Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Advocult India collects, uses, stores, shares and protects personal data when you visit our website, contact us through it, or otherwise deal with us in connection with it.

1.1 In this Policy, 'Advocult', 'the Firm', 'we', 'us' and 'our' mean Advocult India. 'Website' means this website, its sub-pages and forms, and any other online channel run by us that links to this Policy. 'You' means any person who visits or uses the Website, or whose personal data we receive through it.

1.2 This Policy applies to website visitors, prospective clients, persons who write to us, subscribers to our updates, applicants for jobs and internships, and any other person whose personal data reaches us through the Website.

1.3 This Policy does not govern the information we hold for clients we have been engaged by. That information is protected by the terms of the engagement, by our duties of confidentiality as advocates under the Advocates Act, 1961 and the Bar Council of India Rules, and by Section 132 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023.

1.4 We process personal data in accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025, in each case to the extent in force from time to time, and any other applicable law (together, 'Applicable Law').

1.5 By using the Website or submitting personal data through it, you confirm that you have read this Policy. Where Applicable Law requires your consent for a specific use of your personal data, we will ask for it separately and clearly. This clause does not replace that consent.

1.6 Please read this Policy together with the Terms and Conditions of the Website.

Unless the context requires otherwise, the following terms have these meanings in this Policy. Terms used but not defined here have the meaning given to them in Applicable Law.

2.1 'Personal Data' means any data about an individual who is identifiable by or in relation to such data.

2.2 'Data Principal' means the individual to whom the personal data relates. Where that individual is a child or a person with a disability, it includes the parent or lawful guardian acting on their behalf.

2.3 'Data Fiduciary' means a person who, alone or together with others, decides the purpose and means of processing personal data. For the personal data collected through the Website, Advocult is the Data Fiduciary.

2.4 'Data Processor' means a person who processes personal data on behalf of a Data Fiduciary, such as our hosting, email and software service providers.

2.5 'Processing' means any operation performed on personal data, including collection, recording, organisation, structuring, storage, adaptation, retrieval, use, sharing, disclosure, restriction, erasure or destruction.

2.6 'Personal Data Breach' means any unauthorised processing of personal data, or any accidental disclosure, acquisition, sharing, use, alteration, destruction or loss of access to personal data, that compromises its confidentiality, integrity or availability.

2.7 'Sensitive Personal Data or Information' has the meaning given in the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011, and includes passwords, financial account details, health conditions, sexual orientation, medical records and biometric information.

2.8 'Board' means the Data Protection Board of India. 'Grievance Officer' means the person named in section 17 of this Policy.

We collect only the information we need for the purposes set out in section 5. Depending on how you use the Website, this may include the following.

3.1 Information you give us. Your name, email address, telephone number, organisation, designation, city and country, the subject and nature of your enquiry, the description of your matter as you choose to write it, your preferred time for a call or meeting, documents you choose to attach, your newsletter or update preferences, and any feedback or messages you send us.

3.2 Information from applicants. If you apply for a position, internship or training with us, your résumé, contact details, educational and professional history, writing samples, references, cover letter and any other information you submit in support of the application.

3.3 Information collected automatically. When you visit the Website, our servers and tools may record your IP address, device type and identifiers, browser type and version, operating system, language settings, the pages you view, the time and duration of your visit, the website that referred you, and your approximate location derived from your IP address. Some of this is collected through cookies, described in section 9.

3.4 Records of our communications. Copies of emails, messages and contact form submissions you send us, and our notes of any calls or meetings that follow from them.

3.5 Information from other sources. Information about you that we receive from persons who refer you to us, from publicly available professional sources, and from service providers who help us run the Website.

3.6 Information we ask you not to send. Please do not send passwords, bank or card details, health or medical records, biometric information, official identity numbers or any other sensitive details through the Website forms or by email before we have engaged with you. If a matter later requires such information, we will collect it through a secure channel after an engagement is in place.

3.7 Information about other people. If you give us personal data of another person, such as a family member, another party to your matter, a director or an employee, you confirm that you are entitled to share it with us and that the person has been informed of it where the law requires.

4.1 Directly from you. When you fill in a contact or appointment form, subscribe to updates, send us an email, message or letter, call us, apply for a vacancy, or otherwise communicate with us.

4.2 Automatically. Through cookies, server logs and similar technologies that operate when you browse the Website.

4.3 From third parties. From referrers, professional networks, recruitment platforms and service providers, as described in section 3.5.

