Privacy policy

Who we are

GB Legal Associates is an intellectual property firm at S-37, Nano Wing, Haware Fantasia Business Park, Sector 30A, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 400703. For the personal data described in this policy, the firm is the Data Fiduciary within the meaning of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (the "DPDP Act"): we decide why and how it is processed.

This policy covers gblegalassociates.com, which is the firm's only official website, and the enquiries we receive by WhatsApp, phone and email.

What we collect

We collect only what we need to reply to you and, if you instruct us, to act on your matter.

• Enquiry and contact forms: your name, phone or WhatsApp number, email address (optional), the type of matter, any brand name or note you add, whether you want updates on WhatsApp, and the page you sent the form from.
• WhatsApp, calls and email: the messages, documents and call details you choose to share with us.
• When you instruct us: the applicant details, identity and business documents, signed authorisations and other information an IP office requires for your filing.
• Website use: technical data such as pages visited, approximate location derived from the IP address, device and browser type, collected through the analytics tools described below.

Please do not send confidential details of an invention, or other sensitive material, through the website form. We will ask for them in the right way once we are engaged.

Why we use it

We use personal data to:

• reply to your enquiry and give initial advice;
• prepare, file and follow up applications, replies and other documents with IP India, the Copyright Office, WIPO and other offices you instruct us to file with;
• keep you informed of the status of your matter, including by WhatsApp if you opt in;
• meet legal, professional and record-keeping obligations;
• keep the website secure and understand, in aggregate, how it is used so we can improve it.

We process your data on the basis of the consent you give when you contact us, or for a legitimate use permitted by the DPDP Act, such as complying with law. We do not use your data for automated decision-making.

Who we share it with

We do not sell personal data and we do not share it with anyone for their marketing.

We share it only where needed for the purpose you gave it for:

• Government IP offices. Filing an application means giving the office the applicant details it requires. Note that much of what is filed, such as the applicant's name and address on a trademark application, becomes part of a public register.
• Foreign associates. For filings outside India, we share the details needed with the associate firm or attorney in that country, on your instruction.
• Service providers who host the website, deliver email and messages, or provide analytics and security, under contract and only to provide that service.
• Authorities where the law requires it.

Cookies and analytics

The website uses a small number of tools:

• Google Analytics 4, which sets cookies to measure visits and the pages that lead to enquiries. You can block these cookies in your browser settings or with Google's opt-out add-on.
• Cloudflare Web Analytics, which measures page performance and visits without cookies.
• Cloudflare Turnstile, which checks that a form is sent by a person and not an automated program.

We do not use advertising or retargeting cookies.

How long we keep it

We keep enquiry data for as long as needed to respond and follow up, and erase it when it is no longer needed for that purpose, unless you instruct us on a matter. Records of matters we handle are kept for as long as the right is in force and for the period the law and professional rules require after that.

You can ask us to erase your enquiry data at any time (see "Your rights").

How we protect it

The website is served only over HTTPS. Form submissions are validated and screened for spam before they reach the firm, and access to enquiries is limited to the people who handle them. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we take reasonable security safeguards, as the DPDP Act requires, and will notify you and the Data Protection Board of India of a personal data breach as the law requires.

Processing outside India

Our hosting and email providers may process data on servers outside India, and filings abroad involve sharing data with foreign offices and associates. Any transfer is made in line with the DPDP Act and any restrictions notified by the Government of India.

Your rights

Under the DPDP Act you may:

• ask for a summary of the personal data we hold about you and how it is processed;
• ask us to correct, complete, update or erase it;
• withdraw your consent at any time, as easily as you gave it (this does not affect processing already carried out, and we may need to keep some records the law requires);
• nominate another person to exercise your rights if you die or become incapable;
• raise a grievance with us, and then, if you are not satisfied, complain to the Data Protection Board of India.

To exercise any of these rights, write to info@gblegalassociates.com with the subject "Personal data request". We may need to confirm your identity before acting.

Children

The website is meant for adults and businesses. We do not knowingly collect personal data of children (under 18) without verifiable consent from a parent or lawful guardian.

Grievances and contact

For any question or grievance about personal data, contact the firm's grievance officer:

• Grievance officer: GB Legal Associates
• Address: S-37, Nano Wing, Haware Fantasia Business Park, Sector 30A, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra 400703
• Email: info@gblegalassociates.com
• Phone: +91 97697 57697

We will acknowledge your message and respond within the time the DPDP Act and its rules allow.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when the law or our practice changes. The date at the top of the page shows when it was last updated.