1. Identity of Data Fiduciary

This Privacy Policy is published by the owner and operator of the website accessible at https://nearmeadvocate.com/, hereinafter referred to as the “Website” or “Platform”. The operator is a practising Advocate enrolled under the Advocates Act, 1961, and constitutes the Data Fiduciary as defined under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

2. Legal Framework and Applicable Laws

This Privacy Policy is drafted and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of India.

Judicial Precedent: The Supreme Court of India in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India, (2017) 10 SCC 1, unanimously held that the Right to Privacy is a Fundamental Right under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

Note on Pending Rules: The Rules under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 are yet to be officially notified by the Central Government. This Privacy Policy will be reviewed and updated upon notification of such Rules to ensure full compliance with any additional requirements thereunder.

3. Scope and Application

This Privacy Policy applies to:

• All visitors who browse or access the Website, whether as registered users or anonymous visitors.
• All persons who submit enquiries, contact forms, or otherwise communicate through the Website.
• All clients or prospective clients who engage or seek to engage legal services through the Website.
• Advocates who register on the Platform through the Advocate Registration Form, whose profile data (name, photograph, contact details, practice areas, languages, location, and year of enrolment) is collected, stored, reviewed by the Platform administrator, and upon verification, publicly displayed in the “Find Advocates” directory.
• Visitors who submit contact requests to individual advocates listed on the Platform, whose name, email address, and description of legal matter are collected and transmitted to the relevant advocate.
• All persons whose personal data is processed in connection with operation of this Website and delivery of legal services.

This Policy does not apply to third-party websites, external links, or services not operated by us, even if accessible through this Website.

4. Personal Data Collected

As a Data Fiduciary under the DPDP Act, 2023, we collect only such personal data as is necessary for specified purposes, following the principle of data minimisation.

4.1 Data Provided by Visitors (Contact & Enquiry)

• Full name.
• Email address and phone number.
• Nature of legal matter or query, described in not more than 50 words, without privileged content at this stage.
• Location or city to identify nearest courts, tribunals, or offices.
• Documents or communications voluntarily shared with us.

4.2 Data Provided by Advocates (Registration)

Advocates who register on the Platform through the Advocate Registration Form voluntarily provide the following data for the purpose of listing in the advocate directory:

Profile photographs are stored securely on our servers. By submitting a photograph, the advocate consents to it being displayed publicly on the Platform upon verification.

4.3 Data Collected Automatically

• Internet Protocol (IP) address.
• Browser type, version, and device information.
• Pages visited, time spent, and referral URL.
• Date and time of access.
• Operating system information.

4.4 Browser Local Storage

The Website uses browser localStorage (client-side storage, not a cookie) to store limited session preferences on your own device. Specifically:

• A flag indicating whether you have submitted a contact request to a particular advocate in the current browser session, to enable the rating feature.
• A flag indicating whether you have submitted a star rating for a particular advocate, to prevent duplicate ratings.

This data is stored entirely on your device, is never transmitted to our servers, and can be cleared at any time by clearing your browser’s site data.

4.5 Sensitive Personal Data

Sensitive Personal Data or Information as defined under Rule 3 of the IT Rules, 2011 is not intentionally collected through this Website. Where such information is shared in the context of legal representation, it shall be governed by advocate-client privilege under the Advocates Act, 1961 and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023. Advocates are advised not to include sensitive personal data in their bio or registration fields.

5. Purpose of Data Processing

Under Section 6 of the DPDP Act, 2023, personal data may be processed only for a specified, clear, and lawful purpose for which consent has been given or another lawful basis exists.

