INTRODUCTION
Protecting privacy is a concern for everyone. Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin (“Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin” or “we”) is committed to keeping our clients’ information confidential, consistent with our obligations as professionals. This commitment extends to personal information of our clients and other individuals (“you”). This Privacy Policy has been designed to assist you in understanding the type of information we collect, how we use that information and the safeguards we have in place to protect that information and your privacy.
COLLECTION, USE AND DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
Personal information is any information about an identifiable individual or that permits an individual to be identified. Personal information does not include your name, business address and business contact information, such as your business title, email address or phone number, which you provide to us for business purposes. Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin generally collects personal information that you voluntarily provide, but we may collect information from third parties and as agents on behalf of our clients where we or they have obtained the requisite consent, or as otherwise permitted or required by law.
We will obtain your consent prior to collecting, using or disclosing personal information for any purpose, except where otherwise permitted or required by law. Consent may be provided orally or in writing or may be implied, such as where you continue to provide personal information to us in the context of our ongoing relationship, or where you provide members of Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin with non-business contact information in connection with our service offerings. This includes providing personal information to Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin in the course of our representing you in litigation matters, which may subsequently require disclosure as part of the litigation proceedings. By providing personal information to Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin, you consent to our collection, use and disclosure of such personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and as permitted or required by law. To the extent that you provide personal information of another individual to Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin, you represent that you have the necessary consent or authority to permit us to collect, use and disclose such personal information for the purposes set out in this Policy.
Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin collects, uses and discloses personal information primarily to provide advice and legal and other services to clients and prospective clients, for administrative and relationship management purposes (including to develop and manage our knowledge management systems, and to market and deliver Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin services) and as otherwise permitted or required by law. We may from time to time use third party service providers to perform certain functions for us, such as office services and data processing. In these circumstances, such third party service providers are contractually bound to safeguard the personal information transferred to them with measures comparable to that provided by us and described in this Policy and not to retain, use or disclose personal information transferred to them for any purpose other than the provision of services to Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin. Personal information supplied to Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin is confidential and we do not distribute such information to any third party except with your actual or implied consent or as permitted or required by law. Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin does not sell personal information.
Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin only keeps personal information as long as it is required for the reasons it was collected or to comply with law or professional standards. We have procedures dealing with the destruction or deletion of personal information no longer required for the purposes for which it was collected.
SECURITY
Your personal information is treated as private, confidential information by Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin and we strive to ensure that your personal information, regardless of format, is protected and kept secure at all times. Most methods of communication are not fully secure and security measures may create challenges to the efficient exchange of information. Email is often our preferred method of communication and unless you object we may use unencrypted plain text emails when communicating with you.
OUR WEBSITE
The only information we collect through our website is the information voluntarily supplied by you if you contact Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin through the website. This information is typically restricted to your name and e-mail address. We do not employ any electronic means to automatically collect personal information from any visitor or user of our site or from their computers. Our website contains links to other websites which may collect your personal information. Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin does not assume any responsibility for the privacy practices, policies or actions of the third parties operating these websites. You should read the privacy policies of these websites and make an informed decision whether or not to provide your personal information to the websites’ operators.
ACCESSING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
In providing any personal information to Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin, whether through the website or otherwise, you consent to the collection, use or disclosure of that information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. You have the right to verify and amend your personal information collected by us. You are also free at all times to withdraw your consent to such collection, use and disclosure of your personal information. You have rights to access your personal information. These rights are not absolute; however if we deny your request for access, we will provide reasons for doing so. If you wish to access, verify and/or amend your personal information or make a complaint under this Privacy Policy, please send us a written notice.
Privacy Officer
Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin
30 St. Patrick Street, Suite 1100
Toronto, Ontario M5T 3A3
Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin reserves the right to modify or amend this Privacy Policy from time to time.
DISCLAIMER:
Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin provides the information on this website for general information purposes only. It is neither intended as, nor should be considered, legal advice of any kind and may not be used for professional or commercial purposes. Neither the use of any such information, nor the transmission of materials or information to Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin by e-mail or otherwise, will establish any lawyer-client, contractual or other relationship between Thompson, Tooze, McLean and Elkin and the user or sender.
