Privacy Policy

Statement of Privacy

GSS Law Firm recognize the importance of client privacy and the sensitivity of the personal information that we may have concerning any individual. As practicing lawyers we have a professional and ethical obligation to keep confidential all information we receive within a lawyer-client relationship subject to the client’s instructions to provide legal services. Further, we are committed to protecting any personal information we hold. This Statement of Privacy outlines how GSS Law Firm manages your personal information and safeguard your privacy.

Your Privacy Rights

GSS Law Firm manages your Personal Information in compliance with Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). By using GSS Law Firm website, you consent to the data practices described in this statement.

Why GSS Law Firm need your Personal Information?

GSS Law Firm provides legal services to a wide range of clients. Unfortunately, we can only provide such services if you provide Personal Information to us.

What Personal Information do we collect?

"Personal Information" means information about the identity of an individual such as age, name, ID numbers, income, ethnic origin, blood type, credit card information, loan records, medical records, employment records, opinions, disciplinary records, or any other information of such nature.

In Alberta business contact information such as your office address, job title, business phone number, email address, fax number or other related business contact information is not considered personal information. We follow reasonable and prudent business practices to collect, use and disclose your personal information for the purposes of providing you with legal services.

We only collect that information which is necessary in your particular case to provide you with legal services that you have requested. We will identify and inform you why we need particular personal information from you.

How do we collect personal information?

We collect Personal Information, to the extent possible, at the time you retain our services. Further information will be gathered from you whenever required during the course of your representation. However, collection of personal information from other sources, such as medical professionals or financial institutions, is also expected. In that case we will obtain your written consent.

Please keep in mind that your computer information may also be collected when you interact with us through our website or third party service provider. Such information can include: your IP address, browser type, domain names, access times and referring web site addresses.

CONSENT

When an individual retains GSS Law Firm for legal services, we consider that an individual consents to our collection, use or disclosure of the individual's personal information, and further agree that it is necessary to properly advise and represent the individual.  In most cases, we will ask for your consent if we collect, use or disclose your personal information. You can give your consent in writing or verbally. Such consent may be given in person or over the telephone if your identity is authenticated. However, consent may be implied if we receive information directly from you.

We will disclose your Personal Information without your consent under the following circumstances:

• If required or authorised by law such as in a case of court subpoena.
• In case of threat to life, health or security of any individual or the public.
• If it is necessary to establish or collect our fees.
• When your information is already in public domain.

If required to provide your Personal Information to a third party incidental to legal services we are providing to you, for example, to lender in your real estate transaction. In such cases consent is implied unless you have communicated to us otherwise.

Also, when we engage expert witnesses or other lawyers from different law firms on your behalf, you consent to sharing of your personal information with them.

You agree that any personal information which you provided to GSS Law Firm on your or another individuals behalf, from whom you confirm having authority, is in accordance with our privacy policy regarding our collection, use, and disclosure of such personal information.

Accuracy of Your Information

It is very important for us and you as well that we have an accurate information about you on your file for the purposes of providing legal services to you and to maintain contact with you. Always provide us with an up-to-date personal and business information. In the course of the retainer if there is change in any of your information, promptly notify us so we can make necessary changes on your file.

How do we protect your personal information?

GSS Law Firm takes all reasonable steps to protect your personal information from loss, theft, damage or unauthorised access through providing secure premises and by maintaining technological safeguards. However, please note that there exists no method which can provide complete security to exchange of information via email, mail, fax and telephone calls. All transmissions over the internet are susceptible to loss, interception, misrouting and misuse.

Access to your personal information

To access your personal information that we have on file, you shall make a written request to GSS Law Firm. We will respond to your request within 30 days of its receipt. If additional time is required we will request it. We will charge a reasonable fee for retrieval and copying of your personal information. We will notify you of the fee prior to retrieval and copying in case the retrieval and copying of your information is an extensive work.

Can I be Denied Access to My Personal Information?

There are exceptions to your right to access your personal information. We must deny access under the following circumstances:

• If your file contains personal information on a third party and the information cannot be severed to maintain the privacy of the third party information;
• If required or authorized by law, for example, when a record containing personal information about you is subject to a claim of legal professional privilege by one of our clients;
• where the request is frivolous or vexatious
• your information relates to existing or anticipated legal proceedings against you, including unpaid bills to the law firm;
• if the disclosure could threaten someone’s safety or health other than the one who made the request;
• where withholding of the information is not unreasonable;

If we deny your request for access to, or refuse a request to correct, information, we shall explain why. In all such cases we will attempt to mediate a resolution if possible.

Communications by Email or Internet fax to email

E-mail and Internet fax to email are commonly used means of communication, however, they are not a secure and confidential method of communicating your confidential and personal information with us.

You must communicate with us and provide clear instructions if you wish that we must not receive or send information through E-mail or Internet fax to email in your case.

Security of Personal Information

We always strive to protect the confidential information of our clients. For internet, email accounts and internet fax services, we rely on service providers which ensures us that information transmitted via internet is usually protected through the use of encryption. We secure your personal information on a server placed in a reasonably secure environment.

Changes to this Privacy Statement

We may review and change our Privacy Statement from time to time in order to update our privacy commitment to you in keeping up with current privacy laws.

Website

Our website contains hyperlinks to other sites, which may have different privacy policy. We may monitor patterns, site usage, traffic and other related information on our website. Such information help us improving our web services. We may provide statistically combined information to third parties, BUT such information will not include any identifiable personal information.

Contacting or Communicating with Us

When you provide us with your email address for the purposes of seeking legal services from us, it is understood and agreed that you have consented to be contacted by email.

If you have any questions to our policies concerning the handling of your personal information, or if you wish to request access to, or correction of, your personal information under our care and control, please contact our Privacy Officer.

If you are dissatisfied with our handling of your personal information, we invite you to contact our Privacy Officer in writing, setting out the reasons for your concern. We will use commercially reasonable efforts to promptly determine and remedy the problem. If you remain dissatisfied after our Privacy Officer has reviewed and responded to your concern, you may wish to contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner at:

410, 9925-109 Street
Edmonton, AB T5K 2J8
Telephone (780) 422- 6860 or Fax (780) 422-5682