4.4 Voluntary provision. Except for the information needed to run the Website securely, providing personal data to us is voluntary. If you choose not to provide information marked as required in a form, we may not be able to respond to your enquiry or process your application.

5.1 We process personal data only for lawful purposes and only as far as necessary for them. These purposes are:

(a) to respond to your enquiries and requests for consultation, and to schedule calls or meetings;

(b) to assess whether we can accept a matter, including running conflict of interest checks against the names of parties and persons connected to it;

(c) to provide information about our services, publications and events, and to send updates you have asked for;

(d) to evaluate and process applications for employment, internships and training;

(e) to operate, secure, maintain and improve the Website, including troubleshooting, monitoring for misuse and understanding how it is used;

(f) to keep records, maintain our accounts, and comply with Applicable Law, including the Advocates Act, 1961, the Bar Council of India Rules and the orders of courts, tribunals and public authorities;

(g) to establish, exercise or defend legal claims, and to protect the rights, property and safety of the Firm, our clients and others; and

(h) for any other purpose that is notified to you at the time of collection or for which you later give consent.

5.2 Lawful basis. We rely on your consent for processing that Applicable Law requires consent for. Where Applicable Law permits, we also process personal data without fresh consent for certain legitimate uses. These include processing for the specific purpose for which you voluntarily gave us the data and did not indicate that you withhold consent, processing for purposes of employment, and processing needed to comply with a judgment, decree or order of a court or tribunal.

5.3 We do not sell or rent your personal data, and we do not use it to make decisions about you solely by automated means.

5.4 We will not use your personal data for a purpose that is materially different from those above without informing you and, where required, obtaining your consent again.

6.1 Where we ask for your consent, we will ask through a clear affirmative action, such as ticking a box or submitting a form after reading the notice. The request will describe the personal data we seek, the purpose for which we seek it, how you can withdraw consent and exercise your rights, and how you can complain to the Board.

6.2 You may read the notice in English or, on request, in any language listed in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.

6.3 You can read the general content of the Website without giving consent to anything. Consent is needed only for the specific uses we ask about, for example to send you our updates, and it will cover only the personal data necessary for the purpose stated.

6.4 You may withdraw your consent at any time by writing to the Grievance Officer at the contact details in section 17, or by using the unsubscribe option in any update we send. We will make withdrawal as easy as giving consent.

6.5 Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing done before it. After you withdraw, we will stop processing your personal data for the purposes you had consented to, and will ask our Data Processors to do the same, unless Applicable Law requires or permits us to continue. We will tell you the likely consequences of withdrawal, for example that we may be unable to continue with an enquiry or application.

6.6 Once the consent manager framework under Applicable Law is operational, you may also give, manage, review and withdraw consent through a registered Consent Manager.

7.1 The Website provides general information about the Firm and its areas of practice. Nothing on it is legal advice, and it should not be relied on as such.

7.2 Sending us a message, filling in a form, calling or writing to the contact details on the Website, or receiving a response from us does not create an advocate and client relationship. That relationship arises only when we agree in writing to act for you, after a conflict check and our acceptance of the matter.

7.3 Please do not send us confidential, privileged or urgent information through the Website before an engagement is in place. We treat enquiries as confidential and will use them only as this Policy allows, but communications made before an engagement may not be protected by legal privilege, and we cannot act on them as instructions.

7.4 Information you send us may be used to check for conflicts of interest. If it shows a conflict, we may be unable to act for you or for another person, and we may decline to proceed. We may retain the minimum information needed to run future conflict checks.

7.5 Sending an enquiry does not stop any limitation period or deadline from running. If your matter is urgent or has a deadline, please do not wait for our reply and take legal advice without delay.

7.6 Once we are engaged, the personal data and information you give us are handled under the engagement terms and our professional duties. If those terms or duties differ from this Policy as regards client information, they prevail.

7.7 We do not publish the name of any client, the details of any matter or any client testimonial on the Website without the client's express written consent and compliance with the Bar Council of India Rules.

We share personal data only as set out below, and only to the extent needed.

8.1 Within the Firm. With our partners, advocates, associates, interns and staff who need the information for the purposes in section 5. Each of them is bound by duties of confidentiality.

8.2 Service providers. With Data Processors who help us run the Website and our practice, such as providers of web hosting, email, cloud storage, analytics, scheduling and video conferencing tools, IT support and recruitment services. We engage them under written terms that require them to keep the data confidential, to secure it, and to process it only on our instructions.

