Data & Privacy

We treat data as an asset.

We understand that the right approach to data & privacy can be a real asset to your organisation. We also recognise the impact that good data & privacy practices can have on wider society.

We advise on data & privacy compliance across all sectors of the economy, from tech startups to established businesses, charities, not-for-profits and the public sector.  We are experts on the UK’s post-Brexit legal landscape as well as on the EU’s frameworks and new legislative proposals including on AI.  We also have an international perspective and have helped organisations operating in multiple jurisdictions to navigate complex supply chains and regulatory requirements.

We know that you need advice that lets you carry on doing what you need to do. We bring clear solutions and pragmatic guidance.

How we help

We help our clients navigate the requirements of data & privacy while realising the opportunities. Beyond advising on data, privacy and e-privacy law, we advise on the Freedom of Information Act 2000, confidentiality and more.

Our approach is pragmatic, practical, efficient and commercial. We understand your objectives, advise on the privacy compliance framework and the potential implications of using data.

We can support you with assessments, responses to requests and devising strategies for compliance. And if you’ve had a data security breach, we can assist straight away to support you.

We can also work with you to conduct a data protection health check, which is a valuable exercise whether you are looking to draft policies from scratch or review existing policies to ensure they are meeting compliance and regulatory requirements. Find out more about our data protection health check packages here.

Explore

The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 – A refresher of the changes to UK data protection law and developments to date

What has happened so far? It has been a year since the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (“DUAA”) received Royal Assent on 19 June 2025. Now that all of the data protection provisions have come into force, with various new pieces of ICO Guidance to supplement them, we wanted to take the opportunity to give …
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Briefing for Charities & Social Enterprises | 16 June

Our weekly roundup of news and updates from across the sector. To help you navigate this week’s content, the links below will take you straight to content by topic. Charity Commission New grant-making guidance We have now looked at the Charity Commission’s new guidance for charities making grants to charities and other organisations in more …
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Briefing for Charities & Social Enterprises | 3 June

Our weekly roundup of news and updates from across the sector. To help you navigate this week’s content, the links below will take you straight to content by topic. Charity Commission The Charity Commission has published a blog and guidance promoting the role of charity trustee. Return to top. Sector general The government has published new research mapping …
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Data Protection Health Check

Having clear and robust data protection policies is essential to comply with your obligations to supporters, customers, clients and partners, and will also simplify any dealings with regulators. Whether you need to draft policies from scratch or are looking to review your current data handling practices, our team can help you to deal with your …
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ICO publishes guidance on use of the ‘charity soft opt-in’

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has now updated its ‘Direct marketing and privacy and electronic communications’ guidance in light of the changes made to the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (‘PECR’) by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. Crucially, this includes the long-awaited final guidance on the use of the ‘charitable purposes soft …
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“The advice and guidance Bates Wells provides is always clear, direct and focused on our needs.”

Data Protection, Chambers 2026

“Bates Wells’ data protection team stands out for their fast response times, strong expertise, and focus on practical, right-sized solutions.”

Data Protection, Chambers 2026

“Eleonor and her team have deep insight into the data protection landscape in the UK, having been involved in its creation and implementation. They provide expert advice tailored to the commercial needs of their clients, so a practical solution is landed on.”

Data Protection, Legal 500 2026

“Deep technical insight blended with the right commercial instincts. They quickly hone in on what really matters.”

Data Protection, Legal 500 2026

“They have a fantastic knowledge of the law and are able to come up with pragmatic solutions to any matter I raise.”

Data Protection, Chambers 2025

“The firm is responsive, patient and collegial.”

Data protection, Chambers 2025

“Responsive, thorough, clever, and detail-oriented.”

Data protection, Legal 500 2025

“Excellent and timely data protection advice.”

Data protection, Legal 500 2025

“The expert legal advice Bates Wells’s team provides is well informed by business realities and an understanding of facts on the ground.”

Data Protection, Chambers 2024

“Their drafts of legal advice were always to a very high standard and they took on board feedback very effectively, which all led to the strengthening of our position.”

Data Protection, Chambers 2024

“They are clearly very knowledgeable.”

Data Protection, Chambers 2024

‘The team is attentive to our needs, understands our business and what makes us unique. Their advice is commercial and balances risk well.’

Data Protection, Legal 500 2024

‘Bates Wells is extremely innovative and client-focused. The firm has a very clear identifiable vision about its role and values in delivering their services.’

Data Protection, Legal 500 2024

‘Bates Wells gives very practical and timely advice on privacy matters, in a manner that is understandable to non-experts.’

Data Protection, Legal 500 2024
Meet our team