Privacy Notice

1. Introduction & Institutional Commitment

Olumuyiwa Makinde & Co. (Hallmark Chambers), having its principal chambers at Ibadan, Oyo State, and branch office at Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria, is committed to safeguarding the privacy, confidentiality, and data protection rights of all visitors, prospective clients, corporate representatives, and individuals who interact with the firm through this website or electronic communication channels.

The firm acts as a Data Controller in respect of personal data collected through this website and conducts all personal data processing activities in strict compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), 2023, the regulations issued by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), and the professional confidentiality standards governing legal practitioners in Nigeria.

2. Scope of Application

This Privacy Notice applies to:

• Visitors navigating our official website (hallmark-chambers.com);
• Individuals and corporate representatives submitting enquiries, appointment requests, or consultation bookings;
• Prospective clients communicating with our legal practitioners or administrative staff via official email addresses, telephone lines, or digital messaging;
• Applicants seeking pupillage, associate recruitment, or internship opportunities with the firm.

3. Categories of Personal Data Collected

In operating this website and administering initial client enquiries, Hallmark Chambers may collect and process the following categories of personal information:

• Identity & Contact Information: Full name, professional title, business or residential address, official email address, telephone contact numbers, and corporate organisation name;
• Enquiry & Communication Records: Information provided within consultation request forms, email correspondence, subject matter summaries, and records of preliminary telephone communications;
• Technical & Browsing Data: Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, browser type and version, device operating systems, referring website URLs, date and time stamps of page visits, and session analytics collected solely for security, performance optimization, and server integrity;
• Recruitment Data: Curriculum vitae, academic transcripts, Call to the Nigerian Bar credentials, and professional references submitted in response to career or internship notices.

4. Lawful Bases & Purposes of Processing

Under Section 25 of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023, the firm processes personal data only where there is an established lawful basis, specifically:

• Pre-Contractual Steps & Consultation Management: Processing necessary to evaluate prospective legal matters, schedule consultations, perform conflict of interest assessments, and agree upon formal terms of engagement;
• Legal & Regulatory Compliance: Fulfilling statutory obligations imposed on Nigerian legal practitioners, including anti-money laundering (AML/CFT) verification, compliance with court rules, tax accounting, and directives of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC);
• Legitimate Professional Interests: Maintaining network security, preventing malicious automated access, protecting firm intellectual property, managing professional records, and enhancing website reliability;
• Consent: Where an individual has explicitly consented to specific communications, updates, or direct correspondence, which may be withdrawn at any time.

5. Professional Confidentiality & Legal Privilege

The confidentiality of communications between a legal practitioner and a client is a bedrock principle of Nigerian jurisprudence. In addition to the protections afforded under data privacy legislation:

All communications submitted by retained clients are protected by advocate-client privilege pursuant to Section 192 of the Evidence Act, 2011 and Rule 19 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners (RPC), 2023. Personal data forming part of client matter files is segregated, protected by rigorous access controls, and strictly insulated from disclosure, save where required by law or authorized in writing by the client.

6. Non-Disclosure & Third-Party Sharing

Olumuyiwa Makinde & Co. does not sell, lease, monetize, or commercially trade personal information to any third party under any circumstances.

Personal data may only be shared with:

• Confidential Technical Service Providers: Trusted IT infrastructure, encrypted email, and secure cloud hosting providers bound by comprehensive Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) and strict non-disclosure obligations;
• Judicial & Statutory Authorities: Appropriate courts of law, arbitral tribunals, law enforcement bodies, or statutory regulators where strictly mandated by valid subpoena, court order, or binding legal enactment.

7. Data Retention & Information Security

The firm applies multi-layered administrative, physical, and technical security safeguards—including Secure Sockets Layer (SSL/TLS) 256-bit encryption, access controls, firewalls, and regular security audits—to prevent unauthorized access, accidental alteration, disclosure, or destruction of personal data.

Personal data is retained only for as long as necessary to satisfy the purpose for which it was collected, resolve inquiries, or comply with statutory retention periods mandated under Nigerian law and professional standards.

8. Data Subject Rights under the NDPA 2023

In accordance with Part VI of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, data subjects possess enforceable rights regarding their personal data, including:

• Right of Access: The right to request confirmation of whether the firm holds personal data concerning you and obtain a copy thereof;
• Right to Rectification: The right to request prompt correction of inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated personal information;
• Right to Erasure: The right to request deletion of personal data where retention is no longer justified by law or legitimate interest;
• Right to Restriction of Processing: The right to restrict processing during ongoing verification or dispute resolution;
• Right to Object: The right to object at any time to processing based solely on legitimate interest;
• Right to Lodge a Complaint: The right to lodge a formal regulatory complaint with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) (ndpc.gov.ng) if you believe your privacy rights have been infringed.

9. Data Protection Officer & Enquiries

For questions, requests to exercise statutory data protection rights, or formal privacy inquiries, please contact the firm's designated Data Protection Lead: