Counsel Universe
Privacy Policy
This privacy policy applies between you, the User of this Website and the Services, and Counsel Universe Limited, the owner and provider of the Website and Services. Counsel Universe takes the privacy of your information very seriously. This privacy policy applies to our use of any and all Personal Data collected by us or provided by you in relation to your use of the Website and Services.
Please read this privacy policy carefully.
Definitions and interpretation
In this privacy policy, the following definitions are used:
Personal Data
Collectively all personally identifiable information that you submit to Counsel Universe via the Website, Platform or Services. This definition incorporates, where applicable, the definitions provided in the Data Protection Laws;
Cookies
A small text file placed on your computer by the Website when you visit certain parts of the Website and/or when you use certain features of the Website and Services. Details of the cookies used by the Website and Services are set out in the clause below;
Counsel Universe, we or us
Counsel Universe, a company incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 12703998 whose registered office is at Level 3, 115 Golden Ln, London EC1Y 0TJ;
Data Protection Laws
Any applicable law relating to the processing of Personal Data, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018;
GDPR
The UK General Data Protection Regulation, being Regulation (EU) 2016/679 as it forms part of UK law by virtue of section 3 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018;
Platform
means the cloud-based platform operated by Counsel Universe on which the Software runs, including:
a. the Software;
b. all related infrastructure, servers, and data storage facilities; and
c. all files, documents, information, and data stored, held, or managed through the Software.
Services
means the services provided by Counsel Universe to Users through the Website and Platform, as described on the Website and as may be updated from time to time.
Software
means the proprietary software owned or licensed by Counsel Universe that underlies the Counsel Universe platform and enables the Services, including all:
a. source code, object code, and executable code;
b. algorithms, methods, processes, and techniques embodied in the software;
c. updates, upgrades, modifications, enhancements, and new versions; and
d. related documentation, comments, annotations, and technical materials.
UK and EU Cookie Law
The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 (as amended);
User or you
Any third party that accesses the Website, Platform or Services and is not either:
a. employed by Counsel Universe and acting in the course of their employment; or
b. engaged as a consultant or otherwise providing services to Counsel Universe and accessing the Website, Platform or Services in connection with the provision of such services.
Website
means the website located at www.counsel-universe.com and all related sub-domains, together with all content, functionality, and services offered on or through such website.
In this privacy policy, unless the context requires a different interpretation:
the singular includes the plural and vice versa;
references to sub-clauses, clauses, schedules or appendices are to sub-clauses, clauses, schedules or appendices of this privacy policy;
a reference to a person includes firms, companies, government entities, trusts and partnerships;
"including" is understood to mean "including without limitation";
reference to any statutory provision includes any modification or amendment of it;
the headings and sub-headings do not form part of this privacy policy.
Scope of this privacy policy
This privacy policy describes how Counsel Universe processes Personal Data collected from you or about you through our Website, Platform, the Services and other interactions you may have with Counsel Universe.
This privacy policy applies only to the actions of Counsel Universe and Users with respect to this Website, Platform and Services. It does not extend to any third-party websites that can be accessed from this Website including, but not limited to, any links we may provide to social media websites or external services.
For purposes of the applicable Data Protection Laws, Counsel Universe is the "data controller". This means that Counsel Universe determines the purposes for which, and the manner in which, your Personal Data is processed when you use the Website, Platform and Services.
Personal Data collected
We collect Personal Data in the following ways:a. name;
a. Personal Data is given to us by you;
b. Personal Data is collected automatically; and
c. Personal Data collected from third parties, In each case in accordance with this privacy policy.
Personal Data that is given to us by you
We collect Personal Data directly from you when you create an account, use our Services, or interact with us. This includes:
Account and Registration Information:
When you create an account or register to use our Services, we collect:
a. your name
b. email address;
c. job title and profession;
d. company or organisation name;
e. account credentials (username and password);
f. language and communication preferences;
g. payment information;
h. billing address; and
i. contact details;
Profile and Usage Information: When you use the Platform and Services, we collect:
a. documents, files, and content you upload to the Platform;
b. project information and collaborative workspaces you create;
c. Comments, note and annotations you add;
d. interactions with Platform features;
e. preferences and settings you configure; and
f. information about collaborators you invite or share content with.
