Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to mblawpc.ca, ru.mblawpc.ca, and any other website, landing page, subdomain, online form or online service operated by MBLAW Professional Corporation that links to this Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information that we collect through:

• our websites;
• website forms and online inquiry forms;
• email, telephone, video meeting, in-person meetings and other communications;
• consultation booking tools;
• client portal tools;
• payment processing systems;
• analytics, cookies and similar technologies used on our websites;
• legal services, administrative processes and client file management.

This Privacy Policy does not apply to websites, platforms, payment processors, booking systems, social media websites or other third-party services that we do not own or control. Those third parties may have their own privacy policies, terms of use and data handling practices.

This Privacy Policy does not limit any duties of confidentiality, solicitor-client privilege, legal obligations, regulatory requirements, court orders, professional obligations or record retention obligations that may apply to our legal services.

This Privacy Policy is published in English. If you access this Privacy Policy from a Russian-language page, the English version remains the official version. If a translated version is made available for convenience, the English version will govern in the event of any inconsistency, unless applicable law requires otherwise.

Personal information means information about an identifiable individual. Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following types of personal information:

• name;
• company name, if applicable;
• phone number;
• email address;
• mailing address or residential address;
• information submitted through website forms;
• information provided when booking a consultation or requesting legal services;
• payment and billing information;
• information about your legal matter, inquiry or service request;
• identification information, where required for legal services, verification, billing or compliance purposes;
• documents and information that you upload to our client portal or send to us by email or other communication methods;
• communications between you and MBLAW, including emails, portal messages, letters, forms, meeting notes and phone call details;
• technical information about your use of our websites, including IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, referring website, approximate location data, interaction data and cookie-related information;
• marketing preference information, including whether you have subscribed to or unsubscribed from communications.

We aim to limit the personal information we collect to what is reasonably necessary for the purposes identified in this Privacy Policy, for the delivery of legal services, for administrative purposes, or as otherwise permitted or required by law.

Because MBLAW is a legal services provider, the personal information we collect may include sensitive information. Depending on the nature of the matter, this may include immigration records, real estate transaction documents, identification documents, financial information, family information, employment records, education records, travel history, government correspondence, court or tribunal documents, status documents, corporate records, tax-related documents, and other information relevant to your legal matter.

Information provided in connection with a legal matter may be protected by professional duties of confidentiality and, in some circumstances, solicitor-client privilege. Our professional confidentiality obligations may apply to information received from prospective, current and former clients, subject to applicable law and professional rules.

Confidentiality and solicitor-client privilege are not the same. Confidentiality may apply broadly to information received in the course of a professional relationship. Solicitor-client privilege generally applies to confidential communications between a lawyer and a client for the purpose of seeking or giving legal advice.

Submitting information through our website, sending an inquiry, booking a consultation, or communicating with our office does not by itself create a lawyer-client relationship. A lawyer-client relationship is created only when MBLAW has agreed to act for you and the required engagement steps have been completed, which may include conflict checks, identity verification, a signed retainer agreement and payment of required fees.

Please do not send urgent, highly sensitive or confidential information through a general website form unless we have specifically asked you to do so. If you are an existing client, please use the communication method provided for your file whenever possible.

We may collect personal information directly from you when you:

• complete a website form;
• contact us by email, telephone, mail, video meeting, in-person meeting, social media message or other communication method;
• book a consultation;
• provide documents or information for a legal matter;
• use our client portal;
• make a payment;
• subscribe to updates, event notices or other communications;
• respond to our requests for information;
• communicate with our lawyers, staff, agents or service providers.

We may also collect information from other sources where permitted or required by law, including:

• government authorities, registries, courts, tribunals, financial institutions, real estate professionals, immigration authorities, educational institutions, employers, translators, notaries, process servers, consultants, expert service providers and other parties involved in a matter;
• a person who contacts us on your behalf;
• publicly available sources;
• third-party technology tools used for website security, analytics, forms, booking, client portal functions, email delivery, cloud storage or payment processing.

If you provide personal information about another person, including a family member, employee, client, party to a transaction, or other individual, you are responsible for ensuring that you have the authority or consent to provide that information, unless another legal basis applies.

We use personal information for purposes that are reasonable in the circumstances, including to:

• respond to inquiries;
• assess whether we can assist you;
• conduct conflict checks;
• verify identity where required;
• book, manage and deliver consultations;
• provide legal services;
• prepare, review, submit or manage documents, forms, correspondence, applications and transaction materials;
• communicate with you about your matter;
• manage client files and internal workflows;
• process payments, issue invoices and maintain accounting records;
• operate, maintain, secure and improve our websites and online systems;
• monitor website performance and understand how visitors use our websites;
• send administrative communications, service updates and file-related messages;
• send marketing communications where permitted by law;
• comply with legal, regulatory, accounting, professional, insurance and risk management obligations;
• protect our rights, property, security and professional interests;
• respond to lawful requests, court orders, regulatory requirements or other legal processes;
• prevent fraud, misuse, unauthorized access or other improper activity.

