Privacy Policy – Özer Law Office

Introduction to Our Privacy Notice

At Özer Law Office, protecting your privacy is not only a legal obligation but a fundamental part of our client services. As an established legal resource for individuals and companies throughout the United States and internationally, we respect the nature of your confidential information through the following Privacy Policy. This Policy details how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information. Please read it carefully and familiarize yourself with these practices and your options. By our engagement or use of our website, you consent to all terms set forth in this Privacy Policy.

Protection of client or potential client information is a high priority at Özer Law Office. We are committed to safeguarding the privacy of our clients. The information we gather in the course of representing you will be kept confidential in accordance with applicable state and federal law.

Information about Özer Law Firm

The law firm of Uğur Özer Attorneys at Law, led by Attorney Uğur Özer and supported by Attorney Esra Sarı, is based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The firm provides advocacy and advisory services in Criminal Law, Real Estate Law, Family and Inheritance Disputes, Labour Law, and Compensation Cases. We act for individuals/families, employees/employers, real estate buyers/sellers, investors/companies; and provide litigation and advisory services as well. We abide by the highest levels of honesty, transparency, and conduct in all our actions.

Scope of this Privacy Notice

This Privacy Policy covers all personal data gathered by the Özer Law Office via our website (https://avukatugurozer.com/), e-mail, phone, in person, or by any other means. The data covered is submitted to us by clients, potential clients, website users, and individuals contacting us for queries. This Privacy Policy outlines the applicable terms and conditions of our data collection, usage, retention, sharing, and security practices as well as your options regarding your data.

Personal Information that We Process

Depending on your interaction with Özer Law Office, we may collect the following types of personal data:

Personal data for communication purposes: Name, delivery address, telephone number, and e-mail address.
Personal data for identification purposes: Date of birth, national ID/passport number, and nationality.
Personal data in relation to your case or representation matter: This may include legal documents, court proceedings, contracts, correspondence, employment or real estate information, or any other material relating to your legal matter.
Personal data for processing of our fees: Payment details, billing address, billing records outlining service fees and disbursements.
Personal data for communications monitoring and/or research and marketing purposes: Email communications, telephone call logs, newsletters, meetings, chat transcripts, and other communication.
Digital data: Information regarding your use of our website such as IP address, type of browser/operation system, and device information regarding your use of our website including access times and web pages visited within our website (this is collected via cookies on our website or similar content tools).
Any other personal data that you voluntarily provide us by way of either a consultation or receipt of services.

How We Collect Personal Information

We collect personally identifiable information through the following means:

Information you provide when you call us ((984) 614-4296), email us ([email protected]), fill in a web contact form on our website, or visit our office in person (5400 Glenwood Ave Ste 81, Raleigh NC 27612).
Information you provide to us in documents and other materials you give us to handle a legal matter for you. For example: power of attorney forms, agreements, court filings, etc.
Information you provide us through our website, such as inquiry forms, scheduling requests, or newsletter subscriptions.
Information we collect from public records, legal filing databases, or other entities (with your permission or if we’re legally required to do so) when we need to obtain that information to help you with a legal matter.
Automated collection through cookies and the use of analytics on our website when you use our services (traced for the purposes of security and how to improve services).

Why We Collect Personal Information

We use and collect your personal data to provide legal advice, representation, and consultancy services to our clients and for the following legitimate business interests:

To provide you (or those you represent) with legal advice, representation, and consultancy.
To evaluate your legal issue and identify the most appropriate strategy.
To liaise with you in relation to the case matter, any legal news, appointments, and administrative or billing matters.
To satisfy our legal, regulatory, and professional responsibilities (including under the Attorneyship Law and other applicable laws).
To service and administer our billing, payment receipts, and accounting functions.
To prevent unauthorized or inappropriate access to, or misuse of, our website, systems, and communications.
To enhance the work we do as lawyers, improve client services, and enhance the functionality and security of our websites and associated mobile applications (“Apps”).
To communicate legal updates, a newsletter, or invitations to events to you where you have opted in to receive these (or in anticipation of such consent).
To carry out administrative purposes internally and maintain relevant records.

