ITrechtler

horak Rechtsanwälte · Fachanwälte

Privacy Policy

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This is a convenience translation. The German version (Datenschutzerklärung) is legally binding.

We take the protection of the personal data of users of our websites seriously. Personal data is therefore treated confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data protection provisions, in particular the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG) and the Telecommunications Digital Services Data Protection Act (TDDDG), and in accordance with this privacy policy.

This privacy policy informs users of our websites about the nature, purpose and legal basis of the collection, storage and use of personal data by us. It also informs users of their rights regarding our processing of personal data.

Overview

I. Name and contact details of the controller

The controller who decides on the purposes and means of processing the personal data of users of our website is:

horak Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft mbB
Georgstr. 48
30159 Hannover (head office)
Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 511 357 356 0
Fax: +49 (0) 511 357 356 29
Email: info@itrechtler.de

II. Name and contact details of the data protection officer

The data protection officer of horak Rechtsanwälte can be reached at the following address and email:

horak Rechtsanwälte
attn. Data Protection Officer, Rechtsanwältin Julia Ziegeler
Georgstr. 48
30159 Hannover
Germany
Email: ziegeler@bwlh.de

III. Hosting and processing when you visit our websites

Hosting by Mittwald

Our website is operated by Mittwald CM Service GmbH & Co. KG, Königsberger Straße 4-6, 32339 Espelkamp, Germany. Mittwald processes data on our behalf under a data processing agreement pursuant to Art. 28 GDPR and is bound by our instructions.

Access data (server log files)

When you visit our websites, access data is collected automatically and stored until it is deleted automatically. This access data may include the page visited, the name and URL of the files retrieved, the date and time of access, the user’s IP address, the referrer URL, browser information, the operating system of the accessing computer, the name of the access provider, the amount of data and a message confirming successful retrieval.

We use the access data to ensure a smooth connection to our website and convenient use of it. The access data is also used to evaluate system security and stability and for other administrative purposes. The legal basis for processing is Art. 6(1)(1)(f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest follows from the purposes stated above. We do not use the data collected to draw conclusions about the person of the user.

IV. Contact form and contact by email or phone

Users can contact us via a contact form, by email or by phone. In doing so, the mandatory details in the form (name, email address, your enquiry) and voluntarily provided data (phone number, choice of topic) are collected, stored and used to handle your enquiry. Form entries are stored in our website’s database and sent to us by email.

Where your enquiry relates to initiating or performing a client engagement, the legal basis is Art. 6(1)(1)(b) GDPR. Otherwise, processing is based on your express consent given in the form (Art. 6(1)(1)(a) GDPR). You can withdraw consent at any time with effect for the future, for example by email to info@itrechtler.de. The lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal is not affected.

Please do not send special categories of personal data (Art. 9 GDPR), such as health data, via the form. As lawyers we are bound by statutory professional secrecy (Section 43a(2) BRAO). If no client engagement results, the personal data collected is deleted once the enquiry has been dealt with, unless statutory retention obligations apply.

V. WordPress and Jetpack

Our website runs on the content management system WordPress, installed on the server of our host Mittwald. We also use the Jetpack plugin of Automattic Inc., USA. Among other things, Jetpack provides the contact form, security functions and backups and connects the website to Automattic servers for this purpose.

In the process, personal data, such as content of the website database including form entries, IP addresses and technical information about the browser used, may be transferred to and processed by Automattic. Processing in the USA cannot be ruled out. For transfers to the USA we rely on the European Commission’s adequacy decision on the EU-US Data Privacy Framework of 10 July 2023 (Art. 45 GDPR) where the recipient is certified under it, and otherwise on the European Commission’s standard contractual clauses (Art. 46(2)(c) GDPR).

The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(1)(f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in the secure and stable operation of the website and the provision of the contact form. We only carry out statistical analysis of usage behaviour if you have consented to it under section VI.