Communication Information: When you communicate with us, we collect:
a. your name and contact details;
b. the contents of your messages, emails, or support requests;
c. customer service inquiries and support ticket information;
d. survey responses and feedback you provide; and
e. preferences and settings you configure; and
f. information about your interactions with our communications.
Marketing and Event Information: If you engage with our marketing activities or attend events, we may collect:
a. your name and contact details;
b. the contents of your messages, emails, or support requests;
c. customer service inquiries and support ticket information;
d. survey responses and feedback you provide; and
e. preferences and settings you configure; and
f. information about your interactions with our communications.
Personal Data that is collected automatically
When you access or use our Website, Platform, and Services, we automatically collect certain information:
Device and Connection Information: We automatically collect your IP address, web browser type and version, operating system, device type and identifiers.Website and Platform Usage Information: We collect information about how you interact with our Website, Platform and Services, including the pages visited and features used, date, time and frequency of access, duration of session and time spent on different pages, navigation paths and click patterns, referring website or source, links clicked and content accessed and search terms entered within the Platform.
Platform activity and Performance Data: When you use the Platform and Services, we collect the features and tools you use, frequency and volume of your usage, collaboration patterns and document sharing activities, response times and performance metrics, errors, crashes or technical issues encountered and system logs and diagnostic information.
Authentication and Security Information: For security and account protection, we collect login times and locations, account access patterns, security events and suspicious activity and failed login attempts.
Cookies: We use cookies to recognise you when you return to our Website or platform, remember your preferences and settings, analyse how you use our Services, improve user experience and functionality, deliver relevant content and measure the effectiveness of our marketing.
Information we receive from Third Parties
We may receive Personal Data about you from third-party sources, including:
Business and Professional Information: We may obtain information from publicly available professional databases (e.g. LinkedIn), business and public registries and professional organisations and industry associations. This information may include:
a. your name, job title and professional credentials;
b. company or organisation affiliation;
c. professional contact information; and
d. areas of expertise and professional background.
Service Providers and Partners: We receive information from our service providers including payment processors (transaction details, payment status), cloud hosting providers (usage and performance data), analytics providers (aggregated usage statistics), security services (threat detection and fraud prevention), marketing and advertising platforms (campaign engagement data).
Social Media Platforms: If you interact with us on social media, we may collect your public profile information, content of your messages to us, engagement with our social media content and analytics about our social media presence.Referrals and Introductions: If another User refers you to use our Services or shares content with you, we may receive your name and contact information, information about your relationship to the referring User and context about why you were referred.
Information about Minors
Our Website, Platform and Services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect Personal Data from children under 18. If you are under 18, please do not use our Website, Platform and Services, or provide any Personal Data to us. If we become aware that we have collected Personal Data from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete such information as soon as possible.
In accordance with the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@counsel-universe.com so we can promptly investigate and delete such information, and you may request to review, delete, or refuse further collection of your child's information.
Our use of Personal Data
We process your Personal Data for various purposes and rely on different legal bases under UK GDPR. Below we explain why we process your information, how we process it, and which categories of Personal Data we use for each purpose.
Legal Bases for Processing
We rely on the following legal bases to process your Personal Data:
a. Contractual Necessity: where we need to process your Personal Data to perform our contract with you or to take steps to enter into a contract at your request.
b. Legal Obligation: where we must process your Personal Data to comply with legal or regulatory requirements.
c. Consent: where you have given us permission to process your Personal Data for specific purposes. You can withdraw consent at any time.
d. Legitimate Interests: where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests or those of a third party, provided your privacy rights are appropriately protected.