6. Legal Basis for Processing

• Consent under Section 6 of the DPDP Act: Voluntary submission of the Advocate Registration Form, with a consent checkbox linking to this Privacy Policy, constitutes free, specific, informed, unconditional, and unambiguous consent to the collection, storage, administrative review, and (upon verification) public display of the data provided. Similarly, submission of a visitor contact request constitutes consent to that data being transmitted to the relevant advocate.
• Legitimate Uses under Section 7 of the DPDP Act: Processing necessary to provide requested services, comply with legal obligations, or perform functions required by Indian law.
• Legal Obligation: Processing required to comply with orders of courts, tribunals, or statutory authorities.
• Advocate-Client Relationship: Data shared in legal consultation is additionally protected by professional privilege under applicable Indian law.

Both the Advocate Registration Form and the visitor Contact Form on the Platform include a consent checkbox or acknowledgement linking to this Privacy Policy. Submission of either form without checking the consent box is not permitted.

7. Cookies, Local Storage, and Tracking Technologies

We follow a minimal-tracking approach and do not use cookies for advertising, behavioural profiling, or retargeting.

You may configure your browser to refuse cookies or clear localStorage at any time through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect certain Website features such as session management. Blocking reCAPTCHA will prevent submission of the Advocate Registration Form.

8. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, lease, or trade personal data to any third party for commercial purposes. Data is shared only in the following specific and limited circumstances.

8.1 Sharing Visitor Contact Data with Advocates

When a visitor submits a contact request to an advocate listed on the Platform, the visitor’s name, email address, and description of their legal matter are transmitted to that advocate. This is the primary purpose for which the contact form data is collected, and the visitor consents to this sharing at the time of form submission. For standard verified advocates, only the visitor’s contact request is forwarded. For advocates verified with a premium subscription, the advocate’s own contact details (mobile number and email) are additionally shown to the visitor at the time of form submission.

8.2 Third-Party Service Processors

The following third-party service providers process data strictly on our instructions as data processors, under applicable data protection obligations:

Google LLC’s processing (reCAPTCHA and Fonts) involves cross-border transfer of data to servers outside India. By using this Website, you acknowledge and consent to such transfer strictly to the extent necessary for the above-stated purposes.

8.3 Legal Compulsion

Data may be disclosed when required by law, court order, summons, subpoena, or direction of a competent authority under Indian law.

8.4 Protection of Rights

Where necessary to assert, exercise, or defend legal claims, or protect rights, property, or safety, data may be disclosed to the extent strictly necessary.

8.5 Cross-Border Data Transfers

Except for the limited Google LLC processing described in §8.2 above, we do not ordinarily transfer personal data outside India. Any further cross-border transfer shall comply with conditions notified under Section 16 of the DPDP Act, 2023.

9. Advocate Directory and Public Listing

NearMeAdvocate.com operates a publicly accessible advocate directory. The following provisions specifically govern the processing of advocate personal data in connection with the directory.

9.1 Consent to Public Listing

By submitting the Advocate Registration Form and checking the consent checkbox, an advocate expressly consents to the following upon verification by the Platform administrator:

• Their name, profile photograph, year of enrolment (displayed as years of experience), professional bio, areas of practice, languages known, and city and state of practice being publicly displayed on the Platform.
• Their listing appearing in search results on the Platform’s “Find Advocates” page.
• Their profile receiving star ratings from visitors who have submitted a contact request.

9.2 Admin Verification

All registration submissions are reviewed by the Platform administrator before any public listing. The administrator may verify, verify with subscription, edit (with advocate consent), reject, or cancel a listing. Rejected submissions are returned to a pending queue; the advocate may be notified by email. The Platform administrator determines subscription tier status manually; no automated payment processing occurs through the Platform at this time.

9.3 Contact Details Visibility

• Standard Verified Advocates: Email address and mobile number are never displayed to visitors. Visitors may only send a message; the advocate contacts the visitor directly.
• Advocates Verified with Subscription: Upon a visitor submitting a contact request, the advocate’s email address and mobile number are disclosed to that visitor to facilitate direct contact.

9.4 Experience Auto-Calculation

The “Years of Experience” displayed on an advocate’s profile is automatically recalculated daily based on the year of enrolment provided at registration and the current calendar year. Advocates are responsible for providing an accurate year of enrolment.

