Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Aether Legal ("we", "our", "us") is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of every individual who interacts with our services. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and safeguard your personal information in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA) of Malaysia.

This policy applies to information collected through our website, contact forms, email correspondence, phone conversations, and in-person consultations at our George Town office. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact us at [email protected].

2. Data We Collect

We may collect the following types of personal data when you engage with us:

Directly from you: Your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, and any details you provide through our contact form or during consultations. For immigration matters, we may also collect passport details, employment information, and visa history as needed for your case.

Through our website: Technical data such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, and pages viewed. This data is collected through cookies and similar tracking technologies.

From third parties: In some cases, we may receive information from government agencies, courts, or opposing parties in connection with your legal matter, where you have authorised us to act on your behalf.

3. Legal Basis for Processing

Under the PDPA, we process your personal data on one or more of the following grounds:

Consent: When you submit a contact form or engage our services, you provide consent for us to process your data for the stated purposes.

Contractual necessity: Processing is required to perform our obligations under a service agreement with you.

Legal obligation: We may process your data to comply with Malaysian law, court orders, or regulatory requirements.

Legitimate interest: We may use your data for internal administrative purposes, to improve our services, or to protect our legal rights.

4. How We Use Your Data

Your personal data is used for the following purposes: responding to your enquiries and providing the legal services you request; preparing and filing documents on your behalf; communicating with you about the progress of your matter; complying with professional and legal obligations; improving our website functionality and user experience; and sending you relevant updates about our services, where you have opted in to receive such communications.

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

Service providers: With trusted technology providers who help us operate our website and manage client records, under strict confidentiality agreements.

Government authorities: When required by law, court order, or in connection with legal proceedings you have instructed us to handle.

Professional advisors: With other legal or financial professionals, only with your prior consent and as necessary for your matter.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as it is needed for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. For client files, we typically retain records for seven years after the conclusion of a matter, in line with the professional standards set by the Malaysian Bar. Website analytics data is retained for 26 months. Contact form submissions that do not result in an engagement are deleted after 12 months.

7. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include encrypted data transmission on our website, secure document storage, access controls limiting who can view client files, and regular reviews of our security procedures. While no system is completely immune to threats, we are committed to maintaining strong protections for the information you entrust to us.

8. Cookies

Our website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience and to understand how visitors interact with our content. For detailed information about the types of cookies we use and how to manage your preferences, please refer to our Cookie Policy.

9. Your Rights

Under the PDPA, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

Right of access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.

Right to correction: You may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete data.

Right to withdraw consent: You may withdraw your consent to data processing at any time, though this may affect our ability to provide services to you.

Right to complain: You may lodge a complaint with the Personal Data Protection Commissioner of Malaysia if you believe your data has been handled improperly.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected].

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external websites that are not operated by Aether Legal. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external websites you visit.

11. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed at individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors. If we become aware that personal data has been collected from a minor without appropriate consent, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable laws. The revised policy will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please reach out to us:

Data Controller: Aether Legal

Email: [email protected]

Address: 8 Lebuh Pantai, Level 3, Weld Quay Heritage Building, 10300 George Town, Penang, Malaysia

Supervisory Authority: Jabatan Perlindungan Data Peribadi (Personal Data Protection Department), Malaysia