Legal & Regulatory

Last updated: July 2026

Who we are

Cotterhill Hitchman LLP is the controller of your personal data for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Contact details

Cotterhill Hitchman LLP
Hazelmere House
262 Lichfield Road
Sutton Coldfield
B74 2UH

Email:david.hitchman@cotterhillhitchman.co.uk

We are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

How we collect your data

We collect personal data in the following ways:

• when you contact us via our website, email or telephone;
• when you instruct us to act for you;
• when you subscribe to updates or request information;
• when you correspond with us during the course of a matter;
• through your use of our website, including technical information such as IP address and browser data.

What data we collect

The personal data we collect may include:

• name and title;
• contact details, including address, email address and telephone number;
• information you provide in enquiries, correspondence and instructions;
• information required to carry out identity verification, anti-money laundering, sanctions and fraud prevention checks;
• information required to provide legal services;
• financial information where relevant to a matter;
• technical data such as IP address, browser type and usage data.

We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal data through our website.

Where necessary for the provision of legal services, we may process special category personal data, including information relating to health, employment, family circumstances and equality matters, in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.

How we use your data

We will only use your personal data where the law allows us to do so.

Most commonly, we use your data:

• to respond to enquiries;
• to provide legal services and manage our relationship with you;
• to comply with legal and regulatory obligations;
• to carry out client due diligence, anti-money laundering and sanctions checks;
• to manage payments and accounts;
• to operate, maintain and improve our website;
• to protect our business and prevent fraud;
• to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

We may also use technology-assisted tools, including artificial intelligence and machine learning systems, to support the delivery and administration of our legal services. Such tools may assist with legal research, document review, drafting, contract analysis, transcription, preparation of attendance notes, information management and operational efficiency. Where personal data is processed using these tools, we take appropriate steps to ensure compliance with our professional duties, confidentiality obligations and applicable data protection legislation.

Where appropriate, we may record meetings or telephone calls to assist in preparing an accurate record of discussions, advice or instructions. Recordings may be transcribed or summarised using approved technology tools, including artificial intelligence-assisted transcription services. We may retain a transcript where appropriate or use it solely to prepare an attendance note or other file record. Unless there is a specific reason to retain them, recordings and any temporary transcripts will normally be deleted once they are no longer required for that purpose.

The lawful bases we rely upon include:

• performance of a contract;
• compliance with legal obligations;
• legitimate interests, including the efficient operation and improvement of our services;
• consent, where required by law.

Marketing

We may use your contact details to provide information about our services where:

• you have requested information from us; or
• you are an existing client and the communication relates to similar services.

You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by contacting us or using the unsubscribe link included in marketing emails.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to improve functionality and understand how the site is used.

Cookies may include:

• essential cookies required for the operation of the website; and
• analytics cookies used to help us understand website usage and improve performance.

Where required, cookies will only be used with your consent through our website cookie banner.

Further details are available in our Cookie Policy.

Sharing your data

We may share your personal data with:

• our employees, consultants and partners;
• professional advisers, including accountants, insurers, auditors and external legal advisers;
• barristers, expert witnesses and other professionals engaged in connection with your matter;
• regulators and authorities, including the Solicitors Regulation Authority, HM Revenue & Customs, law enforcement agencies and the courts;
• banks, payment providers and financial institutions;
• providers of identity verification, anti-money laundering, sanctions screening and fraud prevention services;
• providers of technology, software, artificial intelligence, transcription, cloud storage and administrative services used in connection with the delivery of our legal services.

We require all third parties who process personal data on our behalf to respect its security and to process it in accordance with applicable law.

International transfers

Some of our service providers may process personal data outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal data is transferred outside the United Kingdom, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, including:

• transfers to countries recognised as providing an adequate level of protection; or
• the use of approved contractual safeguards and other lawful transfer mechanisms.

Data security

We have implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration or destruction.

Access to personal data is restricted to those who require it for legitimate business purposes and who are subject to appropriate confidentiality obligations.

Data retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including:

• complying with legal, regulatory and professional obligations;
• dealing with complaints, audits and investigations;
• establishing, exercising or defending legal claims.

In most cases, client files and related data are retained for a minimum of six years following the conclusion of the relevant matter, although longer retention periods may apply where required by law, regulation or the nature of the matter.

