Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

The purpose of this document (“Policy”) is to inform you of how Asean Legal Alliance handles Personal Data which is subject to the Personal Data Protection Act (No. 26 of 2012) of Singapore (“PDPA”).

By interacting with us, using our website at www.aseanlegalalliance.net (“Website”), submitting information to us, or engaging our services, you agree and consent to Asean Legal Alliance (including its related corporations and affiliates) (the “Firm”), as well as our service providers and third parties appointed by us on your behalf (collectively, “we”, “us” or “our”) collecting, using and disclosing your Personal Data in the manner set forth in this Policy.

This Policy supplements but does not supersede nor replace any other consents you may have previously provided to us in respect of your Personal Data, and your consents herein are additional to any rights which we may have at law to collect, use or disclose your Personal Data.

The following sets out the basis upon which we may collect, use, disclose or otherwise process your Personal Data in accordance with the PDPA. This Policy applies to Personal Data in our possession or under our control, including Personal Data in the possession of organisations which we have engaged to collect, use, disclose or process Personal Data for our purposes.

In this Policy, “Personal Data” refers to any data, whether true or not, about an individual who can be identified (a) from that data; or (b) from that data and other information to which we have or are likely to have access, including data in our records as may be updated from time to time, but excludes “business contact information” as defined in the PDPA.

The Privacy Policy herein is subject to the laws of Singapore. We reserved the right to amend the same to include compliance with the laws of any of the other ASEAN member countries in the event that data protection laws or such similar laws are enacted by such other ASEAN member countries.

How We Collect Personal Data

Generally, the Firm may collect Personal Data in various ways including:

  1. in the course of your engaging our services, or your providing documentation or information to us;
  2. when you subscribe to any of our online services or communication platforms (including electronic publications, updates, alerts, announcements);
  3. when you are referred to us by one of our clients;
  4. when you enquire about our legal services;
  5. when you visit our Website and leave behind your contact information;
  6. when you communicate or interact with us via telephone, letters, fax, meetings (whether held face-to-face or held by means of audio, audio and visual, or electronic communication), our Website, email, instant messaging platforms, or other modes of contact;
  7. CCTV recordings while you are within our premises;
  8. when you submit an employment application and/or provide documents and information in relation to your employment application such as your resume to us,
  9. when you submit an employment application and/or provide documents and information in relation to your employment application such as your resume to recruitment firms or job portals, which are in turn forwarded to or retrieved by us;
  10. from public information sources, search services and other third parties; and
  11. when you submit your Personal Data to us for any other reason.
Choice

You have no obligation to provide us with any of the Personal Data requested by us. However, please note that it may be the case that if you do not provide us with the requested Personal Data, we may not be able to provide you with certain services, or to enter into certain transactions with you, that depend on the collection, use and disclosure of your Personal Data.

Purposes for Collection, Use, Disclosure and Processing of Personal Data

The Personal Data which we collect from you may be collected, used, disclosed and / or processed for various purposes, depending on the circumstances for which we may / will need to process your Personal Data, including:

  1. the provision of legal services to you;
  2. responding to, processing and handling your queries, feedback, and/or requests;
  3. verifying your identity, processing payments, and managing our administrative and business operations; and
  4. complying with or as required by applicable laws and regulations, codes of practice or guidelines, policies, procedures, regulatory requirements and any request or direction of any governmental authority; or responding to requests for information from public agencies, ministries, statutory boards or other similar authorities;
  5. managing the security of our premises, facilities and technology infrastructure;
  6. conducting research, analysis and development activities (including but not limited to data analytics, surveys and/or profiling) to improve our services and communications to you as well as the quality of your interaction with our Website;
  7. storing, hosting, backing up (whether for disaster recovery or otherwise) of your Personal Data, whether within or outside Singapore;
  8. sending you information about any administrative changes, updates and/or amendments to our policies, terms and conditions;
  9. organising seminars, events or other marketing / promotional activities;
  10. providing updates and other communications on developments relating to the law and in respect of the Firm;
  11. the establishment, exercise or defence of any legal or equitable claim;
  12. processing and assessing your employment application, which may include performing background checks, verifying your credentials and qualifications as well as obtaining employment references, if you are seeking employment or any other appointment with the Firm;
  13. any other purpose relating to any of the above,
    14. (collectively, the “Purposes”).

