HOW CAN WE HELP?

Sokoloff Lawyers is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy outlines how we handle your personal information to protect your privacy.

Privacy Legislation:
Since January 1, 2004, all Canadian organizations engaged in commercial activities have been required to comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”) and the Canadian Standards Association Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information incorporated by reference into PIPEDA. These obligations extend to lawyers and law firms, including Sokoloff Lawyers.

As a services firm, we have professional and ethical obligations to keep confidential the information we receive in the context of a lawyer-client and agent-client relationship.

Personal Information:
Personal information is defined in PIPEDA as information about an identifiable individual, but does not include the name, title or business address or telephone number of an employee of an organization. In other words, it does not include the information that one expects to find on a business card.

Consent to Our Collection of Personal Information:
In most cases, we obtain your consent to collect, use and disclose your personal information. Usually, if you retain our firm, we assume that we have your implied consent to our collection and use of your personal information, however, at times we may ask for your express consent, either verbally or in writing. Generally, we collect your personal information directly from you at the start of your retainer with our firm. Sometimes we may obtain information about you from other sources such as a government registry or other professionals who serve you.

Use of Personal Information:
We use your personal information to provide legal advice and services to you, to issue invoices and to maintain our database of clients. In addition, if you apply for a position we will use your personal information to assess your candidacy.

Withdrawal of Consent:
You may withdraw your consent to our collection, use and disclosure of your personal information at any time, subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions and upon reasonable notice. Your withdrawal of consent to our collection, use and disclosure of your personal information may impact our ability to represent you and provide you with legal advice.

Disclosure of Personal Information:
Generally, we do not disclose your personal information to third parties without your consent unless permitted or required by applicable laws or court orders.

The following are some examples where we may disclose your personal information: such disclosure is necessary to collect fees or disbursements; we contract with a third party to provide us with certain services such as archival file storage or insurance. (In such cases, we will use contractual or other means to ensure the third party service provider is bound by obligations regarding privacy which are consistent with this policy); or we engage expert witnesses or other law firms on your behalf.

Accuracy of Your Information:
It is important that the information that we have on file be accurate and up-to-date. If, during the course of the retainer, any of your information changes, please inform us so that we can make any necessary changes. We may also ask you from time to time whether your personal information is up-to-date.

Safeguards:
We use various safeguards to ensure that your personal information is protected against loss, theft, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying or alteration. These include: security of our physical premises; our professional obligations; security software and firewalls to prevent unauthorized computer access or “hacking”; and internal passwords that restrict access to our electronic files.

Access to your Personal Information:
You have a right to challenge the accuracy and completeness of your personal information and to have it amended, as appropriate. You also have a right to request access to your personal information and receive an accounting of how that information has been used and disclosed, subject to certain exceptions prescribed by law. For example, if the requested information would reveal personal information about another individual, your request for access may be limited or denied.

Website Privacy:
Like most other commercial websites, we may monitor traffic patterns, site usage and related site information to optimize your visit to our website. We do not use cookies or any electronic means to collect personal information from you or your computer; however, our website server will automatically collect IP addresses. We may view the IP log from time to time, for example, to maintain the security of our website. We do not link the IP addresses to other personally identifiable information.

Privacy Contacts:
If you have any questions or complaints about this Policy or the handling of your personal information, if you wish to withdraw your consent to our use of your personal information, or to request access to or update any information we have on file, please contact the lawyer with whom you are dealing, or contact: info@sokoloff.ca

This accessibility plan outlines the policies and actions that Sokoloff Lawyers (“the Firm”) has in place to improve opportunities for people with disabilities and to comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (“AODA“).

The Firm strives to provide a barrier-free environment for its clients and to provide goods and services to people with disabilities in a manner that respects their dignity, and independence, assuring equality of opportunity and integration, and ensuring they receive the same high standard of service excellence that the Firm endeavours to provide to all clients.

The goal of the AODA is to create a more accessible Ontario by identifying, and to the extent possible, preventing and eliminating barriers experienced by persons with a disability. A standard for customer service (the “Standard”) has been established under the AODA to ensure that goods and services are, where at all possible, equally accessible to every Ontarian.