Our Legal Bases for Processing Personal Data

Özer Law Office manages your personal data in accordance with current data protection laws in Turkey, including the principles of necessity, proportionality, and transparency. The main legal bases for processing personal data are:

Your clear consent, especially regarding marketing communications or as legally required
Fulfillment of our contractual obligations to you (e.g. legal representation or consultancy contract)
Fulfillment of our legal obligations (e.g. anti-money laundering, bookkeeping)
Legitimate interest (e.g. securing our IT systems, enhancing our products and services, legal defense)
Protection of life or business interests or as otherwise authorized by law.

How We Use Your Personal Information

Your data is used only for the purposes above and to enable the provision of services to you. This includes:

Preparing legal agreements, filings, court materials, or correspondence on your behalf
Representing you in legal proceedings, negotiations, settlement discussions, or mediations
Updating you on progress on matters and cases
Tracking appointments, deadlines, obligations, and filing dates
Meeting incoming legal and/or regulatory obligations for declarations or notifications
Issuing invoices and collecting payments
Improving website security, usability, and site-based auditing or developing services in light of website analytics (on an aggregate basis)

We do not use your information to make automated decisions which significantly affect us.

How We Share and Disclose Personal Information

It is Özer Law Office’s policy to consider all your personal information confidential. In this connection, we may disclose information pertaining to you or your matter only under these circumstances:

To our staff, attorneys (including Esra Sarı), or consultants employed by us and who are bound by strict confidentiality obligations
To courts, governmental authorities, or regulatory agencies if ordered to do so or as required in the course of your matter and applicable law
To third-party providers (e.g., IT, payment solutions providers, and translation providers) or others engaged by us solely in the furtherance of your case or our business and only under binding confidentiality agreements
To counterparties, experts, or other parties pursuant to your express request and consent (exclusive of expert’s fees), with your prior authorization for release of such information
If compelled or permitted by court order, subpoena, or other legal process or applicable law, or permitted in order to establish the rights, property, or safety of our firm, our clients, or any third party

Özer Law Office does not sell, trade, or rent personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

International Transfers of Personal Information

Because our practice extends to Turkish citizens and we address cross-border legal issues, your information may be transferred to or accessed from outside the United States to jurisdictions such as Turkey. In all circumstances requiring the transfer of personal data from one jurisdiction to another, we will only do so in a manner that provides for adequate protection, using a mechanism recognized by the law of the recipient jurisdiction, such as contractual clauses or a data protection agreement (or other mechanism authorized or required by law). Your information will at all times be processed in accordance with this Privacy Policy, and any applicable data protection laws.

How We Safeguard Your Information

Özer Avukatlık Ortaklığı takes various reasonable measures to protect the security of your personal data against loss, theft, or unauthorized access, use, or disclosure, as well as protection against unlawful access, destruction, or alteration of data:

We safely store physical and electronic records in an environment with strict physical and electronic controls.
We utilize encryption technology for sensitive data in transit and at rest.
We require access authentication and authorizations to our personnel and service providers.
We conduct regular security audits as well as updates and staff training programs concerning the protection of personal data and confidentiality.
We ensure safe deletion and destruction for physical or electronic records which are no longer needed.

While we take reasonable and appropriate measures to prevent any possible breach, no system is perfect; so we continue to try our best and provide you with the most reliable and high-standard data security relevant under law and practice.

Retention Periods: How Long We Keep Your Personal Information

We retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary to fulfill the purposes for which we collected it, and to allow us to comply with our legal, regulatory, and professional obligations. In general:

Legal case files and related documents we hold will be retained for a minimum of five years following conclusion of the matter, unless a different period is specified by law.
Accounting and billing information will be retained for the periods specified in tax and financial regulations.
Communications records will be retained during our working relationship with you and for a reasonable period thereafter.
Information gathered for marketing purposes will be retained until you compose or cancel your consent.

Your data will be securely deleted or anonymized after these periods.

Your Personal Information Rights

You have the following rights in relation to the personal data we keep on you:

Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold on you
Correction: You can ask us to correct inaccurate data or to complete data which is incomplete
Deletion: You can ask us to delete your personal information in certain circumstances, where we no longer have a lawful reason to process it (subject to obligations regarding record retention)
Restriction: You can ask us to restrict our use of your data in some circumstances
Objection: You can object to our use of your information for certain purposes
Data portability: In limited circumstances, you can request that we provide a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used format for certain types of information
Withdraw consent: Where we rely upon your consent as the basis for processing your information, you have the right at any time to withdraw that consent without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected] or +(984) 614-4296. We may need to verify your identity before proceeding with certain requests.

