Privacy Policy

The protection of your personal data is important to us. In this Privacy Policy we inform you about how we process personal data when you visit our website, contact us, engage us as your lawyer or apply for a position with us, and about the rights you have under data protection law. Where this Privacy Policy refers to “data”, this means personal data within the meaning of Article 4(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

1. Controller

1. The controller within the meaning of Article 4(7) GDPR is:

   Mag. Mate Ruzicska, LL.M., lawyer, practising under the name “Ruzicska Legal”

   Vienna office: Kolingasse 13/2/7, 1090 Vienna, Austria, telephone: +43 681 20540768

   Budapest office: Lehel utca 11, 1134 Budapest, Hungary, telephone: +36 70 450 0517

   Email: info@ruzicska.legal, website: ruzicska.legal

2. As an individual lawyer, we are not required to designate a data protection officer (Article 37 GDPR). For all data protection questions and for exercising your rights, please contact us at info@ruzicska.legal or at one of the above addresses.

3. We process your data in accordance with the GDPR and the supplementary national data protection provisions, as well as the professional rules applicable to lawyers.

   For mandates of the Vienna office: In particular the Austrian Data Protection Act (Datenschutzgesetz, DSG) and the Austrian Lawyers’ Act (Rechtsanwaltsordnung, RAO) apply.

   For mandates of the Budapest office: In particular the Hungarian Act CXII of 2011 on Informational Self-Determination and Freedom of Information (Infotv.) and the Hungarian Act LXXVIII of 2017 on the Activities of Attorneys at Law (Üttv.) apply.

2. Data processing on our website

1. Hosting and server log files: Each time you access our website, your browser automatically transmits data that is stored in server log files: IP address, date and time of access, the page or file requested, referrer URL, browser type and version, operating system. Purpose: delivering the website, ensuring its stability and security. Legal basis: our legitimate interest in the secure and functional operation of the website (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR). The website is hosted by Heimdall Systems Kft. (Szabadság tér 11/A, 6725 Szeged, Hungary) as processor; the server is located in a data centre of a sub-processor in the EU. Log files are deleted after 30 days, unless they are needed to investigate a specific security incident.

2. Security (Wordfence): To protect the website against attacks and misuse, we use the security plug-in Wordfence. It analyses requests (in particular IP address, requested URL, time and browser data) and blocks suspicious access. Legal basis: our legitimate interest in IT security (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR). Where threat-intelligence functions are activated, IP addresses may be transmitted to Defiant, Inc., USA; the transfer is based on the EU–US Data Privacy Framework (Article 45 GDPR).

3. Content delivery and protection (Cloudflare): Our website is delivered via the network of Cloudflare, Inc., 101 Townsend St, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA (“Cloudflare”), which acts as our processor. Cloudflare processes connection data (in particular IP address, requested URL, time, browser and device data) in order to deliver the website quickly and to protect it against attacks and misuse (e.g. denial-of-service attacks, bots); for this purpose, Cloudflare may set technically necessary cookies. Legal basis: our legitimate interest in the secure and efficient delivery of the website (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR). Data may be transferred to the USA; Cloudflare, Inc. is certified under the EU–US Data Privacy Framework (Article 45 GDPR). Further information: https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/.

4. Language redirection (IP2Location): To display the website automatically in a suitable language, we determine the country from which you access the website on the basis of your IP address. This is done using the IP2Location LITE database stored on our server; your IP address is not transmitted to IP2Location and is not stored for this purpose. Legal basis: our legitimate interest in user-friendly presentation of the website (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR). You can change the language at any time using the language selector.

5. Cookies and consent management: Our website uses cookies and similar technologies. Cookies that are strictly necessary for the operation of the website are set without consent (Section 165(3) of the Austrian Telecommunications Act 2021 [TKG 2021] and Section 155(4) of the Hungarian Act C of 2003 on Electronic Communications [Eht.]). All other cookies and services are used only with your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). We use the consent management tool Complianz, which stores your choice in cookies on your device for 365 days (legal basis: Article 6(1)(c) GDPR in conjunction with Article 7(1) GDPR). You can change or withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future via the “Cookie settings” link at the bottom of each page. Details of the individual cookies can be found in our Cookie Policy.

