Privacy Policy

Introduction

Legal Connect respects your privacy and is committed to protecting personal data in a lawful, fair and transparent way. This Privacy Policy explains how Legal Connect collects, uses, stores, shares and protects personal data when people use the Legal Connect mobile application, any related website, and related services. Under UK data protection law, individuals must be told clearly about the collection and use of their personal data, including the purposes of processing, retention periods, sharing, and relevant rights.

This Privacy Policy has been prepared for a mobile application designed to connect legal professionals, firms, agencies, chambers, and people or organisations seeking to instruct legal professionals for legal matters, including police station attendances, court hearings, legal coverage, court clearance, advocacy, and related legal work. It also covers the use of the app for posting and responding to advertisements, jobs, instructions and attendance requests.

This Privacy Policy is intended to be suitable for publication in connection with the Legal Connect mobile app and related services. It is written in clear and professional English and is structured so that it can also support app store privacy disclosures, platform notices and in-app privacy messaging. Apple requires developers to provide details about app privacy practices for the App Store, and Google Play requires developers to provide accurate disclosures about how user data is collected, shared and protected.

This Privacy Policy should be read together with Legal Connect’s Terms of Use, any data processing agreement, any cookie notice, and any in-app privacy notices or permission prompts presented to users at the point of collection.

Who We Are

The controller and proprietor of the app is Legal Connect.

For the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018, Legal Connect is the data controller in relation to personal data which it processes for its own business purposes, including operating the platform, managing user accounts, maintaining security, handling support, carrying out analytics, maintaining records, preventing misuse, and complying with legal obligations.

In some circumstances, users of the app, such as solicitors, barristers, law firms, agencies, chambers or other instructing organisations, may upload, enter or manage client and case data using the app for their own legal service purposes. In those circumstances, Legal Connect may process certain personal data on behalf of those users as a processor or service provider, depending on the facts and the contractual arrangement. The relevant professional user or organisation may itself be a controller in relation to the information it decides to upload or manage.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or about the way Legal Connect handles personal data, you may contact:

Legal Connect
Email: nkhattakapp@gmail.com

Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to:

• users who create or use a Legal Connect account;
• legal professionals and organisations using the platform;
• individuals or organisations posting advertisements, jobs, court attendances, police station attendances, referrals or other instructions through the platform;
• individuals whose personal data is entered into the platform in connection with legal matters, hearings, attendances, case management, bookings or instructions;
• visitors to any Legal Connect website, support page or communication channel linked to the service.

This Privacy Policy applies whether the personal data is collected directly from the individual, entered by another user, uploaded through documents, or generated through use of the platform.

The Legal and Regulatory Framework

Legal Connect aims to comply with the laws and rules that apply to its activities, including, where relevant:

• the UK General Data Protection Regulation;
• the Data Protection Act 2018;
• the Privacy and Electronic Communications rules applicable in the UK;
• applicable consumer, digital services and electronic communications laws;
• applicable legal obligations in other jurisdictions, where the app is offered or used internationally.

Under UK law, privacy information must be clear, accessible and provided at the time personal data is collected, or within the time required where data is obtained from another source. Privacy information should explain the controller’s identity, purposes, lawful bases, recipients, retention, transfers, individual rights and, where applicable, automated decision-making.

Legal Connect also recognises the practical requirements of major app platforms. Google Play requires developers to disclose their app’s privacy and security practices through the Data safety section and to comply with applicable privacy laws. Apple requires developers to submit privacy details for App Store listings and to explain what privacy-relevant data is collected and whether it is linked to the user or used for tracking.

The Nature of the Service

Legal Connect is a mobile platform intended to assist with the instruction, booking, coordination and management of legal professionals and legal work.

The platform may be used for legal matters including police station attendances, magistrates’ court matters, county court matters, family proceedings, immigration proceedings, crown court matters, tribunal matters, regulatory matters, and similar legal services.

The platform may permit users to post and manage jobs, advertisements, attendances, hearings, listings, requests for legal cover, agency instructions, and related opportunities. Users may also respond to postings, accept or reject work, communicate with other users, arrange attendance details, upload supporting information and manage case-related data.

Because of the nature of the service, the platform may involve the processing of highly sensitive information, including client details, legal matter details, court details, police station details, health or vulnerability information, and criminal offence data. The law requires extra protection where this kind of information is processed.

The Personal Data We Collect

Legal Connect may collect, receive, create, store or otherwise process the following categories of personal data.

