Controller within the meaning of data protection legislation is

M. Bo Hillebrand, Lange Str. 75, 24399 Arnis.

With this privacy notice, I inform you (also referred to as „user“ or „data subject“ in the following text) in general terms about data processing at my law office and, in particular, about data processing when you visit my website, contact me via the website contact form, or reach out by email or telephone. I also inform you about my online presence on social media platforms and about your rights regarding the processing of your data. The term „data processing“ always refers to the processing of personal data.

1. General information on data processing

1.1 Categories of personal data

I process the following categories of personal data:

Master data (e.g. names, addresses, positions, organisational affiliation, etc.);
Contact data (e.g. email, telephone/fax numbers, etc.);
Content data (e.g. text entries, image files, videos, etc.);
Usage data (e.g. access data);
Meta/communication data (e.g. IP addresses).

1.2 Recipients or categories of recipients of personal data

Insofar as I disclose data to other persons and companies such as web hosting providers, processors or third parties in the course of my processing, transmit it to them or otherwise grant them access, this is done on the basis of a legal permission (e.g. if a transfer of data to third parties pursuant to Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR is necessary for the performance of a contract), if the data subjects have consented, or if a legal obligation so provides.

1.3 Duration of storage of personal data

The criterion for the duration of storage of personal data is the respective statutory retention period. After expiry of the period, the corresponding data is deleted, provided it is no longer required to fulfil the purpose, perform or initiate a contract.

1.4 Transfers to third countries

Insofar as I process data in a third country (i.e. outside the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA)), or this occurs in the context of using third-party services or the disclosure or transfer of data to third parties, this only takes place to fulfil my (pre-)contractual obligations, on the basis of your consent, due to a legal obligation, or on the basis of my legitimate interests. Subject to legal or contractual permissions, I only process or have data processed in a third country if the special conditions of Arts. 44 et seq. GDPR are met, i.e. processing takes place, for example, on the basis of special guarantees, such as the officially recognised determination of a data protection level equivalent to that of the EU, or compliance with officially recognised special contractual obligations (so-called „standard contractual clauses“).

2. Data processing when visiting our website

2.1 Log files

Each time a data subject accesses my website, general data and information are stored in the log files of my system:

Date and time of access (timestamp);
Request details and destination address (protocol version, HTTP method, referer, user agent string);
Name of the file accessed and amount of data transferred (requested URL incl. query string, size in bytes);
Notification of whether the access was successful (HTTP status code).

When using this general data and information, I do not draw any conclusions about the data subject. No personal evaluation or evaluation of the data for marketing purposes or profiling takes place. The IP address is not stored in this context.

The legal basis for the temporary storage of data is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. The collection of data for the provision of the website and the storage of data in log files is essential for the secure operation of my website. Consequently, there is no right of objection on the part of the data subject.

2.2 Malware detection and log data analysis

I collect log data generated during the operation of the communication technology of my law office and analyse it automatically, insofar as this is necessary to detect, isolate or rectify faults or errors in the communication technology or to defend against attacks on my information technology or to detect and defend against malware.

The legal basis for the temporary storage and analysis of data is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. The storage and analysis of data is essential for the provision and secure operation of the website. Consequently, there is no right of objection on the part of the data subject.

2.3 Cookies

So-called cookies are used on my website. Cookies are small text files exchanged between the web browser and the hosting server. Cookies are stored on the user’s computer and transmitted from there to my website. In the web browser you use, you can restrict or fundamentally prevent the use of cookies by means of an appropriate setting. Cookies that have already been stored can be deleted at any time. If cookies are deactivated for my website, it may not be possible to display or use the website to its full extent.

The legal basis for the processing of personal data using cookies is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR.

2.4 Hosting

The hosting services I use serve to provide the following services: infrastructure and platform services, computing capacity, storage space and database services, security services as well as technical maintenance services, which I use for the purpose of operating my website.

In doing so, I or my processors process master data, contact data, content data, contract data, usage data, meta and communication data of users of my website on the basis of our legitimate interests in an efficient and secure provision of this online offering pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR in conjunction with Art. 28 GDPR (conclusion of a data processing agreement).

3. Data processing in the context of contacting us

3.1 Contact by email

Contacting my law office by email is possible via the email addresses published on my website.

If you use this method of contact, the data you transmit (e.g. surname, first name, address), or at least the email address, as well as the information contained in the email, together with any personal data you transmit, will be stored for the purpose of contacting you and processing your enquiry. In addition, the following data is collected by my system:

IP address of the accessing computer;
Date and time of the email.

The legal basis for the processing of personal data in the context of emails transmitted to me is Art. 6(1)(b) or (f) GDPR.

3.2 Contact via the website contact form

If you use the contact form provided on my website to communicate, it is necessary to provide your surname, first name and email address. Without this data, your enquiry submitted via the contact form cannot be processed. Providing your address is optional and enables me, where you so wish, to process your enquiry by post.

In addition, the following data is collected by my system:

IP address of the accessing computer;
Date and time of registration.

