ILSPA's Privacy Notice

Who we are

The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs Ltd (ILSPA) is responsible for the personal data you give us. This makes us the data controller.

• Registered in England: Company number 05295024
• Registered office: Blacklers, Park Road, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6EQ
• Registered with the ICO: Reference Z3529247

This notice explains what personal data we hold about our Enquirers, Students, Members, Candidates and Recruiters, why we hold it, the lawful basis for using it, who we share it with and how long we keep it. It also explains your rights and how to complain.

We never sell your data or share it with other organisations for their marketing. We keep it secure and only allow access to people who need it to do their job.

To enrol, join or register, you need to give us the details marked as required on our forms. Without them we cannot provide the course or service you have asked for.

Contact us about your data

• Email: [email protected]
• Telephone: 0207 1009210
• Post: ILSPA, Blacklers, Park Road, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6EQ

Enquirers

If you ask us for information, we hold your name, email address and any other details you give us, such as a telephone number.

We use these to answer your enquiry and to send you follow-up information about our courses and services to help you decide. Our lawful basis is legitimate interests, because we need your details to respond and it is reasonable to follow up on an enquiry you have made.

You can ask us to stop contacting you at any time. We delete Enquirer details 6 months after our last contact with you, unless you go on to enrol or join.

Students

When you enrol, we create a Student record in our database. It holds your name, address, telephone number, email address, course details, coursework, marks and results, and any qualification awarded.

We use your record to provide your course, assess your work, support your studies and issue your certificate. Your coursework is seen by your Course Assessor and your Tutor. Our lawful basis is contract, because we need this data to provide the course you have enrolled on.

We keep your Student record after you finish so we can confirm your qualification to you or an employer, and issue replacement certificates in future. Our lawful basis for this is legitimate interests.

Live online classes

Live classes take place on Zoom. We email your joining link once you have enrolled. Other Students and the Tutor in the class can see the name you join with and, if you turn it on, your camera.

Paying your fees

Payments online and by telephone are processed by Stripe, including payment plans. Card details go straight into Stripe's secure system. ILSPA does not store your full card number.

Certification

Before we issue a certificate, we ask for a document confirming your identity. This should be a passport or driving licence. If you do not have either of these, we may accept a recent bank statement or utility bill instead. We use it to check that you are who you say you are and that your certificate is issued in the correct name. You may cover up details we do not need, such as your date of birth, passport or licence number, or account numbers and balances, but your full name must be clearly visible. Our lawful basis is legitimate interests, which in this case are preventing fraud and protecting the value of our qualifications.

You send the document to us securely through WeTransfer. Once we have checked it, we permanently delete it. We keep only a note that your identity was confirmed and when.

Extension requests and medical evidence

If you ask for an extension beyond the usual allowance, you may choose to send us medical evidence by email, such as a doctor's note or hospital report. Health information is a special category of personal data. We only use it with your explicit consent, which you give by choosing to send it to support your request.

Only the staff deciding your request will see it. Once we have made a decision, we delete the email and document. We keep only a note of the extension granted. You can withdraw your consent at any time before we decide, but we may then be unable to consider your request.

Members

When you apply for Membership, we create a Membership record in our database. It holds your name, address, telephone number, email address, Membership level, and payment history.

If you apply for Affiliate level or above, we also hold a copy of your CV and check the qualifications or experience you tell us about. Your CV is kept on your Membership record.

We use your record to assess your application, provide your Membership benefits, process renewals and confirm your professional standing. Our lawful basis is contract, because we need this data to provide your Membership. Membership fees are paid through Stripe, as described above.

We keep your record after your Membership ends so we can confirm your Membership history and welcome you back if you renew later. Our lawful basis for this is legitimate interests.

Jobs Board Candidates and Recruiters

Candidates

When you register as a Candidate, we hold your name, address, telephone number, email address, level of experience and CV. Registered Recruiters can view your CV and any applications you make to their jobs. Our lawful basis is contract, because this is the service you have signed up for.

Recruiters

When you register as a Recruiter, we hold your name, address, telephone number, email address and company information. This lets you advertise jobs and view applications and CVs. Our lawful basis is contract.

We keep Candidate and Recruiter profiles so you can return to the jobs board without registering again. You can ask us to delete your profile at any time.

Emails and Newsletters

As well as emails you ask for, we send Students and Members information relevant to their studies or Membership. This includes course support, our newsletter, renewal reminders, Membership benefits, Graduate opportunities and requests for feedback. We send Enquirers follow-up information about the courses they asked about.

We only send Candidates and Recruiters job notifications and newsletters if you have given your consent.

We send newsletters using Mailchimp. Every email has an unsubscribe link, and you can also email us to stop. We will always respect your choice. You will still receive essential messages about a course or Membership you have paid for.

Who we share your data with

We use trusted service providers to run ILSPA. They act as data processors, which means they may only use your data on our instructions and must keep it secure.

Recruiters on our jobs board can see Candidate CVs and applications, as explained above. We may also share data where the law requires it, for example with HMRC or the police.

Data stored outside the UK

Some of these providers, including Google, Stripe, Mailchimp, Xero, Zoom and WeTransfer, may store or access data outside the UK, including in the USA. Where this happens, your data is protected by UK adequacy regulations (such as those covering the EU and the UK-US data bridge) or by contract terms approved under UK law.

How long we keep your data

We only keep data for as long as we need it.

Cookies and website statistics

Cookies are small files stored on your device when you visit a website. Some cookie information, such as your IP address or a unique identifier, counts as personal data.

We use Cookiebot to manage cookies on our website. Cookies that are needed for the site to work, such as keeping you logged in, are always on. We only use Google Analytics once you accept statistics cookies. It tells us in general terms how many people visit, which pages they look at and how long they stay. We do not use it for advertising.

You can change your choice at any time using the cookie settings link at the bottom of any page. A full list of the cookies we use, what each does and how long it lasts is in our cookie declaration [add link].

Your rights

You have the right to

• ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• ask us to correct data that is wrong or incomplete
• ask us to delete your data
• ask us to limit how we use your data
• object to how we use your data, including stopping marketing emails at any time
• ask for your data in a format you can take to another organisation
• withdraw your consent, where we rely on it

We do not make decisions about you by automated means alone.

To use any of these rights, contact us using the details above. We may ask you to confirm your identity. We will reply within one month, or tell you if we need longer for a complex request.

Some rights have limits. For example, we may not be able to delete a Student or Membership record completely, because we need it to verify qualifications and Membership status. If so, we will explain why.

How to complain

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, please tell us first using the contact details above. We will acknowledge your complaint within 30 days, look into it, keep you updated and let you know the outcome.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commission's Office (ICO), the UK data protection regulator.

• Website: ico.org.uk
• Telephone: 0303 123 1113