Privacy Policy.

Thank you for choosing Hunter Shafiz Lawyers for your legal needs. We are committed to providing high-quality legal advice and representation while respecting the privacy and confidentiality of our clients.

To provide appropriate legal assistance and fulfil our professional obligations, we may need to collect personal information from you. The information required will depend on the nature of your matter and the services you require.

We are committed to protecting your personal information and complying with applicable privacy laws, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles where they apply. This policy explains how we collect, use, disclose and protect your personal information. We may update it periodically to reflect changes to our practices or legal obligations.

Personal information, as defined by the Privacy Act, refers to any information or opinion, whether recorded in a tangible or intangible form, true or false, that relates to an individual whose identity is evident or can reasonably be determined from that information or opinion.

Rest assured that any information you provide us will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and subject to strict duties of confidentiality. Our commitment to protecting your privacy is of paramount importance to us.

If you have any concerns or questions regarding our privacy policy or the handling of your personal information, please feel free to reach out to us. We are here to assist you and provide the best legal service possible.

We usually collect personal information directly from you when you contact us, book a consultation, provide instructions or engage us to act on your behalf.

At the commencement of a matter, we generally require your name, address, telephone number, email address and other relevant contact details. We may also require identification documents and details of other parties involved in your matter.

Depending on the nature of your matter, we may collect:

• Financial information, including income, accounting records, assets and liabilities;
• Information about your personal relationships and family circumstances;
• Business information, including details of employees, clients and contractors;
• Employment and education history;
• Information about your citizenship, immigration status or travel history;
• Health information, criminal history or other sensitive information relevant to your matter; and
• Information contained in documents, correspondence and evidence you provide.

We may collect this information in person, by telephone, by email, through our website or in writing. We collect sensitive information with your consent where required, or where otherwise permitted or required by law.

If you do not provide information necessary for us to advise or represent you, we may be unable to provide some or all of the services you request.

We may also collect personal information from third parties where reasonably necessary to provide our services or conduct your matter. These sources may include your authorised representatives, other solicitors, barristers, witnesses, experts, government agencies, courts, tribunals and publicly available records.

In some circumstances, we may receive information about another person without their direct consent, such as when a client provides documents concerning another party or information is obtained during legal proceedings. We handle this information in accordance with applicable law and our professional obligations.

Where consent is required to obtain information from another source, we will seek that consent.

If you provide personal information about another person, you should ensure that you are authorised or otherwise legally permitted to provide it.

We use personal information to:

• Assess enquiries, conduct conflict checks and verify identity;
• Provide legal advice and representation;
• Prepare documents, negotiate and conduct legal proceedings;
• Communicate with you and others involved in your matter;
• Manage appointments, billing, payments and client records; and
• Meet our legal, regulatory and professional obligations.

Where reasonably necessary for these purposes, we may disclose relevant information to barristers, experts, other solicitors, courts, tribunals, government agencies, other parties to your matter and their representatives, or service providers assisting with our practice.

Any disclosure remains subject to our duties of confidentiality and applicable legal restrictions.

We will only use or disclose your personal information for a purpose other than the purpose for which it was collected where:

• You have consented;
• You would reasonably expect the use or disclosure and the additional purpose is related to the original purpose—or directly related where sensitive information is involved; or
• The use or disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

Hunter Shafiz Lawyers will handle personal information in accordance with this policy regardless of how it is collected.

Where your matter requires communication with an overseas authority, representative or other recipient, we may disclose relevant personal information overseas as necessary to carry out your instructions and subject to our legal and professional obligations.

The countries involved will depend on the circumstances of your matter. We will discuss relevant overseas disclosures with you when arranging this work.

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

Personal information may be held in physical files and electronic systems. Access is limited to people who require it for an authorised purpose.

We retain information for as long as necessary to conduct your matter and meet applicable legal, professional and recordkeeping obligations. When information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to securely destroy or de-identify it, unless retention is required by law.

Where permitted by law, Hunter Shafiz Lawyers may use your contact details to inform you about our services, legal updates, promotions or changes to our practice that may be relevant to you.

We will not sell your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes without your consent.

You may opt out of marketing communications at any time by using any unsubscribe option provided or contacting us on 02 9682 5433. Opting out will not affect communications necessary to manage your legal matter.

You may request access to personal information we hold about you or ask us to correct information that is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.

We may need to verify your identity before responding. We will respond within a reasonable period, subject to any applicable legal restrictions. If we cannot grant your request, we will explain why, where permitted by law, and advise you of available complaint options.

If you have any questions about this policy, wish to access or correct your personal information, or would like to make a privacy complaint, please contact Hunter Shafiz Lawyers on 02 9682 5433.