In relation to particular services or in your interactions with us, we may also have specifically notified you of other purposes for which we collect, use or disclose your Personal Data. If so, we will collect, use and disclose your Personal Data for these additional purposes as well, unless we have specifically notified you otherwise.

Disclosure of Personal Data

In fulfilling one or more of the Purposes set out above, we may need to disclose your Personal Data to third parties, whether located within or outside Singapore. In this regard, you acknowledge, agree and consent to us disclosing your Personal Data to such third parties for one or more of the above Purposes, and for the said third parties to subsequently collect, use, disclose and/or process your Personal Data for one or more of the above Purposes. Such third parties may include:

  1. Technical consultants, experts and foreign law firms assisting with your matters;
  2. Agents, contractors or third-party service providers that process your Personal Data on our behalf or otherwise, including but not limited to those who provide to us technology solutions and/or support, operational and/or administrative services, telecommunications services, information technology services, payment services, payroll processing services, market research services, storage and/or archival services, client support services;
  3. Our professional advisers including auditors and accountants;
  4. Any relevant authorities, including professional regulatory bodies and/or law enforcement agencies, whether local or overseas;
  5. Our related corporations and affiliates, either in Singapore or overseas; and
  6. Any other party to whom you authorise us to disclose your Personal Data.
Our Website

When you browse our websites, you generally do so anonymously. We do not, on our Website, automatically collect Personal Data unless you provide such information. You may however wish to note the following:

  1. Your IP address

    An IP address is a number that is automatically assigned to your computer when you are connected to the Internet.

    When you visit our Website, your IP address is automatically logged in our server. We use your IP address to help diagnose problems with our server, and to administer our Website. From your IP address, we may identify the general geographic area from which you are accessing our Website; however, we will not be able to pinpoint the exact geographic location from which you are accessing our Website. Generally we do not link your IP address to anything that will enable us to identify you unless it is required by applicable laws and regulations.

  2. Cookies

    A cookie is a small text file that is stored on a user’s device when its web browser loads a website or web application. Session cookies make it easier for you to navigate the Website and expire when you close your browser. Tracking cookies remain longer and help in understanding how you use the Website, and enhance your user experience. Cookies may remain on your hard drive for an extended period of time. We may use cookies to personalize your interactions with our Website. You do not have to accept our cookies and you may set your browser to restrict their use and you may delete them after they have been placed on your hard drive or other storage device. However, please note that if you do not accept, or delete our cookies, some areas of our Website may take more time to work, or may not function properly.

    Before using the Website, you are advised to check your current browser settings to ensure that the settings reflect your consent for the Firm to place cookies on your devices.

Links to Other Websites or Applications

Our Website may contain links to other sites and resources that are operated or provided by third parties with different data protection practices. The Firm is not responsible for the personal data handling practices, content or security of these third-party websites. You are encouraged to review the personal data policies of third-party websites you choose to visit which are linked from our Website.

Withdrawal of Consent

If you wish to withdraw the consent that you have given or which is deemed to have been given under the PDPA in respect of the collection, use and disclosure of your Personal Data by us for any of the Purposes, you must give us reasonable notice. You may withdraw your consent and request us to stop collecting, using and/or disclosing your Personal Data for any or all of the Purposes by submitting your request in writing or via email to our Data Protection Officer at the contact details provided below. We will process your request within a reasonable time from the date we receive your request.

While we will respect any decision made by you to withdraw your consent in respect of our collection, use or disclosure of your Personal Data for any or all of the Purposes, please note that depending on the nature and scope of your request, we may not be in a position to continue providing our services to you and we shall, in such circumstances, notify you before completing the processing of your request.

Please note that if you withdraw your consent to our collection, use or disclosure of your Personal Data for any or all of the Purposes, such withdrawal of consent does not affect our right to collect, use and disclose your Personal Data without your consent where required or authorised under the PDPA or other written law.