The Firm endeavours to ensure that the policy and related practices and procedures are consistent with the following four (4) core principles:

1. Dignity: Clients with a disability must be treated as valued clients who are as deserving of service as any other client.
2. Equality of Opportunity: Clients with a disability should be given opportunities equal to those given to other clients to obtain, use and benefit from the Firm’s goods and services.
3. Integration: Wherever possible, clients with a disability should benefit from the Firm’s goods and services in the same place and in the same or similar manner as any other client.  In circumstances where integration does not serve the needs of the client with a disability, the Firm’s goods and services will, to the extent possible, be provided in another way that takes into account the client’s individual needs.
4. Independence: Goods and services must be provided in a way that respects the independence of clients with a disability.  To this end, the Firm will always be willing to assist This policy applies to all employees, contractors and agents of the Firm, whether such employees, contractors or agents are engaged on a full-time, part-time, temporary, casual or reduced work arrangement.

Communication with Persons with Disabilities

The Firm strives to communicate with disabled clients in a manner that takes into account both the disability and the client’s preferred method of communication. The Firm can communicate with clients in writing, via telephone, email or meetings, either in person or via video conferencing. The Firm recognizes that not all clients will wish to communicate in the same manner.

Assistive Devices

Clients with a disability are permitted, where possible, to use their own assistive device when on the Firm’s premises for the purposes of obtaining, using or benefiting from the Firm’s goods and services.

If there is a physical, technological or other type of barrier that prevents the use of an assistive device on the Firm’s premises the Firm will first endeavour to remove that barrier.  If the Firm is not able to remove the barrier, the Firm will ask the client how he/she can be accommodated and what alternative methods of service would be more accessible to him/her.  The Firm will make best efforts to provide an alternative means of assistance to the client with a disability.

The Firm’s staff will receive training on various assistive devices that may be used by clients with a disability while accessing the Firm’s goods and services.

Service Animals

Clients with a disability may be accompanied by a service animal and keep the service animal with them on the Firm’s premises, if the public or other third parties have access to such premises and the service animal is not otherwise excluded by law. If a service animal must be excluded, the Firm will explain to the client why this is the case and explore alternative ways to meet the client’s needs.

It is the responsibility of the client using the service animal to ensure that the service animal is kept in control at all times.

The Firm’s staff will receive training on how to interact with clients with a disability accompanied by a service animal.

Support Persons

Clients with a disability may be accompanied by a support person and have access to the support person on the Firm’s premises.

The Firm may require a client with a disability to be accompanied by a support person where it is necessary to protect the health or safety of the client with a disability or the health or safety of others on the premises.

Notice of Temporary Service Disruptions

The Firm will notify clients if there is a planned or unexpected disruption of a facility or service clients with a disability use to access the Firm’s goods and services.

Feedback Process

The Firm is committed to meeting the requirements of the Standard. Comments regarding how well client expectations are being met are welcomed and appreciated.

Clients may provide feedback on the manner in which the Firm provides the Firm’s services to clients with disabilities. Feedback may be delivered through the following channels:

• electronically, by visiting the Firm’s website;
• by email;
• in writing by mail
• in person, by visiting the Firm office and hand delivering feedback in writing to the reception area.

Additionally, a client may request for the Firm contact to submit feedback on their behalf.

The material on this website is presented for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Although care has been taken in preparing and compiling this information, Sokoloff Lawyers does not warrant the quality, accuracy or completeness of any of the information on the website. No person should act or refrain from acting based on any of the information on this website. Anyone using the information on this website does so at his or her own risk and releases Sokoloff Lawyers and the maintainers of this page from any liability from injury or damage resulting from such use.

Transmissions Do Not Create a Solicitor-Client Relationship

Email transmissions to Sokoloff Lawyers, or to any member of the firm, do not create a solicitor-client relationship. No professional relationship is created by viewing this website or sending an email. Persons do not become clients unless and until Sokoloff Lawyers agrees to act for them and that agreement is confirmed in a retainer agreement or retainer letter in accordance with our usual policies.

Transmissions Are Not Confidential

Sokoloff Lawyers do not guarantee the confidentiality of the content of any email transmission facilitated by this website. We do have firewalls and protect all information as best we can.

Links

Certain links on this website lead to documents or websites maintained by other persons and organizations. Inclusion of these links on this website does not signify our endorsement of the form or content of any of those documents or websites, and we make no representation as to the accuracy of the information contained in them.