Privacy Notice

Published 17th May 2018

Like all businesses, from 25th May 2018, we are subject to the Europe-wide data protection legislation known as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In the course of our business we handle and store personal data. The correct handling of such data has always been and continues to be of utmost importance to our firm.  However, to comply with this new legislation, we need to provide you with the reasons why we hold your personal data and the manner in which we handle it.

We do not trade personal data with any other party and we do not process or use personal data for any purpose other than that for which it is provided, namely to identify our Clients, Applicants for Intellectual Property (IP) Rights, Inventors and Designers. 

In order to file an Application handled by us, we must furnish the Applicant’s personal data (and, where appropriate, the personal data of inventors or designers) to the IP granting authority, as a result of which this data will become public, and having become public, cannot be withdrawn. Where we need to instruct an Attorney abroad to file an IP Application in their country, we must provide the same personal data to them and we shall continue to take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is treated securely in the process.  We choose such Foreign Attorneys carefully, but ultimately have no control over them or over what happens to personal data passed to them for the express purpose of foreign IP Applications. However, those located outside the European Economic Area (EEA) are also bound by these General Data Protection Regulations by virtue of transactions within the EEA.

We are also obliged to store personal data relating to our Clients and their IP rights in our charge at least for the lifetime of the IP right concerned plus 6 years. 

We file Applications for IP rights only with the express authority of our Clients or of Attorneys abroad instructing us on the Applicant’s behalf, and we rely upon such Clients or Attorneys to have obtained permission for personal data passed to us relating to the Applicant, Inventor or Designer to be used as set out above, and for the accuracy of such data.      

We are also bound to inform you of your rights as the data subject.

You have the right to access your personal data, to request rectification or erasure of your data. In certain circumstances, you can also require a restriction in the way that we handle your personal data, to object to its handling or to request a copy of your personal data for the purposes of transmitting it elsewhere. However, please note that if we do not hold certain data, such as your name and contact details, we may be unable to fulfil our primary objective, namely the protection of your IP rights.

Should you have any questions, requirements or complaints relating to our firm’s handling of your personal data, please contact Michael Deans at our main office: Lane End House, Hookley Lane, Elstead, Surrey GU8 6JE.

If you are dissatisfied with our response to your complaint or believe that our handling of your data does not comply with data protection law, you may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

©2018 Michael Deans