Privacy policy

A. General information on data protection at Lark

1. Subject of this data protection information

The purpose of this data protection information is to explain the processing of personal data in the context of using and accessing our website “lark.de”.

2. Responsibility and contact person

The law firm LARK Droese Epe Gubitz Lenhard Nikoleyczik Schult Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft mbB (hereinafter: Lark) is responsible for the processing of personal data. For address and contact details, please refer to the legal notice. If you have any questions about data protection, you can contact us at any time by e-mail at privacy@lark.de. You can also contact our data protection officer via this address.

3. Place of data processing

We store all personal data collected and processed via the website on our own web servers. Insofar as we use the infrastructure of external service providers, we have ensured that this is always done on the basis of the necessary agreements on order processing.

4. Amendment of the data protection information

In the context of the further development of data protection law as well as technological or organizational changes, our data protection information is regularly reviewed for the need for adjustments or additions and updated if necessary.

B. General data processing when accessing our website

1. Log files

When our website is accessed, a log data record (so-called server log files) is stored on our web server, which also includes the IP address of the website visitor. The data within these server log files are required, among other things, to correctly display the content of our websites and to ensure the security of our IT infrastructure (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR). The log files are deleted regularly and automatically by our hoster. If you would like further information on this, please contact us at any time using the contact details above.

2. Tools and cookies

This website uses various services and applications (collectively “tools”) that are offered either by us or by third parties. These include, in particular, tools that use technologies to store or access information in the end device (e.g. cookies, Web Storage, JavaScripts, or pixels). Details on the tools, in particular the cookies used, can be found in the settings of our cookie consent management tool. We distinguish between tools that are absolutely necessary, e.g., to provide the basic functions of the website or to provide an expressly requested service (legal basis for the use of these tools is our legitimate interest pursuant to Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR, or § 25 para. 2 no. 2 TDDDG), and tools that are not absolutely necessary and enable us, for example, to evaluate website views and visits or to play out targeted marketing measures. We require your prior consent for the use of these tools, Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a) GDPR, or § 25 para. 1 TDDDG).

3. Management and configuration of tools and cookies

Our website uses a so-called cookie consent management tool in order to be able to manage and control any consent required for the storage or loading of certain tools. The associated data processing is necessary to provide you with the legally required consent management and to comply with our documentation obligations. The legal basis is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR, justified by our interest in fulfilling the legal requirements for consent management (§ 25 para. 2 no. 2 TDDDG). You can revoke your consent for certain tools at any time via our cookie consent management tool. If you have any questions about the providers mentioned there or require further information, please feel free to contact us at any time using the above contact details.

4. Analysis tools

We use tools on our website with which we can better understand user behavior and optimize our offer based on the information collected. It is always ensured that these tools are only used or data is only processed if you have given your prior consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a) GDPR; § 25 para. 1 TDDDG). If these providers have access to personal data or the tools are hosted by these providers, the necessary order processing contracts have been concluded. If you have any questions about the providers or require further information about any storage and deletion processes, please feel free to contact us at any time using the contact details above. We currently use Google Analytics 4 as one of our analysis tools.

5. Cloudflare (Content Delivery Network)

Our website uses functions of CloudFlare (CloudFlare, Inc. 665 3rd St. #200, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA). CloudFlare acts as a Content Delivery Network (CDN) on our website and helps to provide the content of our online offer, including files such as graphics or scripts, more quickly with the help of regionally or internationally distributed servers. Technically, the transfer of information between your browser and our website is routed via the CloudFlare network. CloudFlare is also able to analyze the data traffic between users and our websites to detect and ward off attacks on our services, for example. When using this tool, it is possible that personal data (e.g., the IP address) may be transmitted to third countries outside the European Economic Area, in particular the USA. The data transfer to the USA is carried out in accordance with Art. 45 para. 1 GDPR on the basis of the adequacy decision of the European Commission. The legal basis for the associated data processing is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR; § 25 para. 2 no. 2 TDDDG. You can find more information about CloudFlare at CloudFlare’s Privacy Policy.

C. Other Special Data Processing

1. Contact Form

We offer a contact form on our website to answer questions from interested parties and to exchange information with them. We only process the inquiries and information sent to us in this context to process your inquiry and to contact you (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR). We store your data for no longer than the duration of any resulting client relationship with you (Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR). If such a client relationship does not arise as a result of the request, we will delete your data no later than twelve (12) months after the last contact with you. The right to object to the processing beforehand or to request deletion naturally remains unaffected.

2. Newsletter

If you subscribe to our e-mail newsletter, we will only process your e-mail address. The data will only be used to send you information about our law firm and/or current court decisions at regular intervals. The data processing takes place on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a) GDPR). You can revoke this consent at any time by unsubscribing from the newsletter. The legality of the data processing operations already carried out remains unaffected by the revocation.

