1. Who We Are
Lawyers Alliance Global Network (LAGN) is a global alliance of lawyers and attorneys facilitating cross-border networking, peer-to-peer referrals, and the sharing of legal knowledge across six continents. LAGN operates the website www.lawyersalliancenetwork.com.
For any privacy-related queries, you may contact us through our Contact Us page at www.lawyersalliancenetwork.com/contact-us/.
2. Information We Collect
We collect personal data in the following ways:
A. Information You Provide to Us
When you register as a member, submit content, or contact us, we may collect:
- Full name and professional title
- Email address
- Country and jurisdiction of practice
- Law firm or organisation name
- Areas of legal practice and specialisation
- Profile photo (if provided)
- Articles, forum posts, and other content you submit
- Any correspondence you send to us
B. Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our Website, we may automatically collect:
- IP address and browser type
- Pages visited and time spent on the Website
- Referring website or source
- Device type and operating system
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 8 below)
C. Information from Third Parties
We may receive information about you from third parties, such as social media platforms (e.g., LinkedIn), if you choose to connect or interact with us through those platforms.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the personal data we collect for the following purposes:
- To provide and manage your membership — creating and maintaining your member profile and account.
- To facilitate networking and referrals — making your professional profile visible to other members of the Network.
- To communicate with you — sending membership updates, legal updates, newsletters, and notifications relevant to your membership.
- To publish your content — displaying articles, legal updates, and forum contributions you submit to the Website.
- To improve our Website and services — analysing usage data to enhance user experience and Website functionality.
- To comply with legal obligations — fulfilling any legal or regulatory requirements applicable to us.
- To enforce our Terms & Conditions — investigating and addressing any breaches or misuse of our platform.
4. Legal Basis for Processing Your Data
Where applicable under data protection law (including the UK GDPR), we rely on the following legal bases for processing your personal data:
- Contractual necessity — processing is necessary to fulfil our membership agreement with you.
- Legitimate interests — we have a legitimate interest in operating and improving the Network and promoting cross-border legal collaboration.
- Legal obligation — we may need to process your data to comply with applicable laws and regulations.
- Consent — where you have given your explicit consent, such as subscribing to newsletters or marketing communications. You may withdraw your consent at any time.
5. How We Share Your Information
LAGN does not sell your personal data to third parties. However, we may share your information in the following circumstances:
A. With Other Members
Your professional profile — including your name, jurisdiction, law firm, and areas of practice — is visible to other registered members of the Network for networking and referral purposes. This is the core function of LAGN.
B. With Service Providers
We may share data with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating the Website, such as:
- Website hosting and infrastructure providers
- Email and communication platforms
- Analytics and performance monitoring tools
All service providers are required to handle your data securely and in accordance with our instructions.
C. For Legal and Compliance Purposes
We may disclose your personal data if required to do so by law, court order, or regulatory authority, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of LAGN, its members, or the public.
D. Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal data may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you if your data becomes subject to a different privacy policy as a result.
6. Member Profile Visibility
As a member of LAGN, your professional profile is displayed on the Website and is visible to:
- Other registered members of the Network
- Visitors to the Website (where applicable, depending on your profile settings)
Your profile is intended to facilitate legitimate professional networking and referrals. Please ensure that the information you include in your profile is accurate and that you are comfortable with it being visible to other legal professionals.
7. Data Retention
We retain your personal data for as long as your membership is active or as needed to provide you with our services. Specifically:
- Member account data is retained for the duration of your membership and for a reasonable period thereafter in case of disputes or legal obligations.
- Content you submit (articles, forum posts) may remain on the Website after your membership ends unless you specifically request its removal.
- Usage and analytics data is typically retained for up to 24 months.
You may request deletion of your data at any time (subject to our legal obligations) by contacting us.
8. Cookies & Tracking Technologies
Our Website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and analyse Website usage.
Types of Cookies We Use
- Essential cookies — necessary for the Website to function properly (e.g., login sessions, security).
- Analytics cookies — help us understand how visitors interact with the Website (e.g., Google Analytics).
- Preference cookies — remember your settings and preferences for a better experience.
Your Cookie Choices
You may control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Website. By continuing to use our Website without changing your cookie settings, you consent to our use of cookies.
9. Your Data Protection Rights
Depending on your location and applicable data protection laws, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Right of access — you have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Right to rectification — you have the right to request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Right to erasure — you have the right to request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances ("right to be forgotten").
- Right to restriction — you have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your data in certain circumstances.
- Right to data portability — you have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used format.
- Right to object — you have the right to object to the processing of your data based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
- Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us via www.lawyersalliancenetwork.com/contact-us/. We will respond to your request within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.
10. International Data Transfers
LAGN operates globally, and your personal data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside your own, including countries that may not offer the same level of data protection as your home country.
Where we transfer data internationally, we take appropriate safeguards to ensure your data is protected, including relying on standard contractual clauses approved by relevant data protection authorities or other lawful transfer mechanisms.
11. Security of Your Data
We take the security of your personal data seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it against unauthorised access, loss, destruction, or alteration. These measures include:
- Secure HTTPS encryption across the Website
- Access controls and authentication systems for member accounts
- Regular security monitoring and updates
However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
12. Children's Privacy
Our Website and services are not directed at individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18 years of age. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a minor, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete it.
13. Links to Third-Party Websites
Our Website may contain links to third-party websites. This Privacy Policy applies only to our Website and services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites and encourage you to review their respective privacy policies before providing any personal information.
14. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify members by email.
Your continued use of the Website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
15. Complaints
If you have a concern about how we handle your personal data, we encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve the matter.
If you are located in the United Kingdom or European Union and remain unsatisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your relevant data protection supervisory authority:
- UK: Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) — www.ico.org.uk
- EU: Your national data protection authority
16. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal data, please contact us:
Lawyers Alliance Global Network
Website: www.lawyersalliancenetwork.com/contact-us/