Privacy and Cookies Notice

  1. Principal Forensic Services Ltd (PFS) provides expert witness, consultancy and training services. This privacy notice provides information about the personal information we process about you in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
  1. Our ICO registration number is
  1. Please contact PFS by email at enquiries@principalforensicservices.com or write to PFS at the address shown on our website with any questions or requests about the personal information we process.

Your rights

  1. We are committed to protecting your rights to privacy. They include:
  • Right to be informed about what we do with your personal data;
  • Right to have a copy of all the personal information we process about you;
  • Right to rectification of any inaccurate data we process, and to add to the information we hold about you if it is incomplete;
  • Right to be forgotten and your personal data destroyed;
  • Right to restrict the processing of your personal data;
  • Right to object to the processing we carry out based on our legitimate interest;

The personal data we process, why we process it, where it comes from and the legal basis for doing so:

Legal cases

  1. We process the personal data of individuals who are obtaining legal advice or are engaged in a legal dispute, and also the personal data of witnesses and others with links to the issues in the case.
  1. The personal data may include: names, contact details and dates of birth; financial information and bank details; health information; information about race, ethnic origin and gender.
  1. The personal data are generally provided by the person instructing us in relation to the legal issues, who is usually a solicitor.
  1. We process the data because it is in our legitimate interests as an expert witness to do so. We need to see and analyse documents containing this information in order to provide our expert advice.
  1. In relation to any special category personal data, such as health records or information concerning, race, ethnic origin, or sex, we rely on the legal claims basis for processing this data, in addition to our legitimate interest.
  1. In some cases, an individual has consented to the transfer of their personal data to us. Where an individual has consented, he or she may withdraw it by notifying PFS as above, or their instructing solicitor.

Other personal data

  1. We also process personal data pursuant to our legitimate interests in running our business such as invoices and receipts; accounts, VAT and tax returns; insurance policies and related documents.
  1. As an employer, we process personal data further to subcontractor agreements with our experts. The information includes names, addresses and contact details; pay and bank details; curricula vitae, contracts of employment.

Retention period

  1. Personal data in legal cases is retained for as long as necessary in compliance with our professional obligations. Where this is not necessary, it is destroyed or returned at the conclusion of the case.
  1. Administrative data is retained as necessary, in the unlikely event there are queries from HMRC and the VAT commissioner. Where it is not necessary to retain the data, it is destroyed as soon as possible.
  1. Personal data relating to employees who have left our employment is also retained for up to six years. This is the time limit for bringing a breach of contract claim. In some cases we destroy it as soon as the employee leaves.

Whom do we share personal data with?

  1. We share personal data internally strictly on a need to know basis. Information is shared with our experts who may process this data within their own companies and have given an undertaking that they have taken steps to become  GDPR compliant.
  1. Special category data and personnel files held electronically by PFS Ltd are encrypted with restricted access.
  1. We do not share personal data with anyone external to the organisation, other than with:
  • Those who have instructed our experts as an expert witness
  • Our experts
  • HMRC and the VAT Commissioner as they require
  • With others pursuant to a court order.
  1. We will take reasonable technical and organisational precautions to keep your data secure. Electronic data may be transferred to and stored at a destination outside the European Economic Area ‘EEA’.

Use of cookies

  1. When someone visits our website we use a third party service, Google Analytics, to collect standard internet log information and details of visitor behaviour patterns. We do this to find out things such as the number of visitors to the various parts of the site. This information is only processed in a way which does not identify anyone. We do not make, and do not allow Google to make, any attempt to find out the identities of those visiting our website.
  1. By using our website and agreeing to this policy, you consent to our use of cookies in accordance with the terms of this policy.

Information Commissioner' s Office

  1. If you have any concerns about the way your personal information has been processed, please contact PFS Ltd as above. Alternatively, you may contact the Information Commissioner's Office on 0303 123 1113.