necessary for the preparation and/or conclusion of the agreement with the client respectively suppliers.
  • The processing is necessary for complying with legal obligations, including the obligation to keep case files, as applicable to identify clients, and to keep a financial administration.
  • The processing is necessary for bit.legal's legitimate interests: for the purpose of conducting the law practice, including maintaining contact and a commercial relationship with clients and suppliers and handling cases.
  • If this is necessary, bit.legal will ask your consent for specific processing activities.

Processors

bit.legal uses service providers (processors) who process the personal data solely on its instruction. bit.legal uses service providers that facilitate and host the case files, and case filing and CRM system, that handle the financial administration and that host the email system. In addition, bit.legal uses an IT provider that supports it with keeping the systems stable and secured.

Sharing personal data with third parties

Sometimes, it may be necessary to share your personal data with third parties that are not processors.

Depending on the circumstances, this can be necessary for the handling of your case. For example during litigation proceedings (recipients can then be bailiffs, the counterparty, their legal counsel, the relevant court) or during contract negotiations (recipients can then be the counterparty and their legal counsels).

In addition, bit.legal is subject to legal obligations to share certain personal data in certain situations, such as notifying unusual transactions and allowing access to case files to the Bar Assocation (Orde van Advocaten) during audits.

We may also be obliged by way of court order to share personal data with third parties.

Your personal data are not shared with third parties for commercial purposes.

Transfers to outside the EER

Your personal data are hosted within the European Economic Are (EEA).

In individual cases, in relation to legal proceedings or the performance of an agreement to which you are a party, it may be necessary to share your personal data with parties established outside the EER.

Retention terms

Your personal data are not retained longer than is necessary for (i) the purposes indicated above or (ii) to comply with a legal obligation. The Dutch Bart Association advises a 20 year retention term for case files. Other data that are necessary in relation to evidence with respect to the performance of the agreement are stored for 5 years  by default.

In case you have questions about your personal data

You have certain rights with respect to your personal data. Amongst others, you have the right to access, rectification, limitation, data portability and deletion of your personal data. You also have the right to object to the processing of your personal data. In addition, you can always turn to the data protection authority (in the Netherlands, the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) to submit a complaint.

In some cases, bit.legal has the right to reject a request in whole or in part, for example a request by a counter party to access or remove personal data from the case file. You will be timely informed about such a rejection.

Should you have questions about how your personal data are handled, of want to submit a request with respect to your personal data, please send an email to bieneke.braat@bitlegal.nl.

Amendments to this privacy statement

If this privacy statement is amended, you will be notified of important amendments, for example through a notice on the website or by email.

February 2023