Access to and/or Correction of Personal Data

If you wish to request for access to a copy of any of your Personal Data that is in our possession or under our control, or information about the ways in which we have or may have used or disclosed your Personal Data over the past one (1) year (“Access Request”), or to request for us to correct or update any of your Personal Data that is in our possession or under our control (“Correction Request”), you may submit your Access Request and/or Correction Request (as the case may be) in writing or via e-mail to our Data Protection Officer at the contact details provided below.

For Access Requests, please note the following:

  1. We may charge a reasonable fee for processing an Access Request, regardless of whether or not we eventually provide you with access to the Personal Data requested. We will inform you of the fee (if any) before processing your Access Request;
  2. Before we respond to your Access Request, we will carry out due diligence and appropriate measures to verify your identity.

We will respond to your Access Request and/or Correction Request (as the case may be) as soon as reasonably possible. Should we not be able to respond to your Access Request and/or Correction Request within thirty (30) days after receiving the Access Request and/or Correction Request, we will inform you in writing within thirty (30) days of the time by which we will be able to respond to your Access Request and/or Correction Request.

Accuracy of Personal Data

You should ensure that all Personal Data submitted to us is complete, accurate, true and correct. Failure on your part to do so may result in our inability to provide you with certain services, or to enter into certain transactions with you. If we are in an ongoing relationship with you, it is important that you update us of any changes to your Personal Data (such as a change in your mailing address). We will not be responsible for relying on inaccurate or incomplete Personal Data arising from your not updating us of any changes in your Personal Data that you had initially provided us with.

Retention of Personal Data

We may retain your Personal Data for as long as is necessary to fulfil the Purpose(s) for which it was collected, or as required or permitted by applicable laws.

We will cease to retain any documents containing your Personal Data, or remove the means by which your Personal Data can be associated with you, as soon as it is reasonable to assume that the Purpose(s) for which we collected your Personal Data is no longer served by the retention of such Personal Data, and retention is no longer necessary for legal or business purposes.

Transfer of Personal Data Outside Singapore

You understand, acknowledge and agree that where you have engaged us to carry out any work relating to any jurisdictions outside ASEAN, the transfer of your Personal Data records to these jurisdictions may be necessary to give effect to your instructions and that you request and consent to our so transmitting your Personal Data outside ASEAN.

Where there is a need to transfer your Personal Data to another jurisdiction outside Singapore, we will take appropriate steps to ensure that the foreign recipient organisation of the Personal Data is bound by legally enforceable obligations to provide to the transferred Personal Data a standard of protection that is at least comparable to the protection under the PDPA, unless otherwise required or permitted by the PDPA or other written law.

Provision of Personal Data Relating to a Third Party

If you provide us with any Personal Data relating to a third party, by submitting such Personal Data to us, you represent and warrant to us that:

  1. You have either notified the third party of the terms of this Policy and obtained his consent thereto, or you are validly acting on behalf of such third party and consent to the collection, use or disclosure of the Personal Data of the third party in accordance with this Policy; and
  2. Any Personal Data of a third party provided to us is accurate.
Contact Details of Data Protection Officer

If you, at any time, wish to:

  1. Send us any enquiries or feedback relating to your Personal Data or this Policy;
  2. Withdraw your consent to any use of your Personal Data as set out in this Policy; or
  3. Make an Access Request and/or Correction Request,
    4. please contact our Data Protection Officer at [email protected]
Effect of Policy and Changes to Policy

Without prejudice to the foregoing, by accessing and using our Website in any way (including without limitation using any documents, data, reports, automated templates or any other materials, or accessing any software programs, database systems or portals made available or enabled via the Website), you represent and warrant that you have read, understand and consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your Personal Data as set out above.

This Policy applies in conjunction with any other notices, contractual clauses and consent clauses that apply in relation to the collection, use and disclosure of your Personal Data by us.

We may revise this Policy from time to time without any prior notice. You may determine if any such revision has taken place by referring to the date on which this Policy was last updated. Your continued use of our services constitutes your acknowledgement and acceptance of such changes.