Privacy Policy

In order to provide a good service to our clients, we work with personal data. In this Privacy Statement, we want to give you more information about how we handle the personal data that we hold.

This Privacy Statement applies to the processing of personal data by Mint Advocaten. The processor who is responsible is:

Mint Advocaten BV operating under the name Mint Advocaten
Godveerdegemstraat 101
9620 ZOTTEGEM (BELGIUM)
Tel: +32(0)9 391 79 18
ellen@mintAdvocaten.be

We believe it is important to handle your personal data with care. This statement describes the way in which we collect and process your personal data on this website in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (which entered into effect on 25 May 2018) and the Framework Act of 30 July 2018 concerning the protection of natural persons with regard to the protection of their data.

1. Definitions

• Data subject = the Client
• Processor responsible = Mint Advocaten BV operating under the name Mint Advocaten. This encompasses the actions of all lawyers who are associated with the firm with a service agreement as lawyer-employee or an agreement as a trainee, and also limits the actions where they act on behalf of Mint Advocaten BV.
• Processor = all companies which Mint Advocaten uses, and which may come into contact with the personal data of clients.
• Personal data = all information about an identified or identifiable natural person, for instance the client, opposing parties, lawyers, third parties, etc. This data, such as a name, national register number or photo, may enable a person to be directly identified. Sometimes it is also possible to indirectly identify a person through a combination of various types of information, such as their address, age and sex.
• Processing = a processing operation or the conjunction of processing operations on personal data or the entirety of personal data, whether or not this is carried out using automated procedures, such as collecting, recording, organising, structuring, saving, updating or changing data. This includes all databases and CRM systems, whether or not they are intended for use by lawyers.

2. Principles

Mint Advocaten places great importance on the privacy of its clients and employees. For this reason, Mint Advocaten wants to provide its clients and employees with the highest possible transparency concerning privacy.

We only process personal data that is necessary for the intended purposes. In doing this, we monitor the completeness and correctness of your personal data.

In principle, we do not keep your data for longer than is necessary for the purpose for which it was collected. Furthermore, we always take the necessary measures to protect your personal data. Your personal data will always be pseudonymised and anonymised if identification is not required.

Mint Advocaten will take the appropriate measures to correctly protect your data, to properly save it, to give you the opportunity to inspect this data, and to amend or if necessary, erase it. Mint Advocaten does everything necessary to prevent the loss and misuse of and unlawful access to your personal data. In the event of a data breach, as a data subject you will be informed without unreasonable delay that there has been a breach related to your personal data if this breach entails a high risk.

Your personal data are only accessible for persons who need these data to perform their duties. Everyone who is involved with the processing of your personal data, both our employees and external parties, is also under a statutory or contractual obligation to handle it confidentially.

3. Purposes and grounds for processing

Your personal data may reach us in a variety of ways. For instance, we may request it directly by means of a contact form or certain documents.

We only process your personal data if we have established a clear and legitimate purpose for doing so.

3.1. Processing the personal data of clients

In order to manage your case file, you enter into an agreement with Mint Advocaten.

In that context, we process your personal data for the following processing purposes:

• to provide you with targeted advice;
• to conduct legal proceedings, negotiate, mediate or conduct arbitrage;
• to handle any possible payments.

We may process ‘standard’ personal data for the above objectives, depending on the specific processing. These data include:

• name
• email address
• telephone number
• address
• date of birth
• national register number
• company number
• social security number (RSZ)

For the purposes of managing case files, we may also be privy to sensitive personal data that is more sensitive than ‘standard’ personal data. This personal data can only be processed if there is a special legal ground for doing so. This involves the following personal data:

• criminal records, criminal charges or criminal convictions
• personal data showing race or ethnic extraction, political opinions, religious or ideological beliefs, or the membership of a trade union, and the processing of genetic data, biometric data with a view to the unique identification of a person or data about health, or data concerning someone’s sexual conduct or sexual orientation.

3.2. Specific processing

3.2.1. Contact and application form on the website

You can fill in a contact form or application form on the website (www.mintadvocaten.be). We will process the data that we collect through these channels.

The following ‘standard’ personal data is processed through the contact form:

• name
• email address
• location details
• IP address
• The following ‘standard’ personal data is processed through the application form:
• name
• email address
• telephone number
• address
• CV
• date and place of birth
• location details
• IP address

You give specific consent to this by checking the box provided under the contact or application form. You also give us consent to process your personal data if you email us.

You can withdraw your consent at any time.

3.2.2. Sending a newsletter

If you wish, we can send you a newsletter or news message with the aim of providing you with information about changes within the firm or concerning the legislation, and we will always ask for your consent.

The following ‘standard’ personal data is processed in this context:

• name
• email address

If you no longer wish to receive a certain type of newsletter, you can unsubscribe by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the newsletter.

3.2.3. Creating an account

The client has the ability to create an account. Using this account, the client can always consult the status of his or her case file. By creating an account, you give your consent for your personal data to be processed (legal ground):

The following ‘standard’ personal data is processed in this context:

• name
• email address

3.2.4. Social media

Mint Advocaten uses various communication channels to establish contact with its clients. Furthermore, Mint Advocaten is also active on social media platforms, namely

• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• YouTube

If you get in touch with us through these channels in a private message (e.g. to ask a question or report a problem), your personal data will be processed. We only use your data to provide you with further assistance or to follow up your request. After handling your request, we will keep these messages for 1 month.

If you respond to our public messages or share or like these messages, this data will be visible to others. This public data is stored and visible for as long as you do not erase it.