Your rights

You have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

• to request access to your personal data;
• to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data;
• to request erasure of personal data in certain circumstances;
• to object to or restrict processing in certain circumstances;
• to request transfer of your personal data;
• to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
• To exercise any of these rights, please contact us.

Complaints

You have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

Information Commissioner’s Office

We would, however, appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns before you contact the ICO and invite you to contact us in the first instance.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be published on this page and will take effect when posted.

Last updated: May 2026

This Cookie Policy explains how Cotterhill Hitchman LLP (“we”, “us”, or “our”) uses cookies and similar technologies on our website.

We use cookies and similar technologies on our website. Strictly necessary cookies are used automatically. Non-essential cookies, including analytics cookies, will only be used where you have provided your consent through our cookie banner or preference settings.

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your computer, tablet, or mobile device when you visit a website. They help websites function correctly, improve security, remember preferences and provide analytical information about website usage.

Cookies may be set by us (“first-party cookies”) or by third-party services integrated into our website (“third-party cookies”).

Types of Cookies We Use

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential for the operation of our website and cannot usually be disabled. They enable core functionality such as:

• Page navigation
• Security and spam prevention
• Form submissions
• Access to secure areas

Without these cookies, certain parts of the website may not function properly.

Functional Cookies

These cookies help improve website functionality and user experience by remembering preferences and supporting interactive features.

Gravity Forms

We use Gravity Forms to manage contact forms and enquiry forms on our website. Gravity Forms may use cookies or browser storage to:

• Maintain form sessions
• Prevent spam submissions
• Improve usability
• Store temporary form progress

FacetWP

We use FacetWP to provide enhanced search and filtering functionality across parts of our website. This may store user preferences or filtering selections to improve user experience.

Client Portal Services

We use Perfect Portal to provide secure client portal and communication functionality. This service may use session and authentication cookies necessary for secure operation and access management.

Analytics Cookies

We use Google Analytics to help us understand how visitors use our website and how we can improve the user experience.

Google Analytics may collect information such as:

• Pages visited
• Time spent on the website
• Device and browser information
• Approximate geographic location
• Website interactions

We use Google Analytics with available privacy and IP anonymisation settings where applicable. The information collected is used solely for website performance, monitoring and improvement purposes.

Examples of cookies that may be used include:

_ga: Used by Google Analytics to distinguish users for analytics purposes.
Provider: Google Analytics
Duration: 2 years

_gid: Used by Google Analytics to distinguish users for analytics purposes.
Provider: Google Analytics
Duration: 24 hours

_gat: Used by Google Analytics to limit request rates.
Provider: Google Analytics
Duration: 1 minute

For more information about how Google uses data, please visit:

https://policies.google.com/privacy

Third-Party Cookies

Some cookies may be placed by third-party services integrated into our website, including analytics providers, embedded content, forms and portal systems.

We do not directly control third-party cookies and recommend reviewing the relevant third-party privacy policies for further information.

Managing Cookies

You can manage your cookie preferences at any time through our cookie preference tool available on the website.

You can also manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

• View stored cookies
• Delete cookies
• Block cookies entirely
• Block cookies from specific websites

Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

Browser help guides:

• Google Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome
• Mozilla Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org
• Microsoft Edge: https://support.microsoft.com/microsoft-edge
• Safari: https://support.apple.com/safari

Your Rights

If you are located in the United Kingdom or European Economic Area (EEA), your personal data and cookie preferences may be protected by the UK GDPR, EU GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR).

Your rights may include:

• Accessing your personal data
• Requesting correction or deletion
• Withdrawing consent for non-essential cookies
• Restricting or objecting to certain processing
• Lodging a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) or another supervisory authority

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect legal, technical or operational changes. Any updates will be published on this page.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy or how we use cookies, please contact:

Cotterhill Hitchman LLP
Hazelmere House
262 Lichfield Road
Sutton Coldfield
B74 2UH

Email: enquiries@cotterhillhitchman.co.uk

Cotterhill Hitchman LLP maintains professional indemnity insurance in accordance with the rules of the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Our current level of cover is £3 million.

The insurance covers our practice in England and Wales. Further details, including the name and address of our insurer, are available on request.