Privacy Policy — LawScout

LawScout (Pty) Ltd ("LawScout", "we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and other applicable South African legislation.

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal information:

Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, and password when you register.
Profile Information: Professional qualifications, practice areas, office address, and biography (for attorneys).
Usage Data: Pages visited, search queries, device information, and IP address.
Communication Data: Messages sent through our platform, consultation requests, and support inquiries.
Payment Information: Billing details processed securely through our payment provider.

2. How We Use Your Information

We process your personal information for the following purposes:

To provide and maintain our legal directory services
To facilitate connections between clients and attorneys
To process payments and manage subscriptions
To send service-related communications and updates
To improve our platform through analytics and research
To comply with legal obligations and prevent fraud
To respond to your inquiries and provide support

3. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your data with:

Attorneys: When you submit a consultation request, your contact details are shared with the selected attorney.
Service Providers: Trusted third parties who assist with hosting, analytics, payment processing, and email delivery.
Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or to protect our rights and safety.

4. Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject under POPIA, you have the following rights:

Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information where legally permissible.
Objection: Object to the processing of your personal information for direct marketing.
Complaint: Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator if you believe your rights have been infringed.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Information Officer at privacy@lawscout.co.za.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information, including:

Encryption of data in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest
Regular security assessments and penetration testing
Access controls and authentication mechanisms
Employee training on data protection practices
Incident response procedures for data breaches

6. Contact

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Information Officer: privacy@lawscout.co.za
Address: 123 Main Street, Sandton, Johannesburg, 2196
Phone: +27 (0) 11 123 4567

Information Regulator (South Africa):
Website: inforegulator.org.za
Email: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za