Your personal data as a user of social media is also processed by the social media platform in question. Mint Advocaten does not have any control itself over the further processing of your personal data by these platforms. The privacy statements of the social media platforms apply to this processing.

3.2.5 Minors

If we process the personal data of minors, we always ensure that the minor is informed in a simple and understandable way about what he or she is consenting to.

3.2.6 Prevention of money laundering and the financing of terrorism

The client will cooperate with Mint Advocaten so that the latter can comply with its legal obligations concerning the regulations on the prevention of money laundering and the financing of terrorism. This includes, among other things, that the client will provide a copy of their identity card and inform Mint Advocaten of their address when first requested.

The following ‘standard personal data’ will be processed in this regard:

• Name and forename;
• Date and place of birth;
• Nationality;
• Identity card number;
• Signature of holder;
• Photo;
• National register number.

3.3. Cookies and tracing

We use cookies and related technologies on our website, in our online services and for our newsletter. You can find full details about this in our Cookie Policy. You can give or refuse consent for each type of cookie in the cookie settings.

4. Transfer to third parties

Mint Advocaten places great importance on your personal data and on protecting your personal data. We do not give your personal data to other parties, unless there is a legal basis for doing so. If we use an external company (processor) to perform a task or to draw up a case file that may also come into contact with your personal data, we will ensure that the processor does not use your personal data for purposes other than those listed under point 3. Your personal data will not be transferred to third parties for commercial purposes under any circumstances.

In principle, your personal data will only be processed within the European Economic Area (EEA). However, if your personal data is processed outside of the EEA in exceptional circumstances, this will always take place in accordance with the rules of the GDPR.

Processing agreements

We always use a processing agreement as an agreement framework with our processors. This agreement is included as an annex to our principal agreement.

5. Rights of the data subject

This Privacy Policy aims to provide the client with sufficient information about his or her rights. You have a number of rights concerning the processing of your personal data.

5.1. Right to information and inspection

You have the right to ask us about the personal data that we hold about you, what that data is and the way in which it is used. We can give you a copy for free and provide you with further explanations. If the data subject requests additional copies, the controller may charge a reasonable fee for the administrative costs.

To be certain that the request for inspection has indeed been sent by you, we ask that you send a copy of your identity card with your request. We also ask that you blacken your photo, MRZ (machine readable zone, i.e. the numbered strip at the bottom of the passport), passport number and citizen service number (BSN) in this copy. This is to protect your personal data.

5.2. Right to correct and to supplement

You have the right to ask us to correct your personal data and to supplement this data if you think that it is not correct or up to date.

5.3. Right to have data erased

You have the right to ask us to erase your personal data, if:

the personal data is no longer needed for the purposes for which it was collected;

you withdraw your consent to the processing of your personal data, if the processing was based on your consent;

you make an objection to processing (see below), and there are no mandatory, legitimate grounds for the processing;

your personal data are unlawfully processed;

your personal data must be erased to meet a legal obligation that we are under.

We will erase your personal data in the aforementioned situations, unless we are under a legal obligation to process your data or the data must be processed in the public interest.

5.4. Right to transfer data

If we automatically process your personal data on the basis of your consent or under an agreement, you have the right to receive the personal data you have sent us in a structured, accessible and machine-readable format, so that this can be transferred to another processor or controller. You may also ask us to transfer this data on your behalf, insofar as this is technically possible.

5.5. Right to restrict processing

You can ask us to restrict the processing of your personal data, if:

you contest the accuracy of that data;

the processing is unlawful, but you do not want the data to be erased;

we no longer need your data for processing purposes, but you still need this as part of a legal claim;

you object to the processing of your data (see below), you are waiting for the response to the request or the interests at stake outweigh your interests.

If we restrict processing, your personal data (excluding the storage of this data) will only be further processed with your consent for the protection of the rights of others, as part of a legal claim, or in the public interest.

5.6. Right to object

If your personal data is processed as part of our engagements in the public interest or for public authorities, you have the right to object to this processing for reasons connected to your particular situation. We will suspend the processing of your data except for where the public interest outweighs your interest.

5.7. Right to withdraw consent

When we process your personal data based on your consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time. In that case, we will stop processing your personal data. However, the processing of this data before the withdrawal of your consent remains valid.

6. Questions and complaints

Please let us know if you have any questions, comments or complaints connected to the processing of your personal data. You can find our contact details below. We will handle your question, comment or complaint with full confidentiality.

If you are dissatisfied about how we have handled your request or if you believe that the handling of your personal data breaches privacy legislation, you can file a complaint with the regulatory authorities.

You can contact the Flemish Supervisory Commission (Vlaamse Toezichtcommissie) by emailing contact@toezichtcommissie.be or by writing to Koning Albert II-laan 15, 1210 Brussels, Belgium. Follow the correct procedure <link: https://overheid.vlaanderen.be/digitale-overheid/klachtenprocedure&gt; to submit a complaint.

You can contact the Belgian Data Protection Authority (Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit) by emailing contact@apd-gba.be or by writing to Drukpersstraat 35, 1000 Brussels, Belgium. When you submit a complaint or request mediation, please follow the correct procedure <link: https://www.gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit.be/burger/acties&gt;.

7. Contact information

You can contact us by emailing ellen@mintadvocaten.be or by writing to Godveerdegemstraat 101, 9620 Zottegem, Belgium.

8. Historical changes

This Privacy Statement may change if required by circumstances. The version number and date in the title indicate the most recent change.