AVZ Law Office | Private Client Lawyers in Cyprus
Privacy Policy: How AVZ Law Office Protects Your Data
Privacy Policy information should be clear enough for an individual to understand what is collected, why it is needed, who may receive it and how long it may be retained. This notice applies those principles to the work and website of AVZ Law Office.
Who Is Responsible for Your Personal Data
The data controller is Grigoris Aivazidis, practising through AVZ Law Office, Cyprus Bar Association Registration No. 7940.
Office: Larnakos Avenue 86A, 1046 Nicosia, Cyprus
Email: info@avzlaw.com
Telephone: +357 94041312
This policy applies to personal data processed through avzlaw.com, communications with the office, prospective and accepted client matters, professional relationships and recruitment. It is intended to provide the information required by the General Data Protection Regulation and Cyprus Law 125(I)/2018.
Data is used for identified professional, contractual, legal, security or administrative purposes.
The office seeks information reasonably connected with an enquiry, engagement or legal obligation.
Access is restricted according to professional responsibility, operational need and applicable law.
Information Provided Through Enquiries
When you contact AVZ, the office may receive your name, contact details, location, preferred language, information identifying other parties, the general nature of the matter and documents or comments you choose to provide.
Please provide only what is reasonably necessary for an initial assessment. Do not send passwords, authentication codes, unrestricted banking credentials, private keys or original documents through an ordinary website form.
Submitting information does not itself create a lawyer-client relationship. The conditions governing preliminary contact are explained in the AVZ Legal Notice.
Client and Matter Information
If AVZ accepts an instruction, the office may process identification and contact information, engagement terms, instructions, correspondence, evidence, contracts, corporate and ownership records, tax and financial information, court or authority documents, invoices, payment records and other information relevant to the matter.
The precise categories depend on the legal work. Property, immigration, tax, corporate, employment, succession and dispute matters can require different records and may involve information about third parties.
KYC, AML and Source Documentation
Applicable professional, anti-money laundering, sanctions and regulatory obligations may require AVZ to obtain and verify identity, address, authority to act, beneficial ownership, control, politically exposed person status, sanctions exposure, source of funds, source of wealth and the purpose or expected nature of a transaction or relationship.
AVZ may obtain verification information from documents, public registers, official authorities, screening tools and other lawful sources. Where legally required, the office may be unable to disclose particular compliance actions.
Website, Device and Recruitment Information
Technical information can include an IP address, device and browser details, security logs, pages requested, referring source, approximate location derived from network information and consent choices. The actual data depends on the technologies active on the website.
Recruitment information may include a CV, education, qualifications, professional licence, employment history, languages, skills, application answers, interview notes and references where these are lawfully requested.
Why AVZ Processes Personal Data
Personal data may be processed to respond to enquiries, conduct conflict and suitability checks, decide whether AVZ can act, agree and administer an engagement, provide legal services, communicate with clients and other participants, prepare documents, represent clients, manage hearings and deadlines, issue invoices and maintain professional records.
It may also be used to comply with legal, court, regulatory, tax, accounting, AML, sanctions and professional obligations, prevent fraud, maintain website and information security, establish or defend legal claims, manage suppliers and professional relationships, and assess recruitment applications.
AVZ does not sell personal data. Enquiry information is not used for unrelated electronic marketing without the consent or other lawful basis required by applicable law.
Legal Bases for Processing
Depending on the circumstances, processing may be based on steps taken at your request before entering a contract, performance of an engagement, compliance with a legal obligation, AVZ’s legitimate interests or those of a client or third party, consent, and the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
Legitimate interests can include evaluating an enquiry, preventing conflicts and fraud, managing a professional practice, securing systems, maintaining necessary records and protecting legal rights. AVZ considers whether those interests are overridden by the rights and freedoms of the individual.
Where consent is the basis, it may be withdrawn for future processing. Withdrawal does not affect processing already carried out lawfully and does not prevent processing supported by another legal basis.
Special-Category and Criminal-Offence Data
Legal matters can involve health, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade-union membership, biometric identifiers, sexual orientation or other special-category information. They can also concern allegations, investigations, convictions or offences.
AVZ processes such information only where it is relevant and a valid legal condition applies. This can include processing necessary for legal claims, substantial public-interest obligations, employment or social-protection matters, vital interests, information manifestly made public by the individual, or explicit consent where appropriate.
Criminal-offence information is processed only under the authority and safeguards permitted by Union or Cyprus law and in connection with legitimate professional work or legal obligations.
Sources of Information
Information is commonly obtained directly from the individual, a client, an authorised representative or an employer. Depending on the matter, it may also come from counterparties, witnesses, courts, public authorities, regulators, banks, corporate or property registers, professional advisers, experts, translators, referrers and publicly accessible sources.
Where information is obtained from another source, AVZ provides privacy information when required, subject to lawful exceptions including professional secrecy, privilege, legal claims and circumstances where disclosure would seriously impair the purpose of the processing.
Professional Secrecy and Preliminary Contact
AVZ applies professional confidentiality and legal professional privilege where the applicable requirements are satisfied. Access to matter information is limited according to responsibility, need and lawful purpose.
An unsolicited message or website submission does not automatically establish a retainer or guarantee that every part of the communication is privileged. AVZ must first consider conflicts, capacity, professional obligations and whether the instruction can be accepted.
Individuals should avoid sending extensive sensitive information until the office confirms the appropriate secure channel and scope of the preliminary review.
Who May Receive Personal Data
Where necessary and lawful, information may be shared with the client, authorised representatives, AVZ personnel and independent professionals involved in the work. Recipients may include courts, tribunals, public authorities, regulators, counterparties and their advisers, foreign counsel, corporate-service providers, accountants, auditors, tax advisers, notaries, banks, experts, valuers, translators, process servers and other participants in a matter.
