Last updated: 21 October 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Smart Choice Legal (we, us) collects, uses, discloses and stores personal information when you use our website or contact us. We comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), including the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and applicable NSW privacy laws to the extent they apply to our handling of personal information.

We also handle information consistently with our professional obligations, including confidentiality and privacy-related requirements under applicable NSW legal profession rules and guidance, and risk and claims management expectations relevant to professional indemnity insurance (including Lawcover, where applicable).

1. Who we are

Smart Choice Legal
ABN 31693720393 | ACN 693 720 393
Mail: PO Box 15, West Hoxton, NSW 2171
Phone: 02 7209 3315
Email: mary@smartchoicelegal.com.au

2. What personal information we collect

We may collect personal information including:

• Identity and contact details (name, email address, phone number, address)

• Enquiry and matter details you provide through forms, email, phone or other communications

• Information needed to open and manage a legal matter (including identification information and verification results, where applicable)

• Device and usage data (IP address, browser type, pages viewed, session data)

• Any other information you choose to provide

We generally do not require you to provide sensitive information via the website. If you provide sensitive information (for example, health or criminal history information), you consent to us collecting it for the purpose it was provided, unless required or permitted by law.

3. How we collect personal information

We collect personal information:

• Directly from you (for example, when you submit an enquiry, request a call, or email us)

• From your authorised representative (for example, a family member, agent, or another lawyer) where you have authorised them to act

• Automatically through website technologies (for example, cookies and analytics)

• From third parties where lawful and reasonable (for example, referrals, publicly available sources, courts and registries, and other parties involved in a matter)

4. Why we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information

We collect, hold, use and disclose personal information to:

• Respond to enquiries and provide legal services

• Check for conflicts of interest and assess whether we can act

• Confirm identity and conduct checks required for legal services (where applicable)

• Communicate with you, including sending updates and administrative messages

• Improve our website, security and service delivery

• Meet legal, regulatory and professional obligations (including confidentiality and record-keeping requirements)

• Manage complaints and disputes

• Manage and notify professional indemnity insurers and meet insurance-related obligations, including where a claim or potential claim arises (as required or permitted)

We may also use your information for direct marketing where permitted by law. You can opt out at any time by contacting us.

5. Confidentiality and legal professional privilege

We treat client information as confidential and take reasonable steps to protect it.

Some communications and documents may be protected by legal professional privilege. If you share information with us, you should do so only via channels you consider appropriate. We may not be able to guarantee that information submitted through the website will be privileged.

6. Disclosure of personal information

We may disclose personal information to:

• Our employees and contractors on a need-to-know basis

• Service providers who help us operate (for example, IT providers, cloud hosting, email and communications providers)

• Barristers, expert witnesses and other professional advisers where relevant to services you request

• Courts, tribunals, regulators and law enforcement where required or authorised by law

• Other parties involved in your matter where required to progress the matter and as instructed by you

• Our professional indemnity insurer and related service providers (including Lawcover and its agents/assessors, where applicable) for underwriting, risk management, complaints handling, notifications, claims management, audits, and related purposes, where required or permitted

We do not sell personal information.

7. Overseas disclosures

We may use service providers that store or process data outside Australia. Where we disclose personal information overseas, we take reasonable steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place as required by the APPs. Some overseas recipients may not be subject to Australian privacy laws.

8. Cookies and analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Operate and secure the website

• Understand usage and improve performance

• Remember preferences (where enabled)

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking cookies may affect website functionality.

9. Security and retention

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. This includes access controls, secure storage and reasonable operational safeguards.

We retain personal information only as long as needed for the purposes set out in this policy and for legal, regulatory, professional and insurance requirements, after which we take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify it where permitted.

10. Access and correction

You may request access to, or correction of, personal information we hold about you. We may need to verify your identity. We may refuse access in limited circumstances permitted by law. If we refuse, we will provide reasons where lawful.

11. Anonymity and pseudonymity

Where lawful and practicable, you may interact with us anonymously or using a pseudonym. This may limit our ability to provide services, conduct conflict checks, or respond to requests.

12. Complaints

If you have a privacy complaint, contact us using the details above. Please include sufficient detail so we can investigate. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

13. Links to other sites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites.

​14. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The current version will be posted on our website with the updated date.