Cookies and Website Analytics

Our site (https://avukatugurozer.com/) utilizes cookies, web beacons, and other third-party technologies to improve your experience, analyze site use, and enhance security. Cookies are data files that are placed on your device and enable us to recognize you upon your next visit to our site. We use:

Necessary cookies: These are required for the site’s functionality and security.
Analytics cookies: These help us understand how visitors navigate through our site so we can improve the content.
Preference cookies: These are used when we need to remember things like your language or region.

You may opt out or disable any cookies through your browser settings – however, some aspects of our site may not then be accessible or function properly for you. We do not use cookies for advertising or third-party marketing purposes. For more information, please review our Cookie Policy.

Marketing Communications and Your Choices

Özer Hukuk Ofisi may periodically communicate legal information, newsletters, or event invitation mailings to you if: (i) you have opted in to such communication; or (ii) you currently maintain an attorney-client relationship with us. You may choose not to receive certain communications from us by:

Selecting the “unsubscribe” link in our emails (when available)
Emailing us at [email protected] or calling us at (984) 614-4296

We do not deliver unsolicited business communication or share your data with third-party advertisers.

Children’s Personal Information

This website and our services are not designed for children who are younger than 18 years old. We do not intentionally or knowingly collect personal information from children and we do not wish to do so. If you are a parent or legal guardian and you want to remove any such information, please contact us immediately at [email protected] so that we may act appropriately.

Third Party Websites and Applications

Our website may contain links to or direct you to other sites and resources that are provided solely for your convenience and/or reference. Please be aware that Özer Law Office is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of third-party websites. We recommend that you look at the privacy policy and terms and conditions of any other website/apps before providing them with any of your personal data.

Professional Secrecy and Attorney-Client Privilege

As attorneys certified and approved by the Union of Turkish bar associations and registered to practice law in the United States, we must observe strict confidentiality requirements for attorney-client privilege. In this respect, all communication, information, documents, and general advice submitted to our firm by or on behalf of clients in the representation are privileged and confidential to the fullest extent of the applicable law, subject to certain excepted disclosures permitted by law that may be applicable to a particular matter. The obligation to protect the confidentiality of information shared with us continues even after our representation of a client has terminated.

Changes to This Privacy Notice

Özer Law Office reserves the right to update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in law, technology, or our practice. The effective date of any changes will be noted on the site (https://avukatugurozer.com/). Your use of our services or site after any changes will be deemed acceptance of those changes. We suggest you check this page periodically for the latest information.

How You Can Reach Us if You Have Questions

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or our handling of the personal information you provide to us, please contact us:
5400 Glenwood Ave Ste 81, Raleigh NC 27612
(984) 614-4296
[email protected]
https://avukatugurozer.com/

You may also reach us through our online contact form and/or the “Contact Us” button on our website. We will respond to your privacy-related requests and questions as quickly as possible. For more details, visit our Contact Özer Law Office page.

Complaints and Regulatory Contact

If you are not satisfied with our reply to your privacy issue, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent data protection authority in your country, which may be the state attorney general’s office (or other regulatory office) in the United States. If the issue involves Turkish clients or cross-border data transfer, please contact the Turkish Data Protection Authority (KVKK). We’re always here to resolve any issues directly, and therefore would advise you first to contact us at [email protected] or (984) 614-4296.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Privacy Policy is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and, to the extent applicable, the laws of the Republic of Turkey with respect to clients and matters pertaining to Turkish jurisdiction. Any disputes arising out of or in connection with this Policy shall be brought before and shall be determined exclusively by the competent courts in Raleigh, North Carolina unless otherwise required by mandatory law. By accepting our services, you consent to these terms of law.

Your Approval and Acknowledgment

By engaging with the Özer Law Office services, reaching out to us, or using our website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to the information contained herein, do not submit your personal information to us nor engage in our legal services. You can retract the consent to use your information at any time, unless there are legal and contractual requirements to the contrary. We respect your trust as a client and we will always protect your privacy.

Final Words: Our ongoing work to respect your privacy

We at Özer Law Office understand that privacy is essential to maintaining the attorney-client relationship as well as your trust in engaging our legal services. We honor this relationship continuously as we evaluate and improve our privacy and data protection practices. We appreciate the confidence you have placed in us to conduct your legal business and handle your personal information, and should you have any further questions or inquiries for clarification on our privacy practices, feel free to contact us directly. Your privacy, security, and peace of mind always ranks above all other considerations.