This policy covers treatment of the personal information we collect from clients.
The Board of Directors, paralegals and staff of APRIORI Legal Services Professional Corporation recognize and respect their clients’ personal information and endeavor to safeguard that information from unauthorized use, retention, or disclosure to third parties.
The protection of our clients’ personal information is covered by the Law Society of Upper Canada’s Rules of Conduct for Paralegals and the Privacy Policy drafted in accordance with applicable federal and provincial legislation including, but not limited to, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”).
Purposes for collecting personal information
We collect personal information for the following limited purposes:
– To satisfy the Law Society of Upper Canada’s requirements for client identification and verification
– To represent the client in accordance with the retainer agreement
– To fulfill our obligations in regard to conflict of interest
– To set up and maintain clients database for collection of legal fees and record keeping
– To advise about our services and to provide clients with customer service
– To administer our business
Using personal information
We do not sell, barter, trade or give away the personal information clients have provided to us. We will take all reasonable precautions to ensure that clients’ personal information is kept safe from loss, unauthorized access, modification or disclosure. Closed files are retained for the period prescribed by relevant federal and provincial legislation. All personal information collected but no longer required will be disposed of by shredding or electronic deletion.
Disclosure without client’s consent
APRIORI Legal Services Professional Corporation will not use client personal information for any purposes other than that consented to by the client, either by express or implied consent.
Under PIPEDA and other federal and provincial legislation, we may disclose personal information without client consent to:
- government or legal enforcement agencies if we determine that the client has provided incorrect information for fraudulent or illegal purposes;
- government or legal enforcement agencies if the information is collected in the midst of a criminal investigation;
- legal enforcement agency if we determine that there is imminent risk of death or serious bodily harm, including psychological harm, to an identifiable person or group of persons;
- disclosure to a third party individual or organization if so ordered by a Court or Tribunal of competent jurisdiction;
- defend against allegations of criminal or civil liability, or professional malpractice or misconduct, by the client or former client; and
- establish or collect our fees.
Access to personal information
Under PIPEDA and other federal and provincial legislation, an individual is entitled to access to the personal information held about them, with the following exceptions:
- the information is protected by solicitor-client privilege or litigation privilege;
- to do so would reveal confidential commercial information;
- to do so could reasonably be expected to threaten the life or security of another individual;
- the individual seeking access fails to confirm their identity and/or to satisfy us that they are the individual about whose personal information access is being sought;
- the information is a part of a criminal investigation;
- the information was generated in the course of a formal dispute resolution process; or
- such access would harm or interfere with law enforcement activities and other investigative functions of a body authorized by statute to perform such functions.
We reserve the right to refuse access that it believes is repetitious, frivolous, or vexatious. In such case, we will provide the reason for denial to the requester.
If a client wish to ask a question regarding access to their personal information held by us, or there is a concern about the manner in which we collect, use, retain, store, disclose and dispose their personal information as a client of APRIORI Legal Services Professional Corporation, please contact us.
Resources
Federal Privacy Commissioner: Chantal Bernier www.privcom.gc.ca 30 Victoria Street, Gatineau, QC, K1A 1H3, toll-free 1-800-282-1376
Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner: Ann Cavoukian http://www.ipc.on.ca 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1400 Toronto, Ontario M4W 1A8, 416-326-3333, toll-free 1-800-387-0073