8.3 Professional associates. With associate counsel, local counsel, experts and other professionals who assist on a matter, but only with your consent or as your engagement terms permit.

8.4 Legal and regulatory disclosure. With courts, tribunals, law enforcement agencies, government authorities, the Bar Council of India and State Bar Councils, where we are required to do so by Applicable Law or a lawful order, or where disclosure is needed to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim. Before disclosing any client related information, we will consider our duties of confidentiality and privilege and will disclose only what the law requires.

8.5 Change in the Firm. If the Firm is reorganised or merges, or if partners join or leave, personal data may be passed to the continuing or successor entity, subject to our professional duties and this Policy.

8.6 With your consent. In any other case where you have asked us to share your personal data or have agreed to it.

8.7 Anonymised data. We may use or share information that cannot identify you, such as aggregated visitor statistics.

9.1 Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. We use cookies and similar technologies, such as pixels and local storage, for the following purposes.

(a) Essential cookies, which are needed for the Website to load, stay secure and remember basic settings.

(b) Performance and analytics cookies, which help us understand how visitors use the Website, for example which pages are visited most, so that we can improve it. We use this information in an aggregated form.

(c) Functional cookies, which remember your choices, such as your preferred language or the consent preferences you have given.

9.2 Some cookies are set by third parties whose tools we use, such as web analytics providers and embedded content like maps and videos. Those third parties are responsible for their own use of the information they collect.

9.3 We do not use cookies to show third party advertisements on the Website. If we begin to use any tool that does, we will update this Policy and obtain your consent where the law requires.

9.4 When you first visit the Website, you may be asked to accept or decline optional cookies. You can change your choice at any time through the cookie preferences on the Website, and you can also block or delete cookies through your browser settings. If you block essential cookies, some parts of the Website may not work properly.

9.5 There is no uniform standard for 'Do Not Track' signals, and the Website does not currently respond to them.

10.1 Some of our service providers, such as email, cloud storage and analytics providers, may store or process personal data on servers located outside India. As a result, your personal data may be transferred to and processed in other countries.

10.2 We transfer personal data outside India only as Applicable Law permits. We will not transfer personal data to any country or territory that the Central Government has restricted by notification under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

10.3 Where we transfer personal data outside India, we take reasonable steps, including contractual terms, to ensure that the recipient protects it in a manner consistent with this Policy and Applicable Law.

10.4 We will not share information about a client's matter with any person outside India, such as foreign counsel, except with the client's consent or as the engagement terms permit.

11.1 We keep personal data only for as long as it is needed for the purpose for which it was collected, or for as long as Applicable Law requires or permits.

11.2 Unless a longer period is required by law or is needed in connection with a legal claim, we ordinarily retain personal data as follows.

(a) Enquiries that do not lead to an engagement: up to three years from our last communication with you, so that we can follow up, run conflict checks and deal with any claim.

(b) Newsletter and update subscriptions: until you unsubscribe or withdraw your consent.

(c) Job and internship applications: up to twelve months from the close of the recruitment round, unless you ask us to erase the data earlier or agree that we may keep it longer for future openings.

(d) Website technical and security logs: for the period required by Applicable Law, including directions issued by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), and for a limited time after that for security and audit purposes.

11.3 Once the purpose has been served, or you have withdrawn your consent, we will erase the personal data or anonymise it, and will ask our Data Processors to do the same, unless retention is required by Applicable Law.

11.4 Records of client matters are kept for the periods set by the engagement terms, our professional duties and Applicable Law, and are not covered by clause 11.2.

12.1 We maintain reasonable security safeguards to protect personal data against unauthorised access, use, disclosure, alteration, loss and destruction. These include encryption of data in transit using HTTPS, access controls limited to those who need the data, secure password practices, regular backups, use of reputable hosting and software providers, confidentiality undertakings from our personnel, and periodic review of our systems.

12.2 We require our Data Processors, through written contracts, to maintain safeguards of a similar standard.

12.3 No method of transmission over the internet or of electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. Ordinary email is not a secure channel. If you need to send sensitive material, please ask us for a secure method first.

12.4 If a Personal Data Breach occurs, we will take prompt steps to contain it and reduce harm. We will inform each affected person and the Board in the form and within the time required by Applicable Law, and we will report cyber security incidents to CERT-In where required.

12.5 You are responsible for keeping your own devices, email accounts and login credentials secure.

13.1 You have the following rights in relation to your personal data. We extend them to you whether or not the relevant provisions of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 have come into force.

