Privacy Policy

Mitchells Solicitors Australia Pty Ltd (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose and safeguard your personal information.

We are dedicated to safeguarding the privacy of our clients, contacts, suppliers and employees (“you” “your”) and to complying with the Australian Privacy Principles outlined in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (“Privacy Act”).

1 What Personal Information We Collect

1.1 We collect personal information necessary to provide legal services, including:

(a) Personal details, including full name, date of birth, address, email address, occupation, mobile/landline phone number;
(b) Identification information, including copies of identification documents (eg driver’s licence, passport) and unique identifiers (eg driver’s licence or passport number);
(c) Financial information, including bank account details, assets and liabilities;
(d) Your circumstances, including information relevant to the matter(s) in which you have instructed us (eg your family, beneficiaries, legal interests); and
(e) Medical information, including health and medical information related to capacity, where applicable;

1.2 For Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) and Verification of Identity (VOI) purposes, we may also collect:

(a) Evidence of identity (e.g., government-issued ID, utilities bill);
(b) Information as to whether you are a member of any political associations; and
(c) Details related to the source of funds and ownership of assets.

1.3 We collect information relating to your attendance at seminars, webinars or promotional events held by us;

1.4 For suppliers or potential suppliers, we collect information about your business, skills, services, products and prices; and

1.5 For employees or potential employees, we collect information about your contact details, your qualifications, skills, work experience and referees.

2 How We Collect Your Information

2.1 We generally collect personal information through:

(a) Direct contact, including consultations (face-to-face or via video conferencing), phone calls and emails;
(b) Documents, including forms, online submissions and identity verification;
(c) Third parties, including banks, accountants, financial planners/advisors, medical professionals, family members and government registries;
(d) Electronic verification services for identity checks (VOI), to comply with industry standards; and
(e) We may also collect information from external services such as public records, financial institution, public records and professional intermediaries to comply with our AML/CTF obligations.

3 Why We Collect and Use Your Information

3.1 We collect and use your personal information to:

(a) Respond to enquiries;
(b) Provide legal advice and services;
(c) Prepare legal documents (for example Wills or Enduring Powers of Attorney);
(d) Meet legal and regulatory requirements, including AML/CTF and VOI obligations;
(e) Comply with the Customer Due Diligence requirements in the Anit-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2009 (AML/CTF Act), including:

i. Verify your identity before providing certain services to you or the person you are acting on behalf of;
ii. Assess and manage potential money laundering, terrorism financing, proliferation financing risks or related compliance risks associated with the provision of our services
iii. Make reports required by law under the AML/CTF Act; and
iv. Meet record-keeping obligations under the AML/CTF Act.

(f) For VOI purposes, we use personal data to verify your identity as part of property transactions, document execution and other services.

3.2 We are required to collect certain information and documentation to comply with requirements set out by the Queensland Law Society (QLS).

4 How We Use and Disclose Your Information

4.1 We may share some relevant personal information with:

(a) Third-party professionals, for example accountants, financial institutions, or other advisers involved in your matter;
(b) Regulatory bodies, including AUSTRAC, land registries, courts, and other government agencies, as required by law;
(c) Identity verification providers for VOI compliance, including service providers approved by ARNECC and QLS;
(d) Parties related to your matter, for example beneficiaries or executors for an estate administration matter;
(e) Third-party service providers, for example archival, auditing, accounting, website or technology services.

4.2 We may disclose personal information without consent where required by law, such as under AML/CTF or VOI compliance.

5 What happens if we cannot collect your information?

5.1 If you are a client and do not, or cannot, provide us with your personal information, we may not be able to verify your identity and provide you with the service you have requested.

6 International Transfers of Personal Information

6.1 Some of our service providers (for example IT services, cloud storage or VOI verification services) may store data overseas. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is protected in accordance with Australian privacy law and any applicable data protection regulations in other jurisdictions.

7 Marketing Communications

7.1 We do not use your personal information for marketing purposes unless you have consented to receive such communications.

7.2 If you receive marketing communications from us and no longer wish to do so, you can unsubscribe at any time by clicking “Unsubscribe” in the communication or by contacting us directly.

8 Data Security & Retention

8.1 We take appropriate measures to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access. For example, we use secure storage for our physical and digital files to ensure they are protected.

8.2 We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to:

(a) Provide legal services; and
(b) Comply with legal, regulatory, and professional obligations (including AML/CTF and VOI).

8.3 Once your personal information is no longer required, we will securely destroy or de-identify it, unless required by law to retain it.

9 Access to and correcting your information

9.1 You have the right to request access to your personal information and request corrections if it is inaccurate or incomplete. Unless we are subject to certain obligations or restrictions on giving you access to the information, we will make the information available to you within 30 days.

9.2 Note: we may require proof of your identity before we can process your complaint.

9.3 To access or correct your information, please contact us using the details listed in the “Contact Us” section below.

10 Complaints and Dispute Resolution

10.1 If you believe we have not adhered to our privacy commitments, please contact us directly at:

Email: reception@mitchellsol.com.au
Phone: +61 7 3373 3633

10.2 Note: we may require proof of your identity before we can process your complaint.

10.3 We will investigate your concern and respond within 30 days. If you are unsatisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at http://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints.

11 Changes to our Privacy Policy

11.1 We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. The latest version will always be available on our website.

12 Contact Us

12.1 If you have any questions or concerns about our Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us at:

Mitchells Solicitors
PO Box 95, Moorooka QLD 4105
reception@mitchellsol.com.au
+61 7 3373 3633