Privacy notice
With this privacy notice we inform you which personal data we process in connection with our website www.torneys.ch and our services (Art. 19 and 20 of the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection).
We process your personal data responsibly, in accordance with the applicable legal provisions and in accordance with this privacy notice. In doing so, we generally comply with the requirements of the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP). If and to the extent applicable, we also comply with European data protection law (EU-GDPR).
We can adapt this privacy notice to the current circumstances at any time. The version published on this website is the current version.
1. Who is responsible for data processing?
BKS Rechtsanwälte AG (also we/us) with its registered office in Bern is responsible for data processing. If you have any questions or wish to exercise your data protection rights (section 7), you can contact us by email at bks@torneys.ch or at the following address:
BKS Rechtsanwälte AG – BKS Attorneys Ltd.
Thunstrasse 63
P.O. Box 371
CH-3000 Bern 6
UID: CHE-467-462.169
2. What data do we process?
2.1 When you visit our website
You can visit our website without actively disclosing any personal data to us, i.e., you can find out about us and our services on our website without telling us who you are. We do not use any data analysis services, in particular Google Analytics. For information on cookies, see section 6.
2.2 When you contact us
We process personal data that you voluntarily provide to us when you contact us by email, via contact form or by telephone. This usually includes general personal data such as your name, contact details, email address, telephone number and other personal data relevant to our services, such as information about your professional activity or your financial data.
2.3 When we provide services for you
In addition to the personal data mentioned in section 2.2, we process personal data that we receive from third parties while providing our services. This includes general personal data, such as name, contact details or details of your professional activity, which we receive from clients, authorities, courts, counterparties, or business partners.
We also process personal data that we collect about you while providing our services. This includes personal data from publicly accessible registers (e.g., commercial register), websites or platforms, such as your name, details of your professional activity or contact data.
3. For what purpose do we process your data?
We process your personal data mentioned in sections 2.2. and 2.3. primarily to provide our legal services professionally and in accordance with our contractual and legal obligations, to comply with our documentation obligations and to invoice our services.
We also process your personal data to respond to your enquiries and communicate with you, to process job applications and to fulfil legal obligations and enforce legal claims.
We have an overriding private interest in the processing of personal data within the framework of the fulfilment of our legal services, which justifies this processing.
We only store your personal data to the extent and for as long as it is necessary for the provision of our legal services, the fulfilment of legal obligations (in particular retention obligations) or the other purposes described in this privacy notice.
4. Who do we share your data with?
We do not disclose your personal data to third parties except in the context of fulfilling legal obligations or while providing our services. Exceptions to this principle are subcontractors that we use to provide our services, in particular IT service providers who act on our behalf (processors). To achieve the purposes described in this privacy notice, it may also be necessary for us to pass on your personal data to the following categories of recipients: External service providers, clients, counterparties and their legal representatives, business partners with whom we may need to coordinate the provision of services, as well as authorities and courts.
Within our area of responsibility, we process your personal data in Switzerland and, if applicable, in the EU. However, we may transfer your personal data to recipients (namely clients, counterparties, or authorities) who in turn process the personal data in other countries, including those which do not guarantee an adequate level of data protection comparable to Swiss law. We will do this if it is necessary to fulfil a contract or to enforce legal claims.
5. Is your data secure?
We use cloud software solutions to provide our services. In this context, we take appropriate technical and organisational measures to secure the data you entrust to us. This includes measures regarding proper use and protection against unauthorised access or use or disclosure.
6. Cookies and log files
We use cookies sparingly on our website. We do not set any cookies from third-party providers. Cookies are small files that are automatically created by your browser and stored on your end device (laptop, tablet, smartphone, etc.) when you visit our site. We only set a session ID cookie, which disappears when you close your browser, as well as a cookie to save your selected language setting for six months. These cookies are only used for the user-friendliness of our website, we do not use them to identify individuals.
You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser. However, please note that this may affect your ability to use our website.
As with any connection to a web server, the server (located in Switzerland) on which we provide the website automatically logs and stores certain technical data (so-called log files). This includes the IP address, the date and time of the visit and other information that your browser sends when you visit a website.
7. What rights do you have?
You have the right to request information, to obtain a copy or have such a copy transferred, rectification, deletion, and objection regarding the processing of personal data concerning you. Please note that these rights are subject to conditions and exceptions. To the extent permitted by law, we may refuse your request to exercise these rights. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC).
Bern, 1 September 2023