We do not use personal information for purposes that are incompatible with the purposes for which it was collected, unless you provide consent or the use is otherwise permitted or required by law.

We collect, use and disclose personal information with your consent where consent is required. Consent may be express or implied, depending on the circumstances, the sensitivity of the information and your reasonable expectations.

By voluntarily providing information to MBLAW, you consent to our collection, use and disclosure of that information for the purposes identified in this Privacy Policy and for purposes that are reasonably necessary to respond to your inquiry, provide legal services, manage our relationship with you or comply with applicable obligations.

You may withdraw consent to certain uses or disclosures of your personal information, subject to legal, contractual, professional, regulatory, accounting, insurance, security and file retention obligations. If you withdraw consent, we may not be able to continue providing certain services or respond to certain requests.

Withdrawal of consent does not affect information that was collected, used, disclosed or retained before the withdrawal, where such handling was lawful.

To withdraw consent or ask questions about your consent, please contact our Privacy Contact using the contact information at the end of this Privacy Policy.

Our websites may allow you to submit inquiries, request contact, book consultations, access client portal functions, provide documents, or make payments. Information submitted through these tools may be processed by third-party service providers that support our websites, booking system, client portal, payment processing, email, cloud storage, security or administrative operations.

When you submit information through a website form, we use that information to review and respond to your inquiry. Submission of a form does not mean that MBLAW has agreed to act for you, accepted your matter, opened a file, or created a lawyer-client relationship.

When you use a client portal, the information you upload or submit may become part of your client file or prospective client record. You are responsible for providing accurate, complete and current information and for keeping your login credentials secure.

When you book a consultation or make a payment, we may collect or process information necessary to schedule the appointment, confirm your identity, issue an invoice, process the payment, manage refunds where applicable, and maintain accounting records.

We do not intentionally store full payment card details on our own website systems. Payment information may be processed by third-party payment processors according to their own security standards and privacy practices.

Our websites may use cookies, pixels, tags, scripts, analytics tools and similar technologies. These tools help us operate the websites, maintain security, understand website performance, improve user experience, measure marketing activity and provide relevant information to website visitors.

Cookies are small files placed on your device when you visit a website. Some cookies are necessary for website operation. Others may help us understand how visitors interact with the website or measure the performance of marketing campaigns.

Our websites may use the following categories of technologies:

• necessary cookies that support website functionality and security;
• analytics tools that help us understand website traffic, pages visited and general user behavior;
• advertising or measurement technologies that help us evaluate marketing performance and understand how visitors reach our websites;
• embedded content tools, such as maps, videos, social media links or external scheduling tools.

These tools may collect technical information, including IP address, device information, browser information, approximate location, pages visited, time spent on the website, referring website and interaction data. This information may be processed by third-party providers, including analytics, advertising, hosting, security or platform providers.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. You may block or delete cookies, but some website features may not function properly if cookies are disabled. Where required by applicable law, we will provide notice or obtain consent for cookies and similar technologies.

We may use your contact information to send marketing communications, newsletters, event notices, webinar information, service updates or other commercial electronic messages where permitted by Canada’s anti-spam legislation and other applicable laws.

Where required, we will seek your consent before sending commercial electronic messages. Marketing communications will identify MBLAW as the sender and will include a way to unsubscribe where required by law.

You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe mechanism in the message or by contacting us directly. Even if you unsubscribe from marketing communications, we may still send you non-marketing communications related to your legal matter, consultation, invoice, account, transaction, service request, legal obligations or administrative relationship with us.

We do not sell your personal information.

We may disclose personal information where reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including to:

• lawyers, staff, contractors and agents who assist MBLAW in providing legal services or operating the practice;
• technology service providers, including website hosting, email, cloud storage, client portal, booking, video meeting, analytics, security, form management and payment processing providers;
• government authorities, courts, tribunals, registries, regulators or administrative bodies where required or authorized for a matter;
• financial institutions, real estate professionals, title insurers, mortgage lenders, brokers, insurers, opposing counsel, translators, commissioners, notaries, process servers, experts, consultants or other parties involved in a file, where relevant to the service being provided;
• accountants, bookkeepers, auditors, insurers, professional advisors and risk management providers;
• collection agencies or legal representatives where necessary to establish, enforce or collect fees or protect legal rights;
• law enforcement, regulatory bodies or other authorities where required or permitted by law.

We limit disclosure to what is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose, subject to applicable legal, professional and ethical obligations.

We may use third-party service providers to support our websites, communications, file management, booking, client portal, cloud storage, payment processing, analytics, advertising, security, accounting and administrative functions.

Some service providers may store or process information outside Ontario or outside Canada. When personal information is processed in another jurisdiction, it may be subject to the laws of that jurisdiction, including lawful access by courts, law enforcement, regulators or government authorities.

We take reasonable steps to select service providers that can provide appropriate safeguards for the information they process on our behalf. However, no online system, cloud service, email service or third-party platform can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

MBLAW Professional Corporation is located in Ontario, Canada. We may provide legal services, consultations or information to individuals who are located outside Canada or who provide documents, records or personal information from outside Canada.

