Information law solicitors

For all your Information Law needs

Harper Macleod’s team of Information Law specialists provide the highest quality legal advice and representation for clients across the public and private sector. Our highly responsive team has genuine and long-standing expertise in all aspects of information law, from a regulatory and commercial perspective, including freedom of information, access to environmental information, and across the full spectrum of data protection and privacy law.

We provide advice and assistance to clients on all aspects of the law relating to freedom of information and the gathering, holding, processing, securing, using and providing access to information.

The introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 had a significant impact on the way in which organisations manage and process any information relating to identifiable or identified individuals.

We take a commercial approach to data protection and are best known for providing clear and measured advice in the context of all relevant risks, whether financial or reputational, for our clients depending on their sector. We have a unique insight into particular sectors, including housing, sports and public authorities, which is vital when advising on wider information law issues.

Our team can help you to comply with the regulations surrounding data to ensure you follow legal requirements and best practice. We see ourselves as an extension of our clients’ internal data protection teams, providing ad hoc advice on routine data protection queries, policy development, public sector and commercial relationships and regulatory enquiries.

In particular, we can help you manage the processing of personal data, respond to requests for personal data and address issues relevant to the operation of your website and direct marketing activities. We can also assist in the event of an investigation by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Information law is not limited to data protection and our team advises clients in the public sector regarding their obligations under legislation regulating access of information. This includes advising on the rules for freedom of information under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) and the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (the EIRs), as well as re-use of public sector information and assisting with investigations by the Scottish Information Commissioner.

Our services

We can provide you with help and guidance on the following areas of information law:

• BYOD (bring your own device)
• CCTV
• Compliance audits
• GDPR, FOISA and EIRs compliance requirements
• GDPR and FOISA policies and procedures, including FOISA publication schemes and EIRs charging schedules
• Data processing agreements
• Direct marketing
• Data security
• Data retention schedules
• Entry into data sharing arrangements
• Information governance and records management
• Interface between FOISA, EIRs and GDPR
• Mobile apps
• Outsourcing and data transfer agreements, including for international transfers of data
• Privacy and cookie policies
• Registration with the ICO
• ICO and SIC investigations
• Requests for information and personal data
• Social media
• Staff monitoring
• Staff training
• Website compliance
• Wearable technology