The legal basis for the processing of personal data in the context of emails transmitted to us is Art. 6(1)(b) or (f) GDPR.

3.3 Contact by letter and fax

If you send me a letter or fax, the data you transmit (e.g. surname, first name, address) and the information contained in the letter or fax, together with any personal data you transmit, will be stored for the purpose of contacting you and processing your enquiry.

The legal basis for the processing of personal data in the context of letters and faxes transmitted to me is Art. 6(1)(b) or (f) GDPR.

5. Your rights

As a data subject, you have the following rights in connection with the processing of your personal data:

5.1 Right of access

(1) The data subject has the right to obtain from the controller confirmation as to whether or not personal data concerning him or her are being processed; where that is the case, the data subject has the right of access to the personal data and to the following information: (a) the purposes of the processing; (b) the categories of personal data concerned; (c) the recipients or categories of recipient to whom the personal data have been or will be disclosed, in particular recipients in third countries or international organisations; (d) where possible, the envisaged period for which the personal data will be stored, or, if not possible, the criteria used to determine that period; (e) the existence of the right to request from the controller rectification or erasure of personal data or restriction of processing, or to object to such processing; (f) the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority; (g) where the personal data are not collected from the data subject, any available information as to their source; (h) the existence of automated decision-making, including profiling, referred to in Art. 22(1) and (4) GDPR and, at least in those cases, meaningful information about the logic involved and the significance and the envisaged consequences of such processing for the data subject.

(2) Where personal data are transferred to a third country or to an international organisation, the data subject has the right to be informed of the appropriate safeguards pursuant to Art. 46 GDPR relating to the transfer.

5.2 Right to rectification

The data subject has the right to obtain from the controller without undue delay the rectification of inaccurate personal data concerning him or her. Taking into account the purposes of the processing, the data subject has the right to have incomplete personal data completed, including by means of providing a supplementary statement.

5.3 Right to erasure

(1) The data subject has the right to obtain from the controller the erasure of personal data concerning him or her without undue delay, and the controller is obligated to erase personal data without undue delay where one of the following grounds applies: (a) the personal data are no longer necessary for the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise processed; (b) the data subject withdraws consent on which the processing is based and there is no other legal ground for the processing; (c) the data subject objects to the processing pursuant to Art. 21(1) GDPR and there are no overriding legitimate grounds, or the data subject objects pursuant to Art. 21(2) GDPR; (d) the personal data have been unlawfully processed; (e) erasure is required for compliance with a legal obligation under Union or Member State law; (f) the personal data have been collected in relation to the offer of information society services referred to in Art. 8(1) GDPR.

(2) Where the controller has made the personal data public and is obligated to erase them, the controller shall take reasonable steps, including technical measures, to inform controllers processing the personal data that the data subject has requested the erasure of any links to, or copies or replications of, those personal data.

(3) Paragraphs 1 and 2 shall not apply to the extent that processing is necessary (a) for exercising the right of freedom of expression and information; (b) for compliance with a legal obligation; (c) for reasons of public interest in the area of public health; (d) for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes; or (e) for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

5.4 Right to restriction of processing

(1) The data subject has the right to obtain from the controller restriction of processing where one of the following applies: (a) the accuracy of the personal data is contested by the data subject; (b) the processing is unlawful and the data subject opposes erasure and requests restriction instead; (c) the controller no longer needs the personal data but the data subject requires them for legal claims; or (d) the data subject has objected to processing pursuant to Art. 21(1) GDPR pending verification.

(2) Where processing has been restricted, such personal data shall only be processed with the data subject’s consent or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims or for the protection of the rights of another person or for reasons of important public interest.

5.5 Right to data portability

The data subject has the right to receive the personal data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and has the right to transmit those data to another controller, where the processing is based on consent or on a contract and the processing is carried out by automated means.

5.6 Right to object

The data subject has the right to object, on grounds relating to his or her particular situation, at any time to processing of personal data based on Art. 6(1)(e) or (f) GDPR; this also applies to profiling based on those provisions. The controller shall no longer process the personal data unless it demonstrates compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override the interests, rights and freedoms of the data subject, or the processing serves the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

5.7 Right of withdrawal

The data subject has the right to withdraw his or her consent to data processing at any time. The withdrawal of consent shall not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.

5.8 Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

Every data subject has the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of his or her habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement, if the data subject considers that the processing of personal data relating to him or her infringes this Regulation.

6. Google Analytics

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analysis service provided by Google Inc. („Google“). Google Analytics uses so-called „cookies“, text files stored on your computer that enable analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website is generally transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there. If IP anonymisation is activated on this website, your IP address will be truncated by Google within Member States of the European Union or other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area beforehand. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transferred to a Google server in the USA and truncated there. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activity and to provide other services relating to website activity and internet usage to the website operator. The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data. You can prevent the storage of cookies by adjusting your browser software accordingly; however, please note that in this case you may not be able to use all functions of this website to their full extent.