Account and profile information. This may include name, email address, telephone number, username, password or login credentials, profile photograph, professional title, organisation name, chambers, firm details, business address, areas of practice, qualifications, registration details, role, availability, rates and profile information voluntarily added by the user.

Verification and due diligence information. This may include information used to verify identity, professional status, rights of audience, practising entitlement, affiliation with a firm or chambers, anti-fraud checks, anti-abuse checks, or eligibility to use particular features.

Job, advertisement and instruction information. This may include details of jobs or advertisements posted through the app, such as matter type, instruction type, urgency level, location, date, time, estimated duration, hearing type, attendance type, rates, legal aid or private funding status, special requirements, and additional comments.

Case and matter information. This may include case references, URN, Libra case numbers, MAAT references, DSCC reference numbers, custody numbers, police station details, court names, hearing classifications, offence categories, funding arrangements, system access notes, document availability, contact details for police officers or instructing organisations, and case comments.

Client and party information. This may include names and details of clients, defendants, respondents, applicants, claimants, co-accused, co-defendants, witnesses, children, family members, police contacts, company contacts, interpreters, appropriate adults and other persons involved in or connected to a legal matter.

Special category personal data. Because of the nature of the app, this may include information about health, disability, safeguarding, interpreter needs, mental health, vulnerability, youth status, and other information that is classed as special category personal data under UK law.

Criminal offence data. This may include information relating to alleged offences, charges, convictions, bail status, custody status, interviews, proceedings, sentencing-related information or other data concerning criminal allegations or proceedings.

Communications data. This may include messages sent between users, communications with support, emails, notifications, complaint correspondence, feedback, ratings, records of discussions, and records of interactions with customer service.

Payment and financial data. This may include billing information, payment records, fee arrangements, invoices, transaction history, settlement records and information required by payment providers. If card payments are used, full card details should normally be handled by a suitable payment processor rather than stored directly by Legal Connect.

Document and file data. This may include uploaded files, bundles, attendance notes, case summaries, witness statements, charge sheets, appeal documents, skeleton arguments, disclosure materials, bail papers, immigration documents, family court papers, civil court papers, and other case-related documentation.

Technical and usage data. This may include IP address, app version, device identifier, operating system, device model, language settings, crash logs, diagnostic logs, performance metrics, security logs, screen views, interaction data and other analytics data generated through the use of the app.

Location data. If the user allows this through device permissions, the app may process precise or approximate location data to support map-based features, attendance locations, court and police station selection, routing and similar features.

Information from third parties. This may include information received from other users, firms, agencies, instructing organisations, identity or verification providers, payment providers, analytics providers, cloud services, sign-in providers, map providers, customer support platforms or lawful public or professional sources.

How We Collect Personal Data

Legal Connect may collect personal data directly from the individual when that person:

• creates an account;
• completes a profile;
• posts or responds to a job, advertisement or instruction;
• books or manages an attendance;
• communicates through the platform;
• uploads a document or enters case details;
• requests support;
• uses app features that collect technical or location information.

Legal Connect may also collect personal data indirectly where:

• one user enters another person’s details into the app;
• a legal professional or organisation uploads client information;
• data is received from verification, payment, analytics or communication providers;
• data is received from a sign-in service, map service or similar integration;
• data is imported from another lawful source or system.

Where Legal Connect receives personal data from a source other than the individual, Legal Connect will provide privacy information in accordance with applicable law unless an exemption applies.

Purposes for Which We Use Personal Data

Legal Connect may use personal data for the following purposes:

• to create, manage and secure user accounts;
• to provide and operate the platform and its features;
• to enable users to post, manage, respond to and complete advertisements, jobs, instructions and attendances;
• to arrange and manage police station attendances, court hearings, legal cover and related professional services;
• to support communication between users, organisations and support teams;
• to verify professional details and platform eligibility;
• to manage bookings, timetables, scheduling and availability;
• to display location, attendance and case information;
• to process payments, charges, fees and billing;
• to maintain records and audit trails;
• to provide customer service and technical support;
• to monitor, prevent and investigate fraud, misuse, security incidents and unlawful activity;
• to improve app functionality, design, stability and performance;
• to maintain backups, logs and business continuity;
• to comply with legal, regulatory, professional and contractual obligations;
• to establish, exercise or defend legal claims;
• to protect users, third parties, Legal Connect and the public;
• to send service notices, policy updates, booking updates, reminders, account messages and other necessary communications;
• to carry out lawful analytics, reporting and internal administration;
• to support platform privacy and app-store compliance, including making accurate privacy disclosures.

Legal Connect will not process personal data for purposes that are incompatible with the purposes for which it was originally collected, unless it has a lawful basis to do so and provides any further information required by law.

