Privacy Policy

Our privacy practices are guided by applicable Canadian privacy legislation, including the *Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act* (Canada) (“PIPEDA”), where applicable, as well as our professional obligations as lawyers and members of the Law Society of New Brunswick.

As legal professionals, we are subject to strict duties of confidentiality. Information received in the course of a lawyer-client relationship is protected by our professional obligations and, where applicable, solicitor-client privilege.

This Privacy Policy explains how Lutz Parish Gerrish collects, uses, discloses and protects personal information relating to current, former and prospective clients and others who interact with our firm.

We collect personal information primarily to provide legal services and operate our law practice.

Depending on the circumstances, we may collect personal information to:

– assess whether we can accept a new matter, including conducting conflict checks;
– establish and manage lawyer-client relationships;
– provide legal advice and representation;
– communicate with clients and others involved in a matter;
– verify identity and comply with professional and regulatory requirements;
– prepare, complete and file legal documents;
– complete legal transactions and proceedings;
– issue accounts and process payments;
– manage accounts receivable and collections;
– maintain business, financial and client records;
– respond to inquiries submitted through our website or intake forms;
– manage and improve our operations and services; and
– meet legal, regulatory, insurance and professional obligations.

We limit the collection of personal information to information reasonably required for an identified purpose.

Where practical, we collect personal information directly from you.

We may collect information when you contact one of our offices, communicate with a lawyer or staff member, retain our firm, complete an intake form, submit information through our website, provide records or documents, attend a meeting or consultation, make a payment, or otherwise interact with our firm.

Depending on the legal matter, we may also receive information from other sources, including:

– government departments, agencies and registries;
– courts and tribunals;
– other lawyers or law firms;
– accountants and other professional advisors;
– real estate agents and brokers;
– financial institutions and lenders;
– insurance companies;
– employers;
– medical or other service providers;
– witnesses and other parties to a legal matter;
– credit reporting agencies; and
– other individuals or organizations authorized or legally permitted to provide the information.

We may use personal information to provide legal services, manage client files, conduct conflict and identification checks, communicate with clients and others involved in a matter, complete transactions and proceedings, process billing and payments, maintain records, collect outstanding accounts, administer our offices and operations, improve our services, respond to inquiries and meet our professional, regulatory and legal obligations.

We will not use personal information for an unrelated purpose unless we obtain consent where required or the use is otherwise permitted or required by law.

We do not sell personal information.

We may disclose personal information where necessary to provide legal services, operate our practice, comply with our professional obligations or where disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

Depending on the matter, information may be disclosed to courts, tribunals, government authorities, opposing parties and their legal representatives, lenders, financial institutions, real estate professionals, accountants, appraisers, experts, consultants, process servers, investigators, other lawyers or law firms, insurers, technology providers, payment processors and other persons or organizations necessary to carry out your instructions or provide legal services.

Where we engage third-party service providers, we take reasonable steps to ensure personal information is appropriately protected.

Where consent is required, it may be express or implied depending on the circumstances, sensitivity of the information and purpose for which it is being collected, used or disclosed.

You may withdraw consent in appropriate circumstances by contacting us. Withdrawal of consent may be subject to legal, regulatory, professional or contractual restrictions and may affect our ability to continue providing certain services.

Personal information may also be collected, used or disclosed without consent where permitted or required by law.

Lutz Parish Gerrish uses administrative, physical and technological safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity and nature of the personal information in our possession.

These may include controlled access to offices and records, restricted access to client files and electronic systems, passwords and access controls, security software, secure document storage and disposal procedures, confidentiality requirements and internal policies and procedures.

No method of electronic communication or storage is completely secure. In particular, ordinary email may not provide complete security or confidentiality.

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected and to satisfy legal, professional, regulatory, insurance and business requirements.

Client files and related records may be retained after a matter has concluded in accordance with our file-retention practices and professional obligations.

We also take reasonable steps to ensure personal information used in providing our services is accurate, complete and current where necessary. If your information changes, please let us know.

Subject to applicable legal and professional restrictions, you may request access to personal information that we hold about you and request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.

In some circumstances, access may be restricted, including where information is protected by solicitor-client privilege, contains confidential information relating to another person, cannot legally be disclosed or is subject to another legal or professional exception.

We may request information sufficient to verify your identity before responding to an access request.

When you visit our website or submit an online form, certain information may be collected automatically or through information you choose to provide.

Submitting information through an online intake or contact form does not, by itself, create a lawyer-client relationship.

Please avoid sending highly confidential or time-sensitive information through a general website form unless requested to do so by a lawyer or member of our staff.

A lawyer-client relationship is established only after Lutz Parish Gerrish has agreed to act for you and any required engagement or retainer process has been completed.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our practices, technology, professional obligations or applicable law.

The version posted on our website will be the current version.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, our handling of personal information, or wish to request access to or correction of personal information, please contact:

**Lutz Parish Gerrish**
506-832-1500
info@lutz.nb.ca

You may also contact the lawyer or office responsible for your matter.