3. Google Maps

We use Google Maps (API) on our website. The operating company of Google Maps is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. Google Maps is a web service for displaying interactive (land) maps to visually display geographical information. When you access a page that integrates Google Maps, your browser loads the web fonts required to display Google Maps into your browser cache. The browser you are using also establishes a connection to Google’s servers for this purpose. This informs Google that our website has been accessed via your IP address. Google stores your data (even for users who are not logged in) as usage profiles and analyzes them. You have the right to object to the creation of these user profiles, but you must contact Google to exercise this right. These processing operations are only carried out with your express consent in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. a) GDPR. You can view the data protection provisions of Google Maps at Google’s Privacy Policy.

4. Google Fonts

Our website uses so-called web fonts, which are provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, for the uniform display of fonts. When you call up a page, your browser loads the required web fonts into your browser cache in order to display texts and fonts correctly (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f) GDPR). However, we have integrated the web fonts locally, i.e., on our web server. This means that no data is transferred to Google’s servers.

D. Clients

Information on the type and scope of data processing in the context of the initiation, support, and management of (potential) clients is provided separately. This section covers the data processing activities related to our clients, including how we collect, use, and protect client data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

E. Job Applications

You will receive information about the type and scope of data processing in the event that you send us your application documents via the e-mail address provided immediately after receipt of your application. This section outlines how we handle the personal data of job applicants, including the collection, use, and storage of such data, as well as the rights of applicants regarding their personal information.

F. Social Media

We operate websites on online platforms and social networks to interact with potential or existing customers, exchange information with interested parties and users, or to advertise offers and services. We operate our websites in so-called joint responsibility (under data protection law) with the providers. We process data that you share or publish directly via the online platforms and networks (e.g., via comment and chat functions) as the controller in order to interact with you in this regard or to exchange information with you. As part of this interaction, we may also receive statistical data on the use of our “channels and fan pages” from the platform operators. This includes, for example, information about interactions, likes, comments, or summarized information and statistics (e.g., IP address; origin of followers) that help us to learn about interactions with our site. The legal basis for data processing in our area of responsibility is Art. 6 para. 1, sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR.

However, the providers also process data under their own responsibility. We have no influence on data that is processed by the provider under its own responsibility in accordance with its own terms of use and data protection. We would like to point out that when you access the aforementioned providers, further data (e.g., from your usage and “surfing behavior”) may be collected and, if necessary, transmitted to the provider. Please also note that in the event of interaction via the aforementioned media, data may also be processed outside the European Union. Furthermore, user data is generally processed for market research and advertising purposes. For example, usage profiles can be created from the usage behavior and the resulting interests of the users. The usage profiles can in turn be used, for example, to place advertisements inside and outside the platforms that presumably correspond to the interests of the users. You can find more information on this in the data protection information of the respective providers. If we have personal data about you in connection with the use of the online platforms and networks, please address your concerns to us. If you also wish to assert rights against a specific provider, please contact the respective provider.

G. Your Rights

As a data subject, you can assert your rights regarding your processed personal data at any time by contacting us using the contact details provided at the beginning. In particular, you have the following rights:

Art. 15 GDPR: Right to Information

This includes information about the processing purposes, the category of data, the categories of recipients to whom your data has been or will be disclosed, the planned storage period, the existence of a right to rectification, erasure, restriction of processing or objection, the existence of a right to lodge a complaint, the origin of your data if it was not collected by us, as well as the existence of automated decision-making including profiling and, if applicable, meaningful information about its details.

Art. 16 GDPR: Right to Rectification

You have the right to obtain from us without undue delay the rectification of inaccurate personal data concerning you and the completion of incomplete personal data.

Art. 17 GDPR: Right to Erasure

You generally have the right to demand that we erase personal data concerning you without undue delay and we are obliged to erase personal data without undue delay.

Art. 18 GDPR: Right to Restriction of Processing

The right to restriction may become relevant if you contest the accuracy of the personal data.

Art. 20 GDPR: Right to Data Portability

You have the right to receive the personal data concerning you, which you have provided to us, in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and you have the right to transmit those data to another controller without hindrance from us.

Art. 21 GDPR: Right to Object

You have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time to processing of personal data concerning you which is based on point (e) or (f) of Article 6(1) GDPR, including profiling based on those provisions. Where personal data are processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to processing of personal data concerning you for such marketing, which includes profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing.

Art. 77 GDPR: Right to Lodge a Complaint with a Data Protection Supervisory Authority

You have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority about our processing of your personal data.