At Chaitons LLP, we pride ourselves on maintaining the highest standards in all of our client relationships. That commitment extends to the manner by which we collect, use and maintain Personal Information provided to us by you. While we have certain obligations under applicable legislation and professional standards, our greatest obligation comes from the trust and integrity that we have fostered with clients over many years.

This Policy Statement is meant to affirm our commitment to you and to provide information to clients, prospective clients and others regarding the principles and guidelines in place at Chaitons designed to protect information provided by clients, service providers, agents and others.

Your Privacy Rights

All businesses engaged in commercial activities, including law firms, are required to comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and other privacy legislation and guidelines. Chaitons is therefore responsible for the information we collect and hold.

What is Personal Information?

Personal Information is defined by privacy legislation and, broadly speaking, is any information about an identifiable individual or information that allows an individual to be identified. This usually does not include your name, business title, business address, business telephone or fax number, business e-mail address or information generally available through public sources. However, in order for Chaitons to carry out legal services on your behalf and for marketing purposes, from time to time we need to collect, use and disclose other information about you. Depending on the services provided, this information might include your name, age, mailing address, residential phone numbers or e-mail address, financial, credit, tax, income and benefits information and records, past and present work and corporate experience or affiliations, personal health information and medical records, billing history and family or relationship information.

Consent and Collection, Use and Disclosure of Personal Information

In entering into a professional relationship with you, Chaitons, its service providers or agents, obtain information that may be Personal Information to you. In order to collect, use or disclose this information, we will obtain your consent, either in writing or orally, unless consent is implied or is otherwise not required by law. By submitting personal information to Chaitons or those acting on Chaitons’ behalf, you agree that we may collect, use and disclose such information in accordance with this policy and as permitted or required by law. You may refuse consent or withdraw it at a later time. However, doing so may render Chaitons unable to provide further or adequate services on your behalf.

Generally, Chaitons collects, uses and discloses Personal Information about you only for the purpose of carrying out legal services on your behalf or for which you have otherwise provided consent. We do use client contact information for marketing of our services, to provide general information to clients and others and as may otherwise be permitted by law. We do not sell Personal Information to third parties.

Typical uses or disclosure of Personal Information in the course of our practice include:

• determining whether Chaitons can or will provide services to a client;

• collecting, using and disclosing information relevant to the performance of services on your behalf;

• billing, accounting, administration, communication, file management and maintaining client relationships;

• enhancing Chaitons’ business practices;

• ensuring performance standards;

• marketing services offered by Chaitons;

• disseminating to clients and others information and publications of general interest;

• maintaining databases and precedent systems;

• protecting Chaitons against error, negligence, breach of contract, fraud, theft and other illegal activity;

• as is permitted or required by law or as you otherwise consent;

• disclosing Personal Information to agents or service providers in the course of carrying out any of the above. 

Wherever possible, we collect Personal Information from you or the individual concerned directly and always in ways permitted by law. In the course of providing services, we may be required from time to time to obtain from third parties or agents Personal Information about you. These parties might include witnesses, experts or other service providers. In doing so, we will act on your consent, direct or implied, or as otherwise allowed by law.

Disclosure to Whom?

We may from time to time, for the purposes noted above, disclose Personal Information to third party agents, service providers, firms or government agencies. In doing so, we ensure that such third parties maintain appropriate levels of confidentiality and security or agree not to disclose Personal Information other than for the purposes consented to by you.

Security

Chaitons uses physical, electronic and administrative means to ensure that Personal Information is safeguarded in a manner appropriate to the sensitivity of such information. All physical documentation is kept on site in secure premises or with certified off-site agents. Our premises are pass card protected to limit access. Client information is made available to staff only as is necessary to carry out the purposes described above. We have in place computer firewalls to protect electronic information and all computer terminals are password protected.

Website

Our website may contain links to other sites, which are not governed by this privacy policy.

On our website, like most other commercial websites, we may monitor traffic patterns, site usage and related site information in order to optimize our web service. We may also collect information that may be volunteered by visitors through online surveys or subscriptions to electronic newsletters. This information is used internally, only in aggregate form, to help manage our site and to improve its content. We may provide aggregate information to third parties, but these statistics do not include any identifiable personal information.

Inquiries

Christopher J. Staples
Chief Privacy Officer 
Chaitons LLP
5000 Yonge Street, 10th Floor,
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 7E9
Tel. (416) 218-1147
Fax (416) 218-1847
chriss@chaitons.com

Changes to this Policy

Chaitons is constantly reviewing and updating its practices. As a result, this policy is subject to change. Any amendments will be posted on our web site and made available upon request of the Chief Privacy Officer. Any changes in policy will take effect as of the date of posting.