Contractual Necessity
When you use our Services, we process your Personal Data to fulfill our contractual obligations to you:
To create and maintain your account and provide the Services. We collect certain information to set up your account and enable you to use the Platform and Services. Personal Data categories include:
a. Account and Registration Information;
b. Profile and Usage Information;
c. Device and Connection Information;
d. Website and Platform Usage Information;
e. Platform Activity and Performance Data; and
f. Cookies
To enable Platform features and collaboration. We process your Personal Data to provide core Platform functionality, including document management, matter and project creation, collaboration features, and content sharing with other Users you choose. Personal Data categories used:
a. Account and Registration Information;
b. Profile and Usage Information;
c. Platform Activity and Performance Data; and
d. Authentication and Security Information.
To send service-related communications. We send you communications necessary for the Services, including account verification, services updates, transaction confirmations, security alerts, and notices about changes to our agreements and policies. Personal Data categories used:
a. Account and Registration Information;
b. Communication Information; and
c. Authentication and Security Information.
To provide customer support and resolve issues. We use your information to respond to support requests, troubleshoot technical problems and answer questions about the Services. Personal Data categories Used:
a. Account and Registration Information;
b. Communication Information;
c. Platform and Performance Data;
d. Device and Connection Information; and
e. Website and Platform Usage Information.
To process payments and manage billing. If you subscribe to paid Services, we process information to handle transactions and billing. Personal Data categories used:
a. Account and Registration Information; and
b. payment Information.
Legal Obligation
We process your Personal Data where required by law:
To comply with legal and regulatory obligations. We process and retain certain Personal Data to comply with legal requirements, including tax obligations, account requirements, responding to valid legal requests from regulators or law enforcement and implementing appropriate security measures as required by data protection laws. Personal Data categories used (depending on the specific obligation):
a. Account and Registration Information;
b. Communication Information;
c. Platform Activity and Performance Data;
d. Website and Platform Usage Information;
e. Device and Connection Information;
f. Authentication and Security Information; and
g. any other categories necessary to comply with the specific legal requirement.
Consent
Where required by law, we obtain your consent before processing certain Personal Data:
Marketing communications. We may send you marketing emails about our Services, new features, events and promotional offers. In certain jurisdictions, we require your consent for marketing communications. For direct marketing via email, we obtain consent through either:
a. Soft opt-in consent: If you have previously engaged with us (for example inquiring about our Services), we may send you marketing about similar products/services. We will treat your consent as given unless you opt out.
b. Explicit consent: For other marketing communications, we require your positive action (such as ticking a box) to consent.
You can withdraw consent or opt out of marketing at any time by:
a. Clicking “unsubscribe” in any marketing email;
b. Updating you preferences in your account settings
c. Contacting us at privacy@counsel-universe.com
Personal Data categories used:
a. Account and Registration Information;
b. Marketing and Event Information;
c. Communication Information;
d. Cookies and Similar Technologies; and
e. Business and Professional Information.
Non-essential cookies and analytics. We ask for your consent before placing non-essential cookies (such as analytics cookies) on your device. See the “Cookies” section below for more details. Personal Data categories used:
a. Device and Connection Information;
b. Website and Platform Usage Information; and
c. Cookies.
Legitimate Interests
We process your Personal Data for our legitimate business interests, provided these interests do not override your privacy rights:
To improve and develop the Services. We analyse how users interact with our Services to identify improvements, develop new features, fix bugs and enhance functionality. We also conduct research and create aggregate reports about usage patterns. Our legitimate interest: understanding how our Services are used enables us to develop and improve our business and provide better services to our customers. Personal Data categories used:
a. Account and Registration Information
b. Communication Information;
c. Platform Activity and Performance Data;
d. Website and Platform Usage Information;
e. Device and Connection Information;
f. Cookies; and
g. Business and Professional Information.
To keep the Services safe and secure. We process your Personal Data to maintain the security and integrity of our Platform, including detecting and preventing fraud, abuse, security breaches, unauthorised access, violation of our agreements and other safety and security risks. Our legitimate interest: ensuring the security of our Services protects us, our customers and the integrity of the Platform. Preventing fraud, abuse and illegal activity is in our interest and that of the general public. Personal Data categories used:
a. Account and Registration Information;
b. Authentication and Security Information;
c. Platform Activity and Performance Data;
d. Website and Platform Usage Information;
e. Device and Connection Information; and
f. Communication Information.
To personalise the Services. We use certain information to customise your experience, including showing you relevant features, content and suggestions based on your usage patterns and otherwise. Our legitimate interest: personalising the Services increases their usefulness and relevance to you and improves user satisfaction. Personal Data categories used:
a. Account and Registration Information;
b. Profile and Usage Information;
c. Platform Activity and Performance Data; and
d. Business and Professional Information.
To protect our legal rights and interests. We may retain, preserve, or disclose your Personal Data to protect, establish, or exercise our legal rights, defend against legal claims, collect debts or address violations of our agreements and policies. Our legitimate interest: protecting our legal rights, intellectual property and business interests, and seeking legal advice when necessary. Personal Data categories used:
a. Account and Registration Information;
b. Communication Information;
c. Platform Activity and Performance Data; and
d. Website and Platform Usage Information.
In connection with business transactions. If we engage in a business reorganisation, merger, sale, financing, or transfer of assets, we may disclose your Personal Data to prospective buyers, investors, or advisers during due diligence, and transfer it to successors as part of the transaction. Our legitimate interest: Such transactions are necessary for our business development and enable the business to operate sustainably over the long term. Personal Data categories used:
a. Account and Registration Information;
b. Platform Activity and Performance Data; and
c. Business and Professional Information.
To work with service providers and partners. We share certain Personal Data with our service providers and business partners who assist us in providing the Services and operating our business. Our legitimate interest: Engaging service providers and partners is necessary to provide the Services efficiently and operate our business effectively. Personal Data categories used:
a. Account and Registration Information;
b. Platform Activity and Performance Data; and
c. Communication Information; and
d. Website and Platform Usage Information.
For business development and marketing to professionals. We may use your information to assess your eligibility for our Services, contact you about relevant features or services, and inform you of professional events, webinars, or networking opportunities we host or sponsor. Our legitimate interest: Informing business contacts about our Services and professional events helps us develop our business and provide value to our professional community. Personal Data categories used:
a. Account and Registration Information;
b. Business and Professional Information;
c. Marketing and Event Information;
d. Communication Information;
e. Social Media Information; and
f. CookiesWe do not use automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal effect or similarly affects you under Article 22 of the UK GDPR.
If you are not satisfied with our use of your Personal Data, particularly where we rely on legitimate interests, you have the right to object in certain circumstances. See the section titled “Your rights” below for more information about exercising your rights.
Who we share Personal Data with
We may share your Personal Data for the purposes described in this privacy policy:
a. with any of our group companies or affiliates for the purposes of providing the Services to you;
b. third party suppliers and service providers (including providers for the operation of our Website, Platform and business infrastructure, or in connection with providing our Services to you) but only for the purposes of complying with our obligations under any agreement with you;
c. our existing or potential agents, business partners or partners but only for the purposes of complying with our obligations under any agreement with you;
d. anyone to whom our assets or businesses (or any part of them) are transferred;
e. specific third parties authorised by you to receive information held by us; and/or
f. other persons, including government agencies, regulatory bodies and law enforcement agencies, or as required, authorised or permitted by law.. A list of our sub-processors can be found at: www.counsel-universe.com/sub-processors/.
Keeping Personal Data secure
We take the security of your Personal Data very seriously and implement robust technical and organisational measures to protect your information from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or disclosure.
We employ industry-standard security practices to safeguard your Personal Data, including:
a. Encryption: All communications between our servers and users are encrypted using SSL/TLS/HTTPS protocols to protect data in transit. Data at rest is encrypted using industry-standard encryption algorithms. For enterprise customers, we support BYOK encryption.
b. Secure Infrastructure: Our platform is hosted in data centres that maintain ISO 27001 compliance and Cyber Essentials Plus certification, demonstrating our commitment to information security management.
c. Access Controls: Access to your account is protected by unique username and password credentials. We enforce strong password requirements and recommend enabling MFA and SSO where available.
d. Authentication Logging: We log all account sign-ins and monitor for suspicious activity to detect and prevent unauthorised access.
e. Network Security: We employ firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and other security technologies to protect our infrastructure from external threats.We implement the following organisational security measures to protect your Personal Data:
Confidentiality: Access to user data is strictly limited to authorised employees who require it to perform their duties (such as technical support or system diagnostics). All employees with access to Personal Data are bound by strict confidentiality obligations and are prohibited from viewing or using Personal Data except as necessary to provide our services.
