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Privacy Policy

1 - About Anika

Anika is an online platform that enables people who meet our Eligibility Criteria to access free legal advice by a qualified Principal Lawyer in the area of residential tenancies using the Anika platform.

For more information about Anika, please click here: www.anikalegal.com

2 - Privacy generally

This privacy policy applies to the handling of personal information by Anika Legal Ltd (ACN: 627816808), based in Melbourne, Australia (Anika, we, us, our).

Anika understands the importance of protecting the privacy of an individual’s personal information. This privacy policy sets out how Anika aims to protect the privacy of your personal information, your rights in relation to your personal information managed by Anika and how Anika collects, holds, uses, discloses and otherwise manages your personal information.

In collecting, holding, using, disclosing and otherwise managing your personal information, Anika will comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act) and the Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act.

Anika will review its policies and procedures regarding personal information for time to time and may amend this privacy policy accordingly. Any updated privacy policy will be made available on the Website at http://anikalegal.com/ (Website) or can otherwise be obtained by contacting us and requesting a copy.

3 - Kinds of personal information collected

Personal information is information or an opinion about an identified, or reasonably identifiable, individual.

During the provision of any survey, questionnaire, online forum, legal information, legal advice or other service made available on or by this Website (together, our Services), or as a result of our other interactions or dealings with you, Anika may collect your personal information.

The kinds of personal information that Anika collects will vary depending on our particular interaction or dealing with you. However, generally speaking, the kinds of personal information Anika collects may include:

  1. if you email us or submit an inquiry on our Website, we may collect your contact and identification information such as your name, address, telephone number, email address and date of birth (Contact and Identification Information);
  2. if you submit any of our online client intake questionnaires on our Website or otherwise apply for legal advice or assistance, we may collect information about the particular circumstances for which you are requesting legal advice or assistance. This may include your personal details, housing circumstances, and financial information;
  3. if you make a donation, we may collect your Contact and Identification Information, together with payment and related information regarding your donation;
  4. if you volunteer to assist Anika or apply for employment with Anika, we may collect information regarding your background, qualifications, skill, experience or suitability for a particular role or task; and
  5. we may collect information you submit or send to us on or by our Website in the course of providing our Services.

Generally, we do not collect sensitive information about individuals. However, if you apply for legal advice or assistance, we may collect sensitive information relating to the reason for which you are seeking our assistance. The kinds of sensitive information we may collect include, for example, your criminal record, financial position, health information, or information about your racial or ethnic origin, among other things. If we do need to collect sensitive information about you, we will only do so with your consent or where we are required to do so by law.

As a legal practice, in addition to its privacy obligations, Anika has duties of confidentiality in respect of your information.

We also collect internet/technology related information from visitors to our Website or users of our other online services, including the referring URL, your IP address, which browser you used to come to the site, the country, state or province, the pages of our Website that you viewed during your visit and any search terms entered on our Website.

4 - Collection of personal information by Anika

Generally, Anika collects your personal information directly from you. For example, Anika may collect your personal information:

  • when you submit an inquiry or any of our client intake questionnaires our Website, fill out a survey, otherwise submit information to our Website, request information or Services from us or otherwise provide us with your details;
  • where you use our Website, Services or other online services, or otherwise interact with us;
  • if you post information to any of our social media sites, including Facebook and Instagram; and
  • where you attend an event organised or sponsored by us.

Generally, Anika will only collect your personal information from sources other than you if it is unreasonable or impracticable to collect that personal information directly from you.

We may also collect other personal information sent to us by third parties, for instance, if this information is provided to us by you or another party via email or through our Website. Where personal information of a kind not referred to in this policy is received or inadvertently collected by Anika, we will use best endeavours to dispose of this information securely and in accordance with this policy.

5 - Purposes for which personal information is used

Generally speaking, Anika collects and uses personal information so that we can provide our Services.

Some examples of the purposes for which Anika collects, holds, uses and discloses your personal information include to:

  • to provide our Services;
  • to manage and administer the events, Services and related activities we conduct;
  • to enable us to supply you with information you request from us;
  • to contact you to obtain your feedback about our services, activities and future plans; and
  • analyse information we collect so that we can administer, support and improve and develop the Services we offer.

Where personal information is used or disclosed, Anika takes steps reasonable in the circumstances to ensure it is relevant to the purpose for which it is to be used or disclosed. You are under no obligation to provide your personal information to Anika. However, without certain information from you, Anika may not be able to provide Services or information to you or may be limited in how we can interact with you.

