Privacy Notice

1. Introduction

Minerva Legal (“Minerva Legal”, the “Firm”, “we”, “us” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of personal data obtained in the course of operating this website and any associated digital platforms under our control (together, the “Website”).

This Privacy Notice (the “Notice”) explains how we collect, use, store, disclose, and otherwise process personal data in connection with the provision of our legal and advisory services, our business development and client engagement activities, the operation of the Website, and our internal business operations, including recruitment and administration.

This Notice applies to all personal data processed by the Firm, whether obtained directly from individuals or through third parties, and irrespective of the medium through which such data is collected, including in person, by correspondence, through the Website, or in the course of providing legal services.

We process personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws and any other relevant regulations.

2. Scope of this Notice

This Notice applies where personal data is collected in the following circumstances:

• when we provide legal or advisory services to clients or act in relation to a matter; 

• when we engage with prospective clients, business partners, or counterparties; 

• when you communicate with us or request information; 

• when you access, browse, or otherwise interact with the Website or other digital platforms; 

• when you submit information through contact forms or other Website interfaces; 

• when you correspond with us using contact details made available on the Website; 

• when you register to receive publications, legal updates, or event invitations; 

• when you attend or register for events, seminars, or training sessions organised or hosted by us (including via third-party platforms); 

• when you interact with digital content, applications, or services made available through the Website; 

• through the use of cookies, analytics tools, and similar technologies; 

• when you apply for employment or professional opportunities with us; 

• when you visit our offices; and 

• when we conduct due diligence, compliance checks, or risk assessments. 

This Notice should be read together with any supplemental privacy notices provided in specific contexts, including in relation to recruitment, events, or client engagements.

3. Categories of Personal Data Collected

We may collect and process various categories of personal data, depending on the nature of your interaction with us.

3.1 Information Provided by You

This includes personal data you provide directly to us, such as your name, contact details, professional or organisational affiliation, and any information contained in correspondence, enquiries, or instructions. Where relevant, we may also collect identification information, including government-issued identification documents, as well as professional and business information such as employment details, qualifications, corporate affiliations, and involvement in transactions or matters.

In the context of legal services, we may process client and matter-related information, including financial, transactional, contractual, and dispute-related data.

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you access or interact with the Website, we may automatically collect technical and usage data. This may include your IP address, approximate geographic location, device identifiers, browser type and version, operating system, pages visited, navigation paths, dates and times of access, and other interaction data. This information is used to analyse Website performance, enhance user experience, and maintain the security and integrity of our systems.

3.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive personal data from third-party sources, including analytics providers, marketing and communications platforms, event hosting platforms, publicly available sources, and professional networks, where this is necessary to support our business operations and Website functionality.

3.4 Sensitive Personal Data

Where necessary and permitted by law, we may process sensitive personal data, including information relating to health, identification data, or legal proceedings, particularly where this is required in connection with legal services or compliance obligations.

4. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies, including pixels, tags, and scripts, to collect information about your interaction with the Website. These technologies enable us to ensure the proper functioning and security of the Website, recognise users, improve usability and performance, analyse usage patterns, and support communications and marketing activities where permitted.

Cookies used on the Website may include strictly necessary cookies, performance and analytics cookies, functionality cookies, and marketing cookies. Where required by applicable law, we will obtain your consent before placing non-essential cookies on your device. Further information is available in our Cookies Notice.

5. Purposes of Processing

We process personal data for a range of purposes consistent with our professional activities. These include providing legal and advisory services, conducting client due diligence and conflict checks, communicating with clients, contacts, and stakeholders, and responding to enquiries or requests.

We also process personal data to provide legal updates, publications, and event invitations where requested; to administer subscriptions and mailing lists; to facilitate the organisation of events, seminars, and training programmes; and to maintain and develop our business relationships.

In addition, personal data is used to monitor and analyse website usage and performance, improve the design and functionality of the Website, ensure the security and integrity of our systems, detect and prevent fraud or misuse, comply with applicable legal and regulatory obligations, and process recruitment applications and manage employment-related activities.

6. Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal data on one or more of the following legal bases: where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests, including the operation and improvement of the Website and the provision of our services, provided that such interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms; where processing is based on your consent, including in relation to marketing communications and non-essential cookies; where processing is necessary to comply with legal or regulatory obligations; and where processing is necessary to take steps at your request prior to entering into a professional relationship.

7. Disclosure of Personal Data

We may disclose personal data to our partners, employees, and affiliated entities, as well as to external legal, financial, and professional advisers. We also engage third-party service providers to support our operations, including providers of hosting, cloud infrastructure, analytics, IT support, communications, and event management services.

Personal data may also be disclosed to regulators, government authorities, law enforcement agencies, courts, or tribunals where required by law or where necessary to protect our legal rights, and to other third parties where disclosure is necessary in connection with the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims.

Where third-party service providers process personal data on our behalf, they are required to do so in accordance with our instructions and subject to appropriate contractual and organisational safeguards.

8. International Transfers

In the course of our operations, personal data may be transferred to, stored in, or accessed from jurisdictions outside Nigeria, including where our service providers operate internationally. Such jurisdictions may have data protection laws that differ from those in Nigeria.

Where personal data is transferred internationally, we take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect such data, including contractual data protection provisions, data transfer agreements, and compliance with applicable data protection laws, including the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected. This includes responding to enquiries, administering subscriptions and event registrations, maintaining business records, complying with legal and regulatory obligations, and resolving disputes or enforcing agreements.

Retention periods are determined having regard to the nature of the data, the purposes of processing, and applicable legal requirements.

10. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data against unauthorised or unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction, or damage, and unauthorised access or disclosure. Such measures include access controls, encryption where appropriate, and secure IT infrastructure.

However, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure, and we cannot guarantee the security of data transmitted to the Website.

11. Third-Party Websites and Platforms

The Website may contain links to third-party websites or platforms, including social media platforms and event hosting services. We do not control and are not responsible for the privacy practices of such third parties. You are encouraged to review their respective privacy notices before providing personal data.

12. Your Rights

Subject to applicable law, including the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, you may have the right to request access to personal data held about you, request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data, request deletion of your personal data, request restriction of processing, object to processing (including for direct marketing purposes), and withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

Requests to exercise these rights should be submitted using the contact details below.

13. Contact

If you have any questions regarding this Notice or how we process personal data, please contact:

Minerva Legal

4 Adesola Akinnifesi Street

minerva@mlpng.com 

14. Updates to this Notice

We may update this Notice from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. Any updated version will be made available on the Website.