Privacy

Privacy Notice

Date of last revision: 12 July 2026

1. Introduction

ClauseWatch Ltd (“ClauseWatch”, “we”, “us” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information fairly, lawfully and transparently.

This Privacy Notice explains:

  • who we are;
  • what personal information we collect;
  • how and why we use it;
  • the lawful bases on which we process it;
  • how we obtain personal information;
  • who we may share it with;
  • whether it may be transferred outside the United Kingdom;
  • how long we retain it;
  • your rights under data protection law; and
  • how to contact us.

This Privacy Notice applies to personal information processed through the ClauseWatch website and in connection with the services, publications and activities described below.

2. Who We Are

ClauseWatch Ltd is the data controller responsible for personal information processed through the ClauseWatch website and related activities.

Registered office
31 Pearce Drive
Faringdon
Oxfordshire
SN7 7ND

ICO registration number: ZC183847

Data protection contact
Nigel Davies
Email: nigel@dda.law

3. Personal Information We Collect

The personal information we collect depends on how you interact with ClauseWatch.

3.1 Identity and contact information

We may collect:

  • your name;
  • email address;
  • professional title;
  • employer or organisation;
  • website details;
  • professional qualifications; and
  • any professional biography or profile information you choose to provide.

3.2 Account information

Where user accounts are available, we may collect:

  • account login details;
  • account preferences;
  • subscription status;
  • user settings; and
  • records relating to the administration and use of your account.

3.3 Website usage and technical information

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

  • your IP address, anonymised where reasonably possible;
  • browser type and version;
  • device type;
  • operating system;
  • pages viewed;
  • time spent on pages;
  • navigation paths through the website;
  • referring website addresses;
  • session information; and
  • approximate geographic location, such as country or region.

3.4 Submitted content

If you submit comments, proposed clauses, clause analyses, articles, case notes, contract reviews or other contributions, we may collect and store:

  • the content you submit;
  • information identifying you as the contributor;
  • editorial correspondence relating to the submission;
  • supporting documents or information you provide;
  • version history and editorial amendments; and
  • information relating to publication, attribution, archiving or withdrawal.

3.5 Correspondence

If you contact us, we may retain:

  • the content of your enquiry or communication;
  • your contact details;
  • our response; and
  • any related correspondence or records.

3.6 Marketing and communications information

Where applicable, we may collect:

  • your communication preferences;
  • your marketing preferences;
  • records of consent;
  • records of unsubscribing or opting out; and
  • information about whether you open or interact with communications.

4. Special Category Personal Data and Criminal-Offence Data

ClauseWatch is not intended to collect special category personal data or criminal-offence data.

Please do not submit such information unless it is strictly necessary, lawful and appropriate to do so.

Where such information is submitted, ClauseWatch may redact, anonymise, restrict, reject or remove it where appropriate.

5. How We Collect Personal Information

We may collect personal information:

  • directly from you when you register, subscribe, contact us, create an account or submit material;
  • automatically through cookies and similar technologies;
  • from publicly available sources;
  • from professional directories;
  • from publicly accessible professional profiles; and
  • from service providers that support the operation, security or administration of our website.

Where we obtain personal information from a source other than you, the information may include your name, professional title, qualifications, organisation, professional contact details and publicly available profile information.

We will use information obtained from third-party or public sources only where it is lawful and proportionate to do so.

6. How We Use Personal Information

We may use personal information to:

  • operate, maintain and secure the ClauseWatch website;
  • create and administer user accounts;
  • provide access to website services and features;
  • respond to enquiries and correspondence;
  • receive, review, edit and manage submitted content;
  • assess whether submitted content is suitable for publication;
  • publish and attribute contributed content;
  • administer contributor profiles;
  • communicate with contributors and users;
  • provide service-related or administrative updates;
  • send optional marketing communications where permitted;
  • monitor website use, performance and security;
  • improve website functionality and user experience;
  • prevent misuse, fraud or unauthorised access;
  • protect the integrity of the platform;
  • maintain an editorial and archival record of published material;
  • establish, exercise or defend legal claims; and
  • comply with legal, professional and regulatory obligations.

We will not use personal information for purposes that are incompatible with those described in this Privacy Notice unless permitted or required by law.

7. Lawful Bases for Processing

Depending on the circumstances, we may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases.

7.1 Legitimate interests

We may process personal information where necessary for our legitimate interests, provided that those interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.

Our legitimate interests may include:

  • operating and administering ClauseWatch;
  • supporting professional and industry knowledge-sharing;
  • reviewing, editing and publishing user-contributed content;
  • maintaining contributor profiles and attribution records;
  • communicating with contributors and users;
  • improving website functionality and performance;
  • maintaining website and information security;
  • preventing misuse of the platform;
  • protecting ClauseWatch’s legal rights; and
  • maintaining an accurate editorial and archival record.

