Privacy policy

ClarkeKann (“we” or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy. We comply with all applicable Australian privacy legislation.

What this Privacy Policy covers

This privacy policy sets out how we deal with the personal information that we collect. By using our services or accessing our website at www.clarkekann.com.au, you agree to be bound by the terms of this Privacy Policy.

What kind of Information do we ask for?

The kinds of personal information we collect may include your name, contact details, employment information such as your occupation and job title, and financial information including bank account details and credit card details. The types of personal information we collect will depend on the dealings you have with us. If you are a client, we may collect other personal information which could include sensitive information (for example, information about your criminal record, health information or information about your racial or ethnic origin). Generally we only collect sensitive information where you consent to such collection and the information is reasonably necessary to provide the legal services you have sought.

It is necessary for us to collect personal information about you in order for us to carry out our functions as professional legal service providers and for associated administrative purposes. Our ability to provide our services to you may be adversely affected if you do not provide us with the personal information we request.

How do we collect your Information?

Generally we collect personal information directly from you when you provide your details to us, such as when you make enquiries regarding our services, attend one of our seminars or events, engage us to provide services to you, or contact us for any other reason.

We may also collect personal information from third parties, for example, from an employer, colleague, agent or adviser. If you provide personal information to us about someone else, you must ensure that you have their consent to disclose their information to us. You should also ensure that you take reasonable steps such that the individual concerned is aware of the various matters dealt with in this policy.

There may be circumstances where we collect personal information about an individual despite the fact that we do not have a direct relationship or connection with the individual, such as where they are a counterparty to a transaction involving one of our clients. We endeavour to contact and notify the individual of the circumstances of such collection where it is reasonable to do so.

We may also collect personal information through publically available records such as company and property searches.

How will we use your Information?

We primarily use personal information about you for purposes directly related to the services that you have requested, or otherwise to enable us to carry out our functions as professional legal service providers. Unless you tell us otherwise, we may also use your personal information for relationship and marketing purposes. For example, we may send you newsletters, invitations to events that we host or support, email notifications about legal or industry developments, and information about other services offered by us. Generally we do not promote third parties, but there may be circumstances in which we send you information about third parties with whom we have a business association. All promotional electronic communications will contain a functional unsubscribe facility or otherwise allow you to easily opt-out of such communications. Alternatively, if you do not wish to receive these communications you can contact us via the details below.

Where your personal information was given to us for another specific purpose, such as a job application, we will only use the personal information for that purpose.

Will we disclose your Information to Third Parties?

So that we may use your personal information for the purposes identified above, we may disclose it to external providers of services such as IT and marketing service providers. Depending upon the circumstances of our engagement, we may disclose your personal information to other third parties such as barristers, agents or other advisors to assist in providing our services to you.

We may disclose your personal information to the extent that we are required to do so by law, including in connection with any legal proceedings or anticipated legal proceedings, or in order to comply with any legal obligation, or to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights. In certain circumstances we may be required to disclose your personal information to regulatory bodies.

We may also sell, transfer, or otherwise disclose our database of personal information to an actual or potential successor entity, purchaser, or investor in connection with a merger, consolidation, sale of our assets or substantially all our assets, partnership restructure, investment transaction or other business rearrangement.

ClarkeKann is bound by professional confidentiality obligations. We will only disclose confidential information with your express consent or where we are permitted by law.

Overseas Transfers of Information

In the usual course of our business we do not, and do not presently intend to, disclose or transfer any personal information to overseas recipients. If at some point in the future this position changes, we will take reasonable steps to notify you.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy will be reviewed from time to time to take account of new laws and changes to our operations. Any information we hold about you will be governed by our most current Privacy Policy. We recommend that you periodically review this Privacy Policy for any changes.

What if you have a Complaint?

If you consider that any of our action breaches this privacy policy or the Australian privacy laws, or otherwise does not respect your privacy, you can make a complaint by contacting us on the details below. We will endeavour to:

  • provide an initial response to your query or complaint within 48 hours
  • resolve your query or complaint within 10 business days

If you are still not satisfied, you can contact the Australian Privacy Commissioner (see or call 1300 363 992).

Third Party Contact Details

Our website has contact details and links to external third party websites that may benefit you. Links to other websites do not constitute sponsorship, endorsement or approval of the information found on those websites. You should evaluate the accuracy, relevance and suitability for your purposes of any such information.

Storage and Security

We store personal information securely through electronic storage and paper-based files. We take reasonable steps to ensure that all personal information we hold is protected from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification and disclosure, and accessed only by authorised personnel in accordance with this Privacy Policy. We also take steps to ensure that our service providers have measures in place to keep secure files and records which may contain your personal information.

Integrity of your Information

We take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we hold is accurate, complete and up-to-date.

You are entitled to access the personal information we hold about you or request the correction of such information. There are exceptional circumstances where access to or correction of your personal information may be refused by us, such as where access would be unlawful. We will advise you of such circumstances if they arise. If you would like access or request correction of your personal information, please contact us via the details below.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or complaints about this Privacy Policy or our treatment of your personal information, or if you would like to access or amend your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer at or GPO Box 1342, Sydney NSW 2001.