Privacy Policy

At Gorikaya Chechevitsa, we are committed to protecting your privacy and personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website, use our services, or interact with us. We comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy legislation.

1. Information We Collect

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us and information that is automatically collected when you use our website.

1.1 Personal Information You Provide

We may collect the following types of personal information when you:

• Contact us for legal services: Name, email address, phone number, mailing address, and details about your legal matter
• Subscribe to our newsletter: Email address and any additional information you choose to provide
• Submit inquiries through our website: Name, email address, subject matter, and message content
• Engage our legal services: Detailed personal and business information necessary to provide legal representation
• Make payments: Billing information, payment method details (processed securely through third-party payment processors)

1.2 Information Automatically Collected

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

• Technical information: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, referral URLs
• Usage information: Pages visited, time spent on pages, click-through rates, and other website analytics
• Device information: Device type, screen resolution, and other device characteristics
• Cookies and tracking technologies: Information collected through cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

2.1 Legal Services

• Providing legal consultation and representation
• Communicating with you about your legal matters
• Preparing legal documents and correspondence
• Managing client files and case records
• Billing and payment processing
• Complying with professional and legal obligations

2.2 Website and Communication

• Responding to your inquiries and providing customer support
• Sending newsletters and legal updates (with your consent)
• Improving our website functionality and user experience
• Analyzing website usage patterns and trends
• Preventing fraud and ensuring website security

2.3 Business Operations

• Managing our client relationships
• Conducting quality assurance and training
• Maintaining business records and compliance
• Developing and improving our services

3. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: When you have given explicit consent for specific purposes, such as newsletter subscriptions
• Contractual necessity: When processing is necessary to fulfill our legal services contract with you
• Legal obligations: When required by law, professional rules, or court orders
• Legitimate interests: For business operations, security, and improving our services, where not overridden by your privacy interests

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

4.1 Professional Service Providers

• Legal professionals: Other lawyers, paralegals, or experts involved in your legal matter
• Court systems: When required for legal proceedings or court filings
• Professional regulators: As required by Law Society rules and professional obligations

4.2 Service Providers

• Technology providers: Hosting, email, and software service providers bound by confidentiality agreements
• Payment processors: Secure third-party payment processing services
• Professional services: Accountants, consultants, and other professional service providers

4.3 Legal Requirements

• When required by law, court order, or legal process
• To protect our legal rights and interests
• To prevent fraud or investigate suspected illegal activities
• With your explicit consent for specific purposes

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction:

5.1 Technical Safeguards

• Encryption: SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission and storage encryption for sensitive data
• Access controls: Multi-factor authentication and role-based access restrictions
• Network security: Firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and regular security monitoring
• Regular updates: Timely security patches and software updates

5.2 Organizational Safeguards

• Staff training: Regular privacy and security training for all personnel
• Access limitations: Need-to-know basis for accessing personal information
• Confidentiality agreements: All staff and service providers bound by confidentiality obligations
• Incident response: Procedures for responding to security breaches

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or as required by law:

• Client files: Retained in accordance with Law Society requirements and professional standards
• Financial records: Retained for tax and accounting purposes as required by law
• Marketing communications: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion
• Website analytics: Aggregated and anonymized data may be retained indefinitely

7. Your Privacy Rights

Under Canadian privacy law, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

7.1 Access Rights

• Request access to your personal information we hold
• Receive information about how your personal information is being used
• Obtain copies of your personal information in a readable format

7.2 Correction Rights

• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information
• Update your contact information and preferences

7.3 Withdrawal of Consent

• Withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time
• Unsubscribe from newsletters and promotional emails
• Opt out of non-essential cookies and tracking

7.4 Complaints

• File complaints about our privacy practices
• Contact the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if unsatisfied with our response

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and analyze website usage. For detailed information about our cookie practices, please see our Cookie Policy.

8.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential cookies: Necessary for website functionality and security
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website
• Marketing cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements and measure campaign effectiveness

8.2 Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through our cookie banner when you first visit our website or by adjusting your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

9. International Data Transfers

Your personal information is primarily stored and processed in Canada. If we transfer personal information outside of Canada, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place:

• Transfers only to countries with adequate privacy protection
• Contractual safeguards requiring equivalent privacy protection
• Your explicit consent for transfers where required
• Compliance with applicable cross-border privacy requirements

10. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal requirements. We will:

• Post the updated Privacy Policy on our website
• Indicate the effective date of changes
• Notify you of material changes by email or website notice
• Obtain consent for changes that materially affect how we use your personal information

12. Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

13. Privacy Commissioner Contact Information

If you are not satisfied with our response to your privacy concerns, you may contact the Privacy Commissioner of Canada:

14. Lawyer-Client Privilege

Please note that communications between lawyers and clients are protected by solicitor-client privilege. This privilege may affect how we handle requests for access to or disclosure of personal information in legal files. We will advise you of any privilege considerations that may apply to your privacy requests.

This Privacy Policy is effective as of January 1, 2025, and supersedes all previous versions.