> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://handbook.settlementagreement.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Privacy notice for consultant solicitors

> What personal data SAS holds about you as a consultant solicitor, why, who it is shared with, how long it is kept, and your rights.

**At a glance**

**Applies to:** consultant solicitors, and solicitors applying to work with SAS as consultants.

* SAS holds the personal data it needs to engage you, pay your invoices, meet its insurers' and the SRA's requirements, and keep client data secure.
* SAS monitors activity in its own systems and apps, as set out in section 8 of the [BYOD Policy](/handbook/byod-policy). It does not monitor your personal apps, files or browsing.
* No activity monitoring software (ActivTrak) is installed on consultants' own computers.
* You can ask for a copy of your data, or for it to be corrected or deleted, by emailing Patrick.
* You can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

**Who to ask:** Patrick Knight, Data Protection Officer ([pk@settlementagreement.com](mailto:pk@settlementagreement.com)).

## Who we are

Settlement Agreement Solicitors Ltd (company number 12589585, registered office Thomas House, 84 Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1PX) is the controller of your personal data. Our Data Protection Officer is Patrick Knight, [pk@settlementagreement.com](mailto:pk@settlementagreement.com).

## What we hold and why

| What | Examples | Why | Legal basis |
| - | - | - | - |
| Identity and contact details | Name, address, phone, personal email, emergency contact; your company's details if you contract through one | To engage you and contact you | Contract; legitimate interests |
| Professional details | Practising certificate, SRA number, qualification date, CV, references, CPD, your SRA record and any regulatory history | To check you are entitled and competent to practise, as the SRA requires | Legal obligation; legitimate interests |
| Insurance information | Your answers to SAS's professional indemnity insurer's questionnaire, including any past claims or regulatory matters | To arrange and keep SAS's professional indemnity insurance | Legal obligation; legitimate interests |
| Fitness to practise | Anything you tell us under the BYOD Policy section 9, such as SRA investigations, convictions or bankruptcy | To meet SAS's duties as a regulated firm | Legal obligation; substantial public interest (regulatory requirements) |
| Invoices and payments | Bank details, invoices, fees, referral payments | To pay you and keep accounts | Contract; legal obligation |
| Work records | Cases, file reviews, complaints, client feedback, absence cover arrangements | To supervise the service and deal with complaints and claims | Contract; legitimate interests |
| Calls and meetings | RingCentral call recordings, transcripts, summaries and quality scores (RingSense); Google Meet recordings | To check service quality, deal with complaints and claims, and meet regulatory duties | Legitimate interests |
| System and device records | Sign-ins, activity in the SAS Chrome profile and SAS systems, device security status (Addigy, Endpoint Verification), Harmony SASE connections | To keep client data and SAS systems secure | Legitimate interests; legal obligation |
| Wellbeing check-ins | Answers you choose to share in a Spill check-in | To help the team support each other | Your choice to share; legitimate interests |

We do not make decisions about you based solely on automated processing.

## Where your data comes from

Mostly from you. We also get information from the SRA's register of solicitors, referees, SAS's insurers and broker, and from SAS systems as you work.

## Who we share it with

* **Service providers** who process data on our instructions: Google, Zoho, RingCentral, our IT support provider (NVOY) and its security tools (Addigy, Check Point, Dropsuite), Adobe (signing), Anthropic (Claude), Xero and our outsourced bookkeeping provider.
* **SAS's professional indemnity insurers and broker,** for underwriting and claims.
* **Spill,** our wellbeing provider. What you tell Spill stays with Spill under its own privacy notice; SAS only receives anonymised usage figures.
* **Regulators and public bodies** where the law requires: the SRA, HMRC, the ICO, the courts.
* **A buyer or investor,** if SAS is sold or restructured, as far as possible in anonymised form until the deal completes.

Some providers process data outside the UK. Where they do, SAS relies on UK-approved safeguards, such as the UK-US data bridge or the ICO's international data transfer agreement.

## How long we keep it

| Information | Kept for |
| - | - |
| Engagement, invoice and payment records | 6 years after your engagement ends |
| Professional, insurance and fitness to practise records | 6 years after your engagement ends, or longer while a claim or regulatory matter is open |
| Unsuccessful applications | 6 months after the decision, or 12 months if you agree |
| Call recordings | 6 years |
| System and device records | As set out in SAS's security records schedule, and no longer than 6 years |

## Your rights

You can ask SAS to give you a copy of your personal data; correct it; delete it where SAS no longer has a good reason to keep it; restrict how it is used while a concern is checked; stop using it where SAS relies on legitimate interests, unless SAS has strong grounds to continue; and give it to you in a portable form.

Email Patrick to make a request. There is normally no fee, and SAS responds within one month.

If you are unhappy, please tell Patrick first. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office: [ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint](https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/) or 0303 123 1113.

## Changes to this notice

SAS will tell you when this notice changes. The current version is always on this page.

## Related

* [BYOD Policy](/handbook/byod-policy), [Data protection](/handbook/data-protection), [AI use](/handbook/ai-use)
* [Working with SAS as a consultant](/handbook/working-with-sas-as-a-consultant)
* Your consultancy agreement, clauses 9 and 10

***

**Version 2.0** · Effective on publication · Owner: Patrick Knight, DPO · Approved by Patrick Knight · Acknowledgement: confirmation of receipt by every consultant