VI. Cookies and access to your device (Section 25 TDDDG)

Storing information on your device (e.g. cookies) and accessing information already stored there is only permitted with your consent under Section 25(1) TDDDG. Without consent, such access is only permitted where it is strictly necessary for us to provide a service you have expressly requested (Section 25(2) no. 2 TDDDG).

We use only technically necessary cookies on our website, for example to protect the contact form against misuse. Further processing of personal data collected in this way is based on Art. 6(1)(1)(f) GDPR. We do not use tracking or marketing cookies. You can prevent cookies from being stored by adjusting your browser settings; in that case, not all functions of this website may be available.

VII. Disclosure to third parties

We only disclose personal data to third parties if the user has expressly consented or if disclosure is necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims and there is no overriding legitimate interest in non-disclosure. Data is also disclosed to third parties where required by law or where disclosure is permitted and necessary for the performance of contractual relationships with the user. The use of processors (sections III and V) is not disclosure to third parties in this sense.

VIII. Storage period

We store personal data only for as long as necessary for the relevant purpose. Access data (section III) is deleted automatically after the period set by our host. Enquiries are deleted once they have been dealt with. If a client engagement results, the statutory retention periods apply, in particular for the client file (Section 50 BRAO) and under commercial and tax law.

IX. Your rights

You have the right:

  • under Art. 15 GDPR, to request information about your personal data processed by us. In particular, you can request information about the purposes of processing, the categories of personal data, the categories of recipients to whom your data has been or will be disclosed, the planned storage period, the existence of a right to rectification, erasure, restriction of processing or objection, the existence of a right to lodge a complaint, the source of your data if not collected by us, and the existence of automated decision-making including profiling and, where applicable, meaningful information about its details;
  • under Art. 16 GDPR, to request without undue delay the rectification of inaccurate or completion of your personal data stored by us;
  • under Art. 17 GDPR, to request the erasure of your personal data stored by us, unless processing is necessary for exercising the right of freedom of expression and information, for compliance with a legal obligation, for reasons of public interest or for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims;
  • under Art. 18 GDPR, to request restriction of processing of your personal data where you contest the accuracy of the data, the processing is unlawful but you oppose erasure, we no longer need the data but you need it to establish, exercise or defend legal claims, or you have objected to processing under Art. 21 GDPR;
  • under Art. 20 GDPR, to receive the personal data you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format or to request its transmission to another controller;
  • under Art. 7(3) GDPR, to withdraw your consent at any time. As a result, we may no longer continue the processing based on that consent in the future; and
  • under Art. 77 GDPR, to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. As a rule, you can contact the supervisory authority of your usual place of residence or work or of our registered office. For our registered office this is the State Commissioner for Data Protection of Lower Saxony (Landesbeauftragte für den Datenschutz Niedersachsen).

The rights under Art. 15 GDPR may be restricted where this would disclose information subject to lawyers‘ professional secrecy (Section 29(1) sentence 2 BDSG).

X. Right to object

Where your personal data is processed on the basis of legitimate interests under Art. 6(1)(1)(f) GDPR, you have the right under Art. 21 GDPR to object to the processing of your personal data on grounds relating to your particular situation, or where the objection is directed against direct marketing. In the latter case you have a general right to object, which we will implement without you stating a particular situation. If you wish to exercise your right of withdrawal or objection, an email to info@itrechtler.de is sufficient.

XI. Data security

We transmit our website exclusively in encrypted form via HTTPS (TLS). You can recognise an encrypted connection by the padlock symbol in your browser’s address bar. We also use appropriate technical and organisational security measures (Art. 32 GDPR) to protect your data against accidental or intentional manipulation, partial or complete loss, destruction or unauthorised access by third parties. Our security measures are continuously improved in line with technological developments.

Unencrypted emails can be read by third parties in transit. In your own interest, please send confidential documents in encrypted form or agree a secure transmission method with us.

Last updated: November 2026