6. Google Fonts: Our website uses fonts provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (“Google”). When the fonts are loaded, your IP address is transmitted to Google servers. Google Fonts are loaded only if you have consented in the cookie banner (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). Data may be transferred to Google LLC in the USA; Google LLC is certified under the EU–US Data Privacy Framework, for which the European Commission has adopted an adequacy decision (Article 45 GDPR). Further information: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

7. Web analytics (Google Analytics 4): With your consent, we use Google Analytics 4, a web analytics service provided by Google, to analyse and improve the use of our website. Google Analytics uses cookies to recognise your browser across visits and collects usage data (e.g. pages visited, time spent, referring website), device and browser information and an approximate location derived from your IP address; IP addresses of users in the EU are not stored by Google Analytics 4. Legal basis: your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR), which you can withdraw at any time via the “Cookie settings” link. The data is stored for 14 months. Data may be transferred to Google LLC in the USA on the basis of the EU–US Data Privacy Framework (Article 45 GDPR). Further information: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

8. Contact form and Google reCAPTCHA: If you contact us via the contact form, we process the data you enter (name, email address, message) to answer your enquiry. Legal basis: steps prior to entering into a contract at your request (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR), otherwise our legitimate interest in answering enquiries (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR). To protect the form against spam and automated misuse, we use Google reCAPTCHA v3 (provider: Google). reCAPTCHA evaluates information such as IP address, browser and device data and user behaviour on the website and may set cookies. reCAPTCHA is loaded only if you have consented in the cookie banner (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR); data may be transferred to Google LLC in the USA on the basis of the EU–US Data Privacy Framework. Without consent, you can contact us at any time by email or telephone.

9. Contact by email or telephone: If you contact us by email or telephone, we process your contact details and the content of your communication to handle your enquiry (Article 6(1)(b) or (f) GDPR).

10. If no engagement results from your enquiry, we delete the enquiry data no later than six months after the last contact, unless statutory retention obligations apply. If an engagement results, Clause 3 applies.Harmadik felek szolgáltatásaira mutató hivatkozások:

11. Links to third-party services: Our website contains links to LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Google Maps. These are simple links; no data is transmitted to these providers when you visit our website. Only when you click on a link are you redirected to the provider’s website, which is responsible for any further data processing.

3. Data processing in connection with legal mandates

1. Categories of data: In connection with a mandate, we process in particular: identification and contact data (name, address, telephone number, email address, date of birth), identity documents and other data required under anti-money laundering rules, data relating to the mandate and the case (facts, documents, correspondence, evidence), billing and payment data (bank details, invoices), and – where required for the mandate – special categories of data (e.g. health data) and data relating to criminal convictions and offences.

2. Sources: We receive the data primarily from you. Where necessary for the mandate, we also obtain data from courts, public authorities, public registers (e.g. land register, commercial register), opposing parties and their representatives, and from other publicly accessible sources.

3. Purposes and legal bases: We process the data for the following purposes:
   

   • • performance of the mandate, including advice, representation, correspondence and billing (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR);
   • • compliance with legal obligations, in particular anti-money laundering and client identification obligations, tax and accounting obligations and professional record-keeping obligations (Article 6(1)(c) GDPR);
     • our legitimate interests, in particular conflict-of-interest checks, the assertion, exercise or defence of legal claims and communication with our professional liability insurer (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR);
     • special categories of data, to the extent required for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims (Article 9(2)(f) GDPR), and data relating to criminal offences in accordance with Article 10 GDPR and the applicable national provisions.

    

4. Data of opposing parties and other third parties: In the course of a mandate, we also process data of persons who are not our clients (e.g. opposing parties, witnesses, other parties to proceedings), to the extent necessary for the mandate (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR, or Article 9(2)(f) GDPR for special categories). Pursuant to Article 14(5)(d) GDPR, we do not inform these persons individually where the data is subject to our statutory obligation of professional secrecy.
5. Recipients: Where necessary for the mandate or required by law, we transmit data in particular to: courts, public authorities and other official bodies; opposing parties and their legal representatives; experts, interpreters and translators; substitute or correspondent lawyers; legal expenses insurers and our professional liability insurer; banks; tax advisers and auditors; the competent bar association. In addition, we use carefully selected processors (e.g. IT, hosting, content delivery, software and communication service providers) who are contractually bound pursuant to Article 28 GDPR.

