Privacy Notice

Clear information about how we collect, use and protect personal data · Last updated August 2026

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1 · About this privacy notice

 

Fletcher Hixon Limited is committed to protecting your privacy and handling personal data lawfully, fairly and transparently.

 

This privacy notice explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, who we may share it with, how long we keep it and the rights you have under data protection law.

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It applies when we provide legal services, respond to enquiries, operate our business, comply with legal and regulatory obligations and operate our website.

Fletcher Hixon Limited is the data controller for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

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2 · Who this notice applies to

 

This notice may apply to you if you are, or are connected with:

• a current, former or prospective client;

• a website user or person who contacts us;

• a beneficiary, executor, trustee, attorney or deputy;

• an opponent, counterparty, witness, expert or representative;

• a supplier, professional adviser, referrer or business contact; or

• any other individual whose personal data is provided to us in connection with a legal matter or our business.

 

3 · How to contact us

 

If you have questions about this notice or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us using the details below.

 

Fletcher Hixon Limited

Website: www.fletcherhixon.co.uk

Email: contactus@fletcherhixon.co.uk

Telephone: 0113 2674490

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Postal address

International House, 14 King Street, Leeds, LS1 2HL

 

4 · Personal data we collect

 

The personal data we collect depends on your relationship with us and the nature of the matter or service involved. We may collect:

• identity details, such as your name, previous names, date of birth, nationality, passport details, driving licence details, National Insurance number and other verification information;

• contact details, such as postal address, email address and telephone number;

• financial details, such as bank account details, mortgage information, financial statements, income and expenditure information, payment records, source of funds and source of wealth information;

• matter information, such as details of property transactions, commercial transactions, court proceedings, settlements, contractual arrangements and legal claims;

• employment and role information, such as employer details, salary information, employment history, job title and position;

• technical information, such as IP address, browser type, device information, website usage information and cookie-related information; and

• communications information, such as emails, correspondence, meeting notes, telephone records and instructions given to us.

 

5 · Special category and criminal offence data

 

Some legal matters require us to process more sensitive information. This may include health or medical information, racial or ethnic origin, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, biometric information or other special category data relevant to the matter.

 

We only process special category data where we have a lawful basis under UK GDPR and a separate condition for processing it, including where processing is necessary for legal claims, legal advice, substantial public interest reasons or another condition permitted by law.

 

We may also process information relating to criminal convictions, offences, allegations, regulatory investigations, sanctions screening or related matters where this is necessary and permitted by law.

 

6 · Where we get personal data from

 

We may collect personal data directly from you. We may also receive it from other people and organisations, including:

• courts, tribunals, HM Land Registry, HM Revenue & Customs, Companies House, government bodies and regulators;

• mortgage lenders, banks, financial institutions and identity verification providers;

• barristers, expert witnesses, accountants, estate agents and other professional advisers;

• opposing parties, counterparties and their legal representatives; and

• publicly available sources, where relevant to a matter or compliance check.

 

7 · How and why we use personal data

 

We use personal data only where we have a lawful basis to do so. We summarise below the main purposes for which we process personal data and the lawful bases we usually rely on.

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​Purpose: Providing legal services

What this involves: To open files, take instructions, advise you, progress transactions, prepare documents, correspond with others involved in a matter, represent you and complete your matter.

Usual lawful basis: Contract; legitimate interests; legal obligation; and, where relevant, establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims or administration of justice.

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Purpose: Client due diligence and anti-money laundering checks

What this involves: To verify identity, source of funds, source of wealth, sanctions status and related compliance requirements.

Usual lawful basis: Legal obligation; substantial public interest; and legitimate interests.

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Purpose: Managing our relationship with clients and contacts

What this involves: To respond to enquiries, manage appointments, maintain records, handle complaints, issue updates and administer our business.

Usual lawful basis: Contract; legitimate interests; legal obligation; and consent where required.

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Purpose: Billing, accounting and finance

What this involves: To issue bills, process payments, manage client account money, keep accounting records and recover debts.

Usual lawful basis: Contract; legal obligation; and legitimate interests.

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Purpose: Regulatory, professional and risk management

What this involves: To comply with SRA requirements, professional indemnity obligations, file audits, conflict checks, risk assessments and legal reporting duties.

Usual lawful basis: Legal obligation; legitimate interests; and establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

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Purpose: Website use and security

What this involves: To operate our website, maintain security, understand website performance and respond to online enquiries.

