1. INTRODUCTION

  1. INTRODUCTION

The Nico Halle & Co. Law Firm (NHLF) takes data privacy seriously. We recognize the value and trust you have in us when providing us with personal data and are committed to safeguarding the security and privacy of personal information we may collect from visitors to our websites and/or the clients to whom we provide legal and other services.

Please note that our Privacy notice does not apply to, and the NHLF is not responsible for, any third party websites which may be accessible through links from this website. In the event you follow a link to any of these third party websites, they will have their own privacy policies and we encourage you to check these policies prior to submitting any personal data to such third party websites.

The aim of this privacy policy is to enable you understand our personal data collection, usage and disclosure practices:

1. Who are we and what we do

We are a law firm incorporated in Cameroon, with services coveringAfrica through our reliable network of Associates. We provide the national and international corporations and financial institutions with comprehensive legal and advisory services.

2. What personal data we collect about you

During the course of business operations and providing services, we may collect and process different types of personal data which include:

  • Basic data such as your Name, gender, title, organization, job responsibilities, phone number, mailing address, email address, contact details;
  • Client service data: This is personal data provided to us by or on behalf of our clients or generated by us in the course of providing our services. This data is contained in documents, correspondence or other materials provided by or relating to transactions conducted by our clients and includes invoicing details, payment history, and client feedback.
  • Compliance data: This includes identification and other background verification data such as a copy of passports, evidence of beneficial ownership, the source of funds to comply with client due diligence and anti-money laundering laws;
  • Financial data such as payment related information or bank account details;
  • Job applicant data: Data provided by job applicants in connection with employment opportunities such as your curriculum vitae, your education and employment history, details of professional memberships and other information relevant to potential recruitment to the Nico Halle & Co. Law Firm;
  • Registration data: this may be provided to us in course of registering for and attending events or meetings, including access and dietary requirements; newsletter requests, subscriptions, and
    any other personal data relating to you that you may provide
  • Website usage & device data: includes details of your visits to our website or information collected through cookies, Computer Internet Protocol (IP) address, unique device identifier (UDID) and other data linked to a device.

3. How we obtain the personal data about you

We may collect or receive your personal data in the following ways:

  • Firstly, this is information that you can provide directly, for example through email correspondence, or via other direct interactions with us such as completing a form on our website.
  • As part of our client acceptance procedures or where we receive information about you from recruitment agencies for recruitment purposes, wecarry out compliance checks wherein we collect / obtain information about you; or
  • We may, for example, use publicly available sources for verification of the contact details we already hold for you for professional networking purposes.

4. How we use your personal data
We will only use your personal data where we are permitted to do so by applicable law in the following instances:

  • where your information is necessary to enable us enter into or perform our contract with you or the organization you work for.
  • where your information is necessary to enable us comply with our legal obligations.
  • where your information is necessary for us to defend, prosecute or make a claim against you, us or a third party.
  • Where you have given your consent (where necessary) to such use or the organization you work for has obtained your consent (where necessary) to share your information with us

We may use your personal data in the following ways:

  • To provide our legal and other services to you, as well as conduct our business– to administer and perform our services, including carrying out our obligations arising from any agreements entered into between you and us.Also, to consider whether or not to pursue certain business development initiatives
  • For marketing and business development purposes –to provide you with details of new services, legal updates, invites to seminars and events where you have chosen to receive these. You have the option to unsubscribe or opt-out of further communication on any electronic marketing communication sent to you.
  • To enable us to process and review applications for employment submitted to the Firm and to assess your suitability for any position for which you may apply for at the NHLF.
  • To enable us comply with our legal, regulatory, or risk management obligations, anti-money laundering, anti-bribery, sanctions or identifying conflicts of interests; for the prevention of fraud and/or other relevant background checks as may be required by applicable law and regulation and best practice at any given time.

5. Who we share your personal data with
We may also share your personal data with a variety of the following categories of third parties:

  • Our professional advisors (e.g. legal, financial, business, risk management or other advisors), bankers and auditors;
  • Third party service providers, to whom we outsource certain functions such as information and document management, office support, technology and IT services, word processing, photocopying and translation services ( kindly note that where applicable,we have agreements with these service providers to protect the confidentiality and security of information shared with them);
  • Other third party external advisors or experts engaged in the course of the services we provide to our clients and with their prior consent, such as barristers, local counsel and technology service providers.
  • We may also process your personal data in compliance with regulatory, which may include disclosing your personal data to government, regulatory or law enforcement agencies in connection with enquiries, proceedings or investigations by such parties anywhere in the world or where compelled to do so. Where permitted, or unless to do so would prejudice the prevention or detection of a crime, we will direct any such request to you or notify you before responding.

6. How we protect your personal data
We recognize that data security is an integral element of data privacy. Though no data transmission can be guaranteed to be secure from interference, we implement a range of commercially reasonable measures to help with the protection of personal data from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration or destruction.

Everyone at the NHLF and any third party service providers we may engage that process personal data on our behalf (for the purposes listed above) are also contractually obligated to respect the confidentiality of personal data.

7. What rights you have in relation to your personal data
If you have any questions about our use of your personal data, please first contact us via the details provided in section 08 below. You may have the right to:

  • Request access to your personal information and further details on the use we make of your information;
  • Request us to provide you with a copy of information that we hold about you;
  • Request rectification of your personal information;
  • Request the removal of your personal information that we no longer have a lawful ground to use;
  • Where processing is based on consent, to withdraw your consent so that we stop that particular processing. Once we receive notification that you have withdrawn your consent, we will no longer process your information for the purpose or purposes you originally agreed to, unless we have another legitimate basis for doing so in law.

While it is our policy to respect the rights of individuals, please be aware that your exercise of these rights is subject to certain exemptions to safeguard the public interest (e.g. the prevention or detection of crime), our interests (e.g. the maintenance of legal privilege) and some of these rights may be limited (for example the right to withdraw consent) where we are required or permitted by law to continue processing your personal data to defend our legal rights or meet our legal and regulatory obligations.

If you contact us to exercise any of these rights, we will check your entitlement and respond accordingly.

8. Contact us
If you have any questions about this Privacy notice or how we process your personal data, please contact us by sending an email to: privacypolicy@hallelaw.com or by writing to:

Nico Halle & Co. Law Firm

1st Floor SHALOM Building,Ancienne Route, Bonaberi

B.P.: 4876 Douala – Cameroon.

9. Privacy policy updates
Our website content and cookie use may change without notice, thus resulting in the possible change of our Privacy notice and Cookie Policy. We therefore encourage you to review them when you visit the website to stay informed of our use of your personal data.