By contacting us, using our websites, submitting information through our online forms, booking a consultation, using our client portal, or providing personal information to us from outside Canada, you acknowledge that your personal information may be collected, used, disclosed, stored and processed in Canada, and may also be processed by service providers in other jurisdictions as described in this Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws applicable to MBLAW Professional Corporation in Ontario and Canada. If you are located outside Canada, privacy laws in your jurisdiction may differ from Canadian privacy laws. We do not represent that this Privacy Policy complies with the privacy laws of every jurisdiction from which a person may access our websites or contact our office.

Where we are required to communicate with foreign institutions, government authorities, employers, educational institutions, family members, representatives or other third parties in connection with your matter, we may collect or disclose personal information as reasonably necessary to provide the requested legal services, subject to applicable law, professional obligations and your instructions where required.

We use reasonable physical, administrative and technical safeguards to protect personal information against unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, loss or theft. These safeguards may include:

• restricted access to client files and administrative records;
• secure client portal tools where appropriate;
• password protection and access controls;
• use of secure communication and storage tools;
• staff training and internal procedures;
• confidentiality obligations for personnel and service providers where appropriate;
• reasonable website security measures;
• file management and retention procedures.

The level of protection depends on the sensitivity of the information, the amount of information, the format in which it is held and the foreseeable risks. Although we take reasonable steps to protect personal information, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. You should avoid sending highly sensitive information through unsecured channels unless we have instructed you to do so.

We retain personal information only as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required or permitted by law, professional obligations, accounting rules, insurance requirements, regulatory requirements, dispute resolution needs, file management practices or legitimate business purposes.

Different retention periods may apply to different types of information. For example:

• website inquiry records may be retained for a period necessary to respond to the inquiry, manage follow-up, conduct conflict checks and maintain business records;
• marketing subscription records may be retained to manage consent and unsubscribe preferences;
• consultation records may be retained for administrative, professional, risk management and conflict-checking purposes;
• client file records may be retained in accordance with legal, professional, insurance and regulatory obligations;
• payment, invoice and accounting records may be retained as required for tax, accounting and business purposes.

We may retain information where necessary to comply with professional obligations, protect privileged or confidential information, complete conflict checks, manage risk, respond to claims, enforce agreements, collect fees, or comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

When personal information is no longer required, we will securely delete, destroy, anonymize or archive it in accordance with our legal and professional obligations and reasonable business practices.

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

In some cases, we may not be able to provide access to all information. For example, access may be limited where disclosure would reveal confidential information about another person, compromise solicitor-client privilege, disclose information protected by law, affect an ongoing legal process, reveal internal work product, interfere with security or conflict-checking procedures, or otherwise be restricted by law or professional obligations.

We may also retain or withhold information where necessary to comply with professional obligations, protect privileged information, complete conflict checks, manage risk, respond to claims, enforce agreements, collect fees, or comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

We may ask you to verify your identity before responding to a privacy request. We will respond to requests within a reasonable time and in accordance with applicable law.

To make an access, correction or privacy request, please contact our Privacy Contact using the contact information at the end of this Privacy Policy.

A privacy breach may occur if personal information is lost, accessed without authorization, disclosed without authorization, or otherwise compromised.

If we become aware of a privacy breach involving personal information under our control, we will take reasonable steps to contain the breach, assess the circumstances, reduce the risk of harm and determine whether notification or reporting is required under applicable Canadian privacy laws.

Where a breach creates a real risk of significant harm to an individual, we will notify affected individuals and report the breach to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada where required by law. We will also keep records of privacy breaches as required by applicable law.

Our websites are intended for adults and are not directed to children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through our websites for marketing purposes.

Because we provide legal services, we may collect information about minors where it is relevant to a legal matter, immigration application, real estate transaction, family-related inquiry, consultation, client file or service request. Such information should be provided by a parent, legal guardian, authorized representative, or another person with lawful authority to provide it.

If you believe that a child has provided personal information to us through the website without appropriate authority, please contact us so that we can review the matter.

Our websites may contain links to third-party websites, platforms, resources, social media pages, government websites, booking tools, payment processors, video platforms, maps or other external services.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, accuracy, security or policies of third-party websites or services. Visiting a third-party website or using a third-party service is at your own discretion and is subject to that third party’s own terms, privacy policy and practices.

A link from our website to a third-party website does not mean that MBLAW endorses that website, its content, its services or its privacy practices.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our websites, services, legal obligations, technology, business practices or privacy procedures.

The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised “Last Updated” date. Your continued use of our websites after changes are posted means that you acknowledge the updated Privacy Policy.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to make a privacy request, or want to raise a concern about how your personal information has been handled, please contact us:

Privacy Contact
MBLAW Professional Corporation
5050 Dufferin Street, Suite 216
North York, Ontario M3H 5T5
Canada

Phone: +1 (416) 513-9418
Fax: +1 (416) 513-9340
Email: info@mblawpc.ca
Website: mblawpc.ca