Disclaimer & Privacy Policy
Effective Date: September 2026
EMAIL DISCLAIMER
Benchmark Legal Group Email Disclaimer
Emails sent by Benchmark Legal Group, including any attachments, may contain confidential information and may also contain information protected by legal professional privilege.
If you are not the intended recipient, you must not use, disclose, copy, forward, print or otherwise distribute or rely upon the email or any attachment. If you have received an email from us in error, please notify the sender promptly and permanently delete the email and any copies. The unintended delivery of an email does not waive confidentiality or legal professional privilege.
Unless expressly stated otherwise, any views or opinions expressed in an email are those of the individual sender and do not necessarily represent the views of Benchmark Legal Group.
While Benchmark Legal Group takes reasonable precautions in relation to electronic communications, we do not warrant that an email or attachment is free from viruses, malicious code, corruption, transmission errors or interference. Recipients should undertake their own security and virus checks before opening attachments or following links.
To the extent permitted by law, Benchmark Legal Group accepts no liability for loss or damage arising from the transmission, receipt, use or reliance upon an email or its attachments, including loss arising from delay, interception, corruption, malicious code or transmission error.
Fraud and cyber security warning
Cyber criminals may target law firms, clients and property transactions. You should never rely solely on an email advising you of bank account details or a change to previously supplied bank account details.
Before transferring funds, please telephone Benchmark Legal Group using a telephone number independently known to you or published on our official website and confirm the relevant account details with our office. Do not use telephone numbers or contact details contained only in an unexpected email requesting payment or advising of changed banking details.
Benchmark Legal Group will not notify you of a change to our bank account details solely by email.
Copyright
Emails and attachments sent by Benchmark Legal Group may be subject to copyright. Except as permitted by law, they must not be reproduced, adapted, published or communicated to another person without the consent of the copyright owner.
Privacy
Personal information contained in or collected through electronic communications is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
BENCHMARK LEGAL GROUP PRIVACY POLICY
- About this Privacy Policy
Benchmark Legal Group respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information entrusted to us.
This Privacy Policy explains how Benchmark Legal Group collects, holds, uses, discloses and protects personal information and how you may access or correct personal information we hold about you or make a privacy complaint.
We handle personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) where they apply to us, together with other applicable legal and professional obligations.
The OAIC says an APP privacy policy should be clearly expressed, current, easy to understand and suitable for publication on a website.
- What personal information we collect
The personal information we collect depends on our relationship with you and the legal services or other dealings involved.
It may include:
- your name, address, telephone number, email address, date of birth and other contact or identifying information
- identification documents and information required to verify your identity
- financial, banking, taxation and transaction information
- property, conveyancing and ownership information
- information concerning your family, relationships, employment or business affairs
- information relating to legal proceedings, disputes, transactions, estates, trusts or other legal matters
- communications and correspondence between you, us and other parties
- information provided by courts, tribunals, government agencies, professional advisers and other third parties
- billing and payment information
- information relating to enquiries, complaints and feedback
- information about your dealings with our website and electronic communications
- information about job applicants, employees, contractors and professional service providers.
Where reasonably necessary for our functions or activities and permitted by law, we may also collect sensitive information, including health information, racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, professional or trade association membership, criminal record information or other sensitive information relevant to a legal matter.
This reflects the APP requirement that a policy describe the kinds of personal and sensitive information ordinarily collected and held.
- How we collect personal information
We generally collect personal information directly from you when you:
- contact or instruct us
- complete forms or provide identification or documents
- communicate with us by telephone, email, our website or in person
- engage us to provide legal services
- attend meetings or appointments
- make payments to us
- apply for employment or otherwise deal with our firm.
We may also collect information from third parties where permitted or required, including:
- your authorised representatives
- other solicitors and professional advisers
- courts and tribunals
- government departments, agencies and regulators
- financial institutions
- property, title and other searches or registers
- experts, barristers and consultants
- counterparties and other persons involved in a matter
- publicly available sources.
The APPs generally require collection by lawful and fair means and impose additional requirements on the collection of sensitive information.
- Why we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information
We may collect, hold, use and disclose personal information for purposes including:
- providing legal advice and legal services
- acting for clients in transactions, proceedings and disputes
- conducting conveyancing and property matters
- establishing and verifying identity
- satisfying legal, regulatory and professional obligations
- managing client matters and maintaining files
- communicating with clients and other parties
- engaging barristers, experts, consultants, search providers and other professional service providers
- billing, accounting and administration
- managing conflicts of interest
- responding to enquiries and complaints
- operating and improving our business, systems and website
- recruitment and employment
- managing risk, security, fraud prevention and cyber security
- complying with court orders, legislation and lawful requests
- protecting or enforcing our legal rights and those of our clients.
