Bharucha & Co’s Data Retention Policy covers how we manage the data that we hold, the types of data that we have and the indicative timeframes for retention and/or disposal of particular classes of information. Our Retention Policy is compliant with the GDPR and other laws and regulations which we are subject to.
Bharucha & Co. holds and processes the data that we collect from phone, email, fax, letter or visits to our website and/or that of the clients and associates to whom we provide legal and other services and/or that of the persons who meet our persons during any office visit, meeting, conference, seminar or the like.
If and when the situation arises where we have an obligation to delete the data that we hold as the data subject requests the deletion of their data or they have revoked a previously given consent or if they object to the further processing of their data, the same is deleted.
Bharucha & Co. will hold the data for as long as required to comply with our professional, financial and regulatory obligations and the same can be in excess of 20 years as stated hereunder:
a) Trade Mark related data is held in the case of continual renewal of trademark registration, hence the 10 year term of the trade mark, plus any further periods of 10 years for renewals, plus a potential 6 month priority period and a 3 year limitation period.
b) Patent related data is held for the 20 year patent term, plus a potential 1 year priority period and a 3 year limitation period.
c) Design related data is held for 10 year grant, plus any further periods of 10 years for renewals (up to 20 years), plus a potential 6 month priority period and a 3 year limitation period.
d) Copyright is granted for a lifetime hence we hold the data for a period of 10 years and then same is routinely erased from the system.
e) Corporate matter related data is held for the duration of time that the data is necessary and the same is routinely erased from the system after 10 years from the date of completion of the same.
f) Employee data is held for a period of 10 years beginning from the end of the calendar year in which they leave our employment.
g) Job applicant data is held for a period of 1 year beginning from the end of the calendar year in which the same was received.
h) Miscellaneous data, if the data has been received through indirect means and the consent for the same is not withdrawn, then the data is routinely erased as per Bharucha & Co’s policy in 10 years.
This Data Retention Policy was last updated in December 2022.