Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy (the “Policy”) outlines how Blueridge Legal Service Inc. (“Blueridge” or “we”) manages personal information related to our clients and other individuals (“you”), excluding Blueridge’s professionals, employees, law students, and job applicants (collectively referred to as “Blueridge Members”).
If you do not agree to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Policy, please refrain from providing us with any personal information or using the (https://blueridgelaw.ca/). (“Website”).
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Personal Information: What We Collect and Why
This Policy applies to all “personal information” we collect from individuals who are not Blueridge Members. The term “personal information” includes any information about an identifiable individual or that can be used in conjunction with other information to identify an individual. Generally, personal information excludes business contact information (such as your professional title, phone number, or email address).
We may collect personal information from you when you interact with us, whether in person, by phone, email, other electronic means, or while visiting our Website.
The types of personal information we collect will depend on the nature of our relationship with you, the services we provide, and the reason for collecting the information. If you are or may become a client, we may request details such as your name, home address, occupation, contact information, tax, billing, and financial information.
We collect, use, and disclose personal information solely for the purposes outlined in this Policy, or at the time of collection, and as otherwise permitted or required by law.
The purposes for which we use this information include:
- Assessing whether we can represent you, including screening for conflicts of interest;
- Providing legal advice and services to you;
- Communicating with you about the services you’ve requested and responding to your inquiries;
- Managing client time and billing;
- Administering and managing our business;
- Complying with legal, regulatory, and professional obligations.
Instances Where We May Share Your Personal Information
As part of our professional and ethical duties, we will not disclose personal information protected by solicitor-client privilege or confidentiality unless the client has waived that privilege or we are legally required to do so.
We may share your personal information with third parties under the following circumstances:
- The legal services we provide require us to share your personal information with third parties;
- We are compelled or authorized by law to do so, such as when a court issues a subpoena;
- We hire an expert on your behalf in the context of legal proceedings;
- It is necessary to comply with regulatory or governmental requests, including those from legal oversight bodies;
- You authorize us to share your personal information with a third party for a specific purpose;
- We believe, in good faith, that the third party requesting your information is acting as your agent.
Blueridge does not sell or otherwise trade your personal information.
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Security
We treat your personal information as private and confidential and take reasonable steps to protect it. Although communication methods may not always be fully secure, we strive to ensure the safe handling of your data.
Blueridge retains personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected or to comply with legal or professional requirements.
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Consent
Before collecting, using, or disclosing your personal information for any purpose, we will obtain your consent, except where permitted or required by law. Consent may be provided verbally, in writing, or implied by your continued provision of personal information during our relationship or where you share non-business contact information for our services. By providing personal information, you consent to our collection, use, and disclosure of such information in accordance with this Policy and applicable laws. If you provide personal information about another individual, you confirm you have the necessary consent or authority to allow us to collect, use, and disclose that information as outlined in this Policy.
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Our Website
By using our Website, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as detailed in this Policy.
You can browse our Website without revealing your identity or providing personal information. However, we may collect IP addresses, page requests, and data on the time spent on our Website to better understand usage patterns.
Our Website uses “cookies,” small data files sent to your browser that may be stored on your device to help us recognize you on subsequent visits. You can configure your browser to notify you of cookies or block certain types. If you block cookies, you may not be able to access all the Website features.
We may also use third-party tools like Google Analytics to analyze Website traffic, which may involve cookies and other tracking technologies. To prevent Google from processing this data, you can download and install a browser plug-in. For more information on Google Analytics’ privacy practices, visit these links: Google Analytics Privacy and Google Analytics Support.
Our Website may contain links to third-party sites that may collect your personal information. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies before submitting any personal information.
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Accessing, Changing, or Withdrawing Your Personal Information
You have the right to: (i) verify what Personal Information Blueridge holds about you, including its accuracy and completeness; (ii) ask for your personal information to be corrected or updated; and (iii) to withdraw your consent to the use by Blueridge of your personal information and have it deleted from our records. If you wish to inquire about and verify and / or correct personal information Blueridge holds about you, or if you wish to have all your Personal Information permanently deleted from our records, please contact us using the contact information further up in this Policy. Please note that deletion of your personal information may make it impossible for you to use our services, or certain portions thereof, and Blueridge accepts no responsibility for any damages, pecuniary or otherwise, resulting therefrom. If you request deletion of your personal information, Blueridge reserves the right to retain some of your personal information for a reasonable time in order to satisfy our legal obligations or under a legal procedure of any sort.
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Updates
We may update this Policy periodically. Changes will be posted on our Website along with a notice of change. Please review this Policy regularly to stay informed of any changes.
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Contact
If you have any questions or concerns about this Policy or our handling of personal information, please contact us at info@blueridgelaw.ca.
