This policy explains what personal information Coombs Legal collects, why we collect it, how we look after it, and how you can access it, correct it or make a complaint. In short: we collect only what we need to respond to you and to act for you, we keep it secure and confidential, and we never sell it.
In brief
We collect information you give us, mostly when you contact us or become a client.
We use it to respond to you, to provide legal services, and to meet our legal and professional obligations.
This website doesn’t use analytics, tracking or advertising cookies.
Some services we use, including our website form provider, may process information outside Australia.
You can ask to see or correct your information, or make a complaint, at any time.
Who we are
Coombs Legal is an estate planning legal practice in Western Australia. In this policy, “we”, “us” and “our” mean Coombs Legal. We are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles, as well as the duties of confidentiality that apply to lawyers.
What personal information we collect
The information we collect depends on why you’re dealing with us. It may include:
Contact details
Your name, email address, phone number and postal address.
Enquiry details
What you tell us when you get in touch, including through the enquiry form on this website.
Information about your matter
For example, details of your family and relationships, your assets, liabilities and financial affairs, and the wishes you want your Will or other documents to reflect.
Identity information
Such as your date of birth and identification documents, where we need to verify who you are.
Sensitive information
In some matters, such as guardianship applications or questions of capacity, we may need health information or other sensitive information. We collect it only with your consent or where the law allows, and only when your matter requires it.
How we collect and hold it
We collect most information directly from you: in meetings, by phone and email, through documents you give us, and through the enquiry form on this website. Sometimes we collect information from other people, such as your other advisers, family members or executors, or from courts and public registers, where your matter requires it.
We hold information in electronic and paper files. We take reasonable steps to protect it from misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, change or disclosure. We keep records only for as long as we need them or the law requires, and then securely destroy or de-identify them.
Why we collect, use and disclose it
We collect and use personal information to:
respond to your enquiry and arrange a consultation;
provide legal advice and services, and manage your matter;
verify your identity and meet our legal, regulatory and professional obligations, including record-keeping;
run our practice, including billing and administration.
We may disclose personal information where your matter needs it or the law requires it: for example, to courts and tribunals, government agencies, barristers, other parties’ lawyers, and the service providers who help us run our practice, such as IT, email and document storage providers. We do not sell personal information, and we don’t use it for marketing without your consent.
Our website
Enquiries sent through the form on this website are delivered to us by Web3Forms, an online form service, and then kept with our other correspondence. The form asks only for what we need to reply: your name, email address, an optional phone number, the area you need help with and your message.
This website doesn’t use analytics, tracking or advertising cookies, and its fonts and images are served from this website rather than from third parties. Like most websites, it is delivered by a hosting provider (Cloudflare), which processes technical information such as IP addresses to deliver the site securely.
Disclosure outside Australia
Some of the service providers we use may store or process personal information outside Australia. In particular, enquiries submitted through this website are processed by Web3Forms, and the website is delivered through Cloudflare’s global network, so information may be handled in other countries, including the United States. Where we use overseas providers, we take reasonable steps to ensure they handle personal information consistently with the Australian Privacy Principles.
Accessing and correcting your information
You can ask for access to the personal information we hold about you, or ask us to correct it if you think it is inaccurate, out of date or incomplete. Contact us at info@coombslegal.com. We will need to verify your identity, and we will usually respond within 30 days.
In some cases the law allows us to refuse access, for example where giving it would breach legal professional privilege or another person’s privacy. If we refuse, we will tell you why in writing and explain how you can complain.
Making a complaint
If you believe we have breached your privacy, please contact us in writing first, using the details below, and tell us what happened. We will acknowledge your complaint, look into it, and respond in writing within 30 days.
If you’re not satisfied with our response, you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au or on 1300 363 992.
Contact us
Privacy questions, requests and complaints can be sent to info@coombslegal.com or made by phone on +61 (8) 6187 5723. You can also write to us at Coombs Legal, The Garden Office Park, Level 2 Building C/355 Scarborough Beach Rd, Osborne Park WA 6017.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The current version will always be on this page.