Lawful Bases for Processing

Legal Connect will only process personal data where it has a lawful basis under applicable law.

Depending on the circumstances, Legal Connect may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:

• performance of a contract, where processing is necessary to provide the app and related services requested by the user;
• legitimate interests, where processing is reasonably necessary for operating, managing, securing, improving or defending the service, provided those interests are not overridden by the rights and freedoms of the individual;
• legal obligation, where processing is necessary to comply with the law, court orders, regulatory obligations, tax obligations, record-keeping duties, safeguarding duties or lawful requests by authorities;
• consent, where the law requires consent or where a particular feature is optional, such as certain categories of notifications, marketing communications, or device permissions;
• vital interests, where processing is necessary to protect life or serious physical safety in exceptional circumstances.

Legal Connect will identify the relevant lawful basis for each type of processing and will review that basis where the nature of the service or the processing changes.

Special Category Personal Data

Special category personal data includes certain particularly sensitive types of personal data.

Legal Connect is a platform for legal work, some information processed through the service may fall into this category. This may include information about physical or mental health, disability, safeguarding concerns, interpreter requirements, vulnerability status, children or young persons, and related information necessary to arrange appropriate legal representation or attendance.

Legal Connect will only process special category personal data where a lawful basis under Article 6 UK GDPR and a separate condition for processing under Article 9 UK GDPR and, where required, the Data Protection Act 2018 are satisfied.

Depending on the circumstances, the relevant condition may include processing necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims, processing necessary for the provision of legal advice, explicit consent, or another condition recognised by law, including substantial public interest conditions where applicable.

Special category personal data will be handled with enhanced care, restricted access and appropriate technical and organisational safeguards.

Criminal Offence Data

Criminal offence data is subject to separate and stricter rules.

The Legal Connect platform may involve criminal offence data where users post, manage or respond to police station attendances, criminal court hearings, custody attendances, bail matters, interviews, offence classifications, case details and related information.

Legal Connect will only process criminal offence data where there is a lawful basis and a valid condition under applicable law. This may include, depending on the circumstances, processing necessary for legal claims, legal proceedings, legal advice, substantial public interest conditions, or another lawful basis permitted by the Data Protection Act 2018.

Legal Connect will not use criminal offence data for general marketing, unrelated profiling, or any purpose incompatible with the legal nature of the service.

Where an appropriate policy document is required under the Data Protection Act 2018 for the relevant condition, Legal Connect should ensure that such a document is in place and maintained.

Children and Young People

Legal Connect is intended primarily for adult users, including legal professionals and adults seeking to instruct legal professionals.

The service is not intended for children to create independent user accounts unless that use is specifically designed, authorised and made lawful.

However, because legal matters may involve children or young persons, the platform may process information about children where a user enters that information in connection with a legal matter, safeguarding issue, family case, youth matter, immigration case or similar proceeding.

Any data relating to children should only be entered and used where lawful, necessary and proportionate, and it should be handled with a high degree of confidentiality and care.

If Legal Connect becomes aware that personal data has been collected directly from a child in a way that is not lawful, it will take appropriate steps to investigate and to delete, restrict or otherwise handle that information as required by law.

Device Permissions and App Access

The Legal Connect app may request access to certain device functions where they are relevant to features used by the individual.

Depending on the way the app is built and used, this may include access to location services, notifications, camera, microphone, photos, files, contacts or similar features.

Legal Connect should request only permissions that are genuinely necessary for the relevant functionality and should explain the reason for the request at or before the point of collection where appropriate. Android privacy guidance encourages developers to minimise data collection, request only necessary permissions and limit location access where possible. Apple also requires developers to disclose privacy-relevant data collection in connection with app submissions.

Users can generally manage device permissions through their device settings, although disabling some permissions may affect the availability or performance of certain features.

Location Data

Legal Connect may use precise or approximate location data if the user enables location services on their device.

Location data may be used for purposes such as selecting police stations, courts or attendance venues, displaying a map, helping users identify nearby locations, completing attendance details, suggesting routes or supporting other location-based features.

The uploaded app flow documents refer expressly to automatic map designation for location selection in connection with attendances.

Where location data is optional, Legal Connect should explain this clearly and allow users to decline permission, although some location-based features may not then be available.

User-Generated Content, Jobs and Advertisements

The platform may allow users to post jobs, advertisements, hearing cover requests, attendance opportunities, agency instructions and related content.

Users are responsible for ensuring that information they upload, publish, share or otherwise submit through the platform is lawful, accurate, necessary and proportionate.

