Who we are
The Society of Law Accountants in Scotland (โSOLASโ) is committed to protecting your privacy. Our website address is https://solas.org.uk. This policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you visit our website, interact with us, or attend our events.
By using our website or contacting us, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our website or services.
Comments
When visitors leave comments on our site, we may collect:
- An anonymised string (hash) of your email for services to display your profile picture
- The data shown in the comment form (name, email, website)
- IP address and browser user agent for spam detection
Media
If you upload images to our website, avoid including embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Other visitors may be able to download and extract this data.
Website Users
For registered users, we store the information provided in their profile. Administrators may also view and edit this data.
Event Attendees
For events, we may collect information such as dietary requirements or access needs. This information is used solely to manage and run the event effectively.
How We Use Your Information
We may use your information to:
- Administer our website, events, and membership services
- Notify members about renewal information, meetings, rule changes, seminars, and newsletters
- Contact you to gather feedback on our services or notify you about updates to the website
Lawful Basis for Processing
Consent: You have given clear consent for a specific purpose.
Legitimate Interests: We need to manage our relationship with you, such as updating records, studying service usage, or improving our offerings.
Cookies
If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.
If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.
When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select โRemember Meโ, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.
If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day.
Please refer to our Cookie policy for further information.
Embedded content from other websites
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.
These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.
Who we share your data with
We do not sell your personal information. Your data may be shared with:
- Local SOLAS branches for membership administration
- Third-party service providers for specific functions (e.g., spam detection)
- Embedded content from other websites may collect data according to their own privacy policies
If you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email.
How long we retain your data
If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognise and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.
For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.
Member and event data is retained for the duration of membership and five years after.
Profile, Account & Job Application Data Deletion
When a member deletes their profile, or when SOLAS deletes a profile on their behalf (for example due to inactivity, user request, or policy reasons), all personal information associated with that profile will be permanently removed. This includes profile details, membership data, uploaded content, user settings, and any associated account history. Once deleted, this information cannot be restored.
Users may also request a formal Account Erasure Request under UK GDPR. When such a request is made, we will delete all personal information held about the user unless we are legally required to retain specific records (for example, for financial, contractual, or regulatory purposes). Any information that must be retained will be securely stored and removed once the retention period has expired.
Job Application Data
For members who submit job applications through our website:
- When a job listing is deleted, all associated applications and applicant data are deleted automatically.
- When a user deletes their account or submits an erasure request, all job applications linked to that account are permanently deleted.
- If an employer deletes an application, that application will be removed from our systems and cannot be restored.
We do not retain job application data beyond the life of the job listing or the userโs account, unless required by law.
Subscriptions, Orders & Download Data
We collect information during the checkout process on our store.
What we collect and store
While you visit our site, we may track:
- Products youโve viewed
- Location, IP address and browser type
- Shipping address for order estimation
- Cart contents (via cookies)
When you purchase from us, we may request:
- Name
- Billing and shipping address
- Email address and phone number
- Payment details
- Optional account information
We use this information to:
- Send updates about your account and order
- Respond to requests, refunds, and complaints
- Process payments and prevent fraud
- Comply with legal and tax obligations
- Improve our store offerings
- Send marketing if you opt in
We store order information for as long as legally required (for example, for tax or accounting compliance).
We also store comments or reviews submitted through the store.
Who on our team has access
Administrators and Shop Managers may access:
- Order details
- Customer information
- Subscription information
This access enables us to fulfil orders, manage subscriptions, process refunds, and support users.
Subscriptions Data
If you purchase a membership or recurring subscription, we collect and process personal information required to manage your subscription.
What we collect
- Name and contact details
- Subscription start/end dates
- Renewal status
- Payment and billing information
- Access permissions for subscription content
How we use subscription data
To:
- Create and manage your subscription
- Provide access to subscription-only areas
- Notify you about renewals or payment issues
- Comply with legal and accounting obligations
Erasing subscription data
During an account erasure request:
- Personal data within subscriptions is removed
- Subscription records may remain in anonymised form
- Subscription access is revoked
- The process is irreversible
Download access
If your subscription includes downloadable content:
- Access is revoked on erasure
- Download logs and permissions are deleted
Bulk personal data removal
Where required, administrators may remove personal data from orders or subscriptions in bulk. This cannot be undone.
CPD / LMS Data
Certain areas of the website provide Continuing Professional Development (CPD) or online learning services.
What we collect
When you enrol in CPD courses we may collect:
- Email address
- Account details
- Course enrolment history
- Progress, results, assignments
- Comments on course materials
We store CPD data for as long as your account exists.
How we use LMS data
To:
- Provide course access
- Track CPD progress
- Issue certificates
- Improve course content
- Support learners
Who has access
Administrators and authorised Group Leaders may access:
- Your enrolled courses
- Progress data
- Submissions and assessments
Who we share CPD data with
We may share data with:
- Payment processors
- Email communications services
- Analytics/reporting tools
- Course delivery tools
Only essential information is shared.
Event, Venue, and Organiser Information
Our website may store data relating to events, venues, organisers, imports, and ticket details.
What we collect
Venue Information
- Name, address, city, state, country, postal code
- Phone
- Website
- Latitude and longitude
Organizer Information
- Name
- Phone
- Website
Event Information
- Event description
- Date and time
- Website
- Cost
- Images
- Tickets (if applicable)
Imported Events
When using CSV/ICS or external URL imports, we may store:
- Data contained in the import file
- Source URL
- Ticket details (name, cost, quantity, type)
Community Event Submissions
If enabled, users may submit events either with an account or anonymously, depending on site settings. Submitted content is stored in our database.
API Keys
To enable features such as maps or ticketing, we may use third-party APIs including:
- Google Maps
- PayPal
- Zoom
These providers may process data in line with their own privacy policies.
How long we retain event data
Event, venue, organiser, and import data is stored indefinitely unless manually deleted or removed through an erasure request.
Some edge cases may require manual review to ensure all stored event data is removed.
Where we send event data
By default, event data is not transmitted externally.
If integrated services (Eventbrite, Google Maps, PayPal, Meetup, Zoom) are used, relevant information may be shared with those services, which may operate internationally.
Security
We employ measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, loss, destruction, or damage. While we strive to ensure security, no system is completely secure, and users are responsible for safeguarding their own devices.
What rights you have over your data
If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.
For more information, visit the Information Commissionerโs Office: www.ico.org.uk
Accessing and Updating Your Information
You may request access to or correction of your personal data at any time by contacting us at:
Email: [email protected]
Address: The Society of Law Accountants in Scotland, Mayfield, Holme Farm, Lentran, Inverness, IV3 8RN
Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy at any time. Updates will be posted on the website and, where appropriate, notified via email.
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