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we will consider whether the processing is necessary and proportionate and its potential impact on your rights and interests.

7.2 Consent

Where required, we may rely on your consent, including for:

  • optional marketing communications;
  • preference cookies;
  • analytics cookies; and
  • other non-essential cookies or similar technologies.

You may withdraw your consent at any time.

Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

7.3 Contract

We may process personal information where necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you, or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract.

7.4 Legal obligation

We may process personal information where necessary to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation.

8. Sharing Personal Information

We do not sell personal information.

We may share personal information with:

  • website hosting providers;
  • IT, software and security providers;
  • analytics and website-performance providers;
  • email and communications providers;
  • professional advisers, including lawyers, accountants and insurers;
  • regulators, courts, law-enforcement bodies or public authorities where disclosure is required or permitted by law;
  • prospective purchasers, investors or advisers in connection with a corporate transaction; and
  • other recipients where you have requested or authorised disclosure.

Where a service provider processes personal information on our behalf, we require it to:

  • process that information only on our documented instructions;
  • maintain appropriate technical and organisational security measures;
  • preserve confidentiality; and
  • comply with applicable data protection law.

Some recipients may act as independent data controllers rather than processors. Where this is the case, they are responsible for their own compliance with data protection law.

9. Contributor Profiles and Published Content

ClauseWatch is a collaborative knowledge-sharing platform.

If you submit content for publication, certain information about you may be displayed publicly alongside your contribution.

This may include:

  • your name;
  • professional title;
  • professional qualifications;
  • organisation or employer, where provided;
  • biography or profile information;
  • website or professional profile links;
  • contributor image, where provided; and
  • personal information contained within the material you submit.

Published information may be:

  • viewed, copied or shared by others;
  • indexed by search engines;
  • archived by third parties;
  • reproduced in screenshots or downloaded copies; and
  • accessed worldwide.

Although ClauseWatch may remove or amend material on its own systems where appropriate, we cannot guarantee the removal of copies retained by third parties.

Published contributions and associated attribution may be retained indefinitely where reasonably necessary to preserve the integrity, continuity and historical value of the ClauseWatch editorial record.

9.1 Attribution

Unless otherwise agreed, published content will normally be attributed using the contributor information approved for publication.

A contributor may request publication:

  • under a pseudonym;
  • under initials;
  • without an employer or organisational reference; or
  • without specified professional details.

ClauseWatch may accept, reject or impose reasonable conditions on such a request, taking account of editorial, legal, professional and operational considerations.

ClauseWatch’s editorial discretion is subject to applicable law, including data protection law.

9.2 Editorial discretion

Submission of material does not create any obligation on ClauseWatch to publish it.

ClauseWatch retains editorial discretion over whether, when and in what form submitted material is:

  • reviewed;
  • edited;
  • published;
  • summarised;
  • attributed;
  • archived;
  • restricted;
  • withdrawn; or
  • removed.

ClauseWatch may edit, redact, anonymise, restrict, reject or remove submitted material where we consider this necessary to protect:

  • privacy;
  • confidentiality;
  • legal privilege;
  • intellectual property rights;
  • legal or professional obligations;
  • platform security;
  • editorial integrity; or
  • the rights and interests of third parties.

9.3 Contributor responsibilities

Contributors are responsible for ensuring that submitted material:

  • does not unlawfully disclose personal information relating to another person;
  • does not breach any duty of confidence;
  • does not contain legally privileged information without proper authority;
  • does not contain confidential information that the contributor is not entitled to disclose;
  • does not infringe intellectual property rights;
  • does not infringe any legal, contractual, regulatory or professional obligation; and
  • complies with applicable law and professional standards.

9.4 Requests concerning contributor information

You may contact us to request that contributor profile information be corrected, updated or removed.

We will consider each request in accordance with applicable data protection law.

We may retain published material or associated attribution where there are legitimate editorial, legal, archival or operational reasons for doing so.

10. International Transfers

Some service providers may process personal information outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred to a country that has not been recognised as providing an adequate level of protection, we will use an appropriate safeguard permitted by UK data protection law.

This may include:

  • the International Data Transfer Agreement;
  • the UK Addendum to the European Commission’s standard contractual clauses; or
  • another lawful transfer mechanism.

Where required, we will assess whether additional technical, contractual or organisational safeguards are necessary.

You may contact us for further information about the safeguards used for international transfers.

11. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and to satisfy legal, regulatory, contractual, editorial, archival and operational requirements.

Retention periods may vary depending on:

  • the nature of the information;
  • the purpose for which it was collected;
  • the sensitivity of the information;
  • the risk of harm arising from unauthorised use or disclosure;
  • applicable legal, regulatory or professional requirements;
  • limitation periods;
  • the existence of a dispute or legal claim; and
  • whether the information forms part of the published editorial record.