Users must not upload excessive personal data or unnecessary confidential information. In particular, users should avoid including more client information than is reasonably necessary for the purpose of arranging legal services or coverage.

Where a user uploads personal data about another individual, that user must ensure that they have a lawful basis and, where required, that they have provided any necessary privacy information or have another lawful basis for not doing so.

Legal Connect may monitor, restrict, remove or take action in relation to content or postings that are unlawful, misleading, abusive, excessive, infringing, unsafe, or inconsistent with its terms, legal duties or platform policies.

Communications Between Users

Legal Connect may provide messaging or communication features to support the arrangement and management of legal instructions and attendances.

Where users communicate through the platform, Legal Connect may process message content, timestamps, recipient information, logs and associated metadata in order to deliver the communication, maintain records, ensure platform security, investigate complaints, respond to abuse, and comply with legal obligations.

Users should treat all platform communications professionally and should avoid sharing unnecessary sensitive information.

Payment and Billing Processing

Where the platform supports payments, billing or invoicing, Legal Connect may process payment-related personal data for the purpose of charging users, settling transactions, paying legal professionals, recording agreed rates, and maintaining financial records.

Legal Connect may use third-party payment providers for this purpose. Those providers may process payment information under their own legal responsibilities and privacy information.

Legal Connect will only retain payment information to the extent necessary for the relevant purpose, compliance obligations, dispute handling and record-keeping.

Automated Decision-Making and Profiling

Legal Connect does not intend to carry out solely automated decision-making that produces legal effects or similarly significant effects on individuals unless it has a lawful basis to do so and complies with all applicable requirements.

The platform may use ordinary automated functions such as scheduling, notifications, filtering, matching, sorting, search results, reminders, fraud detection signals, or operational prompts. These ordinary functions are used to support the operation of the service and not to make legally significant decisions about individuals without appropriate human involvement.

If Legal Connect introduces any form of automated decision-making or profiling that triggers legal obligations to provide additional information or rights, this Privacy Policy and the relevant notices should be updated accordingly.

Cookies, SDKs and Similar Technologies

Legal Connect may use cookies, software development kits, pixels, device identifiers, local storage, session technologies, analytics tools, crash reporting tools and similar technologies in the app, website or support environment.

These technologies may be used for authentication, maintaining login sessions, security, remembering settings, analytics, diagnostics, crash reporting, performance monitoring, fraud prevention, communications and service improvement.

Where applicable law requires consent for non-essential technologies, Legal Connect will seek that consent in an appropriate way.

Any cookie notice, SDK disclosure or in-app privacy notice should be consistent with the actual technologies used by the service.

Sharing Personal Data

Legal Connect does not sell personal data.

Legal Connect may share personal data where necessary with the following categories of recipients:

• other users, where sharing is part of the service, for example where a job is posted, assigned, accepted, managed or completed;
• legal professionals, firms, chambers, agencies, clerks, instructing parties or organisational users involved in the relevant matter or instruction;
• courts, tribunals, police stations, public bodies, regulators, law enforcement bodies or other authorities where disclosure is required or permitted by law;
• service providers acting on behalf of Legal Connect, such as cloud hosting providers, communication providers, customer support providers, analytics providers, verification providers, payment providers, storage providers and security providers;
• professional advisers, auditors, insurers and legal representatives;
• prospective purchasers, successors or parties involved in a merger, investment, sale or restructuring of the Legal Connect business;
• any person where disclosure is reasonably necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal rights or to protect safety, rights, property or the public.

Where Legal Connect shares personal data with service providers acting on its behalf, it will seek to ensure that appropriate contractual and organisational safeguards are in place.

Google Play’s guidance on user data recognises that some transfers may take place to service providers or to third parties based on a user’s expected action, but developers must still make accurate and transparent disclosures about their data handling.

International Transfers

Legal Connect may use suppliers, service providers or infrastructure located outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, Legal Connect will seek to ensure that appropriate safeguards are used in accordance with applicable law. These may include adequacy regulations, the International Data Transfer Agreement, the UK Addendum to standard contractual clauses, or another lawful transfer mechanism.

Where required, Legal Connect will provide information about international transfers in its privacy information, including the categories of recipient and the safeguard used.

Data Retention

Legal Connect will keep personal data for no longer than is reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it is processed, including for legal, regulatory, accounting, audit, dispute, fraud prevention, professional conduct, insurance and record-keeping purposes.

