Privacy policy
Our commitment to privacy
Bluestone Law respects your privacy. We manage and protect personal information entrusted to us in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), including the Australian Privacy Principles, and other legal and professional obligations that apply to our practice.
As a legal practice, we may receive and hold personal information in connection with providing legal services, managing client relationships, operating our business, engaging service providers and communicating with clients and other stakeholders.
This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use and disclose it, how we keep it secure, and how you can contact us to access or correct your information or raise a privacy concern.
What is personal information?
Personal information is information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who can reasonably be identified from that information.
Depending on the circumstances, this may include your name and contact information as well as financial, professional, employment, identification or other information relating to you.
Certain information is considered “sensitive information” under Australian privacy law and is subject to additional protections.
Information we may collect
The information Bluestone Law collects will depend on our relationship with you and the nature of the legal services or other interaction involved.
Clients and people connected with our clients
When providing legal services, we may collect information including:
- your name, address, telephone number, email address and other contact details;
- your employer, position or business details;
- correspondence and communications between you and Bluestone Law;
- identification and verification information;
- financial, banking or transaction information where relevant;
- information relating to your business, property, commercial interests or legal affairs;
- documents and information necessary for us to advise you or act on your behalf; and
- any other personal information provided to us, or reasonably required by us, in connection with your matter or our relationship with you.
Depending on the nature of a matter, we may also need to collect sensitive information. This may include health information, information concerning legal proceedings or criminal records, professional or association memberships, or other sensitive information relevant to the services we are providing.
Other people involved in legal matters
In providing legal services, we may receive personal information relating to individuals who are not our clients.
This may include other parties to a matter, directors, employees, shareholders, witnesses, experts, advisers, legal representatives, contractors, service providers and other individuals connected with a transaction, dispute or legal proceeding.
The information collected will depend on the circumstances and what is reasonably required for us to provide legal services to our clients.
Suppliers, contractors and professional service providers
If you provide services to Bluestone Law, we may collect information such as your:
- name and contact details;
- organisation and position;
- qualifications and professional details;
- correspondence with us;
- payment and banking information; and
- information relevant to the services you provide.
Employment applicants
If you apply for a position with Bluestone Law, we may collect information including your:
- name and contact details;
- resume and employment history;
- qualifications and education;
- professional memberships;
- references and referee details;
- information provided during interviews or recruitment processes; and
- other information reasonably required to assess your application.
Where appropriate and permitted by law, this may also include background or eligibility checks.
Website visitors and enquiries
When you visit our website or communicate with Bluestone Law online, we may collect information that you choose to provide to us.
For example, we may collect information when you:
- submit an enquiry through our website;
- contact us by email;
- register for an event or communication;
- subscribe to an update or publication; or
- communicate with us through social media or another digital platform.
This may include your name, organisation, position, contact details, areas of interest and the content of your enquiry.
Our website and technology providers may also collect technical information relating to your use of our website, such as your IP address, browser or device information and website usage data. This information may be collected using cookies or similar technologies.
How we collect personal information
Where practical, Bluestone Law will collect personal information directly from you.
There will be circumstances, particularly when providing legal services, where information needs to be obtained from other sources. These may include:
- our clients;
- other parties involved in a legal matter or transaction;
- your authorised representatives or advisers;
- government departments and agencies;
- courts and tribunals;
- regulatory and licensing authorities;
- publicly available registers and databases;
- search and information service providers;
- barristers, experts and other professional advisers;
- recruitment agencies and referees;
- online and publicly available sources; and
- other third parties where permitted by law.
If you provide Bluestone Law with personal information about another person, you should ensure that you are authorised to provide that information and, where appropriate, make that person aware that their information has been provided to us.
Sensitive information
In some circumstances, providing legal services may require Bluestone Law to collect sensitive information.
We will only collect sensitive information where it is reasonably necessary for our functions or activities and where we have your consent, or where collection is otherwise authorised or required by law.
If you provide sensitive information about another person, you should ensure that you have the appropriate authority or consent to do so.
How we use personal information
Bluestone Law may collect, hold, use and disclose personal information for purposes connected with our legal practice and business operations.