Security Training: Our staff receive regular training on data protection and security best practices to ensure they understand their responsibilities in protecting your information.
External Security Audits: We engage independent, reputable security firms to conduct regular audits and penetration testing of our platform to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
Incident Response: We maintain documented procedures for responding to security incidents and data breaches to ensure prompt and effective action.
While we implement extensive security measures, the security of your account also depends on your actions. We recommend that you:
Use a strong, unique password for your account
Enable two-factor authentication if available
Keep your login credentials confidential
Log out of your account when using shared or public computers
Keep your devices and software up to date with the latest security patches
Report any suspicious activity to us immediately
If you suspect any misuse, loss, or unauthorised access to your Personal Data, please contact us immediately at privacy@counsel-universe.com. See section titled “Data Breach Notification” below for detailed information about our data breach notification procedures.
Despite our security measures, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is never entirely secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your Personal Data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You acknowledge that you provide your Personal Data at your own risk.
Personal Data retention
Unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law, we will only hold your Personal Data on our systems for as long as your account is active and a reasonable period after in case you decide to re-active the Services.
We will retain some of your Personal Data as is necessary to comply with our legal obligations, to resolve disputes, to enforce our agreements, to support business operations and to continue to develop and improve our Services. Where we retain Personal Data for Service improvement and development, we take steps to eliminate information that directly identifies you and we only use the information to uncover collective insights about the use of our Services, not to specifically analyse personal characteristics about you.
Even if we delete your Personal Data, it may persist on backup or archival media for legal, tax or regulatory purposes.
Your rights
You have the following rights in relation to your Data:
a. Right to access - the right to request (i) copies of the information we hold about you at any time, or (ii) that we modify, update or delete such information. If we provide you with access to the information we hold about you, we will not charge you for this, unless your request is "manifestly unfounded or excessive." Where we are legally permitted to do so, we may refuse your request. If we refuse your request, we will tell you the reasons why.
b. Right to correct - the right to have your Personal Data rectified if it is inaccurate or incomplete.
c. Right to erase - the right to request that we delete or remove your Personal Data from our systems.
d. Right to restrict our use of your Personal Data - the right to "block" us from using your Personal Data or limit the way in which we can use it.
e. Right to data portability - the right to request that we move, copy or transfer your Personal Data.
f. Right to object- the right to object to our use of your Personal Data including where we use it for our legitimate interests.To make enquiries, exercise any of your rights set out above, or withdraw your consent to the processing of your Personal Data (where consent is our legal basis for processing your Personal Data), please contact us via this e-mail address: privacy@counsel-universe.com.
If you are not satisfied with the way a complaint you make in relation to your Personal Data is handled by us, you may be able to refer your complaint to the relevant data protection authority. For the UK, this is the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The ICO's contact details can be found on their website at https://ico.org.uk/.
It is important that the Personal Data we hold about you is accurate and current. Please keep us informed if your Personal Data changes during the period for which we hold it.
Transfers outside the European Economic Area
Personal Data which we collect from you may be stored and processed in and transferred to countries outside of the United Kingdom (UK) and/or the European Economic Area (EEA). For example, this could occur if our servers are located in a country outside the UK and/or EEA or one of our service providers is situated in a country outside the UK and/or EEA. We also share information with our group companies, some of which are located outside the UK and/or EEA.
We will only transfer Personal Data outside the UK and EEA where it is compliant with data protection legislation and the means of transfer provides adequate safeguards in relation to your data. For example, by way of data transfer agreement, incorporating the current standard contractual clauses adopted by the European Commission.
