MMC Law Limited Privacy Policy and Statement
About this statement
MMC Law Ltd (MMC Law, we, us) is a law firm in Taupō. This statement explains how we collect, use, share and protect personal information under the Privacy Act 2020 (the Act), including the Information Privacy Principles (IPPs).
It applies to our clients, prospective clients, people connected to our clients' matters (such as other parties, witnesses, beneficiaries and family members), visitors to our website, job applicants, and anyone else whose personal information we hold.
As lawyers, we are also bound by the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006 and the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008. These include strict duties of confidentiality to our clients. Where those duties apply, they work alongside this statement.
What we collect and how
How we use it and who we share it with
We use personal information to:
provide legal advice and services, and act on our clients' instructions
verify identity and meet our AML/CFT, trust account and other legal obligations
communicate with you and with other parties about a matter
bill for our services and manage our trust account
manage conflicts of interest, risk, insurance and complaints
recruit and employ staff
improve our services and website
We share personal information only as needed for these purposes, or where the law allows or requires it. Recipients may include:
other parties to a matter and their lawyers, and the courts and tribunals
Land Information New Zealand, the Companies Office, Inland Revenue, Ministry of Justice and other government agencies
banks, lenders, real estate agents, accountants, valuers, barristers, experts and other advisers involved in a matter
our IT, document management, cloud storage and identity verification providers
our auditors, insurers and the New Zealand Law Society
the New Zealand Police or Financial Intelligence Unit, where the law requires us to report
We do not sell personal information.
Family
We collect only the personal information we need to provide legal services and run our practice. Depending on the matter, this may include:
Identity and contact details: name, date of birth, address, phone, email, and identity documents (passport, driver licence) for anti-money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 Act (“AML Act”) (“AML/CFT checks”).
Financial information: bank details, income, assets, liabilities, source of funds and source of wealth
Property and trust information: titles, sale and purchase agreements, trust deeds, beneficiary details
Family and relationship information: relationship history, children's details, care arrangements, and relationship property
Wills, estates and attorney information: family members, beneficiaries, executors, attorneys, and health information where relevant to capacity or welfare
Matter information: correspondence, file notes, court documents and evidence
Website and communications data: information you send through our website or by email, and basic technical data such as IP address and browser type
When practical, we collect information directly from you. When we do, we will tell you why we need it and what happens if you do not provide it. For example, we cannot act for you if we cannot verify your identity under the AML Act.
We also collect information from other people and organisations. The next section explains when and how.
Storage, security and retention
We hold personal information in paper files at our Taupō office and electronically in our practice management and cloud-based systems. We protect it with access controls including, passwords and multi-factor authentication, secure document storage, and staff confidentiality obligations.
Some of our service providers, including cloud storage and email providers, may store information outside New Zealand. Where we do this, we take reasonable steps to make sure the information is protected in a way comparable to the Act, as IPP12 requires.
We keep personal information only as long as we need it, or as long as the law requires. As a guide:
AML/CFT records: at least 5 years after the business relationship ends
General client files: usually at least 7 years after a matter closes
Deeds held in safe custody: until you ask for them, or for as long as they may be needed
When we no longer need information, we securely destroy or delete it.
Privacy breaches
If a privacy breach causes, or is likely to cause, serious harm, we will notify the Privacy Commissioner and the people affected as soon as practicable, as the Act requires.
Contact and complaint
Our Privacy Officer is Tom Mounsey (one of our directors). To ask about this statement, request access to or correction of your information, or make a complaint, contact:
Email: admin@mmclaw.co.nz
Phone: 07 377 8464
Post: Privacy Officer, MMC Law Ltd, PO Box 516, Taupō 3351
If you are not satisfied with our response, you can complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner at privacy.org.nz or on 0800 803 909.
We may update this statement from time to time. The current version is always on our website. Last updated: 2 November 2026.
Your rights
You have the right to ask for access to the personal information we hold about you, and to ask us to correct it. We will respond within 20 working days, as the Act requires. We may decline access where the Act allows, for example where the information is subject to legal professional privilege or would breach a duty of confidentiality we owe to someone else. If we decline to correct information, you can ask us to attach a statement of the correction you sought.
Our website
Our website may use cookies and analytics tools that collect basic, non-identifying information about how visitors use the site. You can disable cookies in your browser settings. If you contact us through the website, we use the information you send only to respond to your enquiry.
“Professional, knowledgeable and down to earth friendly service!
Thanks so much to Amber for all your help with our recent business purchase and the setting up of our trust and wills. You guys know your stuff and were awesome at explaining things to us newbies.
A big thank you again to Amber, Courtney and Nadia for your assistance. We would definitely recommend MMC Law to anyone looking for a lawyer.”
— Rebecca Smith