Privacy Notice.
id est avocats Sàrl · Last updated: October 2026
Introduction
At id est avocats Sàrl (id est avocats, we or us), we recognise the importance of your privacy and of transparency in our processing of your personal data. This privacy notice describes how we collect and process personal data about:
- the representatives of our prospects, clients and suppliers or any person involved with them;
- third parties who are involved directly or indirectly in legal matters in which we act, such as contractual negotiations or disputes involving our clients;
- individuals who apply for a position with us; and
- visitors of our websites.
We may also have additional privacy notices that apply in specific circumstances.
Who is responsible for the processing of your personal data?
We – id est avocats Sàrl – are responsible for the processing of your personal data.
We generally act as data controller. However, in certain circumstances, we may also act as data processor for a customer in connection with the provision of our professional services, in which case our customer will be the data controller. This privacy notice does not address how our clients use your personal data. Please contact them directly for any inquiry relating to their use of your personal data.
You may contact us by mail (rue Pichard 22, P.O. Box 896, 1001 Lausanne, Switzerland), by email (contact@idest.pro) or by phone (+41 21 321 0880) for any inquiry relating to the use of your personal data by us as data controller.
What types of personal data do we process, and why?
We process the personal data which is required for the purposes specified in this privacy notice.
Always subject to our compliance with legal requirements and for the purpose of performing our legal services, we may process so-called sensitive data, such as health-related data or data on administrative or criminal proceedings and sanctions. We will only do so as strictly required for the relevant purposes listed in the description of our processing activities.
We might obtain your personal data:
- from you directly;
- from other persons or entities we enter in contact with in the conduct of our legal services, such as our clients, third parties involved with them, courts and authorities;
- from publicly available sources, such as public or commercial registries (e.g. debt registers, land registries, commercial registers), the press, websites, knowledge platforms, or social media.
How we process, secure and share your personal data
Processing your data
We process your personal data in compliance with Swiss data protection laws, using computer tools, for the purposes indicated in the description of our processing activities.
We do not take decisions exclusively on the basis of an automated processing which has legal effects on you or affects you significantly (i.e. automated individual decision).
For our processing activities relating to our website, see our website legal notice.
Securing your data
We maintain appropriate physical, technical and procedural safeguards with regard to your personal data. In addition, we may use electronic signature and encryption for our email communications (which may increase the level of security should you use an interoperable solution).
As a reminder, no system is entirely secure. We do not and cannot guarantee the security, integrity or confidentiality of any electronic communication or other electronic data processing, even if appropriately encrypted or otherwise secured.
Sharing your data
With our clients. We share with our clients the information, including personal data, which is required for the performance of our contractual duties towards them.
With third parties where we have a legal obligation or a legitimate interest in doing so, for example:
- to respond to a request from a judicial or administrative authority or in accordance with a legal obligation;
- to defend against a claim or lawsuit;
- to provide services to our clients, subject to our engagement terms.
With our service providers. We may transfer personal data to selected providers, acting as processors, to achieve the purposes listed in the description of our processing activities, to the extent they need it to carry out the instructions we have given them. Such providers include our (IT) systems, cloud service and database providers, such as Microsoft Office 365/Teams/SharePoint, DocuSign, ZOOM Video Communications, or Clio Practice Management Software.
Data localisation
We store your personal data in servers located in Switzerland or in the European Union (EU).
As a result of our sharing of your personal data as permitted under this privacy notice, please keep in mind that such data may nevertheless be accessible elsewhere. In particular, several of our service providers are located in the U.S., from where some of your personal data may be accessible.
Should your personal data be transferred to, or become accessible from, outside of Switzerland or the EU, we will ensure such access is in accordance with Swiss data protection laws and we will put in place the required appropriate safeguards (for instance by relying on standard clauses adopted by the European Commission) or we will rely on a statutory exception such as consent, performance of contracts, the establishment, exercise or enforcement of legal claims, overriding public interests or published personal data.
If you have read this far, you deserve a break.
Your rights
Within the limits and under the conditions set forth in Swiss data protection laws, you have the following rights:
- to access your personal data as processed by us and obtain a copy thereof;
- to request any correction or update thereof;
- to request the erasure of your personal data; and
- to withdraw your consent where we base our processing of your personal data on your consent (without such withdrawal affecting the lawfulness of processing prior thereto).
The above does not restrict any other rights you might have pursuant to applicable data protection legislation under certain circumstances, such as the rights to ask for the restriction of the processing of your personal data, to oppose certain types of processing or to request the portability of your personal data (i.e. to obtain the personal data you have provided us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and/or to request the transmission of such personal data to a third party, without hindrance from us and subject to your own confidentiality obligations).
To exercise your rights, please contact us at contact@idest.pro. Please note that we will have to refuse, restrict or defer your request whenever we have a legal obligation to do so. For instance, in our activity as a law firm, we cannot give you access to your personal data if it is part of a document that is covered by attorney-client privilege. In addition, we might be unable to erase your data if we still need it to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim.
