Privacy policy

01Data controller

JANSSENS Law Firm is a law firm operating in the form of a private limited company (SRL), with enterprise number BE 0439.722.081. The firm’s offices are located at Avenue Louise 500, 1050 Brussels (Belgium).

JANSSENS Law Firm attaches great importance to respecting the privacy of its clients, fellow lawyers, bailiffs and notaries, suppliers, partners and employees — all hereinafter referred to as the “Data Subjects”.

This policy sets out the rules for the processing of personal data implemented by the firm and, in this respect, supplements the general or specific contractual terms applicable to the various Data Subjects. It is intended to inform every Data Subject of the firm’s practices regarding the processing of personal data.

“Personal data” means any information that makes it possible to identify, directly or indirectly, a natural person.

02Confidentiality and legal framework

All personal data communicated to JANSSENS Law Firm is regarded as confidential and processed as such, in the strictest compliance with the applicable legislation, including professional secrecy, Belgian law in general and Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (hereinafter the “General Data Protection Regulation” or “GDPR”).

03Changes to this policy

JANSSENS Law Firm reserves the right to amend this policy in order to comply with any future legislative changes, the recommendations of the Data Protection Authority or developments in case law.

04Data collected

In the course of its activities, JANSSENS Law Firm may collect and process all information transmitted directly to it. The firm also processes any personal data communicated by a client or a third party, in strict compliance with the relevant legislation.

When handling the matters entrusted to it, JANSSENS Law Firm collects only the personal data that is strictly necessary and relevant in light of the purposes for which it is collected, on the basis of its legal or contractual obligations. This data is essentially:

• identification data (surname, first name, address, telephone number, email address, etc.);
• banking data (account number).

JANSSENS Law Firm also collects all personal data necessary or relevant for handling the matters entrusted to it, which data may vary depending on the area in which it is consulted. This may include sensitive data, namely racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade-union membership, health, sex life, as well as suspicions, prosecutions and criminal or administrative convictions.

By voluntarily communicating personal data to JANSSENS Law Firm in the context of a professional relationship, and to the extent that such data is not strictly necessary for the performance of its contractual or legal obligations, the Data Subject expressly authorises the firm to collect and process it for the purposes set out below.

05Purposes of processing

Personal data is processed for the following purposes:

• to perform the contracts concluded between clients and the firm and to provide clients with the information and services requested — processing necessary for the performance of the respective contractual obligations;
• to collect payments from clients or to remit to them the sums collected on their behalf — processing necessary for the performance of the respective contractual obligations;
• to ensure compliance with the various applicable laws — processing necessary for the performance of legal obligations;
• to keep the firm’s accounts and ensure compliance with accounting and tax obligations — processing necessary for the performance of legal obligations.

06Retention period

JANSSENS Law Firm does not retain any data beyond what is necessary under its legal obligations.

Unless it is necessary to protect its interests in safeguarding its rights for the purposes of legal proceedings, a specific legal obligation or a request from you, the personal data processed in connection with the handling of the matters entrusted to the firm is destroyed five years after the closure of the matter concerned.

Where applicable, with the explicit agreement of the Data Subject, JANSSENS Law Firm retains certain procedural documents containing a limited amount of personal data.

The personal data processed in connection with the firm’s accounts, understood in the broadest sense, is retained for the legal period of ten years, corresponding to the retention period for supporting documents of accounting and tax entries.

07Disclosure to third parties

When handling the matters entrusted to it, JANSSENS Law Firm will be required to communicate the personal data of Data Subjects to third parties, such as other lawyers or law firms, notaries, bailiffs, technical advisers, the courts, the various authorities or supervisory bodies, and any other third party to whom it is required to communicate such data under legal or contractual obligations.

In such cases, this processing is based on a legal obligation in the matter or on the performance of contractual obligations towards the Data Subject. JANSSENS Law Firm ensures that only strictly necessary and relevant data is communicated.

08Processors

JANSSENS Law Firm also works closely with third-party companies that may have access to the personal data of Data Subjects, in particular the processors to which the firm has recourse for the provision of services.

In such cases, JANSSENS Law Firm undertakes to communicate to these processors only the data strictly necessary for the intended purposes and to ensure that they comply with data protection legislation.

09Location of the data

The data communicated to JANSSENS Law Firm is kept at its offices or on its servers, located in the European Union. The email servers are also located in the European Union.

All processors to which JANSSENS Law Firm has recourse are located in the European Union or, failing that, offer sufficient privacy-protection guarantees within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation.

10Your rights

Every Data Subject has the following rights:

Right of access

To obtain, free of charge, written communication or a copy of the personal data concerning them that has been collected. Before responding, JANSSENS Law Firm may verify the identity of the applicant and request additional information in order to respond to their request as effectively as possible. The firm may charge a reasonable fee, based on administrative costs, for any additional copies. Where the request is made electronically, the information is provided in a commonly used electronic form, unless otherwise requested. The firm endeavours to respond to any request within a reasonable time and, in any event, within the time limits set by the GDPR.

Right to rectification

To obtain, free of charge, as soon as possible and at the latest within one month, the rectification of inaccurate, incomplete or irrelevant data, as well as its completion where it proves incomplete.

Right to object

To object at any time, free of charge and on grounds relating to their particular situation, to the processing of their data. The firm may, however, refuse to grant this if it establishes compelling and legitimate grounds overriding the interests, rights and freedoms of the Data Subject, or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims. In the event of a dispute, the Data Subject may lodge an appeal with the Data Protection Authority (www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be).

Right to restriction

To obtain the restriction of processing: where they contest the accuracy of data, for the time the firm needs to verify it; where the processing is unlawful and they prefer restriction to erasure; where, although the data is no longer needed, they require it for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; or for the time needed to examine an objection request. JANSSENS Law Firm informs the Data Subject when the restriction is lifted.

Right to erasure

To obtain the erasure of their data where: it is no longer necessary for the purposes; they have withdrawn their consent and there is no other legal basis; the data has been unlawfully processed; or erasure is required by a legal obligation. Erasure does not apply where processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

Right to portability

To receive, free of charge, their data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format, in particular with a view to transmitting it to another lawyer. Under the same conditions, the Data Subject may obtain that their data be transmitted directly to another lawyer, where technically feasible.

Right to lodge a complaint

In the event of a breach of the legal obligations incumbent on the firm, the Data Subject is entitled to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Authority (www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be) or to bring an action before the courts in order to obtain compensation for the damage suffered.

11Data security and integrity

JANSSENS Law Firm implements appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risks presented by the processing and to the nature of the data to be protected, taking into account the state of the art, the cost of implementation, and the nature, scope, context and purposes of the processing.

The firm uses encryption technologies recognised as industry standards when it transfers or receives data electronically, and has put in place appropriate security measures to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of information. Anyone required to access this data is bound by a strict obligation of confidentiality.

Should the data controlled by the firm be compromised, JANSSENS Law Firm will act quickly to identify the cause of the breach and take appropriate remedial measures. The firm informs its Data Protection Officer (DPO) and the Data Subject of the incident where the law so requires. JANSSENS Law Firm cannot be held liable for any unlawful appropriation of data occurring despite the aforementioned security measures.

12Contact and complaints

For any question relating to this policy or any request concerning your personal data, you may consult the website of the Data Protection Authority (www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be) or contact the firm in the manner you consider most appropriate:

13Governing law

This policy is governed by Belgian law. In the event of any dispute as to its interpretation or performance, the French-speaking courts of Brussels shall have sole jurisdiction.

This version entered into force on 1 July 2026. This English text is a courtesy translation; in the event of any discrepancy, the French version of this policy prevails.