(a) Right to information and access. To obtain a summary of the personal data we process about you and the processing activities, together with the identities of the other Data Fiduciaries and Data Processors with whom we have shared it and a description of the data shared.

(b) Right to correction and completion. To have inaccurate or misleading personal data corrected, incomplete data completed, and outdated data updated.

(c) Right to erasure. To ask us to erase personal data that is no longer necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, unless retention is required by Applicable Law.

(d) Right to withdraw consent. As set out in section 6.

(e) Right of grievance redressal. To have any complaint about our handling of your personal data heard and answered, as set out in section 17.

(f) Right to nominate. To nominate another individual who may exercise your rights on your behalf if you die or become unable to act because of incapacity.

13.2 To exercise any of these rights, please write to the Grievance Officer at the contact details in section 17 and describe your request. We may ask for information reasonably needed to verify your identity before acting on a request, so that your personal data is not disclosed to someone else.

13.3 We do not charge a fee for ordinary requests. We will respond within a reasonable time and in any case within the period prescribed by Applicable Law.

13.4 A request may be limited or refused where Applicable Law allows or requires it, for example where the information is protected by legal professional privilege, is needed for a pending legal proceeding or claim, or must be retained by law. Where we decline a request, we will tell you why.

13.5 Duties of Data Principals. When you use the Website and exercise your rights, you are expected to comply with Applicable Law, to give only accurate and verifiable information, not to impersonate any other person, and not to make false or frivolous complaints.

13.6 If you are not satisfied with our response, you may complain to the Board once the relevant provisions are in force, after first using our grievance process.

14.1 The Website is meant for adults and is not directed at children. A child means a person below the age of eighteen years.

14.2 We do not knowingly collect or process the personal data of a child, or of a person with a disability who has a lawful guardian, without the verifiable consent of the parent or lawful guardian, as Applicable Law requires.

14.3 We do not track or monitor the behaviour of children, and we do not direct advertising at them.

14.4 If you believe that a child has given us personal data without the consent of a parent or guardian, please contact the Grievance Officer. We will take reasonable steps to delete the data promptly.

15.1 The Website may contain links to other websites and services, such as court websites, government portals, professional publications, social media pages and mapping services. We do not control these and are not responsible for their content or their privacy practices.

15.2 A link does not mean that we endorse the third party or have any relationship with it. Once you leave the Website, this Policy no longer applies, and we recommend that you read the privacy policy of each site you visit.

15.3 Content embedded in the Website from third parties, such as a map on our contact page, may collect information about you directly, including through cookies.

16.1 The Website is meant to give information to persons who seek it. It is not an advertisement, a solicitation of work or an invitation to form an advocate and client relationship, and it has been prepared with regard to the Advocates Act, 1961 and the rules of the Bar Council of India on professional conduct, including those on advertising and solicitation.

16.2 We will contact you only to respond to your enquiry or application, to follow up on something you have asked for, or to send updates you have agreed to receive. We do not send unsolicited promotional messages.

16.3 Every update we send by email will carry a way to unsubscribe, and we will act on your request promptly. We may still send you messages that relate to a matter you have asked us to handle, or that Applicable Law requires.

16.4 We do not share your contact details with third parties for their own marketing.

17.1 If you have a question, concern or complaint about this Policy or about how we handle your personal data, or if you wish to exercise your rights, please contact our Grievance Officer.

17.2 We will acknowledge your complaint promptly and will aim to resolve it within one month of receiving it. If we need more time, we will tell you why. In every case we will respond within the period prescribed by Applicable Law.

17.3 If you are not satisfied with our response, you may make a complaint to the Data Protection Board of India in the manner prescribed under Applicable Law, once the relevant provisions are in force. We ask that you use our grievance process first.

18.1 We may update this Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, in Applicable Law or in the Website. The date of the latest update is shown at the top of this page.

18.2 An updated Policy takes effect when it is posted on the Website. If a change materially affects how we use your personal data, we will give you notice through the Website or by email, and we will ask for your consent again where the law requires.

18.3 Your continued use of the Website after an update means that you have read the updated Policy. We encourage you to review this page from time to time.

Last Updated on 10th October, 2026.

19.1 This Policy is governed by the laws of India.

19.2 Subject to any statutory remedy available to you, including a complaint to the Board, the courts at New Delhi have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising out of or in connection with this Policy.

19.3 If any provision of this Policy is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in force. This Policy is published in English, and if it is translated, the English version prevails.