Privacy

At Gunnarsson Legal, your privacy is paramount.

As a legal practice we are bound to preserve client confidentiality and to comply with legislated privacy rules and regulations. 

You can be assured we will keep your information private and secure and will never share any of your information unless you specifically and expressly authorise us to do so.

In Victoria, Australia, several key legal rules and regulations apply to lawyers to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of clients’ information and files. 

These include:

  • Legal Profession Uniform Law (Victoria) 2014:
    This law governs legal practice in Victoria and outlines professional conduct rules for lawyers. Lawyers have a duty to maintain client confidentiality under Rule 9 of the Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules (ASCR), which are part of the Uniform Law framework. Lawyers must not disclose confidential client information unless the client gives informed consent or as required by law.

  • Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic):
    This legislation applies to organizations, including law firms, in Victoria. It governs the collection, use, and storage of personal information and sets out privacy principles that must be followed to protect individuals' data.

  • Privacy Act 1988 (Cth):
    The federal Privacy Act 1988 regulates how personal information is handled by businesses, including law firms with an annual turnover of more than $3 million or those handling health records. The Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Act specify how firms must manage personal information, including data security, access, and correction.

  • Evidence Act 2008 (Vic):
    Section 118 of this Act recognises legal professional privilege (also called client legal privilege), which protects confidential communications between a lawyer and client from being disclosed in court proceedings, provided they were made for the purpose of giving or receiving legal advice or for use in litigation.

  • Health Records Act 2001 (Vic):
    For firms that deal with health-related information, this Act regulates the handling of health records and sets out principles for managing sensitive personal information in line with privacy protections.

  • Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic):
    This Act protects individuals' rights, including the right to privacy and reputation (Section 13). While it primarily applies to public authorities, lawyers representing clients in matters related to human rights must be mindful of these protections.

Gunnarsson Legal is vigilant in following these laws to protect client confidentiality and ensure data security in legal practice.