Usual lawful basis: Legitimate interests; consent where required for non-essential cookies or marketing technologies.

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Purpose: Marketing and business development

What this involves: To send permitted updates about our services, events or legal developments and maintain contact lists.

Usual lawful basis: Consent where required; otherwise legitimate interests, subject to your right to object.

 

Where we rely on legitimate interests, those interests include running our legal practice, providing and improving our services, protecting our business, managing risk, maintaining records and communicating with clients and contacts. We consider and balance any potential impact on your rights before relying on legitimate interests.

 

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

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8 · Who we share personal data with

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We may share personal data where this is necessary for the purposes described in this notice, for the conduct of your matter, for regulatory or legal reasons, or where you have asked us to do so.

 

Recipients may include courts and tribunals, the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Legal Ombudsman, barristers, expert witnesses, lenders, financial institutions, insurers, auditors, IT service providers, cloud hosting providers, electronic signature providers, professional advisers, government departments, law enforcement agencies and any other party where disclosure is required by law or necessary for the conduct of a matter.

 

We require service providers who process personal data for us to protect that information and use it only for the purposes we authorise.

 

9 · Confidentiality, privilege and legal obligations

 

As a provider of legal services, Fletcher Hixon Limited is subject to professional duties of confidentiality and regulatory obligations imposed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

 

Information provided in connection with legal advice or legal proceedings may be protected by legal professional privilege. Where privilege applies, we will seek to maintain and protect it in accordance with our legal and professional obligations.

 

We will not normally disclose confidential client information unless we have authority to do so, disclosure is necessary for the conduct of the matter, disclosure is required by law or a court, tribunal or regulator, or disclosure is otherwise permitted by law or professional rules.

 

In some circumstances, anti-money laundering, terrorist financing, sanctions or crime prevention laws may require us to collect, retain or disclose personal data to competent authorities. In certain cases, we may be legally prohibited from telling you about that disclosure.

 

10 · International transfers

 

We generally process personal data in the United Kingdom. If we need to transfer personal data outside the United Kingdom, we will use safeguards recognised by UK data protection law where required. These may include adequacy regulations, an International Data Transfer Agreement, the UK Addendum to EU standard contractual clauses or another lawful transfer mechanism.

 

11 · How we protect personal data

 

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.

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These measures may include secure document management systems, access controls, encryption where appropriate, staff confidentiality obligations and cyber security monitoring and protection measures.

 

12 · How long we keep personal data

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We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and to meet legal, regulatory, professional, accounting and insurance obligations.

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General client files - Usually 7 years from matter closure.

Conveyancing files - Usually 15 years from completion.

Probate files - Usually 15 years from completion.

Litigation files - Usually 7 years from matter closure.

Corporate transaction files - Usually 7 years from completion.

Financial and accounting records - Usually 7 years.

Employment records - Usually 6 years after employment ends.

Anti-money laundering records - Usually 5 years after the end of the business relationship, unless a longer period is required or permitted by law.

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We may keep information for longer where this is required or permitted by law, regulation, professional rules, insurance requirements, a dispute, an investigation or the circumstances of a particular matter.

 

13 · Your data protection rights

 

Subject to applicable law and any relevant exemptions, you may have the right to:

• request access to your personal data;

• ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data;

• ask us to erase personal data in certain circumstances;

• ask us to restrict processing in certain circumstances;

• object to processing in certain circumstances, including processing for direct marketing;

• request data portability in certain circumstances; and

• withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

 

Some rights may be limited where legal professional privilege applies, where disclosure would prejudice the prevention or detection of crime, where anti-money laundering legislation restricts disclosure, or where another exemption under UK GDPR or the Data Protection Act 2018 applies.

 

To exercise your rights, please contact us using the details in section 3. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

 

14 · Automated decision-making

 

We do not make decisions about individuals solely by automated means where those decisions produce legal or similarly significant effects.

 

15 · Cookies and website analytics

 

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality, maintain security, improve user experience and analyse website performance and usage.

 

Where required by law, we will ask for your consent before using non-essential cookies or similar technologies. Further information is available in our Cookie Policy.

 

16 · Complaints

 

If you have concerns about how we process your personal data, please contact us first so that we can try to resolve the issue.

 

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office. The ICO can be contacted at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, by telephone on 0303 123 1113, or online at www.ico.org.uk.

 

17 · Changes to this notice

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We may update this privacy notice from time to time. The latest version will be available on our website.

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Last updated: August 2026.