9.5 Withdrawal of Consent / Delisting

An advocate may request removal of their profile from the public directory at any time by writing to privacy@nearmeadvocate.com with the subject “Delisting Request — [Form Number]”. Upon verification of identity, the profile will be delisted within 7 working days. Historical contact records associated with the advocate may be retained for the period specified in §10 (Data Retention).

10. Data Retention

We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, subject to applicable legal retention requirements.

11. Rights of the Data Principal

Under Chapter III of the DPDP Act, 2023, every Data Principal has rights which we are committed to honouring.

How to exercise your rights: Submit a written request to privacy@nearmeadvocate.com with the subject line “Data Principal Rights Request”. We shall acknowledge your request within 72 hours and ordinarily provide a substantive response within 30 days.

12. Security Measures

11.1 Technical Safeguards

• SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission through HTTPS.
• Secure server infrastructure with access controls and authentication.
• Regular vulnerability assessments and security audits.
• Firewall protection and intrusion detection systems.
• Secure disposal or deletion of data upon expiry of retention periods.

11.2 Organisational Safeguards

• Principle of least privilege for access to personal data.
• Confidentiality obligations on personnel and service providers.
• Data breach response protocol in compliance with CERT-In directions.
• Regular review of this Privacy Policy to reflect legal and operational changes.

Data breach notification: In the event of a personal data breach likely to result in harm, we shall notify the Data Protection Board of India and affected individuals in accordance with applicable law.

13. Children’s Data

Our Website is not directed at children below the age of 18 years. In accordance with Section 9 of the DPDP Act, 2023, we shall not process the personal data of a child without verifiable consent of the parent or lawful guardian. If we become aware that personal data of a child has been collected without appropriate consent, we shall promptly delete such data.

14. Advocate-Client Privilege

All communications made in the context of seeking or receiving legal advice from the Advocate operating this Website are protected by advocate-client privilege under the Advocates Act, 1961 and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023.

• The privilege is owned by the client and cannot be waived by the Advocate.
• It covers oral and written communications made for obtaining legal advice.
• It persists beyond termination of the professional relationship.
• It is subject to narrow statutory exceptions, such as communications in furtherance of a crime.

This privilege operates independently of and in addition to the statutory data protection regime, providing a dual layer of protection for client communications.

15. Grievance Redressal

In accordance with applicable IT Rules and Section 13 of the DPDP Act, 2023, a Grievance Officer is designated to handle complaints relating to the processing of personal data on this Platform.

If your grievance is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may escalate the matter to the Data Protection Board of India as established under the DPDP Act, 2023.

Advocates seeking delisting: Email grievance@nearmeadvocate.com with subject “Delisting Request — [Your SK- Form Number]” along with your registered email address for identity verification.

16. Amendments to this Policy

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy in accordance with changes in law, judicial pronouncements, or operational practices. Material amendments may be notified by:

• Posting the revised Policy on this page with an updated Last Modified date.
• Email notification to registered users, where applicable and reasonably practicable.

Continued use of the Website after the effective date of any amendment constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.

17. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

This Privacy Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of India. Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to this Privacy Policy shall be:

• First attempted to be resolved through good-faith negotiation and the Grievance Redressal mechanism described above.
• Thereafter, if unresolved and within its jurisdiction, referred to the Data Protection Board of India.
• For other disputes, subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts at Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.

Nothing limits a Data Principal’s right to approach the Data Protection Board of India or any court of competent jurisdiction under the Constitution of India.

18. Contact Us

For questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or data processing practices, contact:

This Privacy Policy has been prepared in compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, the Information Technology Act, 2000, and applicable Indian laws and regulations. It was last reviewed and updated on 28 May 2026 (Version 1.1) to reflect the Platform’s advocate directory operations, Google reCAPTCHA usage, visitor-to-advocate data sharing, and browser localStorage practices.