Legal Notices and Policies

Regulatory:

Robert Wharton is regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority under number 109309 as a freelance solicitor. This can be verified by a search on the Solicitors Regulatory Authority Website. The firm only undertakes “non-reserved legal activities” (as defined by the Legal Services Act 2007). The firm trades under the name Ringrose Wharton. As a freelance solicitor the firm is not obliged to carry professional indemnity insurance (including any meeting the minimum requirements of the Solicitors Regulatory Authority) but does in practice carry professional indemnity insurance in the amount of £1 million which is underwritten by Zürich Insurance Group. Clients are engaged on terms of business which are available on request prior to engaging the firm. Freelance solicitors are not allowed to handle “client money” save in respect of fees and disbursements owed to the firm.

Privacy Policy:

This privacy notice informs you how we use any personal data you provide to us including any data electronically through our website. We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We are a data controller. We are registered the Information Commissioner's Office under no. A8724134.

We use personal data about you and others for the purpose of promoting, administering and carrying out our business of providing advisory services. Please keep us informed if your personal data changes. The data we collect is your name, address, contact details, technical data contact details and your marketing and communication preferences. We do not collect any special categories of personal data (for example ethnicity, political opinions or health). We will only use the data for the purposes of our own business legitimate interests either as a client or potential client. We will not share your data with third parties (unless we are under a legal obligation to do so). We may use such data to provide contractual services to you or for advertising and marketing our services to you. In the case of marketing data we may have obtained this through publicly available information. We will only keep the data so long as it remains relevant to our contractual services and for a reasonable time thereafter (being a minimum of six years) or for our marketing purposes. You may, at any time, request access to your data for it to be corrected or request erasure. You may withdraw your consent to our processing of your data at any time. For more information on data protection or to make any complaint about us please either contact us or visit www.ico.org.uk. 

To get in touch please contact robert@ringrosewharton.com.

Compensation Scheme:

As a consequence of trading under a trading name, clients are not eligible for a grant for compensation in respect of the acts or omissions of a defaulting practitioner.

Fees and Fee Sharing:

Fees charged to clients will be set out in the client engagement letter prior to the commencement of work. In the event that a client requires “reserved legal activities” then the client is free to choose any other solicitor. If, and in the event that, the firm refers its client to another firm of solicitors or other advisors and the client agrees, then the firm will act in the best interests of its client only and will disclose in writing at that time any, if any, fee sharing arrangement in advance of the engagement.

Complaints:

If a client is not happy with our handling of a complaint relating either to professional conduct or to fees, then the client may ask the Legal Ombudsman to consider the complaint and will need to bring that complaint to him within six months of receiving a final written response from the firm and within six years of the relevant event. A complaint may also be made to the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. The firm will endeavour to resolve any complaint with the client and will give the client a final written response within six weeks of the raising of the complaint.

Money Laundering and Proof of Identity:

While a freelance solicitor carrying out “non-reserved legal activities” is not subject to the money-laundering legislation, the firm reserves the right to ask any potential client for proof of identity including source of funds for any transaction which is anticipated.

Conflicts of Interest:

If the firm encounters, in its sole opinion, a conflict-of-interest between different clients or within parties forming the same client, then the firm reserves the right to cease acting with immediate effect.