CYGNUS LAW’S PRIVACY POLICY

29 August 2023

This policy explains how Cygnus Law Ltd (we, us, our) collects, uses, discloses, stores and protects personal information.  We comply with the Privacy Act 2020 (Act) when dealing with personal information.  “Personal information” is information about an identifiable individual (a natural person).

You are not required to provide the personal information that we request but, if you choose not to do so, in many cases we may not be able to provide our services.

What Personal Information we collect

We collect personal information from you, including but not limited to information such as your name, telephone number, date of birth, address, passport or driver’s licence and other information which assists us in conducting our business, providing and marketing our services and meeting our legal obligations. We may collect technical information whenever you access or use our website including details of your visits to our website such as traffic data, location data, website analytics.

How we collect personal information

We collect personal information about you directly from you, through contact with us (for example, via this website, in a meeting, via an email), or when we provide services to you.  We may also (if we have an engagement with you) collect information from relevant third parties including but not limited to related businesses and persons, accountants, lawyers, government  agencies and legal databases.

How we use personal information

We collect personal information for the following purposes:

  • to arrange for you to become a client including to carry out identity, address and conflicts of interests checks;
  • to provide our services (and to assist in improving our services) to you;
  • to respond to communications from you;
  • to make contact with you in the future about matters we believe will be of interest;
  • in connection with defending, protecting and/or enforcing our legal rights and interests including defending a complaint, claim or other action;
  • to comply with our obligations at law including under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009, the Tax Administration Act 1994, Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006, Income Tax Act 2007, Russia Sanctions Act 2022 and United Nations Act 1946 (and related regulations);
  • for any other purpose authorised by you or the Act.

Who we disclose personal information to

We may disclose your personal information to:

  • the extent necessary to enable us to carry out your instructions;
  • Actionstep Ltd, to store your information using its cloud based services;
  • IT professionals who hold and maintain our server including in order to access Cygnus Law’s server from time to time for the purposes of maintenance, repair and to prepare backups;
  • third parties who support us to meet our legal obligations, which may include Trust, Integrity & Compliance Ltd, Information Logistics Company Ltd, Centrix Group Ltd, Centrix Data One Ltd, Verifi Identity Services Ltd and the Department of Internal Affairs;
  • any other business or person(s) that supports provision of our services (including related companies, information technology service providers, lawyers, accountants);
  • obtain credit or other references, and collect unpaid debts (including disclosing information to collection agencies);
  • government registries, courts, tribunals and regulatory bodies (for example, New Zealand Law Society in order to comply with audit and other regulatory requirements);
  • lawyers and other professionals, and our insurers (and their advisers), in connection with defending, protecting and/or enforcing our legal rights & interests;
  • any other person authorised by the Act or another law.

How we protect personal information

We will take steps that are reasonable in the circumstances to keep personal information safe from loss and from unauthorised access, use, modification, or disclosure.

How long we keep your information

Subject to the Cygnus Law’s terms of engagement (if applicable), we will retain personal information for as long as is reasonably required in connection with the purpose for which it was provided and for any longer period required by law.

Accessing and correcting personal information

Subject to certain grounds for refusal set out in the Act, you have the right to access your personal information and to request a correction to that personal information.  We can be contacted at: 09 930 3228 and simon@cygnuslaw.nz.

Internet use

While we take reasonable steps to maintain secure internet connections, if you provide us with personal information over the internet, the provision of that information is at your own risk.

If you follow a link on our website to another site, the owner of that site will have its own privacy policy relating to your personal information.  We recommend that the site’s privacy policy is reviewed before any personal information is provided.