We will not use or disclose personal information for an unrelated purpose unless permitted or required by law or you have consented where consent is required.
- Legal professional privilege and confidentiality
As a law practice, Benchmark Legal Group is subject to professional duties of confidentiality.
Some information we hold may also be protected by legal professional privilege.
Nothing in this Privacy Policy is intended to waive legal professional privilege or any duty of confidentiality owed by Benchmark Legal Group or its clients.
The OAIC also recognises that privacy permissions do not compel disclosure where disclosure would breach legal professional privilege or another applicable legal principle.
- How we hold and protect personal information
Personal information may be held electronically and in physical records.
We take reasonable steps appropriate to the circumstances to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
These measures may include physical, administrative and technological safeguards, access controls, secure systems, staff procedures and the use of professional technology and service providers.
No method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure and we cannot guarantee the security of information transmitted over the internet.
- Disclosure to third parties
Where appropriate and permitted by law, we may disclose personal information to parties including:
- courts and tribunals
- government agencies and regulators
- barristers, experts and consultants
- other solicitors and professional advisers
- financial institutions
- conveyancing, property and search service providers
- accountants, auditors and insurers
- technology, cloud, document management and other service providers
- counterparties and persons involved in a client’s matter
- other recipients authorised by you or required or permitted by law.
Disclosure will remain subject to our professional obligations, including confidentiality and legal professional privilege where applicable.
- Overseas disclosure
Benchmark Legal Group uses third-party service providers and technology platforms in connection with the operation of our practice, including providers of legal practice management, document management, electronic communications, cloud storage, information technology, data processing and other professional and administrative services.
Some of these providers, or their related entities, contractors, subcontractors or infrastructure, may be located or operate outside Australia. Accordingly, personal information may in some circumstances be stored, processed, accessed or disclosed outside Australia.
The countries in which overseas recipients are located may vary depending on the service provider and the location of their servers, the infrastructure used and the nature of the services provided to Benchmark Legal Group.
For this reason, it may not always be practicable for Benchmark Legal Group to specify in advance every country in which personal information may be processed, stored or accessed.
Where Benchmark Legal Group discloses personal information to an overseas recipient, we will take reasonable steps as required by applicable privacy law to ensure that the information is handled appropriately and in accordance with our legal and professional obligations.
Our use of third-party and overseas service providers does not diminish our obligations concerning client confidentiality or legal professional privilege.
Where appropriate, further information about the likely location of an overseas recipient in relation to particular personal information may be obtained by contacting Benchmark Legal Group.
- Access to your personal information
You may request access to personal information Benchmark Legal Group holds about you.
Requests should be made using the contact details below.
We will respond within a reasonable period and may need to verify your identity before providing access.
In some circumstances, access may be refused or limited where permitted or required by law, including where information is subject to legal professional privilege or providing access would affect the privacy or rights of another person.
The APP framework requires the Privacy Policy to explain how individuals can request access.
- Correction of personal information
We take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information we hold is accurate, up to date, complete and relevant.
If you believe information we hold about you is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading, please contact us and request that it be corrected.
- Website, cookies and electronic information
When you use our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, such as your IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited and the date and time of access.
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to operate the website, understand how it is used and improve its functionality.
You may be able to restrict or disable cookies through your browser settings, although doing so may affect some website functionality.
- Direct marketing
Where permitted by law, Benchmark Legal Group may use contact information to communicate with clients and contacts about legal developments, firm news, events or services that may be relevant to them.
You may ask us at any time not to send you direct marketing communications by using an unsubscribe facility where provided or contacting us directly.
- Privacy complaints
If you have a concern or complaint about how Benchmark Legal Group has handled your personal information, please contact us using the details below.
Please provide sufficient information for us to understand and investigate your concern.
We will consider the complaint and respond within a reasonable period.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may be entitled to make a complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
APP 1 specifically requires a privacy policy to explain both how an individual can complain and how the entity will deal with that complaint.
- Contact us
Privacy enquiries, access or correction requests and complaints may be directed to:
Benchmark Legal Group
Suite 201/806–812 Anzac Parade
Maroubra NSW 2035
PO Box 1801
Maroubra NSW 2035
Telephone: 02 9344 8383
Email: marketing@benchmarklawyers.com.au
- Changes to this Privacy Policy
Benchmark Legal Group may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal obligations or services.
The current version will be published on our website and will state the date on which it was last updated.