Privacy Notice

This notice explains how LawScout handles personal information through lawscout.co.za, its directory, account features, public submissions and related communications. LawScout is the responsible party for processing where it determines why and how that information is used.

A listed legal professional or employer may separately be responsible for information they receive from you. Their own privacy terms can apply after you contact or apply to them.

Depending on the feature you use, information can include:

• Account data: name, email address, phone number, authentication data and account type.
• Professional and directory data: qualifications, practice information, location, contact details, biography and verification records.
• User submissions: questions, answers, reviews, job listings, profile changes and support messages.
• Connection data: consultation requests or details you choose to send to a listed professional.
• Technical data: IP address, device and browser information, visited pages, referral source and interaction events.
• Advertising and cookie data: identifiers and activity used by configured analytics or advertising services.

We receive information directly from users and profile owners, from the way a device uses LawScout, and from public professional or business sources used to compile directory records. Those sources can include Legal Practice Council information and law-firm websites.

If you provide information about another person, only provide what you are authorised to share and what is necessary for the feature you use.

• Operate accounts, directory search, profile management, Q&A, jobs and communication features.
• Display information that is intended to be public, such as a professional profile, job listing or public answer.
• Review verification, ownership, correction and removal requests.
• Protect accounts, investigate abuse, enforce platform terms and maintain service reliability.
• Understand aggregate usage and improve navigation, content and features.
• Respond to enquiries and comply with applicable legal obligations.
• Display and measure advertising when advertising services are enabled.

Directory profiles, public questions, answers, reviews and job listings are designed to be visible on the internet and may be indexed by search engines. Do not submit confidential case details, identity numbers, financial credentials or information you do not want made public.

Removing content from LawScout does not automatically remove copies from search caches, archives or third parties that previously accessed it.

We do not sell personal information as a standalone product. We may share information:

• With a practitioner, firm or employer you choose to contact or apply to.
• With hosting, email, security, analytics, advertising and other vendors that support the platform.
• When required by law or reasonably necessary to protect rights, users or platform security.
• As part of a genuine organisational transaction, subject to appropriate handling of the information.

LawScout uses essential storage for account and service functions. Google Analytics is configured to help measure site use. Google AdSense may be loaded when an advertising client ID is configured; Google and its partners may then use cookies or similar technologies to deliver and measure advertising.

Browser controls can block or delete cookies, although some account or preference features may stop working. Google provides separate controls and information about its advertising and analytics data practices.

We retain information for as long as reasonably needed for the feature, account, public record, dispute, security purpose or legal obligation. The period differs by data type and context.

We use reasonable technical and organisational safeguards appropriate to the service, including access controls and protected transport where the site is served over HTTPS. No internet service can guarantee absolute security, so users should avoid sending unnecessary sensitive information.

Subject to applicable law, you may ask whether we hold personal information about you, request access or correction, object to certain processing, or request deletion where retention is not required. You may also ask for a public directory listing to be corrected or removed.

Email privacy@lawscout.co.za. Include enough detail to locate the information. We may need to verify identity or authority before acting on a request.

Privacy questions can be sent to privacy@lawscout.co.za. You may also lodge a complaint with South Africa's Information Regulator using the current contact details on inforegulator.org.za.

We may update this notice as services or legal requirements change. The date below identifies the version currently published.