Operational providers can include secure hosting, email, document storage, communications, accounting, payment, verification, screening, website maintenance and cybersecurity providers. They receive only the access reasonably required for their function and are subject to contractual or professional safeguards where applicable.
Information may also be disclosed where required by law, court order, regulatory duty, professional obligation, the protection of rights or the prevention of fraud or serious harm.
International Transfers
A legal matter or service provider may require personal data to be accessed or transferred outside Cyprus or the European Economic Area. This can occur when a client, court, authority, counterparty, foreign lawyer, expert or technical provider is located abroad.
Where the GDPR applies, AVZ uses the legally available transfer mechanism appropriate to the circumstances. This can include an adequacy decision, approved contractual safeguards, a legally recognised certification or code, or a specific GDPR derogation where its conditions are satisfied.
The safeguards and transfer risk depend on the recipient, country, data and purpose. Information about the relevant mechanism can be requested, subject to confidentiality, privilege and legal restrictions.
How Long Information Is Retained
AVZ retains personal data for no longer than reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, subject to legal and professional obligations.
The period depends on the nature of the enquiry or engagement, the duration of the professional relationship, applicable AML and regulatory requirements, court and authority procedures, limitation periods, accounting and tax rules, conflict records, possible complaints and the need to establish or defend legal claims.
An enquiry that does not become an engagement will generally be retained only for the period reasonably required to complete conflict, suitability, administration and legal-risk purposes. Recruitment records are retained according to the outcome of the application, future-vacancy consent and applicable employment requirements.
At the end of the applicable period, information is securely deleted, anonymised or placed beyond ordinary use, unless lawful preservation remains necessary.
Security and Data Breaches
AVZ uses technical and organisational measures designed for the sensitivity and risk of the information processed. Measures can include access controls, authentication, encryption where appropriate, secure storage, backups, device protection, confidentiality obligations, supplier controls and procedures for identifying and managing security incidents.
No internet transmission or storage system can be guaranteed absolutely secure. Individuals should use secure channels requested by the office and verify unusual payment or document requests through a previously known contact method.
Where a personal-data breach creates a notification or communication duty, AVZ will act in accordance with the applicable legal requirements.
Your Data-Protection Rights
Subject to the conditions and exceptions in applicable law, an individual may request access to personal data, correction of inaccurate information, completion of incomplete information, erasure, restriction of processing and receipt of eligible data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format.
An individual may object to processing based on legitimate interests and may withdraw consent where consent is relied upon. If personal data were used for direct marketing, the individual may object to that use at any time.
These rights are not absolute. AVZ may need to retain or restrict disclosure of information because of professional secrecy, privilege, legal claims, another person’s rights, a statutory obligation or another lawful exception.
How to Exercise a Right
A request may be sent to info@avzlaw.com or delivered to Larnakos Avenue 86A, 1046 Nicosia, Cyprus. Please identify the right being exercised and provide enough information to locate the relevant records.
AVZ may request proportionate information to confirm identity and authority before disclosing or changing personal data. This protects information from unauthorised access. A representative may be required to provide written authority.
AVZ normally responds within one month after receiving a valid request. The period may be extended by up to two further months where permitted because of complexity or the number of requests. The individual will be informed of a permitted extension.
Requests are normally handled without charge. A reasonable fee may be charged or action refused where a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, as permitted by law.
Complaint to the Cyprus Commissioner
If you believe that personal data has been processed unlawfully, you may contact AVZ first so that the concern can be examined. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection.
The Commissioner provides different complaint forms for alleged infringement of data-subject rights, other data-protection infringements and unsolicited electronic communications. Exercising the right to complain does not prevent any other administrative or judicial remedy available under applicable law.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
The website may use technologies required for security, session management, form operation, consent storage and other functions requested by the user. Technologies that are strictly necessary can operate without consent where the legal conditions are satisfied.
Analytics, preference, embedded-media or marketing technologies that require consent should not operate before the user makes an affirmative choice. Continuing to browse, scrolling or closing a panel does not by itself provide valid consent.
Users should be able to reject relevant non-essential categories and change or withdraw a previous choice. The technologies, providers, purposes and duration displayed by the consent tool should reflect the website’s actual configuration. These principles are also addressed in the Cyprus Commissioner’s cookie guidance.
Children and Family Matters
The public website is not directed at children and children should not submit personal information independently through website forms.
AVZ may process information about children where this is necessary for a family, immigration, succession, injury, employment or other legal matter. The legal basis, responsible adult, professional duties and best interests relevant to the matter are considered in accordance with applicable law.
Automated Decisions and External Websites
AVZ does not use solely automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects when deciding whether to accept an instruction or when providing legal advice.
The website may link to courts, authorities, regulators, professional bodies and other third-party websites. Those operators determine their own privacy and security practices. AVZ does not control the processing performed after a visitor leaves avzlaw.com.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
AVZ may revise this policy when legal requirements, professional practices, website technologies, service providers or processing activities change. The effective date at the top identifies the current published version.
A material change may also be communicated through the website or by another appropriate method where required. Earlier processing remains subject to the law and privacy information applicable at the relevant time.
Contact and Related Legal Information
Questions or data-protection requests may be sent to info@avzlaw.com or addressed to AVZ Law Office, Larnakos Avenue 86A, 1046 Nicosia, Cyprus.
If your communication concerns a potential legal matter rather than a privacy request, you may use the Private Enquiry page. Please provide only the information reasonably necessary for an initial review.
The status of website information, preliminary communications and professional engagements is explained in the AVZ Legal Notice.