6 - Disclosure of personal information

Anika discloses your personal information for the purpose for which Anika collects it. As a result, generally Anika will only disclose your personal information for a purpose set out in paragraphs 4 and 5 of this privacy policy. This may include disclosing your personal information to our service providers, law firms, and contractors that provide Services to us, including our technology service providers. We may disclose your name to any law firms that provide seconded lawyers to Anika, for the purpose of ensuring that no conflict of interest arises.

If you engage us to provide you with legal advice or assistance, we may disclose your personal information to landlords and their agents, and to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (“the VCAT”), as part of our advocacy.

If you post information or other content to public sections of our Websites or to our social media sites, you acknowledge that the information or content may be viewed by the public and/or users of the relevant Website or social media site.

7 - Overseas disclosure

Anika does not currently disclose personal information to recipients located overseas or have established plans to do so. If Anika is likely to disclose personal information to recipients located overseas, Anika will update this privacy policy regarding the likely disclosures (including, if it is practicable to do so, the countries in which such overseas recipients are likely to be located).

8 - Direct marketing

Anika may use and disclose your personal information in order to inform you of information relating to its Services and information that may be of interest to you. In the event you do not wish to receive such communications, you can opt-out by contacting Anika via the contact details set out in paragraph 12 below or through any opt-out mechanism contained in a marketing communication to you.

9 - Links to other Websites

When you access our Website, we may provide as a convenience to you links to other Websites, including sites operated by independent third parties. These links are provided as a convenience to you. Each Website has its own privacy practices, as described in that site’s privacy policy. Those practices may be different than the practices described in this privacy policy, and we encourage you to read each Website’s privacy policy carefully before you use or submit information to that site. Additionally, to the extent that you follow a link to a Website operated by an independent third party, please be aware that we exercise no authority or control over that third party, and cannot and are not responsible for any information that you may submit to that site.

10 - Security of personal information

Anika takes steps reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that the personal information it holds is protected from misuse, interference and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

Anika holds personal information in both hard copy and electronic forms in secured databases, and in electronic form on ‘cloud’ storage services, accessible only by authorised staff.

We have in place procedures for training our employees and volunteers about their obligations under this privacy policy, and for disciplining them for failure to follow this privacy policy. We also have in place internal procedures to confirm general company compliance with this privacy policy.

Anika will destroy or de-identify personal information in circumstances where it is no longer required for the provision of our Services, unless Anika is otherwise required or authorised by law to retain the information.

Where you become a member of our Website you may be issued with a user name and password or other sign in details, you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your user name and password. You shall be responsible for all uses of your membership, whether or not authorised by you. You agree to immediately notify Anika of any unauthorised use of your user name or password.

11 - Access and correction

Anika takes steps reasonable in the circumstances to ensure personal information it holds is accurate, up-to-date, complete, relevant and not misleading. If at any time you would like to access or correct the personal information that Anika holds about you, or you would like more information on Anika's approach to privacy, please contact Anika on the details set out in paragraph 12 below. Anika will use best endeavours to take steps reasonable in the circumstances to correct personal information, and will grant you access this information to the extent required or authorised by the Privacy Act or other law.

To obtain access to your personal information:

  • you will have to provide proof of identity to ensure that personal information is provided only to the correct individuals and that the privacy of others is protected;
  • Anika requests that you be reasonably specific about the information you require; and
  • Anika may charge you a reasonable administration fee, which reflects and will not exceed the cost to Anika for providing access in accordance with your request.

Anika will endeavour to respond to your request to access or correct your personal information within 30 days from your request. If Anika refuses your request to access or correct your personal information, Anika will provide you with written reasons for the refusal and details of complaint mechanisms.

12 - Contacting Anika

For further information or enquiries regarding your personal information or make a privacy complaint, please contact Anika using any of the following contact details:

Email: [email protected]

Post: Anika Legal, Level 16/ 15 William Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia

Phone: 0480 016 398

13 - Privacy complaints

At all times, privacy complaints:

  • Will be overseen by the Privacy Manager;
  • will be treated seriously;
  • will be dealt with promptly;
  • will be dealt with in a confidential manner; and
  • will not affect any existing arrangements between you and Anika.

You should make your complaint in writing. Anika will acknowledge your complaint within 7 days of receipt and endeavour to resolve it within 30 days, unless Anika informs you otherwise.

Anika’s Privacy Manager will commence an investigation into your complaint. you will be informed of the outcome of your complaint following completion of the investigation. In the event that you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint, or an extension to the time in which Anika will resolve it, you may refer the complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.