You may also have the right to lodge a complaint with a competent regulatory authority if you are not satisfied with how we process your personal data. Although this is not required, we recommend that you contact us first, as we might be able to respond to your request directly.
Updates of this notice
This privacy notice may be subject to amendments. The current version published on our website will apply. Any changes or additions to the processing of personal data as described in this privacy notice affecting you will be communicated to you through an appropriate channel, depending on how we normally communicate with you.
Our processing activities
The purposes for which we process personal data (why?), which personal data we process for each purpose (what?) and how long it is retained (for how long?).
Why?
To manage our prospects, clients and suppliers, and to prevent conflicts of interest
If we are in a business relationship with you, or in discussions to enter into one, we process the data necessary for customer or supplier management, to carry out the transactions in which we are engaged, and to procure products and services from our suppliers and subcontractors (e.g. foreign and domestic lawyers and law firms or experts). This includes: interacting with you, e.g. replying to your inquiries; checking for conflicts of interest; tracking our activities (measuring work time, etc.) and those of our suppliers; managing our archiving and records; and invoicing.
If you hired us for our services, please also see below how we process data relevant to the conduct of our professional services.
What?
Personal data about individuals with whom we interact, such as name, title, position, company name, email and/or postal address and professional fixed and/or mobile phone number; personal data about related parties, in particular to check for conflicts of interest; background information relating to the matter and a history of our interactions; and any other information provided by you or third parties.
If we enter into a business relationship with you personally (as a natural person), we may also collect additional data relevant to the administration of our relationship and the provision of our professional services.
For how long?
Personal data we must retain for record-keeping, tax or another legal obligation will, as a rule, be kept for the duration of the contractual relationship and thereafter for 10 years (or such other retention period as applicable).
We also retain the personal data necessary to identify you and our relationship with you, to comply with our legal obligation to check for conflicts of interest before accepting new mandates. This period may vary and is determined by the relevant case law and regulations.
Shorter retention periods apply to personal data which need not be retained for the above reasons.
Why?
To provide our professional services to our clients
We process the personal data we need to carry out our professional services in connection with the relevant legal matters in which we are involved.
If you are a client or a client representative, we may also use your personal information to periodically send you information, for instance about major changes in Swiss law, which we consider might be of interest to you or your company, using the email address you have provided.
Processing your personal data as described above is necessary for us to provide our professional services.
What?
The categories of personal data depend on the matter at hand. This may include financial information, descriptions of your past actions, communications, whereabouts and statements, including those made for a court or tribunal to consider, and any other information provided by you or third parties (including opposing parties or courts).
In potential litigation or dispute resolution, we may need to process sensitive data, for instance health data (e.g. in employment disputes), political affiliation, religious beliefs, ethnic or racial background, or information about the commission (or alleged commission) of offences or related proceedings (such as criminal record extracts).
For how long?
We keep all data (sensitive or not) for at least 10 years after the legal matter has ended, in compliance with our legal obligation. It is also in our legitimate interest to keep this data for as long as claims can be brought against us; that period is determined by applicable law and may vary from one matter to the next.
Your personal data may appear in legal matters in which we are involved even if you are not our client, for instance when you work for, represent, or are the beneficial owner of a company involved in the matter, or are in contact with one of these persons.
Why?
To process job applications at id est avocats Sàrl
If you apply for a position, we process your personal data exclusively to assess your application in view of a possible employment relationship, including the assessment of your capabilities and qualifications, and to conduct reference checks, if and as authorised by Swiss law.
What?
The personal data you provide, e.g. contact information, CV, résumé, cover letter and information on previous work experience. If you provide links to your social media profiles (such as LinkedIn) or contact information for references, we will assume we may gather information from these sources.
Any information you submit must be true, complete and not misleading. Otherwise, subject to applicable law, this may lead to rejection of your application or disciplinary action, including immediate dismissal if you have been employed.
For how long?
Personal data of applicants who have not been hired is deleted at the end of the recruitment process.
If an employment relationship is established, your personal data will be entered into your HR file and processed in accordance with our HR data processing policies.
Why?
To comply with our other legal obligations
This includes: replying to any official request from a public or judicial authority in compliance with legal requirements; complying with anti-money laundering and export restrictions; and, more generally, complying with any legal, accounting and tax obligations imposed on us in relation to our clients and suppliers.
What?
The personal data collected for one of the purposes indicated elsewhere in this section.
For how long?
For the duration of the legal obligation imposed on us.
In addition, we may process your personal data if we have obtained your prior unambiguous consent for specific purposes. We will delete your personal data when we no longer need it or when you withdraw your consent (whichever comes first). Consent can be withdrawn at any time, without affecting data processed prior to withdrawal.