Privacy Policy

General

1. EQUI Law Firm SRL/BV (“EQUI”) processes personal data ("Personal Data") of natural persons ("Data Subjects") as a controller. EQUI takes the protection of your privacy seriously and makes every effort to provide the necessary protection to your Personal Data received and processed by EQUI.

2. This privacy statement has been made in accordance with applicable law, in particular, but not limited to, the European Regulation 2016/679 of April 27, 2016 regarding the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and the free movement of such data (hereinafter "GDPR") and the Law of July 30, 2018 regarding the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data.

3. In the context of collaboration with EQUI and/or by participating in a EQUI event, you will be asked to agree to our privacy statement.

4. This privacy statement may be revised or updated. You are therefore invited to consult our privacy statement regularly on the EQUI-website.

Data Subjects

5. EQUI processes Personal Data of the following Data Subjects:
- (Personnel of) clients.
- (Personnel of) suppliers or other business partners (other lawyers, landlord, bailiffs, notary publics, accountants, IT service providers, court personnel, etc.).
- Personnel of EQUI and applicants for a job position at EQUI.
- Participants in EQUI events, recipients of newsletters, or other individuals interested in EQUI activities.

Personal Data

6. EQUI processes all or some of the following Personal Data:
- Clients:

• Personal identification data, such as name, email, telephone number, home address, professional data (e.g., position, employer company, employer address), VAT number, bank account number, preferred language, etc.
• Publicly accessible Personal Data, such as the Belgian Official Gazette, BCE, Graydon, press articles, social media, websites, etc.
• Anti-money laundering data and file data, such as identity card, national registration number, any other data necessary for the delivery of our services, etc.
• Sensitive data, such as such as health data, data concerning membership of a trade union, judicial data, etc.
• Images: photos or videos, recorded during events, such as training sessions, year-end receptions, etc.

- Suppliers or other business partners, Participants in EQUI events, recipients of newsletters, or other individuals interested in EQUI activities:

• Personal identification data, such as name, email, telephone number, position, company data (e.g., employer company, employer address), VAT number, bank account number, preferred language, etc.
• Publicly accessible Personal Data, such as attachments in the Belgian Official Gazette, BCE, Graydon, press articles, social media, websites, etc.
• Images: photos or videos, recorded during events, such as training sessions, year-end receptions, etc.

- Personnel of EQUI and applicants for a job position at EQUI:

• Personal identification data, such as name, email, telephone number, position, company data (e.g., employer company, employer address), VAT number, bank account number, preferred language, etc.
• Publicly accessible Personal Data, such as attachments in the Belgian Official Gazette, BCE, Graydon, press articles, social media, websites, etc.
• Professional and educational information, such as cv, reference letters, diploma’s, etc.
• Remuneration data, such as residential address, date of birth, place of birth, national registration number, marital status, family composition, bank account number, etc.
• Images: photos or videos, recorded during events, such as training sessions, year-end receptions, etc.

7. Personal Data is either collected by us, for example, via publicly accessible Personal Data, or directly provided by you (for example, by handing over your business card, via the collaboration agreement, etc.). Except in the case of publicly accessible Personal Data, you will always be expressly asked to consent to this privacy statement before Personal Data is collected.

8. EQUI does not carry out large-scale processing operations. EQUI does not use cookies other than those strictly necessary for the good functioning of the EQUI-website (end therefore not subject to consent).

Purposes of processing

9. EQUI processes Personal Data for the following purposes:
- Personal identification data: communication with the Data Subject, commercial follow-up, direct marketing & newsletters, facilitating and providing a quality service.
- Publicly accessible Personal Data: knowing and profiling business partners and applicants, quality control.
- Anti-money laundering data and file data: compliance with legal and ethical obligations, providing an ethical and quality service.
- Sensitive data: exclusively in the context of the treatment of a matter, for and on behalf of a client by the acting lawyer.
- Professional and educational data: facilitating and providing a quality service, targeted recruitment.
- Remuneration data: For the calculation of compensation and salaries of personnel.- Images: messages about and from the events where the images were taken, on the EQUI-website, on social media (e.g., LinkedIn), and/or directly to the participants of the event.

Legal basis of processing

10. EQUI processes your Personal Data in the context of the execution of the agreement you have entered into with EQUI and/or based on your prior consent and/or pursuant to a legal obligation (e.g., anti-money laundering data, remuneration data).

11. In addition, your Personal Data is always processed for the legitimate interests of EQUI as a company. EQUI ensures that the processing does not have serious consequences for your fundamental rights and freedoms as a Data Subject. In case of conflicting interests, EQUI will not process your Personal Data.

12. You are not obliged to provide your Personal Data, but you accept that certain services cannot be provided without processing by EQUI of certain Personal Data.

Nature of processing

13. You are informed and accept that your Personal Data may be used by EQUI for direct marketing purposes related to the services of EQUI such as newsletters, announcement of, or invitation to special events. EQUI will always obtain your express consent for this. This consent can be withdrawn at any time, without justification and without cost.

14. EQUI may disclose Personal Data to third-party service providers who provide technical and operational support (e.g., IT service providers, accountants, auditors, etc.) to the extent necessary for the provision of services, for the safeguarding of a legitimate interest, and/or if EQUI is required to do so by law or court order.

15. EQUI will not sell, rent, distribute, or otherwise commercially make Personal Data available to third parties.

16. EQUI does not intend to transfer your Personal Data outside the EEA. If your Personal Data were to be transferred to countries outside the EEA, EQUI will ensure that this transfer takes place in a legally permissible manner, for example, through an adequacy decision or by concluding standard contractual clauses that provide you with at least similar protection as that provided under this privacy statement.

Retention of Personal Data

17. Personal data necessary for the performance of the agreement with the client will be retained for the duration of that agreement, as well as for the subsequent duration necessary to comply with legal and tax obligations.

18. Personal data for which you have previously given your consent (e.g., images, direct marketing) will be kept for the duration necessary to achieve the purpose for which consent was given, or until the express withdrawal of consent. 

19. Personal data of applicants will be kept for the duration of the recruitment process and for a maximum of 5 years thereafter.

20. Personal Data will in any case be retained in accordance with specific legal requirements, including limitation periods.

Security and confidentiality

21. Personal Data is entered and stored in physical and/or electronic files. EQUI provides the necessary technical and organizational measures, in line with current standards and techniques, to prevent unauthorized and unlawful processing or disclosure, as well as accidental loss, alteration, or destruction of your Personal Data.

22. With regard to the members of the lawyers, personnel, suppliers or other business partners of EQUI who have access to your Personal Data, EQUI ensures that these members of personnel and agents are bound by confidentiality obligations similar to this privacy statement.

Rights of the Data Subject

23. Within the limits of applicable law, you always have the right to access, restrict, correct, transfer, or delete your Personal Data. Previously given consent can be withdrawn at any time.

24. You can contact EQUI for this purpose by writing to its statutory seat (Square de MEEUS 35, 1000 Brussels) or via info@equilaw.be. You can also lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Authority (rue de la Drukpersstraat 35, 1000 Tel. +32.2.274.48.00, contact@apd-gba.be, www.gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit.be).