Published contributions and associated attribution information may be retained indefinitely where reasonably necessary to preserve the editorial record.

Where personal information is no longer required, we will delete, anonymise or securely destroy it unless continued retention is required or permitted by law.

We may retain limited information after an opt-out or deletion request where necessary to:

  • record that the request was made;
  • prevent further unwanted communications;
  • comply with legal obligations; or
  • establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

12. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against:

  • unauthorised or unlawful access;
  • misuse;
  • disclosure;
  • alteration;
  • accidental loss; and
  • destruction.

Access to personal information is restricted to people who need it for legitimate business purposes and who are subject to appropriate confidentiality obligations.

Although we take reasonable steps to protect personal information, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is completely secure and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

13. Personal Data Breaches

Where we become aware of a personal data breach, we will assess it and take appropriate action.

Where required by law, we will notify:

  • the Information Commissioner’s Office; and
  • affected individuals where the breach is likely to result in a high risk to their rights and freedoms.

14. Your Rights

Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:

  • request access to your personal information;
  • request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
  • request deletion of personal information;
  • request restriction of processing;
  • object to processing based on legitimate interests;
  • object to direct marketing;
  • request portability of personal information where the right applies;
  • withdraw consent; and
  • complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal limitations or exemptions.

To exercise any of these rights, contact:

Email: nigel@dda.law

We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request.

We will normally respond within one month. Where permitted by law, this period may be extended by up to two further months if the request is complex or numerous. We will inform you if an extension is required.

We will not normally charge a fee. However, we may charge a reasonable fee or refuse to act where a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, as permitted by law.

15. Automated Decision-Making and Profiling

ClauseWatch does not currently use personal information to make solely automated decisions that produce legal effects or similarly significant effects on individuals.

If this changes, we will update this Privacy Notice and provide any additional information required by law.

16. Cookies and Similar Technologies

ClauseWatch may use cookies and similar technologies to:

  • enable the website to function correctly;
  • maintain website security;
  • remember user preferences;
  • understand how visitors use the website; and
  • improve website functionality and performance.

16.1 Strictly necessary cookies

Strictly necessary cookies are essential for the operation, security or functionality of the website.

They do not generally require consent under applicable law.

You may be able to block them through your browser settings, but doing so may prevent parts of the website from functioning properly.

16.2 Preference cookies

Preference cookies allow the website to remember choices you make.

Where required by law, these cookies will be used only after you have provided consent.

16.3 Analytics cookies

Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors use the website and improve its performance.

Where required by law, analytics cookies will be used only after consent has been obtained.

16.4 Analytics and technology providers

ClauseWatch may use third-party analytics, security, hosting and technology providers to support the operation, security and improvement of the website.

These providers may process:

  • anonymised or partially anonymised IP addresses;
  • browser and device information;
  • website interaction data;
  • session information; and
  • approximate geographic location.

Information collected by such providers may be processed outside the United Kingdom.

Appropriate safeguards will be applied where required.

Where a cookie-consent or cookie-management tool is provided, information about the cookies and similar technologies currently in use may be made available through that tool.

16.5 Managing cookies

You may control or disable cookies through your browser settings.

Most browsers allow you to:

  • see stored cookies;
  • delete cookies;
  • block particular cookies;
  • block third-party cookies; or
  • block all cookies.

Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality or usability of the website.

You may also manage cookie preferences through any cookie-consent or cookie-management tools made available on the website.

17. Direct Marketing

Where permitted by law, we may use your contact details to send information relating to ClauseWatch, including:

  • website updates;
  • newsletters;
  • published content;
  • events;
  • research; and
  • educational resources.

We will send electronic marketing communications only where permitted by applicable data protection and electronic communications law.

Depending on the circumstances, we may rely on:

  • your consent;
  • the soft opt-in, where legally available; or
  • another lawful basis permitted by law.

You may opt out at any time by:

We may retain limited suppression information after you opt out so that we can respect your preference and avoid sending further marketing communications.

Service-related, transactional or administrative communications are not marketing communications and may still be sent where necessary.

18. Third-Party Links

The ClauseWatch website may contain links to third-party websites.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security or content of those external websites.

You should review the privacy notice of any third-party website before providing personal information to it.

19. Changes to This Privacy Notice

We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time.

Any revised version will be published on the ClauseWatch website and will include an updated revision date.

Where changes are material, we may provide additional notice where appropriate.

20. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we process personal information, please contact us first:

Nigel Davies
Email: nigel@dda.law

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Information Commissioner’s Office
Website: https://ico.org.uk/
Telephone: 0303 123 1113

You may also contact the Information Commissioner’s Office using the other contact methods published on its website.