Retention periods may vary according to the type of data, the role of Legal Connect, the nature of the legal matter, the sensitivity of the information, the need to preserve records, the existence of complaints or disputes, and any legal or professional obligations.

In general terms:

• account data will usually be kept while the account remains active and for a reasonable period afterwards;
• booking, job, advertisement and transaction data may be retained for audit, dispute, payment and record purposes;
• communications may be retained for support, complaint handling, security and evidential reasons;
• technical logs and diagnostic data may be kept for security, monitoring and troubleshooting;
• case-related data may be retained for longer where necessary because of legal services, professional duties, insurance, potential legal claims, safeguarding, limitation periods or other lawful reasons.

When data is no longer required, Legal Connect will delete it, anonymise it or securely archive it.

Data Security

Legal Connect will take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure, unauthorised access and other unlawful or inappropriate processing.

These measures may include encryption, secure transmission, access control, authentication controls, role-based permissions, monitoring, logging, backup measures, patching, vulnerability management, confidentiality obligations, staff training, incident response procedures and secure hosting arrangements.

Special category data and criminal offence data should be subject to enhanced access controls and stricter handling arrangements because of their sensitivity.

No system can be completely secure. However, Legal Connect will seek to review and improve its security controls on an ongoing basis.

Data Breach Handling

Legal Connect will maintain procedures for identifying, investigating, containing and responding to personal data breaches.

Where a personal data breach is likely to result in a risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals, Legal Connect will assess whether notification to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) or to affected individuals is required under applicable law.

Legal Connect may also keep internal records of security incidents, near misses and remedial action.

Individual Rights

Subject to applicable law, individuals may have the following rights in relation to their personal data:

• the right to be informed;
• the right of access;
• the right to rectification;
• the right to erasure;
• the right to restrict processing;
• the right to data portability;
• the right to object;
• rights in relation to automated decision-making, where applicable;
• the right to withdraw consent where processing relies on consent.

These rights are not absolute. Legal Connect may refuse or limit a request where the law allows it, including where information must be kept for legal claims, legal obligations, professional duties, the rights of others, safeguarding or fraud prevention.

Individuals may exercise their rights by contacting Legal Connect using the contact details set out in this Privacy Policy.

Complaints

If you have concerns about how Legal Connect uses personal data, you may contact Legal Connect first so that the matter can be considered.

If you are in the United Kingdom, you also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, which is the UK supervisory authority for data protection matters.

Marketing Communications

Legal Connect may send service-related communications that are necessary for the operation of the platform, including account messages, booking updates, reminders, security alerts, legal notices, payment notices and policy updates.

Where Legal Connect sends marketing communications, it will do so in accordance with applicable law and, where required, with consent or another valid legal basis.

Users may opt out of non-essential marketing communications using the unsubscribe method provided or by contacting Legal Connect.

Third-Party Services and Links

The Legal Connect platform may use or link to third-party services, such as cloud providers, map providers, sign-in providers, payment platforms, analytics platforms, communication tools, verification suppliers or support services.

Where third parties process personal data for their own purposes, their own privacy notices and legal responsibilities may apply.

Legal Connect should take reasonable care when selecting third-party providers and should ensure that any disclosures it makes in this Privacy Policy, in platform notices, and in app-store submissions are accurate and reflect the real data flows of the app.

App Store and Platform Privacy Disclosures

Legal Connect may provide additional privacy disclosures through its App Store and Google Play listings, through onboarding screens, just-in-time notices, permission prompts, settings pages, data safety forms, or support materials.

Those disclosures must be consistent with the actual operation of the app. Apple requires developers to provide details about privacy practices and privacy-relevant data collection for app submissions and product pages. Google Play requires developers to complete the Data safety form and explain how user data is collected, shared and protected.

If the app uses analytics tools, SDKs, crash reporting tools, advertising tools, map tools, push notification systems, third-party sign-in, or external payment processors, the app-store privacy answers and any in-app notices should be checked carefully so that they accurately match the real technical behaviour of the product.

Google Play also requires developers to comply with privacy and data protection laws in the jurisdictions where they offer their products and services.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

Legal Connect may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, technology, services, data practices, business operations or platform requirements.

Where changes are material, Legal Connect may notify users by appropriate means, such as through the app, by email, or by publishing an updated version with a revised effective date.

The latest version of the Privacy Policy will be the version made available through the app, website or other designated channel.

Contact Details

If you have questions, concerns or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or to the way Legal Connect processes personal data, please contact:

Legal Connect
Email: nkhattakapp@gmail.com

If Legal Connect appoints a Data Protection Officer or a specific privacy contact in future, those details may also be added here.