These purposes may include:
- assessing whether we can accept instructions or act in a matter;
- conducting conflict checks and client verification processes;
- providing legal advice and services;
- communicating with clients and carrying out their instructions;
- managing client matters and relationships;
- engaging barristers, experts, consultants and other professional advisers;
- undertaking searches, investigations and due diligence;
- complying with court, tribunal, regulatory and professional requirements;
- meeting our legal, regulatory, risk management and insurance obligations;
- processing accounts and payments;
- managing suppliers, contractors and other business relationships;
- recruitment and employment-related activities;
- improving our services, systems and business operations;
- maintaining the security of our people, premises, information and technology;
- organising client, industry or professional events;
- communicating legal updates, insights, invitations and information about our services; and
- other purposes reasonably connected with the operation of a professional legal practice.
If we are unable to collect information that is necessary for a particular matter, we may not be able to provide the requested legal services or carry out your instructions.
Disclosure of personal information
Bluestone Law does not sell personal information.
We may disclose personal information where it is reasonably necessary to provide our services, conduct our business, comply with our professional obligations or where disclosure is required or permitted by law.
Depending on the circumstances, recipients may include:
- barristers and other legal practitioners;
- courts, tribunals and dispute resolution bodies;
- government departments and regulatory authorities;
- accountants, valuers, surveyors, consultants and expert witnesses;
- search providers and information services;
- mediators and other dispute resolution professionals;
- insurers and professional advisers;
- technology, data hosting and IT service providers;
- document management, printing, storage and administrative providers;
- marketing and communications service providers;
- recruitment providers; and
- other parties involved in a client’s matter where disclosure is necessary or authorised.
Our professional duties, including duties of confidentiality and legal professional privilege, continue to apply independently of this Privacy Policy.
Identity verification and regulatory obligations
Bluestone Law may be required to collect and verify identification information to comply with applicable laws, professional obligations, client due diligence requirements and risk management procedures.
Where laws require us to retain particular records or information for a specified period, we will do so in accordance with those requirements.
Identification documents and information collected for verification purposes will be handled securely and retained or destroyed in accordance with applicable legal requirements and Bluestone Law’s document retention practices.
How we protect personal information
Bluestone Law takes reasonable steps to protect the personal information we hold from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
Information may be held electronically or in physical form.
We use appropriate administrative, physical and technological safeguards having regard to the nature of the information and our operations. These may include access controls, password protection, secure systems, professional document management practices and appropriately selected third-party technology providers.
Access to personal and confidential information is limited to those who require it for legitimate professional or business purposes.
While we take reasonable measures to protect information, no method of electronic transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Overseas storage and disclosure
Some technology or service providers used by Bluestone Law may store or process information outside Australia.
In addition, the nature of a client’s matter may occasionally require information to be provided to a person or organisation located overseas.
Where personal information is disclosed overseas, Bluestone Law will manage that disclosure in accordance with applicable Australian privacy requirements and our professional obligations.
The countries involved may vary depending on the service provider used or the circumstances of a particular client matter.
Direct marketing and communications
From time to time, Bluestone Law may send clients, professional contacts and people who have expressed an interest in our firm information such as:
- legal updates and insights;
- firm news;
- invitations to events;
- publications; and
- information about our legal services.
We may use email and communications platforms to manage these communications and understand their effectiveness.
You may ask us to stop sending marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe facility included in an electronic communication or by contacting us.
We will not use or disclose personal information for direct marketing where doing so would be contrary to applicable privacy laws.
Accessing or correcting your personal information
You may request access to personal information Bluestone Law holds about you.
You may also ask us to correct information if you believe it is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date, irrelevant or misleading.
We will respond to requests within a reasonable period and in accordance with applicable privacy laws.
There may be circumstances in which we are permitted or required to refuse access to particular information. If this occurs, we will explain our decision where required by law.
We may need to verify your identity before providing access to or correcting personal information.
Retaining personal information
Bluestone Law retains personal information for as long as it is reasonably required for the purpose for which it was collected and to meet our legal, regulatory, professional, insurance and record-keeping obligations.
When information is no longer required to be retained, we will take reasonable steps to securely destroy it or permanently de-identify it, subject to any applicable legal or professional requirements.
Privacy concerns and complaints
If you have a question or concern about the way Bluestone Law has handled your personal information, please contact us.
We take privacy concerns seriously and will seek to respond within a reasonable timeframe.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may be entitled to make a complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Contact Bluestone Law
For questions about this Privacy Policy, requests to access or correct your personal information, or privacy-related complaints, please contact:
Privacy Officer
Bluestone Law
Level 18
360 Queen Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
Email: info@bluestonelaw.com.au
Telephone: +61 7 2147 9995
Changes to this Privacy Policy
Bluestone Law may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our practice, technology, legal obligations or privacy requirements.
The current version will be published on the Bluestone Law website.
Last updated: August 2026