   For mandates of the Budapest office: Documents countersigned by the Lawyer (ellenjegyzés) and documents relating to escrow deposits (ügyvédi letét) are retained for ten years in accordance with the Üttv.

   For mandates of the Vienna office: Section 9 RAO applies.

   For mandates of the Budapest office: The provisions of the Üttv. on professional secrecy apply.

6. Transfer to third countries: Data is transferred to countries outside the EU/EEA only where this is necessary for the performance of the mandate (e.g. proceedings or correspondence abroad), on the basis of an adequacy decision (Article 45 GDPR), appropriate safeguards (Article 46 GDPR) or because the transfer is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims (Article 49(1)(e) GDPR).

7. Retention period: We retain client files for five years after the end of the mandate (see Clause 13.3 of our General Terms and Conditions). Longer statutory retention periods take precedence, in particular those under tax and accounting law and anti-money laundering law. Beyond that, we retain data as long as it is required for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims (in particular until the expiry of the relevant limitation periods).

   For mandates of the Budapest office: Documents countersigned by the Lawyer (ellenjegyzés) and documents relating to escrow deposits (ügyvédi letét) are retained for ten years in accordance with the Üttv.

8. Obligation to provide data: The provision of data required for the performance of the mandate and for compliance with our statutory identification obligations is necessary for concluding the contract. Without this data we cannot accept or continue the mandate.
9. Professional secrecy: Your rights as a data subject (Clause 5) may be restricted where and to the extent that this is necessary to protect our statutory obligation of professional secrecy (Article 23 GDPR).

   For mandates of the Vienna office: Section 9 RAO applies.

   For mandates of the Budapest office: The provisions of the Üttv. on professional secrecy apply.

4. Applications

1. If you apply for a position with us, we process the data you provide (in particular name, contact details, CV, certificates and other application documents) to carry out the application procedure. Legal basis: steps prior to entering into an employment contract (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR). If you are not hired, we delete your data six months after the application procedure has been completed, unless you have consented to a longer retention for future vacancies (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR); in that case, we delete your data no later than one year after giving your consent or immediately upon withdrawal of your consent.

5. Your rights

1. You have the following rights with regard to your data:
   – right of access (Article 15 GDPR);
   – right to rectification (Article 16 GDPR);
   – right to erasure (Article 17 GDPR);
   – right to restriction of processing (Article 18 GDPR);
   – right to data portability (Article 20 GDPR);
   – right to withdraw consent at any time with effect for the future, without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal (Article 7(3) GDPR).
2. Right to object (Article 21 GDPR): Where we process your data on the basis of our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR), you have the right to object to the processing at any time on grounds relating to your particular situation. We will then no longer process the data unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, rights and freedoms, or the processing serves the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
3. To exercise your rights, please contact us at info@ruzicska.legal or at one of the addresses in Clause 1. We will respond within one month (Article 12(3) GDPR) and may ask you to verify your identity.

6. Right to lodge a complaint

1. If you believe that the processing of your data infringes data protection law, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement (Article 77 GDPR). You also have the right to an effective judicial remedy (Article 79 GDPR).

   For mandates and contacts of the Vienna office: Österreichische Datenschutzbehörde (Austrian Data Protection Authority), Barichgasse 40–42, 1030 Vienna, Austria, telephone: +43 1 52 152-0, email: dsb@dsb.gv.at, www.dsb.gv.at

   For mandates and contacts of the Budapest office: Nemzeti Adatvédelmi és Információszabadság Hatóság (Hungarian National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, NAIH), Falk Miksa utca 9–11, 1055 Budapest, Hungary; postal address: 1363 Budapest, Pf. 9; telephone: +36 1 391 1400; email: ugyfelszolgalat@naih.hu, www.naih.hu

7. Automated decision-making

We do not use automated decision-making, including profiling, within the meaning of Article 22 GDPR.

8. Data security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data against loss, misuse and unauthorised access, in particular encrypted transmission (SSL/TLS), access restrictions and the obligation of all persons involved to maintain confidentiality. Please note that unencrypted emails may be read or altered by third parties during transmission; on request, we offer encrypted communication.

9. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may amend this Privacy Policy if this becomes necessary due to legal, technical or organisational changes. The current version is always available on our website.