To ensure that your Personal Data receives an adequate level of protection, we have put in place appropriate safeguards and procedures with the third parties we share your Personal Data with. This ensures your Personal Data is treated by those third parties in a way that is consistent with the Data Protection Laws.
Links to other websites
This Website may, from time to time, provide links to other websites. We have no control over such websites and are not responsible for the content of these websites. This privacy policy does not extend to your use of such websites. You are advised to read the privacy policy or statement of other websites prior to using them.
Changes of business ownership and control
Counsel Universe may, from time to time, expand or reduce our business and this may involve the sale and/or the transfer of control of all or part of Counsel Universe. Personal Data provided by Users will, where it is relevant to any part of our business so transferred, be transferred along with that part and the new owner or newly controlling party will, under the terms of this privacy policy, be permitted to use the Personal Data for the purposes for which it was originally supplied to us.
We may also disclose Personal Data to a prospective purchaser of our business or any part of it.
In the above instances, we will take steps with the aim of ensuring your privacy is protected.
Cookies
This Website, Platform or Services may place and access certain Cookies on your computer or device. Counsel Universe has carefully chosen these Cookies and has taken steps to ensure that your privacy is protected and respected at all times.
All Cookies used by this Website are used in accordance with current UK and EU Cookie Law.
Before the Website places Cookies on your computer, you will be presented with a message bar requesting your consent to set those Cookies. By giving your consent to the placing of Cookies, you are enabling Counsel Universe to provide a better experience and service to you. You may, if you wish, deny consent to the placing of Cookies; however certain features of the Website may not function fully or as intended.
This Website may place the following Cookies:
46. You can find a list of Cookies that we use in the Cookies section below.
You can choose to enable or disable Cookies in your internet browser. By default, most internet browsers accept Cookies but this can be changed. For further details, please consult the help menu in your internet browser.
You can choose to delete Cookies at any time; however you may lose any information that enables you to access the Website or Services more quickly and efficiently including, but not limited to, personalisation settings.
It is recommended that you ensure that your internet browser is up-to-date and that you consult the help and guidance provided by the developer of your internet browser if you are unsure about adjusting your privacy settings.
For more information generally on cookies, including how to disable them, please refer to aboutcookies.org. You will also find details on how to delete cookies from your computer.
Data Breach Notification
In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your privacy we will:
Notify the ICO with 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach, where feasible;
Notify you without undue delay if the breach is likely to result in a high risk to your privacy; and
Provide you with information about the nature of the breach, its likely consequences and the measure we have taken or propose to take.
Our notification to you will include:
The nature of the data breach;
The likely consequences of the breach;
The measures taken or proposed to address the breach, including measures to mitigate any possible adverse effects; and
Contact details where you can obtain more information (privacy@counsel-universe.com)
If you suspect any misuse, loss, or any unauthorised access to your , please notify us immediately at privacy@counsel-universe.com.
Data Protection Officer
We have appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO) to oversee our data protection practices.
You can contact our DPO at: privacy@counsel-universe.com.
General
You may not transfer any of your rights under this privacy policy to any other person. We may transfer our rights under this privacy policy where we reasonably believe your rights will not be affected.
If any court or competent authority finds that any provision of this privacy policy (or part of any provision) is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that provision or part-provision will, to the extent required, be deemed to be deleted, and the validity and enforceability of the other provisions of this privacy policy will not be affected.
Unless otherwise agreed, no delay, act or omission by a party in exercising any right or remedy will be deemed a waiver of that, or any other, right or remedy.
This Agreement will be governed by and interpreted according to the law of England and Wales. All disputes arising under the Agreement will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English and Welsh courts.
Changes to this privacy policy
59. Counsel Universe reserves the right to change this privacy policy as we may deem necessary from time to time or as may be required by law. Any changes will be immediately posted on the Website and Platform. Your continued use of the Website, Platform or Services following the posting of changes constitutes your acceptance of such changes.
Cookies Used
Below is a list of the cookies that we use. We have tried to ensure this is complete and up to date, but if you think that we have missed a cookie or there is any discrepancy, please let us know.
Analytical/performance
We use the following analytical/performance cookies:
