Privacy Policy

Riopelle Group Professional Corporation recognizes the importance of your privacy rights. As lawyers, we have a professional obligation to maintain the confidentiality, security and accuracy of your personal information. This Privacy Policy describes how we manage your persona; information and protect your privacy.

This Privacy Police does not apply to personal information received by Riopelle Group from individuals who seek to be or are employed by Riopelle Group nor personal information received by Riopelle Group from individuals who use our website. This Privacy Policy does not address information about companies or other forms of business associations. Such information is protected by Riopelle Group practices, through contractual arrangements and by means of the rules of professional conduct that govern the legal profession.

This Privacy Policy applies only to Riopelle Group’s activities that are subject to the provisions of Canada’s federal and provincial privacy legislation, including, where applicable, the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.

Privacy Rights

As of January 1, 2004, all businesses engaged in commercial activities must comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, (the “Act”) and the Canadian Standards Association Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information, which it incorporates. These obligations extend to lawyers and law firms, including Riopelle Group. The Act gives you rights pertaining to the privacy of your personal information.

The Act makes Riopelle Group responsible for the personal information we collect and hold. To ensure this accountability, we have developed this policy and trained our lawyers and supports staff about our policies and practices.

What is Personal Information?

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, “personal information” means information about an identifiable individual. This does not include the name, title, business address or telephone number of an employee of an organization when used for business communications.

What Personal Information Do We Collect?

We collect and maintain different types of personal information about individuals with whom we interact. This Includes:

• Contact and identification information, such as name, address, telephone number, facsimile number and e-mail address;
• Product and service related information, including legal services provided by Riopelle Group;
• Credit and financial information such as billing and credit history or payment history;
• Customer and business information of a general nature

In some cases, we may be required by applicable law or regulation, or by the rules of professional conduct that govern the legal profession, to collect information about you without your knowledge or consent.

Why Do We Collect Personal Information?

Riopelle Group collects personal information to allow us to manage and develop our business and operations, including:

• Establishing (including conducting conflicts verifications), managing and terminating relations with you;
• Reviewing the products and services that we provide to you or obtain from you;
• Informing you of our services other than those that you have specifically requested, including sending you information promoting other services;
• Complying with your requests;
• Protecting against error and proving security for property and persons;
• Enabling us to comply with applicable law or regulatory requirements; and
• Any other reasonable purpose to which you consent.

When Do We Use or Disclose Personal Information?

Your personal information may be used or disclosed, for example;
For the purposes described in this Privacy Policy;

• Where required by applicable law or regulation or by rules of conduct that govern the legal profession;
• To comply with valid legal processes such as search warrants, subpoenas or court orders;
• To conduct conflict verifications in respect of possible new hires;
• During emergency situations or where necessary to protect the safety of a person or group of persons;
• Where the information is public personal information;
To employees, contractors, consultants and other parties who require the information to assist us to establish, maintain and manage our relationship with you, including, for example, third parties that provide services to us or on our behalf or third parties that collaborate with Riopelle Group in the provision of services to you;
• With your consent;
• Without your knowledge or consent where we are required by applicable law, regulation, or by the rules of professional conduct governing the legal profession.

Consent

We may collect, use or disclose your personal information where we have your consent to do so or as provided in this Privacy Policy. Depending on the sensitivity of the personal information, your consent may be express or implied. Express consent can be given orally, electronically or in writing.

Implied consent is consent that can reasonably be inferred from your action or inaction. For example, when you accept our services, we will assume your consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information for purposes related to your acceptance and use of those services or for other purposes identified to you at the relevant time.

Typically, we will seek your consent at the time that we collect the personal information. In some circumstances, your consent may be obtained after collection but prior to our use or disclosure of your persona; information.

We assume, unless you advise us otherwise, that having received a copy of this Privacy Policy and by continuing to deal with us, you have consented to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information as explained in this Privacy Policy.

Your may change or withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice, by contracting our Privacy Officer using the contract information set out below.

Protecting Personal Information

Riopelle Group will make every effort to protect personal information using methods that are appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.

Updating Personal Information

It is important that the personal information Riopelle Group Holds about you is accurate and current. We ask that you keep us informed of any changes to your personal information.

Accessing Your Personal Information

You can ask to see the personal information that we hold about you. If you want to review, verify or correct your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer using the contact information set out below. Please note that any such communications must be in writing.

When requesting access, we may require specific information from you to confirm your identity and right to access, as well as to search for, and provide you with, the personal information that we hold about you. We may charge you a fee to access your personal information; but we will advise you of any fee in advance. If you need help in preparing your request, please contact our Privacy Officer.

Riopelle Group may not be able to provide you with access to your personal information, where such refusal is permitted or required by applicable law, regulation or rules of professional conduct. Subject to any legal, regulatory or rules of professional conduct restrictions, Riopelle Group will inform you of the reasons why access has been denied.

Communicating with us

You should be aware that e-mail is not a 100% secure medium, and keep this in mind when you are requesting that we send personal or confidential information.

Can a Client Request Anonymity?

The Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act and our Rules of Professional conduct may require us to disclose information to the Financial Transactions Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) with respect to certain large cash transactions.

Contacting Us

To get more information about this Privacy Policy, or to change or withdraw your consent under this Privacy Policy, you may contact us at:

202-85 Pine Street South
Timmins, Ontario
P4N 2K1
(705) 264-9591
Attention: Privacy Officer

Revisions to this Privacy Policy

Riopelle Group may from time to time make changes to this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in legal or regulatory obligations or changes in the manner in which we deal with personal information. We will post any revised version of this Privacy Policy on our website. Any changes to this Privacy Policy will be effective from the time they are posted, provided that any change that relates to our collection, use or disclosure of your personal information will not apply to you unless you consent to that change.