Privacy Policy
Ghahhary Thomas LLP (“the Firm”) are committed to the proper management and maintenance of the accuracy, security and privacy of Personal Information in accordance with applicable legislation. This Privacy Policy is a statement of principles and guidelines concerning the protection of Personal Information of our clients, service providers and other individuals (“you”).
In providing legal services to you, the Firm is required to maintain the confidentiality of information that is received as part of the lawyer-client relationship.
Collection of Personal Information
Personal Information means information about you as an individual or that can be used to identify you as an individual. Personal Information includes a home address or telephone number however, it does not include business contact information such as a name, position, title, business address, business telephone number or certain information which is publicly available.
The Firm may collect personal information when you use the Website or communicate with us by email or in writing, including but not limited to your name, home address, personal email address, personal telephone number, billing and account information, and information about your legal issue including information which is incidental to your legal issue and the provision of legal services.
We may also collect information about prospective, current or former employees, contractors and partners that is reasonably required to establish, manage, or terminate an employment, contractual or partnership relationship.
Use of Personal Information
The Firm may use your personal information to:
- Establish and manage client relationships and accounts.
- Respond to inquiries and communications.
- Provide legal and related services (subject to engagement agreements).
- Bill for legal or other services and engage in financial transactions.
- Provide information on matters of interest such as Firm updates, legal developments or events.
- For purposes other than legal services that you have engaged us on.
- Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
- Improve Website functionality and user experience.
- Protect the security and integrity of the Firm’s Website and IT systems.
- Protect, develop or improve our business and operations.
- Market, sell, develop or enhance the Firm’s products or services.
- Consider whether the Firm should establish a commercial relationship with clients, suppliers and other third parties, including to evaluate credit standing and to match credit bureau or credit reporting agency information.
- For any other purpose to which you consent.
- The Firm may also obtain personal information about you from third parties for the purposes of providing legal and related services for example insurance companies, a witness, opposing counsel or other legal personnel, experts, or government agency.
Disclosure of Personal Information
The Firm may disclose your Personal Information:
- If we are required or authorized by law to do so for example, in compliance with a court order.
- If the provision of legal or other services to you, require us to provide your information to a third party.
- To service providers, including an organization or individual engaged by the Firm to perform functions on its behalf, such as marketing, data processing, document management, legal or office services.
- To expert or professional third parties when it is necessary to do so to provide legal services to you for example, an expert, consultant, agent or another law firm on the client’s behalf in a matter.
- To an organization or individual engaged by the Firm to evaluate your creditworthiness or to collect debts outstanding on an account.
- To a financial institution in connection with the assignment of a right to receive payment, the provision of security or other financing arrangements.
- To anyone who we reasonably believe is your agent.
- To our insurers and to regulatory agencies in connection with regulatory or other activities relating to the obligations of the Firm and its practice of the profession of law.
- To personnel in the Firm, government authorities, insurers, benefits providers, consultants or agents as reasonably required to establish, manage or terminate employment, contractual and partnership relationships.
- Any third party where you consent to such disclosure.
Consent
Your consent to the collection and use of your personal information will be implied when we obtain information which is necessary to provide legal or other services to you. The collection and use of your Personal Information will be subject to the terms of this Privacy Policy. You must specifically advise us in writing if you do not agree to be bound by the terms of this Privacy Policy. You may refuse to provide your consent to the collection, use or disclosure of your personal information either completely or for specific purposes. You may also, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice, withdraw consent at any time to the continued use and disclosure of personal information previously collected.
Refusal to agree to be bound by the terms of this Privacy Policy or withdrawal of your consent may prevent the Firm from being able to act for you if the Personal Information required is necessary to provide you with legal or other services that you have engaged us on.
If you provide us with the personal information of another individual, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to do so, including where applicable that you have obtained the necessary consent of the other person for us to collect, use and/or disclose their personal information.
Cookies & Other Website Technologies
Certain information may be collected about your browsing activities and devices when you access this Website.
This Website may use cookies and similar technologies to enhance user experience, analyze Website traffic, and improve services. Cookies also allow the Firm to remember user preferences and provide customized content.
In addition to the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, we may use website information and share it with other organizations with whom we have a commercial relationship to measure the use of our website, to improve the functionality and content of the website and to facilitate usage by a visitor
You may adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies however, this may affect your ability to use some features of the Website.
This Website may contain links to other websites, including to videoconference platforms for our live online webinars. Visitors to this Website are advised that other third-party websites may have different privacy policies and practices and the Firm has no responsibility for third party websites.
Retention and Protecting your Personal Information
We will retain information, including Personal Information, for as long as it is needed for the purposes for which it was collected or for as long as it is required or permitted by law, or professional requirements. When no longer needed, Personal Information will be securely deleted, destroyed or anonymized.
We take all reasonable precautions to ensure that your personal information is kept safe from loss or theft, unauthorized access, use, deletion, copying, modification, transfer or disclosure. This includes premises security and technological safeguards such as firewalls to prevent unauthorized access to our computer data base and restricted use passwords.
Although we take all reasonable steps necessary to ensure the protection of your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy, we are unable to prevent, and assume no liability for, any damages suffered by you in the event your personal information is intercepted, copied, or otherwise made public while being transferred or exchanged in any form of physical delivery or electronic communication.
Your personal information may be shared, stored or accessed in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Economic Area and other jurisdictions or countries. Your information may be disclosed in response to valid demands or requests from governments, regulators, courts and law enforcement authorities in those jurisdictions or countries.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
The Firm may update, modify or supplement this Privacy Policy at any time. The updated policy will be posted on this Website and we will make revised policies available upon request to the Firm.
Accessing and Updating Your Information
You have the right to access, correct, or request the deletion of your personal information, subject to applicable laws. To exercise these rights or to make any other privacy related request, please contact us in writing at:
Ghahhary Thomas LLP
320 Bay St, Suite 101
Toronto, ON M5H 4A6
Requests will be processed in accordance with applicable privacy legislation.
